10 Things I Learned From Two Years Of Making Art In My Studio During The Pandemic(#4 will blow your mind).
They say you learn a lot about yourself when you’re exploring your craft. Me? Not really. But here are some thoughts.
- The first step is decorating your space. I tried just jumping in and making art but realized pretty quickly that no one really gives a shit about you unless your stu is hella-knolled. Every self-respecting artist spends time curating their thought castles.
2. Art is f*kn expensive. Like, they should tell you this before you jump in. Paper? Expensive. Pencils? Paint? Granola bars and sh*t? Yeah, you guessed it. Costly. I managed, but it seriously cut into my snacks budget.
3. Do NOT do this unless you’re comfortable exploring the depths of your emotions. The one thing I didn’t expect was how much art requires you to access your adolescent trauma. NOT very chill.
4. I’m not very good at this. Woah. Right? I can safely say there are people better suited to do art than me. It’s as if someone can dedicate their entire lives trying to build something significant, and still come up short. Thank god for my company-provided health insurance. Speaking of…
5. Apparently, life as an artist is sort of hard? Like, even though you seek to provoke thought, endeavor to provide beauty, or desire to create something meaningful for society, this country doesn’t support you with the most basic of human needs? Healthcare… nah. Social programs, grants? Good luck, those are mostly spoken for by someone who “knows someone.” Sick? Need to take time off? Well… f*ck you, I guess.
6. No one is interested in my musical.
7. Community matters. I realized I’m less of a “self-starter” and more of a “self-saboteur.” Also, I learned how to spell “saboteur” just now, thanks to Grammarly. Anyways, turns out I’m not shit without a community of engaged folks pushing me with fun stuff like group shows and the like.
8. Wild shit happens at a North Philly stu. Yo, real talk for a sec. There’s some goofy stuff in this list but you haven’t lived until you share a building with some basement pro wrestlers.
9. Through all this, it became hard to believe that your art matters. But it does. Even if it’s a hobby. Even if it’s therapy. Especially if it’s therapy. If you felt small before, chances are you felt even smaller as the world shared such massive collective trauma. It is so hard to feel fulfilled when this is both your soul income and your sole income. But it matters. And if you ever feel alone, you’re not.
10. Rats ain’t so bad. You might even find yourselves on speaking terms. Just have to be willing to share snacks.
