What are some of those commentators thinking? Can you imagine what the world would be like without creatives? We’d all be living in concrete boxes eking out a miserable existence like some indifferent robots. There would be no music, art, or architecture. People, and society in general, thirst for beauty and inspiration to live happy, gratifying lives.

To me, Portland has just the right mix of culture, art, and inspiring environment to live and thrive in as a creative (and affordability!). Whether Portland itself can support the arts community fully on its own, I think, is not as important as to do what you are passionate about. And don’t EVER sacrifice your ideals (as one commentator suggested) to settle for less than what you are worth. That is misery and life won’t be worth living. As creatives, we are only happy when we are creating. Do what you need to do to make it work for you. Your light will attract an audience from within the immediate community and beyond. Perhaps Portland’s greatest export could become it’s art. Use the internet and social media to get exposure nationally and internationally. It’s a very powerful tool.

It’s important for us creatives to flock together. As my friend, Barbara Saunders of Self-Employed Creative Professionals recently said, artists are like coals in a fire. If you take one out of the fire it will go cold and die. But if you keep all the coals together, they keep each other burning brightly. And to further this metaphor, the fire attracts people and keeps them warm (and, I dare say, alive!). This concept of Mastermind groups is a great thing, and somewhere we can all go to get fired up and inspired to do great things and succeed.

We all need to believe in Portland and the great people that live here. Let’s keep that creative energy alive.

Thank you for crafting such an informed response to the OregonLive article. As a big time networker, I find that surrounding yourself with other like-minded, positive people who are striving to succeed and want to see you succeed is critical to ones success…whether it’s a mastermind group or a casual gathering.

And, you’re absolutely right…if you want to make it at anything, you answer the calling, make the commitment, and do whatever it takes to get to your goal.

Thanks again!

Rebecca

Mary – thank you for stopping by. The Eastern idea of a Thousand Cuts is the concept that individually, small wounds cannot hurt us, but a thousand small wounds will bleed us to death. Eliminating a few artists or art organizations won’t hurt the country/economy as a whole. Eliminating support for the arts altogether (as has been done in some schools) kills off an important part of life.

Here in Arizona, we’ve faced government cuts (who hasn’t ) to the arts. At one point, there was a proposal to eliminate the Arizona Commission on the Arts altogether. In contacting our representatives, I pointed out that, in addition to inspiring others and helping them see things in new ways, artists make things. Making things (AKA products) requires materials and services, which stimulates the economy more than service businesses.

People – including artists – need to see art as a business. Yes, art is absolutely more than a business, but it is also a business. There is a time for creativity and a time for business. The lines sometimes blur, but there are many instances where it’s pretty clear. From a business perspective, an artist has a right to ask to be paid properly, but also a responsibility to act in such a way there is value for that payment.

Finally, for the artist who is too busy with commissions, the sculptor I work for, Kevin Caron, has also had that challenge. It’s very difficult to turn away dollars when people want to give them to you! Kevin has learned, though, that his own work is important, too. It’s part of his development as an artist, which builds value. Artists can “commission” themselves to create work, setting aside some time in the schedule for that important part of their development.

Just some thoughts.

Master Mind groups are essential, and more important effective for anyone who is working solo. For artists, these have the added benefit of being connected to other artists, who are probably the most fruitful tree of ongoing, current information about what’s happening in the art world.

I’m going to tweet this one up!