Go against the grain and forge your own path: that’s what Clark Hulings did. He defined himself and led the way. His work ethic and forward-thinking view of art—both his creative vision and his business model—provides a guide for artists around the world.
Inspiration.
Elizabeth Hulings provides in-depth looks into her father’s experience as an artist and an entrepreneur in her “Director’s View” column. Today, we revisit Elizabeth’s article “What IS Visual Art?”
Elizabeth writes: “If artists are inspired by a new tool they feel is crucial to realizing their artistic vision, let them figure out how to finance its acquisition and market the work that results from its use. They need to be skilled at identifying people who will appreciate their work and convincing those people to purchase it. The only part of this that should matter to us is the end product: the effective communication of their vision. The reason we get hung up on labels, tools, practices, styles, etc., is because it is the only way for us to insert ourselves into the process. Can you imagine what we will all learn, how rich and beautiful our world will be, and how much greater our perspective of it, if we turn artists loose to earn a living using whatever means they choose, without stigma? Of course, some of us will have to find other ways to support ourselves.”
Motivation.
“To me, publicity is a very creative act, and I think I remember Andy Warhol saying, ‘business is art.’ Well, you know, ‘publicity is art’ as well.” Generate Powerful Publicity: A Sistine Chapel Mindset – Todd Scalise
Artist Todd Scalise is the founder and CEO of Higherglyphics, a creative placemaking firm that manages large-scale public art projects from start to finish: funding, art, design, construction, and merchandising. In this 55-minute podcast episode, he discusses the enormous economic contribution that artists bring to their communities, framing art as a service that’s worth funding and publicizing.
A Game Plan.
Artist As Entrepreneur: Becoming the CEO of Your Life: How to move a goal—even big goals—from mere theory to “done!” Two CHF Business Accelerator Fellows, CHF Board Member Steve Pruneau, and Startup ArtFair founder Ray Beldner tackle this topic.
