People often ask me: " How long does it take to do that?" For example, Palmerston Rail Yards took 3 mo's to pt and 6 mo's of planning. When I say this they inevitably say "well not full time of course? This is a trick question, because as most artists know, a piece of art takes as long as it takes to paint, draw, sculpt, create, sing, dance, etc, etc,...Sometimes this means working until the wee hours of the morning...or getting up at the wee hours of the morning...foregoing dishes and housework as the creative urges course through you...maybe stopping long enough to throw some food to the masses..ie children, spouse, partner, family member etc...sometimes living off coffee, and cigs...whatever your vices may be.... In other words, when I am in a creative spell, that is all I dream of, do, think, breath, feel...It IS all-consuming... So..in answer to the question..what IS full-time to an artist? Certainly not in the context of Monday to Friday 9-5..but definately full-time around the clock.. Because as we all know, art does not start and end with the product..it is a process of creativity that may start weeks, months and or sometimes years before the final piece is created...good or bad.
Reply
