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Should I Go There? I’m always looking for themes and connections.

Within a few days I attended a talk by the Director of the Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles, read a little book Show Your Art, and watched the documentary on the graffiti artist, Banksy in New York. In anticipating these activities, I thought there might be a street art theme here.

detail Flower Vendors by Alfredo Martinez at Scripps College

Isabel Rojas-Williams spoke for an hour about the murals of Los Angeles and her organization’s purpose. In addition to showing images of wonderful murals in LA, she spoke about how she immediately connected to these murals as a newly arrived immigrant from Chile. The murals spoke to her.  In exploring them, she learned that the murals were most often created by artists with a need to communicate social, political, and historical ideas. For them, it was imperative that the work be shown.

cover

I soon abandoned that thought about the wall art connection. The book by Austin Kleon, Show Your Art, had nothing to do with public wall art. The premise of the book is that one does art for the purpose of sharing.  I enjoyed reading about the non-competitive and creative ways to engage others in one’s art. The author emphasizes that one must strive to produce quality, meaningful work and to make this work accessible to others.

Banksy street art in Los Angeles

Banksy is an English graffiti artist who surreptitiously and unabashedly leaves his stenciled images and messages on city walls. Often his work is found along side gang tags and other graffiti. Rarely does one see his face and often his graffiti is erased…whitewashed.  But his satirical, social, and political street art is never forgotten.

To my surprise themes did emerge. And they turned out to be lessons. It’s about sharing the art, not about promoting the artist. It’s about the need to communicate something worthwhile.  It’s about having the courage and boldness to expose one’s work. Glad I went there. 

Place. Recently, upon returning from an art event in Claremont, CA, where I live and paint; two words came to mind: “milieu” and “niche.”  I knew it was an intuitive moment and, perhaps, an “ah hah” moment.  I jotted both words down. I looked them up and, yes, I was right. There is a connection.  They are both about place.  I decided I needed to understand the underlying meaning.  So, I directed my attention to the event that preceded my semantic revelation.

I had walked around the grounds of the art event, engaging in conversation with volunteers, artists, neighbors, friends, and art professionals. I ran into the owner of the gallery that shows my paintings. I chatted with my friend who was selling lemonade. I said hi to my neighbor who was selling art books. I admired the work of artists that I truly know. I talked with one artist about my delivering work to a group show she is hosting. I thanked the director of an arts organization for promoting my recent exhibit. I made a recommendation to another person about who would be a good artist / speaker at her next meeting.  I realized that I knew so many people in the local art community.  I felt that I was in my milieu. I was in my place.

Throughout the afternoon, several people asked why I hadn’t exhibited at the event. I gave several explanations…I was not invited, I doubt that my work would sell here, etc. These reasons were real and true, but remained unexplained. Although I had the vague notion that my art did not belong, I was unable to articulate where my art does belong. I was not able to name my niche…my particular place in the art market. 

I now realize that I am both comfortable and uncomfortable about my place.  My ease with people in the local art community has been a natural social evolution of sharing interests, information, and ideas. However, finding my corner of the  art market, is not natural.  Sometimes I feel I need some sort of Artist GPS or compass. Yet, the app only works if one has a destination.  So, I continue to wander as I take advantage of opportunities and learn from others. I am letting my milieu nudge my niche. I hope that I will eventually find my place. Have you found yours?