Comments on: Deep Thought Thursday: Capitalism

By: Patricia

Patricia — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 20:02:53 +0000

I’ve always thought it interesting that those involved in the arts are supposed to be different than the rest of the world. We’re supposed to have loftier thoughts, deeper hearts, emptier wallets. Also interesting to see how male artists perceive their work as opposed to female artists in the responses.
Perhaps it’s time to look into the stereotypes we ourselves might be helping to perpetuate.
I love Nicole’s description of herself as a grateful capitalist.

By: Bill Curtis

Bill Curtis — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:21:55 +0000

greed and capitalism are NOT the same thing. trading something of value for something else of value is not greed. What’s wrong with calling something what it is. Capitalism is a ‘system’ that gives us an occasion to provide value for value. T’ain’t greed. This is not to say that there are no greedy capitalists any more than there are no greedy people in a monarchy, a socialist system, or any free trading system, etc. Could be that’s why there are two words, one for each of two different things.

By: Alyson Stanfield

Alyson Stanfield — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 21:42:30 +0000

Michael N: I understand this. The museum curator role is from my old life, so it sounds familiar. It’s easy for the curator (who makes a steady salary) to say that. And, yes, I’m sure “You’re lucky to be an artist” is heard far too often by artists. I’ve got to watch myself and make sure I don’t say it because luck has nothing to do with it! I like “practical idealist.”

By: Michael Newberry

Michael Newberry — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:34:06 +0000

What a pleasure to read these thoughtful comments, I am glad you all took time to share your thoughts. I agree, so far, closely with Michael Lynn Adams above. But I have some other thoughts in a different direction: some months ago a museum curator posted a dig about selling art, about art galleries…and was arrogantly in support of the idea that real artists exhibit in museums “free” from the constrains of money. That is one point a view. Another is that art is negligible, a luxury, and that artists are lucky and self-indulgent. How many times have you heard that you are lucky to be an artist? There is a view that art is like making love. Which taken literally makes a money exchange a little uncomfortable. I think the answer is show the love and value one has for art, and to be a realist when it comes to practical matters. A practical idealist.

By: Tim Tyler

Tim Tyler — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:59:09 +0000

Daniels first post said what I would have said. There exist odd ideas I suspect born in college art classes like canvas must breathe, art exhibition entries should all be free, money is bad (by the way so are awards). Some persons hold on to these ideas long past their usefullness -passing the art class, into their adult lives. While I’m at it-there is no such thing as “sugar high” in normal healthy people. Let that one go too. All food that goes into your mouth must be converted into blood sugar including fruits and veggies.

By: K. Henderson

K. Henderson — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:18:27 +0000

I am a capitalist and proud of it! I work 14 hours a day, asking for no bail outs. My art pays for the food I eat, the clothes I wear, the gasoline I buy, the supplies I use. Is getting paid for my hard word ‘Greed’? I guess some people must think so.

By: maria brophy

maria brophy — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:43:25 +0000

My husband is the artist, and it’s my job to sell his art so he can keep creating and at the same time support our family. Sometimes I’ll hear someone say that he “sells out” because he licenses his art for printing on products (clothing, beach towels,etc.). It hurts to hear that, mostly because we work so hard at what we do, and his art brings so much joy to people. He doesn’t consider himself a fine artist, he calls himself a commercial artist. I don’t know if that makes a difference, but I suppose a fine artist wouldn’t want their art printed on t-shirts! The bottom line is this: Why would any artist want to keep “the Starving Artist” curse alive!? It’s my plan to turn that old curse around and to see evey artist become a “well fed artist”!

By: hyokon

hyokon — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:19:00 +0000

Not at all. The fact that someone is willing to pay means you made something that is valuable for someone else. It is perfectly fine to create art only to satisfy yourself, which is more selfish in a way, but then you need another job to make a living. It is your choice. Life is fair. The happiest artist must be one who create art for themselves and still the art is loved by other people. I believe that an entrepreneur, which I am, is an artist. I always dream of creating something that I am passionate about and that people will find valuable. Just different tools and media. Capitalism is a very misleading terminology. It gives feeling of guilt to people who exchange goods and ideas with other people freely. We should call it free market, a much better description.

By: Tammy Vitale

Tammy Vitale — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:42:24 +0000

I wasn’t going to say anything since it way my comment that started all this; however, this morning I was reading ltrs to the editor in the Washington Post and one was objecting to fundng “the arts.” David Wonderling says: “People are taking pay cuts, being laid off and losing homes…Fund the arts and pet projects when the nation is once again flush with cash.” Those here who are working artists understand that selling art is part of the business of being a working artist. Those of us who are, indeed, working artists, need to take back the art world from those who review in coded language and display work that makes you go “Huh?” Art is not rarified. It is not special. It is focus and passion just like any work that makes sense. It is no less deserving than farm aid which feeds the body, for art feeds the spirit. The sooner we take back the definition of “art,” the sooner art in schools will be seen as the necessity that it is, and the sooner funding artists who work at their business will not seem untoward.

By: Tammy Vitale

Tammy Vitale — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:41:16 +0000