From the Floor

The July/August issue of Art on Paper leads with an interesting cover story. A young, anonymous artist working on the publication’s staff wrote letters to several established artists seeking advice on building a career in the art world. The issue reproduces, exactly as submitted, the dozen letters the writer received in response. Some are hand written while others are typed. Some are coherent; others ramble and are painfully indirect.

Gregory Amenoff’s response, the most practical and probably the most sound in the lot, so impressed me that I wanted to share a short summary of his major points. His advice comes one main point per paragraph, and he makes my job easy by printing each of his major suggestions in red caps.

• Artists drive the bus (not critics, curators, art historians, etc.)
• Let your studio be a sanctuary
• Don’t be afraid to do dumb things in the studio
• Keep away from art fairs (“Instead visit a museum and spend time in the wing housing art from centuries past. You will be rejuvenated not demoralized.”)
• Support your fellow artists as they support you
• Read biographies of artists
• A life in art is a long race not a short sprint

For the remainder of Amenoff’s thoughts, and to see the other 11 responses, pick up a copy of the issue on the newsstand.