Post #12 the business of art, the business of life

So yesterday I was able to attend the NYFA (New York Foundation of the Arts nyfa.org)  conference - the business of art.  This was a multi-panel all day event.  Covered were discussions about being an artist in today's recession, redefining and sustaining yourself as an artist, as well as very practical matters such as legal forms and contracts, and good financial advice from my personal favorite speaker of the day Susan Lee (http://www.freelancetaxation.com/).  Ms Lee also hosts a radio show on WBAI.  She was both entertaining and informative, and reminded us of some practical and legal tax issues we, as artists (thus business people), face.  

I think my favorite part was that she was able to bridge the gap between who we are as artists and some of the choices that go into that.  I am sure she was asking these questions from a financial viewpoint, but we could see them in general context - we asked ourselves:

What are your goals?

How can you arrange your life to always make art?

How do I manage?

Should my expectations change?

How do you define success?

Now, i would ask you to sit down and really and truly answer those questions for yourself and you may be very surprised at what you find out.  so do that, and don't worry I won't be asking for your answers or looking over your shoulder to see what you have written down. 

I won't go through the whole list but for me the first question was quite powerful because it sort of sets the groundwork for everything else. 

My goals: for one year, 5 years, 10 years, guess what? it's all the same - live a true and happy life, make art, swim.  Pretty basic, yet all encompassing at the same time.  Ironic to see myself having such a general view of it all since in general i am fairly detailed.  And one would surmise that if I were true and happy, that the byproduct would bring about almost everything else that would ever need to happen or be.  And that by default, the expectations would automatically shift, thus my success would be redefined by going back to that one idea of being true to myself, and finding some happiness along the way. 

Another thing that I was reminded of throughout the day - and i have been thinking this for quite some time - is that whatever it is, your art, your relationship, your job, your housing, etc - you have to make it your own.  You can't look to A B or C - you have to find your own way to understand something, your own way to make peace with it, and your own way to make it truly special and truly yours.   This may mean letting go of societies expectations of you, letting go of some preconceived notion of success, being willing to change.  

So take your life, your love, your yoga practice, your swim, yourself, and really make it yours - and in doing so there is your business, your true success.  

and don't forget that schedule C............