Living and Sustaining a Creative Life: Essays by 40 Working Artists

by Sharon Louden (Editor)

In this day and age, when art has become more of a commodity and art school graduates are convinced that they can only make a living from their work by attaining gallery representation, it is more important than ever to show the reality of how a professional, contemporary artist sustains a creative practice over time. The forty essays collected in Living and Sustaining a Creative Life are written in the artists’ own voices and take the form of narratives, statements, and interviews. Each story is different and unique, but the common thread is an ongoing commitment to creativity, inside and outside the studio. Both day-to-day and big picture details are revealed, showing how it is possible to sustain a creative practice that contributes to the ongoing dialogue in contemporary art. These stories will inform and inspire any student, young artist, and art enthusiast and will help redefine what "success" means to a professional artist.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Essays, Design

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Prima Seadiva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed. I had hoped some of the essays would approach the subject from viewpoints other than earning a living as an artist. Most of the writers worked only as an artist or worked in a teaching or other art related work as well.
Most of the rest of us don't. We work in other jobs and do our art. The challenge is to continue to do art and feel relevant in spite of work or with a spare table being our only affordable studio.
It was somewhat interesting to read about other artists' routines.

[Katherine Rohrbacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a book that you'd want to read in one sitting because the essays are pretty similar. I would read one or two essays in the morning with my coffee and they would always get me ready and excited to get to work in my studio.

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book that helped me define and self-validate myself as an artist.
The book starts with a wonderful quote from Carter E. Foster, Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art.
"Sure , some artists are lucky enough that they can make a living doing it while other artists work day jobs or supplement their practice by teaching or other means. But I don't think the distinction is IMPORTANT. It's the seriousness of purpose that I admire the most."
My definition of purpose is down deep, gut level life or death importance. My husband in frustration will tell me I'm selfish and fame hungry, which is one my biggest fears along with having no talent.
I can't find the quote, but I was reassured in my artistic path by an artist saying there are as many paths of art as there are artists.
Another quote that helped define my choice of a day job, p. 120: "Beyond grants, awards and art sales, I need to have the certainity of an income in order to function well in the studio."
Maureen Connor wrote "...today's 1% - behavior that allows a few to sustain great wealth through the poverty of the majority. As I see it, this is also the way the art market works..."
"...result in the inadequate support available to most contemporary practitioners, including not just monetary compensation, but all the factors that contribute to the legitimation of an artist. And the needs of the ego for support and recognition can be just as rapacious as the body's demands for nutrition, but often with more limited access to satisfaction." I'm tearing up as I type this.

[Isla McKetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making a life as an artist - both the making a living and the constant questioning and growth - can be both extremely difficult and extremely rewarding. In the 40 essays in this book, various visual artists explore how they make their creative lives work. I was so excited about how these artists opened their lives to provide some real insight, that I started examining what life is like for me as a writer and artist.

This book should be required reading for anyone who is making a career as any type of artist. Your career path and the choices you will make will be your own, but it's helpful to really understand how others have done it. I hope Ms. Louden considers making this into a series that covers other types of art, but I think artists of all types will relate to aspects of this book.

[Kimberly Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book that any artist who wishes to make their work and make a living doing so should read.

[Jin Darvek · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a Las Vegas-sized buffet of activities you can choose from to make your life as an artist.
Some activities are broccoli.
These are non-negotiable, and I hope you like eating them.
Know what you want, work hard at those goals, and most of all, put studio time first.
If you don't like broccoli, it's okay to just do art as a hobby or to choose a different job in the creative field.
My biggest gripe is that the viability of a making a living selling your work via digital marketing is only discussed in passing in the conclusion.
Not only is this possible, I see many artists doing this.
But this book came out 10 years ago, so I can't complain.
If you want to be an artist as your main work in life, read this book.

[Dieu Mi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t dislike the book at all and found the individual story of each artist interesting in its own right. The reason for my three stars might be that maybe 40 essays of 40 artists were a liiiittle bit too much for my taste as I noticed I got a bit bored over time because some experiences sounded a bit repetitive to me (and I don’t want to devalue the stories of each artist). What I’m trying to say is: 20 essays might have been enough 🙏🏼

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, a great juxtaposition to 33 Artists in 3 Acts. Louden asked everyday working artists to talk about how they balance life with art. These are artists most of of us never heard of, but are creating art that enriches their lives and those around them. I really liked the essays, the pictures of their art and the real life stories they tell.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview from successful artists on the creative journey. No quick fix, one-size-fits-all, solution to balancing finances, a day job, a family, and the pressing need for more time, but a thorough sharing between artists who have discovered what works for them.

[Loretta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off on the right track but got repetitive.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was an interesting account of these artists' lives but was not as descriptive as one would believe. The tools used to get to their current position or actual trajectory was not outlined specifically. The book was more of a general "this is what I did" versus actual tools you could look at and possibly use for yourself.

[Bhan13 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The essays are fine and are what the title describes but they're flat somehow, and too similar. I'm not sure what would add a spark to this book but it did seem to lack something.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest contender for my favourite read this year, this is a wonderful collection of essays by 40 working artists. The essays deal with all the joys, pains, complexities, and trivialities of being a working artist, covering everything from how to actually get the work done, the creative process, creative blocks, and the usual self-doubt that goes with being an artist, to juggling relationships and family, money, gallery representation, and being a part of a creative community. There’s a lot to celebrate in these essays, but also a lot of plain talk around things like money and how to earn enough of it to live on and sustain a career (I didn’t count but it certainly seemed like most of the 40 artists featured spoke of having second jobs to supplement the income they earned from their fine art practice). These 40 essays are filled with passion for creativity and artistic practices, with a generous dose of reality tossed in. It’s a really excellent read.

[Ann Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn't learn anything earth shattering from this book, but it was a good reminder that i'm not alone in the struggles of trying to live a creative life. interesting to read how 40 very different artists manage to make ends meet in a variety of ways. my favorite thing about this book was the diversity. the editor chose artists of various ages, locations (from nyc to rural farms), and philosophies.

[Jodi]

wonderful!!!

[Rebecca Tanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read.