On Starting Out as an Artists - An Hour with Risa Needleman

via ArtInfo

Holy fuck, five minutes with this woman and I already learned something; Thursdays = Chelsea, Saturday + Sunday = Lower East Side. A telling five minutes of the factual hour that was to come. 

Invisible-Exports Gallery co-owner Risa Needleman recently shared a glass of bubbly and her wisdom of the art world with me. We laughed, made nods of agreement over points on the art world, and I took notes like a little school girl as Needleman doused me with ideas, inspiration and knowledge I would give my left nipple for.

But, that's enough of an introduction, now for the good stuff... what I learned.

Things I'm Doing Right

1. Going to openings and other art events, like Shared Spaces
2. Networking at these events and keeping up with other artists, critics, writers, curators, etc.
3. Reading about what's going on in the arts via art publications, like Hyperallergic, Art Info, Art in America, etc.
4. Learning more about art history, via books like Will Gompertz's "What Are You Looking At?"
5. Creating or working on my practice every day

Things I Should Do

1. Studio visits to other artist's studios
2. Inviting curators, critics, gallery owners to a studio visits once I am ready with a strong body of printed/tangible work
3. Get in touch with non-profit art organizations like Momenta, Nurture Art, Art in General, and White Columns.
4. Research art residencies at places like Governors Island, NY Studio School, ISCP, and others around the country and world.
5. Enter in the Affordable Art Fair and the PS1 Book Fair
6. Realize that what is selling at art auctions isn't representative of the contemporary art market
7. Find galleries that speak to my artistic expression and I feel good about... find a fucking match.

On Cohesion of Work(s)

As a young artist, I am nearly tormented with the thought of bogging down to a single aesthetic that is recognizable as "MY" work. But, Needleman explains that I don't necessarily have to stick to a uniform aesthetic, but a cohesive idea and back-thought that will guide my work.

Whether it be movement, American culture, the difference between the left and right eye, or the letter R... I need to identify what I want to work to be about — not just be.