More from Life as Women Artists

I want to share a much clearer insight and summary of the panel discussion in Tucson, sparked by my last post, provided by my friend and mentor, Marlys Kubicek:
 

Good Girls Go..., Marlys Kubicek

Besides saying thanks, which there is too little done in that area, there were a couple of other points as well.  That these were three women who were successful in three completely different areas of the world of fine art.  Barbara Rogers makes beautiful decorative art, her love is gardens.  Bailey Doogan makes what our contempory culture regards as ugly beautiful, her love is the idea of words and images.    Julie Sasse is a curator, she makes art because she has to, for herself.  Each woman was able to find her place in the art world through trial and tribulation.  I think that the trial and tribulation is is still there for women artists. For women in any career it is always a choice.

There also was the fact that as an artist one feels that they are never ready.  I think most women artists feel this way.   All of these women at one time or another got involved in juried shows or competitions when the work was not finished or may not even thought of.  They had the confidence that they would be able to complete the work.  In other words they do not work in a comfort zone.  Another point was that it is a good thing to enter juried compositions as curators find work that way.  Both the curators (I went to a lecture at the art museum given by the curator of photography about how she found artists)  whose lectures I went to said that they found artists through juried competitions and from having the artist send them CD's and images for them to look at.

Another thing is that artists need other artists to have conversations with.  Many can find contacts through the internet, and going to openings and finding people whose work you love and telling them so.  I think this is a way to always keep your work fresh and interesting.   I think that human beings in general have a tendency to repeat; it is safe.  Yes, you can be influenced but it is a matter of confidence that you are your own person.  I feel that looking at other peoples' works and listening to others can cut your learning time down.  You would eventually make the discovery yourself but when.

And finally you have to give whether of your time, your work or your experience.  It is one way of paying your dues.  And no matter how you feel about it the world still works on paying your dues.  Paying your dues is also a way of building one's confidence and making connections and expanding your horizons.

Thank you, Marlys, for your feedback and allowing me to print it here.