Should artists work?

Looking at Art:

There are many stereotypes about artists and work outside the studio. The perception persists that good artists should not need a day job. Do you think an artist who works can create great art as well? Many great artists have had jobs. A group show of 38 artists at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas, will take place from February until July 2023 called “Day Jobs”. According to the museum website: “The exhibition will examine the overlooked impact of day jobs on the visual arts, and is dedicated to demystifying artistic production and upending the stubborn myth of the artist sequestered in their studio.”

Work in the Studio:

I was an art teacher for many years and I admit that I always resented the saying: “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.”— George Bernard Shaw

Even as I worked teaching art, I always had art in progess in my own studio. As a retired teacher, I value every moment in my studio. I love drawing and painting people. When there is no live model to inspire me, I come back to the self-portrait. In this version, I have placed the face to one side hoping to allow the feeling in the background area to help set the tone for the painting.

Imagine, Watercolor, 14” x 11”