Write About Art and You Can Shape Culture

Critics and Reviewers shape taste by telling us what they believe should be allowed to pass through their gates to the public as worthy art. But there is NO way that they can cover all the art that is being produced. Nor be correct in what they say all the time. Luckily there are blogs like studio critical with interview postings by Valerie Brennan that go a long way toward providing connections to artists we should know. And yes quite a few others, but not nearly enough. The reason I say this is because in your town there is very little written about the arts. By your town I mean any town that is not a major city. So go ahead and start writing. The more you write the better you get at it and the more involved in the arts you become. Very quickly people will seek you out when the local art association has a new show or when some local celebration is held. You will be the one that influencing culture in new and important ways. So get out there and write! And if you really aren't sure about how to start here are a few tips; Walk through the exhibit to get a feel for how its arranged Does something stand out, select 3 or 4 pieces that you are drawn to that you like, it's easier to write about something you like at first then not. Take pictures (ask permission) then SIT DOWN and write notes. You won't remember what you were thinking when you get home. Besides it looks cool sitting there writing. If the artist or Curator is there, talk to them about what the show represents, where the title came from, what inspired the art. One important thing is to make sure you have everything spelled correctly. Take the time to get the titles, sizes, mediums and artist names right!