At least she won't go hungry this winter

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This is my new mixed media piece I call it Donations. It was created out of the frustration I feel with the art world. Here you have the quintessential depiction of the starving artist right? Paint brush in hand standing on the street corner working for donations. But the truth is the days of the starving artist are gone for the most part. Or should I say the respect for the starving artist and their wallet is gone!. 

 Everywhere I look there's someone trying to fleece my pockets as an artist. I'm promised that I can be a hopeful and apply for art space in a residency for a mere $900 a month,lol.Years ago when I worked mostly in paint I wanted to get studio space here in New York. There was this one place I wanted to get into so bad, It offered studio space in little historic 19th century cottages. They were highly coveted and rarely became available, but when they did they would set you back $600 a month. Which I didn't really think was all that bad considering the historic nature of them and that each one had a small garden.. But I still considered them a luxury. Now most of the spaces I see want absurd amounts of money to even just share space with other artist!

 There's this idea that being an artist is a cheap venture. I think it can be considering the medium you work in. But when I worked in oil paints or was making jewelry there was nothing cheap about it. Even though now I work mostly in a computer medium, it still cost money to make quality prints and pay for programs. I didn't move away from oil painting and in to my mixed media art because of cost though. I did it because it's was easier to store. I don't have to worry so much about housing multiple canvases and supplies. After losing large bodies of my work some years ago. It left me fearful to store up too many pieces of art that I poured my heart in to. 

It's kind of funny most struggling artist can't afford the luxury to have a studio art space that they rent separate from their living space. Nor can most pay for application to be a hopeful in a gallery or magazine. Some of the asking prices are outrageous. Asking $25 sometimes $50 just to apply! That shit adds up after a while. It's like you can't get a break. Most of the big time artist get gallery space or magazine space without having to pay any fee. Yet if your a ''starving artist'' you have to pay! There's something wrong with that~ 

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