Friday, July 13, 2012

Residency Envy

I'm Soooo Jealous....


I have been reading more than a few blog posts lately regarding artist residencies and the potters that are currently in them, will be in them, or just finished them. I am so green right now.

I sometimes wish that I had a less stable life. One that afforded me the time (although perhaps not the money) to pursue these opportunities without having to worry about how to take a prolonged “holiday” and still have a job when I got back. I guess that is a conundrum for most people. When you have the time, you don't have the money, and when you have the money, time is in short supply. I only get 2 weeks paid holiday a year, so that would need to be banked for a while in order to even think about taking a long sabbatical from work. Other than people like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, who can afford to go for any length of time without a pay cheque? I keep trying for the lottery (through work). I don't want to be that schmuck that didn't put in and then they win and you are the only one running the joint when they are all sitting on a beach somewhere drinking mojitos.

The Renaissance guys had some of it right, they had the Patron. I think we need these to come back. To have a wealthy benefactor that supports an artist or artists in what they do, thereby allowing them to focus fully on their ideas and expand their creative horizons without having to worry so much about the mundane things in life that pull our attentions away. I'm just dreaming of course and I'm sure that there were some problems with that system of support. Like what happens when your patron dies, or loses it all in the stock market etc. All I want is someone to pay me to make stuff that I love because they love it, is that too much to ask? I jest of course. The 1% don't want to support me and the other sort of starving artists out there. Unless they do, and we just have not asked them nicely.

Dear Mr. Gates,


I am writing this to you in the hopes that you really need a new dinner service, teapot, coffee mug, soup tureen, casserole... but just can't find what you are looking for. If you could pay my way in the world, I will make you the most KICK A$& dinner service, teapot, coffee mug, soup tureen, casserole... ever.


Sincerely,


Ashley



Do you think it will work?

Probably not.

Back to the Lottery plan it is then.

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