Artist Mel Ristau
advised me to run to the bookstore and pick up a copy of the July-August issue
of Art on Paper. Since not every
bookstore is so savvy, I called upon our local favorite, Tattered Cover, which, thankfully,
saved me a copy.
The theme: Letters to a Young Artist (inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s
"Letters to a Young Poet").
"Young Artist" writes a letter to established artists whose work she
admires asking for advice.
From John Baldessari: "Don’t go into art for fame and fortune. Do it
because you cannot not do it."
From Gregory Amenoff: "Artists drive the bus." and
"Don’t be afraid to do dumb things in the studio."
From Mierle Laderman Ukeles: "It is your job to
re-invent art itself, through what you create."
Then there’s a letter from Sol LeWitt, writing to Eva Hesse
in 1965. His advice; "DO!"
Good stuff.
