Grants Make the (Art) World Go Round.

I remember when I was in college. I honestly knew nothing about the world of being a professional fine/exhibiting artist.

When I truly began to understand that talking to others about my work as well as talking to other artists about their work, was the true path to being a working artist. Then, if you choose to talk to those who fund work about your work, well, it opens doors…in this case grant funding doors. I just recently received the good news that I’ve been awarded a Community Foundation Art Ventures Grant for my project TalkTalkConvo. Yaaaayyyy!!!! I love my work and believe in it and it is also an amazing feeling when you’ve convinced someone else of it’s value. I’m so excited to get started.

4th Times the Charm.

So this year was my 4th time applying for the Art Ventures grant.

Thinking back, I didn’t really believe being an exhibiting artist would be part of my personal journey. I went into the Peace Corps after college and when I finished I thought I’d be working primarily as a graphic designer. I then decided to at least dip my toe into things a little. After hearing that a friend from college received a grant and fellowship,I was fascinated. I asked her how do you do it? How do you enter this wondrous world where people will give you money to do the work you’re simply passionate about that isn’t client based. How do you begin? I asked. She simply said: '‘Just answer the questions.” Ha! What an oversimplified evasive maneuver of a question answer. Over the years I found out she was kind of right but mostly wrong. Answering questions about your artwork is mostly about leaving the fear of talking about your work in the past and being in the present to write about future work you want to create. Simple right? That’s why it took me four times. If there is any advice I’d give someone about grant writing at this point, it would be to give your proposal to someone who knows no details about what you plan to do and see if they get it. Because I so badly want to complete this project I, myself, had to move beyond my fear of allowing someone to help me help others fully understand my vision. It helped.

**So What Is TalkTalkConvo About Anyway? And What’s This With You Repeating Words In Your Titles?**

My in progress project TalkTalkConvo put simply is about my passion for talking an connecting with others. I read once that to read a book is like connecting to someone else’s dreams, just imagine how I feel talking to people. I truly believe that each of us has these deliciously interesting and invigorating idiosyncrasies just waiting to be discovered. Who doesn’t want to be discovered and understood?

So someone asked me recently why I repeat words in my titles. I swear I didn’t think anyone else had noticed. My last traditional show, PlayPlay, uses a phrase that I and other kids used to indicate that if something wasn’t real, (meaning not having real world consequences) it was playplay. For me the phrasing, just as it is with TalkTalkConvo is about the music and rhythm of conversation and communication, call and response, a refrain, and another opportunity. These words strung together are interacting. Interaction is required for talking as well as for play.

All of that being said, I’m so excited to embark upon this new adventure and new facet to my work. I’m also excited for you to join me. Let’s talk :)