This past autumn and winter I opened my house on Friday evenings for a Stuckist mini-exhibition of the week’s painting output. I encouraged others to bring their art along to show and tell. Few did. And by the second week, no one paid much attention to the paintings anyway. Why should they? People need people more than art. Friends crossed my threshold, stepping inside from the cold after a long, lonely week. Who could blame them for ignoring the artist-elephant in the room? They wanted to meet and greet with other people to talk excitedly about small talk. At this latitude, the cooling down time is very difficult to take in stride. What I had hoped would be time for nurturing my ego, soon became a social “happy hour” of eating and drinking for guests, and to hell with one person’s problem, which is art. No different from any art opening anywhere. People talking to people and looking at the paintings on the wall as an “in between” to fill the gap of social discomfiture.
After eight weeks, I shut down the Friday exhibitions. They required I spend Fridays cooking, cleaning and making a run to the liquor store, instead of painting or writing. Which made me think that perhaps exhibiting is the wrong idea, or at least in the way we ordinarily go about it. What if Stuckism isn’t meant to be around people? We make the paintings alone. Perhaps the living personality shouldn’t be available to contradict the dead aloneness that went into making them. Seems confusing, where it might actually have the opposite effect that was intended by the artist. How does wearing the mask of gregarious clown to disguise nervous anxiety advocate for the paintings that I’m trying to sell? I don’t think it does. Sure, hang some paintings and call the people over. Just don’t be there when they come see.
#18 The Stuckist is opposed to the sterility of the white wall gallery system and calls for exhibitions to be held in homes and musty museums, with access to sofas, tables, chairs and cups of tea. The surroundings in which art is experienced (rather than viewed) should not be artificial and vacuous.
Send out invitations to your painting exhibition. Be prepared to switch on the advocate personality and forget about the art. Be a good host. Self-deprecate. Have them leave thinking you’re a fool but a kind one. Wave at the door. Turn and begin the clean up of the “artificial and vacuous” good time that was shared by all. I’ve had these home exhibitions for years. One thing for certain: They’ve honed my entertaining skills to the point of expert party planner. I am a consummate host. I might be the best in town. That’s not saying much about my painting though, is it?
From now on, at all my exhibitions, I will add live video and post to the social media apps and Youtube®. “It’s the Stuckists duty to harness and ride the Internet,” says Stuckist Edgeworth Johnstone. I think he’s right, though probably for different reasons. Maybe I don’t need to attend at all. I want anonymity, so the paintings have a chance to speak for themselves. My self has always been such a loud-mouthed imposter. If I was a painting hanging on a wall, I wouldn’t want Ron Throop around to make a fuss. Geeze, what an an exhibitionist! We both want attention, but his noise always gets most of it in the end.
It would be very difficult to cease exhibiting. I paint paintings and I like the rush of showing them, even if no one takes them seriously. After all, I identify as an artist more than a painter, and an artist needs to “put himself out there” for love, admiration and ridicule. There is plenty of time after I’m dead for my art to make something of itself. It will be acquired by major institutions, printed in coffee table books, and taught in schools. People will attend my exhibitions to actually look and learn about the art. A group of strangers in the room, too anxious to look into each other’s eyes, and with the living artist out of the picture, having no reason to. Ah, what a relief!
Now let’s look at some of these paintings.
You are good at what you do. That should be enough. The world of art is complex, in reality any business is. The problem is being a good artist but not a good salesman. I hope you find a better way to give way to your works, unless it makes you more satisfied with the balance between your effort and the benefit you receive in return. Your paintings are beautiful and you have your own style.
Thank you for the kind words. Enthusiasm is fuel.
I agree. I am a horrible business person.
A Bob Dylan quote from the song “Poor Boy”:
“Hey how much you want for that
I’m going to the store
Man says three dollars
All right, I’ll give you four”
Making a living from art is nearly impossible. But that doesn’t mean I have stopped trying to help pay the bills. It’s a privilege to make art-making a full time endeavor. With that comes a lot of guilt to spouse and family, and a whole host of mental and physical adjustments necessary to “justify” a path nobody wants you to take. Meaning, not only did I write and paint, but I took over raising daughters, homeschooling them, cooking all meals, cleaning house, organizing schedules, pet care, lawn care, laundry work... Just so I could write books and paint pictures. I have been an artist for 30 years, but also a “house husband” (euphemism for maid and butler). And we know how much that job gets paid! So it’s like a double dose of occupations that don’t reward with honor or enough income to pay one’s share of the rent.
I understand that a dishwasher’s salary is a long shot with any art practice. It’s a reality for a million like-mined and acting people out there. It’s a never-ending guilt trip, when once in a while, I make a brief stop at the pity party to complain.
But then back on the path of the creative life. It’s truly wonderful!
Most days are very good. I am a very lucky, very stubborn man.
Whoa, I just noticed the curation. Thank you!
That’s the key, for both sides. 😁 Now I’m in your shoes with all the home stuff and trying to live the life I want to live. I understand your point very well. (And I’m very stubborn woman!) 🤗
Why is the Stuckist's duty to surf the internet? That seems contrary to what little I know about stuckism. I like that you are here, but that's about me, not the production of art. Exhibitions in your home, I can see. Perhaps if you were not there, more attention would be paid to your work?
Do you paint that many paintings in one week?!
Oh, not “surf” the Internet, but rather “harness and ride”, which means exhibit your work there. Art is supposed to be viewed and experienced by human beings. I don’t think we’ve come close to a thousandth of the Internet’s potential.
Yes, absolutely! Exhibitions in homes. Take out the middle man. Have parties, make friends. Show work with other local artists. Commune. And when you’re not able, there is a cyberspace to unload your neurosis.
Not everyone is an exhibitionist. I am an introvert who loves to show paintings. And I think it would be best if I say “Hello” at the beginning minutes of an opening, and then skidaddle:)
Yes. each one of those photos would have been a week, or at most 10 days’ work.
Thank you!
@clareartista curious what your take is on this, with your background as a painter and someone who exhibited their art and who went through many transitions.
My path is certainly not to exhibit my Art. any more.
The 'art' world and people 'witnessing' Art. is simply inverted and toxic.
Art. is not meant to be separate from Life, nor from people: it is meant to be in the heart and at the hearth of community.
But we live in a time of such peak disconnect of each and every one from their creativity, that such situations - as described by Ronthroop above - are so common for artists: being exposed, whilst our creativity, meaning and hard work remains completely invisible. Being put on a bizarre torture-pedestal where we're simultaneously 'adored' and treated like a performing dog - or the village idiot. But given all kinds of accolades, lip service and plastic golden keys and statuettes ... and zero recompense for our immense workload.
I feel that our 'art world' in particular is one of the areas of culture which most needs to crumble 🙏🌟🤲👣🍷
Wow, I couldn’t agree more. I can only add that all art is local (and local can mean international as long as there is open, back and forth communication). I have been so rewarded intangibly by folks in my community. Somehow I have fashioned this wonderful balance between village idiot and creative “wise” person. I think it’s because the greatest reward for any artist is freedom, which gets elaborated on in art practice. Of course I’m not totally free of ALL the headaches of modern living. I believe some artists are terribly wounded with societies’ diseases—canaries in the coal mine. And who wants to exhibit beauty and disease in the same room?
One more add by Kurt Vonnegut from his novel Bluebeard:
That quote made me smile. It makes a lot of sense though :<)
Right?
It’s one of the few by the “world’s champions” that keep me going:)
I have read loads but must admit I haven't read any of his work. Will put it on my To Read list or even search for an audio book as I consume loads of spoken word too, these days.
Slaughterhouse Five was the book that made him famous overnight. I really like his sense of humor and take on the human tragi-comedy. One he wrote before popularity, which is also a great, is Cat’s Cradle.
I have my art all over my walls (and some other's art too in my workroom).... but I have never had a personal exhibition in my home. Years back me and 2 other friends talked about it like we were going to do that together, my paintings, another woman's jewelry and yet another friend that made pastries and delicious cakes. It was fun to talk about and it would have been fun to do it..... but we didn't.
Maybe your friends would find they missed it if you stopped. At least they get to see your art, whether they make it the center of their attention or not.
I like your walls full of art. It looks like it could be a happy place to live.
It is a happy place! I must remember that when thoughts go low:)
I call my house “Fuel Gallery”, and I show the work of other artists as well. Many people in this little town have walked through these rooms. I see that I am very fortunate.Especially since no one has “cased the joint” for a follow up thieving:) Thank you so much!
Have you considered staging the theft of one of your paintings from your home (gallery) and making a documentary about it?
It might majorly increase the value of your work.
just kidding
I love it!
Let me get an insurance policy first:)
Hahaha!
Congratulations @ronthroop! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain And have been rewarded with New badge(s)
Your next target is to reach 3750 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out our last posts: