Thursday, I hung up my abstract art exhibit at Alexandrian Public Library. It’s been a while since I’ve exhibited there. They have such a nice exhibit hall and I’m glad to have the last week of September and the entire month of October to exhibit my work.

I’m not sure how it is for many other artists, but my local art friends have noticed a decline in art sales this year. Probably the economy, inflation and it being an election year. Not to mention housing prices are downright shocking. *sigh*

Garden Birds

In contrast, I do see an unreasonable amount of restaurants still going up or new banks being built. Hmmm…  I listened to a podcast yesterday that talked about the artist and how we fit into the economic society. How not long ago, cities were trying to attract artists to their towns because it’s known that with arts in the community, that draws more people that want to live there – art-driven urban revitalization.

Priced out of town?

What’s ironic is what usually happens after the artists show up and make the place desirable. The rent starts out low for studio space to draw the artists in. But then, people start moving to the town because of the lively art scene and then housing prices go up. Effectively pricing the artists (and the original occupants) out of the very community they helped beautify and re-build. Essentially gentrification.

Fiddlesticks and Let’s Do Lunch

Now it seems that the days of attracting artists have ended and the cities, instead of looking to draw artists, they are now attracting restaurants, high end condo developers, etc.. The podcast guest was a writer, William Deresiewicz, author of The Death of the Artist: How Creators are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech. In the episode, he made a good point that after a good meal with fine wine, it was actually gone the next day. Whereas art on the other hand can be passed down for generations. Nothing that us artists haven’t always known of course, but it’s nice to hear someone else say it.

Woodland Soul and Whirlwind.

If you’re interested in the podcast, here’s the link. It was Alyson Stanfield’s “The Art Biz” episode 205 – The Internet Might Be Ruining Artists’ Livelihoods with William Deresiewicz.

Forever and A light in the Darkness.

I listen to several different podcasts having to do with art, the art business and a variety of other subjects. Living in the country, quite a ways from the places I need to go, gives me plenty of time to listen.

What do you mean? and Dahlia Fireworks

If you’re local to me, I’d love to hear if you had a chance to stop and see my abstract art exhibit.

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Learn more about me on the ‘About’ page under the additional links menu. I’m an artist – a painter mostly and an avid gardener. I paint a variety of subjects including birds, koi fish, my gardens, ponds and flowers as well as anything having to do with nature especially trees and tropical scenes. I also enjoy painting abstracts and have started created more and more of them. My most favorite thing to try to achieve in my painting is is mystery and telling mystical stories.

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