Comments on: Artists and Money http://www.dennisbaker.net/artists-and-money/ Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:51:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Scott Walters http://www.dennisbaker.net/artists-and-money/comment-page-1/#comment-36952 Scott Walters Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:12:22 +0000 http://www.dennisbaker.net/?p=1160#comment-36952 Berks' analogy is problematic, it seems to me. First of all, if you are a homeowner you know that you are often called on to do some plumbing or electrical work yourself in order to keep your home kept up and functioning. In fact, one calls in a plumber or electrician only for the most complicated of projects. My brother-in-law is a stonemason, and he does fantastic work, but if I'm putting up a short retaining wall, I'm probably not going to call him. I'm not quite certain that the amount of time my dentist or accountant devotes to his work is all that relevant to whether he is or isn't a good dentist or accountant. What is relevant, it seems to me, is the amount of practice they get, and their commitment to expanding their knowledge. This has nothing to do with money. I am becoming increasingly disenchanted with the idea of the artist as a specialist who concentrates on art "full time." Such a single-minded focus on art tends to remove the artist from the everyday experiences, values, and people that it is their job to reflect. I am equally uncomfortable with the view that commodifying the arts is an OK thing that shouldn't be viewed with a wary eye. Should people who make art be valued? Absolutely. Is their art work worth something in the marketplace? Assuredly. But is a full-time job creating artistic commodities the best model for the art and for art within our society? I am skeptical. Berks’ analogy is problematic, it seems to me. First of all, if you are a homeowner you know that you are often called on to do some plumbing or electrical work yourself in order to keep your home kept up and functioning. In fact, one calls in a plumber or electrician only for the most complicated of projects. My brother-in-law is a stonemason, and he does fantastic work, but if I’m putting up a short retaining wall, I’m probably not going to call him. I’m not quite certain that the amount of time my dentist or accountant devotes to his work is all that relevant to whether he is or isn’t a good dentist or accountant. What is relevant, it seems to me, is the amount of practice they get, and their commitment to expanding their knowledge. This has nothing to do with money.

I am becoming increasingly disenchanted with the idea of the artist as a specialist who concentrates on art “full time.” Such a single-minded focus on art tends to remove the artist from the everyday experiences, values, and people that it is their job to reflect. I am equally uncomfortable with the view that commodifying the arts is an OK thing that shouldn’t be viewed with a wary eye.

Should people who make art be valued? Absolutely. Is their art work worth something in the marketplace? Assuredly. But is a full-time job creating artistic commodities the best model for the art and for art within our society? I am skeptical.

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