You hear it all over the city now. Support the Arts. There are galleries everywhere, from the upscale places to the bakery or bistro or salon. When people hear support the arts, at least those who can afford to, tend to contribute to a foundation or museum.
What happens to the artist? They work at the bistro or salon or grocery store. I talked to a gallery owner in an attempt to get some help so I could buy supplies and he said the days when an artist didn’t need to have another job were gone. This is the state arts are in. The artist comes home from work tired. Just like everyone does. His time for creating is gone. The art that might have been will never be. It is lost.
At the same time people decorate their homes and businesses with mass produced reproductions. Will Monet, Picasso or Klee benefit? Maybe. But they won’t be paid.
I’m asking people who are decorating to look at original works. You can go on line and find unlimited artists. You can find something you really like for no more than you would pay for a well framed copy of something everyone has already seen. And you get something unique. There is only one in the world and it is yours.
I don’t think most people understand what it means to an artist to sell something. It gives them confidence and adds a sense of meaning to their work. It validates their existence.
So I say if you want to support the arts, support the artist. You will not believe the difference you will be making.