Start (2007)

I started this blog in 2007 as an exercise in research and development as an artist, citizen, and art community member. My goals were:

1. To promote professionalism, rigor and generosity—values I hope to reciprocate within the San Francisco Bay Area art community and larger world.

2. To demystify the life of an artist. To share my enthusiasm for contemporary art.

3. To consider ethics and politics—the artist as citizen.

4. To think about what it means to be an artist, and the process of becoming the kind of artist I would respect and admire.

I’ll be sharing experiences, event listings, reviews, quotes, links and reflections. Though this writing will be grounded in my experiences, rather than writing about me, I look forward to thinking about larger issues through a localized investigation.

I moved to NYC in 2010. Writing reviews of art shows seemed less urgent here. When I started the blog in the Bay Area in 2007, there were few outlets for art reviews. There seems to be more outlets as well as podcasts now.

Update (2019)

I’ve focused on certain types posts that are still valuable: to me for the process of writing them, or to others:

• Art competition odds: I share the odds of how many applications were received compared to how many people received awards, residencies, fellowships, grants, etc. Thanks to the teachers who’ve shared this with their students over the years.
• Residency wrap-ups: Artists (including myself) like to hear more info and first-hand experiences of residencies than what residency websites offer. I’ve done over a dozen residencies and try to always write an honest essay with what, where, who, when, how, and why, with photos. [These aren’t in a category, try searching for “residency wrap-up”.]
• Points of reference: ideas, books, or references that are shaping my practice.
• Sights or Impressions: Exhibitions or artworks that float my boat.

Mostly my blog is a public notebook. I like that it’s more searchable, and less complicit, than social media platforms.