2010| The Year of the Artist Entrepreneur
The work of artist Shara Hannah Finerman
2010 is the year when artists will take over business. I can feel it. This article in the New York Times clearly shows that business schools are looking at the current state of the economy as an opportunity to prepare its students with the critical thinking and problem solving skills so necessary to the creative process that artists tend to have these skills by the truck load. In fact, just the other day, as I was having tea and toast at Pizzaiolo with one of my new favorite teaching artists, Shara Finerman, I told her that we were all in a great position to start and run successful businesses because we have what many business people work so hard to attain – creativity, innovation, flexibility, etc. Personally, I have found it much easier to enter into my business with these skills and then teach myself Quickbooks later. You know what I mean?
Anyway…Shara shared with me that it was her desire to teach full-time in a school. She wanted to have the experience of working with a group of students over a longer period of time – an experience not often associated with being a part-time teaching artist.
Then, I challenged her. Since Shara and I originally met back in October at TAO’s Mind Your Own Business event for teaching artists, I asked her why she felt the need to be in a school in order to have this experience. Why couldn’t she go into business for herself? She could find a small group of students, a group that wants quality art instruction (one they may not be getting in school). She could find a little studio or they could come to her place. She could meet with them weekly. She could help them build their portfolio.
And she could do it all her way. Build up her own philosophy of art, teaching, and learning. She does not have to limit herself to the traditional pay scale of a teaching job and, with the money she earns, perhaps even make a bigger impact on the kids and families in the community who do not always have access to quality arts experiences.
We are in the business of creating. Let’s create strong and sustainable businesses that will support us, our communities, and strengthen our economy as a whole. For more inspiration about arts entrepreneurship, go where I go…I am really into Rebecca Stees’ creative biz wow and Dennis Baker’s blog.
Music to my ears Lynn. It’s without a doubt time for artists to create their own opportunities.
It’s without a doubt not easy but then again neither is Quickbooks. Yuck.
Thanks for the post.
Dave