The reality of the time art takes

Image of a work by James Casebere

"For the artist, any artist, poet, painter, musician, time in plenty and an abundance of ideas are the necessary basics of creativity. By dreaming and idleness and then by intense self-discipline does the artist live. The artists cannot perform between 9 and 6, 5 days a week, or if she sometimes does, she cannot guarantee to do so. Money culture hates that. It must know what it is getting, when it is getting it, and how much it will cost. The most tyrannical of patrons never demanded from their protogees what the market now demands of artists; if you can't sell your work regularly and quickly, you can either starve or do something else. The time that art needs, which may not be a long time, but which has to be its own time, is anathema to a money culture. Money confuses time with itself. That is part of its unreality."

- From Art Objects, Jeanette Winterson

Comments

[T]

I just love Jeanette Winterson, I devour her books as soon as they come out. She is such a brilliant writer and her thoughts on art are so inspiring. Thank you for sharing this!

[Susan]

Sad commentary. I have a friend sitting in a hotel room in New York now showing her wares to gallery owners--what a ghastly experience, but the only way to keep on.

[nina]

thanks for posting this!

[Tim]

A tough but true reality of today's art world. I struggle with the time issue constantly. Time for ideas to develop is especially in short supply in the world today.

The only way around it is to opt out of the market side altogether, make what you want, work another job and make peace with that.

For the rest of us, we'll continue to find whatever ways we need to get it done.

[Amy]

i dont know tim, i keep thinking there must be a way to not have to adopt a either/or dynamic of doing work you don't love to support work you do love. not that you can escape the struggles everyone has in this regard, but some way to integrate one's life a little more, struggle and all.
then again, different jobs and careers can support different sides of ourselves. i know i can't spend all my time in the studio or doing web design jobs or else i will go crazy with the solitude. sometimes i want to go back to working in coffee shops just to talk to folks in my neighborhood more.