SF Studio School Values in Art

I sent in an image for the "Red" show at the San Mateo City Hall lobby. You couldn't get more red than this! And, there is no entry fee.

I attended a talk on "Values in Art Today" last night at the San Francisco Studio School, located very close to the Transamerica Bldg at 30 Hotaling Place, San Francisco. www.sfstudioschool.org The panelists were: Gina Werfel, Peter Selz, Hearne Pardee, Francis Mill, and Laura Harden. While it was perceived by the audience that the current art environment was pretty dim, i came away feeling that i am on the right path. Art is a commodity for many and in general, people do not spend the time required to take in art. Artists choose to go into art not because it is easy or we will make money. Creating art is more than a career choice but a passionate journey. I love investigating an idea or problem thoroughly, much like i did when i was a scientist only now, my language is visual and the result is a two dimensional object. My days are spent in exploration, and i know i am very fortunate to be in a postion where I can absorb and focus on the creation of my vision. The business aspect of art while very necessary for most is not a distraction for me although i spend time every week with applications to residencies and shows. I cannot worry that people view art as a commodity or that what people like are the graphic based pieces that are easity accessible but i think are tiresome after a few seconds of looking at them. I cannot worry that i do not fit in the art world of youth oriented, spectacle based scenes. But somehow, i need to bring my body of work to the right audience because while i have the drive, force, determination, and economic stability to create art, i still want some validation of my efforts. The panelists pretty much confirmed what i have thought about art and the people in art: spectacle art is in, thought provoking, quiet art is out, political art is always out, people in art (i am loathe to call them artists) do not want to become better artists but want to become famous, people in art do not read about current events nor do they care about what is going on politically or in the world, people in art find studying art history to be a waste of time, people buy art not because they love the work but as an investment or as decoration. So yes, the picture is dim but like i said, I can't worry about that.