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Any artists willing to be interviewed?
I have a school project and part of it is interviewing someone from my chosen field. I want to be a fine artist, and would appreciate it if any fine artists/artists in general would be willing to answer my questions. If you are able to, please answer the following questions. Thanks in advance!
1. When did you first decide that you wanted to work as an artist?
2. How long have you been working as an artist?
3. Would you say it’s an easy job?
4. Did you go to an art college or get some form of education for this career? If so, what school did you go to?
5. How has your art career been so far?
6. What is your motivation for making art?
7. Where do you get your inspiration for your artwork?
8. What materials do you use? Do you stick to a few specific ones or do you like to branch out?
9. Does art help you with other skills in life?
10. What have been your favorite and least favorite parts about being an artist?
11. Have you ever collaborated with other artists? If so, what was it like?
12. What advice would you give to any aspiring artists out there?
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Ellen’s Answer
Hi Alivia
Interesting interview questions! I think you've done a really good job of coming up with them. I am a "fine' artist who worked as an art teacher, and now that I am retired, I am free to create my art, here are my responses. So you might not consider me a "working" artist, but I am pretty typical of most artists today, who need to have "day jobs" to pay the bills while they create their work.
1. When did you first decide that you wanted to work as an artist? I have been making art since I was a child, and I always knew that art would be part of my life, either on a professional level, where I would earn my living from my art, or on a more casual level, where I would create art, but I might have a non-art related job to pay the bills. Remember, for many people being an artist and making art is something they just have to do, even if they don't plan to show or sell their art, or realize they will never much money from their art if they do show it. The reality is that the majority of artists need to have a "day job" to pay the bills.
2. How long have you been working as an artist? I have been making art as an artist all my life, but I have been seriously showing and selling my work for the past 8 years, since I retired from teaching. However, I do not rely solely on art sales to pay all my bills.
3. Would you say it’s an easy job? Making art is a joy, but working to get your art in art galleries and art fairs, so that you can sell it, takes a lot of effort. You have to be prepared for rejections, since there is a lot of competition among artists for spaces in galleries and exhibits. Also, trying to sell your art online can be a challenge, and it takes a lot of work to maintain a website, an Etsy shop, or a social media page, like Instagram. Managing your art career just takes a lot of effort, and it can be frustrating at times, because you'd rather be creating your art than trying to sell it. It can also be frustrating when no one wants to buy your art, but it is so thrilling when they do!
4. Did you go to an art college or get some form of education for this career? I studied art history in college, but I also took art classes. After college I spent two years in art school. Later, I got a MS in Art Education, and while working as a teacher, I took various art classes during my summers to keep my teacher accreditation up to date. I still like to take art workshops to learn new art techniques.
5. How has your art career been so far? Overall, I have been very happy with my "art career". I really enjoyed being an art teacher. I love making art and expressing my ideas. I love learning new art techniques and expanding my art skills. I love sharing my art with other people. I have not become rich from the experience, but I would not trade being an artist for anything.
6. What is your motivation for making art? My motivation for making art is to show the viewer what I love about the natural world. I do a lot of botanicals, animals, landscapes, and still lifes.
7. Where do you get your inspiration for your artwork? My inspiration comes from nature, so going out for a walk, taking a drive in the countryside, traveling to other places, visiting a beautiful flower garden, or just admiring some fruit in a bowl on a table in my kitchen. I also get inspiration from looking at other artist's work. (Not copying them, but looking at them for ideas.)
8. What materials do you use? Do you stick to a few specific ones or do you like to branch out? I started out in my 20's with watercolor and pastels. I loved both of them for their spontaneous feel and the colors you can use with them. I learned about printmaking when I started to teach art, and after I retired in my 60's I turned to printmaking, because I enjoyed the endless possibilities of working with an image and different printmaking techniques.
9. Does art help you with other skills in life? This is an excellent question! Yes it does. Here are just a few skills that artists have: working with ideas and expressing themselves; taking an idea from their head to creating a tangible product; doing what they need to do to in terms of going to college and learning skills and techniques to be successful; dealing with setbacks; solving problems; being flexible; having the courage to start over if something does not work; dealing with failure, but not giving up. I don't know where these skills and experience would NOT be of value in anyone's life.
12. What advice would you give to any aspiring artists out there? Keep on making your art and always do your best in school art assignments, even if you don't like some of them. Be humble. Listen to your art teachers and respect their suggestions, even if you don't agree with them. Always be ready to learn and to improve your skills. Be patient, it takes a long time for an artist to develop their ideas and art skills. Understand that even if you don't become rich or famous from your art, and that you might need a "day" job, you can still enjoy making your art. Be true to yourself and your vision of what your art should be about. Hang out with positive people. Don't worry if other people don't "get" your art or say unkind things, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and keep in mind they are not always right. Get in the habit of looking at the work of lots of different artists in museums and galleries, either in person, online, or in books at your local library.
Best wishes. I hope this helps!
Interesting interview questions! I think you've done a really good job of coming up with them. I am a "fine' artist who worked as an art teacher, and now that I am retired, I am free to create my art, here are my responses. So you might not consider me a "working" artist, but I am pretty typical of most artists today, who need to have "day jobs" to pay the bills while they create their work.
1. When did you first decide that you wanted to work as an artist? I have been making art since I was a child, and I always knew that art would be part of my life, either on a professional level, where I would earn my living from my art, or on a more casual level, where I would create art, but I might have a non-art related job to pay the bills. Remember, for many people being an artist and making art is something they just have to do, even if they don't plan to show or sell their art, or realize they will never much money from their art if they do show it. The reality is that the majority of artists need to have a "day job" to pay the bills.
2. How long have you been working as an artist? I have been making art as an artist all my life, but I have been seriously showing and selling my work for the past 8 years, since I retired from teaching. However, I do not rely solely on art sales to pay all my bills.
3. Would you say it’s an easy job? Making art is a joy, but working to get your art in art galleries and art fairs, so that you can sell it, takes a lot of effort. You have to be prepared for rejections, since there is a lot of competition among artists for spaces in galleries and exhibits. Also, trying to sell your art online can be a challenge, and it takes a lot of work to maintain a website, an Etsy shop, or a social media page, like Instagram. Managing your art career just takes a lot of effort, and it can be frustrating at times, because you'd rather be creating your art than trying to sell it. It can also be frustrating when no one wants to buy your art, but it is so thrilling when they do!
4. Did you go to an art college or get some form of education for this career? I studied art history in college, but I also took art classes. After college I spent two years in art school. Later, I got a MS in Art Education, and while working as a teacher, I took various art classes during my summers to keep my teacher accreditation up to date. I still like to take art workshops to learn new art techniques.
5. How has your art career been so far? Overall, I have been very happy with my "art career". I really enjoyed being an art teacher. I love making art and expressing my ideas. I love learning new art techniques and expanding my art skills. I love sharing my art with other people. I have not become rich from the experience, but I would not trade being an artist for anything.
6. What is your motivation for making art? My motivation for making art is to show the viewer what I love about the natural world. I do a lot of botanicals, animals, landscapes, and still lifes.
7. Where do you get your inspiration for your artwork? My inspiration comes from nature, so going out for a walk, taking a drive in the countryside, traveling to other places, visiting a beautiful flower garden, or just admiring some fruit in a bowl on a table in my kitchen. I also get inspiration from looking at other artist's work. (Not copying them, but looking at them for ideas.)
8. What materials do you use? Do you stick to a few specific ones or do you like to branch out? I started out in my 20's with watercolor and pastels. I loved both of them for their spontaneous feel and the colors you can use with them. I learned about printmaking when I started to teach art, and after I retired in my 60's I turned to printmaking, because I enjoyed the endless possibilities of working with an image and different printmaking techniques.
9. Does art help you with other skills in life? This is an excellent question! Yes it does. Here are just a few skills that artists have: working with ideas and expressing themselves; taking an idea from their head to creating a tangible product; doing what they need to do to in terms of going to college and learning skills and techniques to be successful; dealing with setbacks; solving problems; being flexible; having the courage to start over if something does not work; dealing with failure, but not giving up. I don't know where these skills and experience would NOT be of value in anyone's life.
12. What advice would you give to any aspiring artists out there? Keep on making your art and always do your best in school art assignments, even if you don't like some of them. Be humble. Listen to your art teachers and respect their suggestions, even if you don't agree with them. Always be ready to learn and to improve your skills. Be patient, it takes a long time for an artist to develop their ideas and art skills. Understand that even if you don't become rich or famous from your art, and that you might need a "day" job, you can still enjoy making your art. Be true to yourself and your vision of what your art should be about. Hang out with positive people. Don't worry if other people don't "get" your art or say unkind things, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and keep in mind they are not always right. Get in the habit of looking at the work of lots of different artists in museums and galleries, either in person, online, or in books at your local library.
Best wishes. I hope this helps!
This was very helpful and I loved your answers! Thank you for your time!
Alivia
Updated
Success’s Answer
Am not an artist yet but I would answer to the best of my knowledge.
1. Wanting to work as an artist should be a matter of passion first and the reason why you want to do music depending on the genre.
2. Not yet.
3. Nothing is easy. Even spending your hard earned money takes work to log into your app, remember your details etc. Going to the studio to produce, knowing the right lyrics to weave together, attending shows. All these are tedious work. But your passion for it will make it look easy.
4. Not yet, but it is something I must do.
5. I know it will be fantastic when I start.
6. My passion and the impact I intend to make with the art and the lives my art will give meaning to get back on track.
7. My daily interaction, Divine inspiration, interaction with people who are way experienced in the game of art.
8. I will like to explore when I start.
12. Improving yourself is more important than the instruments. Work on yourself (mind and the part of art you want to do.). Do courses related to it. Pay for concert and attend. Then you lunch out.
1. Wanting to work as an artist should be a matter of passion first and the reason why you want to do music depending on the genre.
2. Not yet.
3. Nothing is easy. Even spending your hard earned money takes work to log into your app, remember your details etc. Going to the studio to produce, knowing the right lyrics to weave together, attending shows. All these are tedious work. But your passion for it will make it look easy.
4. Not yet, but it is something I must do.
5. I know it will be fantastic when I start.
6. My passion and the impact I intend to make with the art and the lives my art will give meaning to get back on track.
7. My daily interaction, Divine inspiration, interaction with people who are way experienced in the game of art.
8. I will like to explore when I start.
12. Improving yourself is more important than the instruments. Work on yourself (mind and the part of art you want to do.). Do courses related to it. Pay for concert and attend. Then you lunch out.
Wonderful answers!! Thank you very much for your time!
Alivia