Afterwards…

So after visiting the art gallery’s librarian today we had a little session of what are we going too do when we finish our studies or if we continue what are we going too do during the break, career wise. That multi million dollar question that haunts us all occasionally, what too do next. So while in photography there are plenty of avenues available too me, I can go from studio work to field assignments, but I wonder if that’s really where I want to head or do I look at taking my photography work and continue to grow it into an artwork in its own right. I often think of my work more as art than as photography when I am creating new images, unless of course it is a particular genre of photography like portrait or still life, though I have turned still life into abstractive works before. It is something I enjoy doing, creating photographs that do not look like they are photographs, there seems too be a worldwide fad at the moment for photorealistic paintings and drawings, people cannot seem too believe that they are not real photos, that’s what I want with my art I want them to question it and what it is they see all the time knowing that it is just that a photograph, not a digital manipulated image nor a painting but indeed a photo as it was taken. Not always an easy task too accomplish but as I get better at representing my work it should start too become more natural or well in the least learned behaviour
But of course none of that will help pay the bills and keep a roof over my head and food in my belly unless I strike it rich with an amazing work of art, so for now I will be practical and look at the other options. One main option I was thinking about in year one was to look at a business plan for an artist studio gallery, a place where photographers, sculptors, painters and other artists could not only have a chance to rent out some studio space for brief projects (higher turn around bigger profile) and a gallery too show those works of art in. Not only would this enable some struggling artists to have the space needed it would also give me a solid base too do my own work from. I purposely would not cater to the elitists, I would be aiming towards plenty of local emerging artists and some established as well, it pays to have a good mix in hand. If it was also possible, would depend on location, then there would also be the chance for some workshops to also be run on site as a way to draw in extra income. Of course I would be competing with established well known galleries and their owners, but in the extra offering of space I believe it would be welcomed by artists themselves and ultimately they would be the bread and butter so it is to them I would cater. I would also of course look at hooking into the local colleges and uni’s and make the students aware of the space as well and again that would compete with them as some offer in conjunction with some galleries a chance to display students works. But who cares isn’t capitalism built on competition? It’s still an option that I would be interested in pursuing especially if I found there was interest in it from other people, funding would come via either grants, community funding, rental space and also commission on any sales and possibly from financial backers themselves that are interested in funding the arts.