- What events/moments/personal experiences change or refine my past perspective to look at art teaching and learning now?
- What current learning or art education theories do I learn related to this change or revision?
- How does my art piece (or the process of making this art piece) represent this change or revision?
- How does my current understanding influence my path of be/coming an artist and educator?
Currently, I have been surrounded by artists. I see people going into a career of something that they didn't necessarily need to go to college to be successful at. I couldn't imagine handling student loans and being an artist; 'starving artist' came from truth. I also see successful artists living their best life and fulfilling their needs. Due to Covid-19, innumerable businesses, museums, and shops deemed 'non-essential' are forced to live off of government paychecks that may barely cover their space cost. Most schools moved online with some closing for the year. This leaves many at home, lacking funds, and feeds into my old fear of being a 'starving artist'. However; even despite this, I see artists being called to improve the world condition. Artists are now tasked with making masks and other essential equipment for the general public, allowing for them to be more lucrative than other careers currently.
While I wasn't asked to make masks, someone approached me asking for ten dice bags of specific colors. I have never had a commission before, but this has been a test of time management above all else - my duty to this commission versus my class art projects. One has a person waiting for me to finish, the other has deadlines haunting me. I am close to finished with the commission, having worked when my homework was worked on a little each day. These dice bags have made me realize that being an artist for a living is very conceivable,
My current understanding allows me to have a more positive outlook on the prospect of artists making art for a living. I still need to grapple with the thought of higher education art classes, but that is something to be considered on another day. I can confidently tell students how to make funds on art and to know their value as an artist. I might make art for recreational purposes on the side and sell to counterbalance both lacks of funds.