studio direct -- inside insight

Regular long-time readers will recall our discussion of the big studio, numberless remote locations all part of one sovereign enterprise transcending both time and national circumstance. Our common notion of the studio probably begins with the renaissance, but artists, as traditional outsiders, have held similar views of society and life since ancient times in diverse cultures. 

The individual studio is intensely biographical since only the walls and floor are furnished. Everything else -- equipment and materials, stuff up on the walls, organized or chaotic, functional or can’t-finish-anything delusional, all reveal the state of mind of the artist in residence. What goes on in there is privileged content since creation can be messy, highs and lows, such as that, but this is where the ore is mined, where the images that embody their singular points of view originate. From the output of individual studios a vast industry is born producing endless commentary and scholarship, galleries and publications, museums and art friendly foundations, all generating regular paychecks for people who don’t themselves make art, the artist notes dryly. 

For the intrepid tourist a trip to this exotic island usually requires only an inquiry, maybe after consulting a local directory of working studios. There is one, right, with examples of each artist’s work, websites and such? It must be remembered that studios are workshops and not retail stores, so they tend toward bare-bones efficiency, but much more can be learned about an artist and their work, and about art generally, from visiting studios than listening to a ton of lectures. Perhaps some outgoing, articulate sort of person will someday decide to lead an afternoon tour of area studios, nominal fee and brochure, so artists could prepare for guests. 

However you find your way to an artist’s studio, alternative venue or co-op gallery, being as close to the source as possible offers interesting advantages. When you buy art directly from an artist, you’re choosing one of two possibilities. Either it’s a bargain that would cost twice as much in a gallery, the standard markup, or if the artist is honoring the ethical convention of charging the gallery’s price, you’ll know that all of it goes to the artist. Practical experience indicates some compromise is possible between those extremes, although it’s frowned upon to dicker in studio land.

When people begin to recognize the art they’ve seen being made in the studio different places during the day, the right kind of chemicals are released in the brain, and they can’t help but smile. If they happen to own a piece there’s an extra jolt. The chances of seeing locally produced art has never been better, in restaurants and salons, bakeries and coffee houses, so becoming familiar with the artists around here, maybe buying a piece or two, increases your chances for those pleasant recognitions -- one of the main reasons some folks like art.