Dear Vincent,
I just graduated from art school with a degree in painting and animation, and I am in need of a change. I remembered that you moved to the south of France and began experimenting with color and texture. I need more color in my life, too, so I’ve decided to follow your example and move to Southern California. I plan to spend my birthday on the beach.
I’m moving in with my sister until I can find a job and an apartment. There are lots of opportunities for artists in California, but also a lot of competition and it will take awhile to get to know the art scene and to get my groove going.
I’m really worried that I won’t have a painting studio right away. It feels like I should take a responsible approach: find a job, then an apartment, and then find out where I fit into the art community in LA. If I follow that plan, I won’t be able to rent a studio for months, and I think I’ll start going crazy if I can’t paint every day.
Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks!
Your Friend,
Paul
Vincent Says
Dear Paul,
Making a change to a beautiful location that inspires your creativity is a great idea, but I’m a little uncomfortable with the idea that you are using me as a behavior model. As long as you don’t follow my example in too many other ways, I guess it’s OK.
The main thing is to paint! That’s why you are a painter (what is animation?). You’ve made a major commitment to yourself to live the life of an artist, so that’s what you should be responsible to.
While you’re living with your sister, find a cheap studio space as soon as possible. Finding space in an artists’ studio community would be ideal, because it would put you in touch with other artists, you would learn about the arts in your new area and you might find work faster. Then start doing the next things on your list---find a job if necessary and a living arrangement that suits you.
If you pay attention to your artistic urges, you’ll be more fulfilled, so you’ll be healthier and happier, and hopefully less inclined to feeling glum. Find a way to avoid that at all costs. And if you’re living near the ocean, you’ll find inspiration in the courses and colors of nature. Maybe you could paint some beach scenes.
Yours truly,
Vincent
Ask Vincent
