Have I Got Nudes for You – sold out

Happy to say that I sold most of my existing stock of life drawings today. Some unmounted pieces remain, so check the website for details.

Reclining Nude 2

#ArtBid ‘Driven by Social Media’ open for bids

We sold the Toad last week (oil painting: Gulp – the novel and somewhat confusing first experience of tarmac), so we’re moving on.

This week, we are highlighting  ‘Driven by Social Media’ from the sale collection.

It’s a 47″ x 47″ canvas with a luminous presence! There’s a video about it’s making here, where you can learn about the story behind it.

Take a look, place a bid, or just pop in for a chat on the web page. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Don’t talk to me about creativity, I’ve got a business to run

When times are hard and money is tight, I hear this often. The belt-tightening process seems to automatically result in ditching the creative. It’s ironic, because when anyone starts a new business, it surely springs from a creative inspiration. So, why is it that the very thing that inspired the whole thing is seen as expendable?

I think it all stems from one simple fact that we really need to change if we are to move forward, pull ourselves out of recession and achieve a stable and abundant state: it’s simply that we are taught what to think, not how to think.

Consider any belief that you have, and you can usually trace it back to someone you trust telling you that this is a fact. It starts with our parents, and we continue this way of learning, often throughout our lives. Very little  information we have is information we have originated ourselves. Politics, religion and education reinforce this way of learning to the point where we exclude creative notions as a matter of course – unless, by a process of repeated exposure and our own evidence-building processes (we want to believe certain things, so we find evidence that they are true for us), we start to believe them ourselves. Once we start buying into a belief, we tend to guard it, argue on its behalf and blank out counter beliefs. After all, we may have taken some convincing, and our self-esteem would be damaged if we think afterwards that we have taken on a wrong belief. You can see this happening in all areas of life, from the personal to the international.

We are not taught to be creative. A cynic might say that this is intentional. It helps maintain control and order if common beliefs are developed that serve the purposes of those dishing them out. Common beliefs are convenient, and they help things run smoothly. This is true in business as well, of course. This is what corporate culture, corporate image and identity, advertising and PR are all about, and it can help a company become successful.

So it is to be expected, then, that we often have an uneasy relationship with creativity. Faced with a creative person, business executives sometimes don’t know how to deal with this uneasiness and may criticize or put down creative ideas without appreciating their potential or seriously considering them at all. I call this Fear Undermining Creative Knowledge syndrome, the acronym of which accurately expresses the frustration that is so often felt when a businessman and a creative person try to work together. Two ships passing in a pea-souper at night, foghorns blasting to ensure a safe distance, but each desperately wanting to appreciate the existence of the other. Left brain meets right brain in a tortured dance to find an acceptable middle ground.

Or not. I was listening to Michael O’Leary (Ryanair) on the radio, saying with some pride that he doesn’t use creative consultants, and anyone with a pony tail won’t even get through his door. He has young staff, and they produce all the advertising ideas themselves in-house, so he has created a mix of control and creativity that works for him. Not many companies have that much confidence and such a charismatic leader to make that work well. Often, a weakness of an owner manager is that he or she cannot determine when it is best to seek creative expertise. Many have an ego that serves them well in the good times but can be disastrous in bad times or when the company needs to take a significant step up in order to continue to grow.

All this means that whether the creative process is carried out internally or externally, it often gets a bad rap, and it’s easy to convince board members that it isn’t important for survival. But they are missing one important point in thinking like this. They need creativity in order to move forward, and it’s rarely the creative input that causes the kind of disasters we have seen in recent times, that all combined to create the financial crisis. As we know, it was primarily dodgy financial practices that caused the problems, fuelled by collective unthinking and a lack of creativity to create the tools and mechanisms to avoid it. Once we pull ourselves through the mess, will anything in the financial world change? There are already signs of a repeat performance.

What, then, is the message we are not hearing? Maybe we all have some fresh learning to do about creativity and what it contributes to our lives. Maybe, as Sir Ken Robinson so eloquently urged in his famous TED talk, admired by over 4 million viewers, we need to radically re-think our educational system.

I was told once that in the west, when we see an abstract work of art we assess it, judge it and criticize it. In the East, they observe it, and see what they gain from it. To me, that rather sounds as if our culture blocks it out and maintains a distance from something we inherently don’t understand, and the other lets it in, and learns to appreciate what ever it is offering. Which way is the way of progress?

Blog, blog, blah, blah – bland, bland?

Is it all really, I mean, really helpful? Or is it just another way to put off the inevitable –working things out for ourselves?

These days, every time I have to think, rather than just sitting down and brainstorming, my automatic port of call is the internet – that wonderful repository of tidbits, advice, checklists, gizmos, inspirational quotes, secrets revealed, magic answers, attractive distractions and so on. I don’t even think about it. I am hard-wired and programmed to grab the mouse and start clicking.

No wonder, then, that it is such a painful process, at times, to get into my studio and do some art. Upon entering, it’s frightening, because to enter means leaving that world of seeming support and entering a world of self-reliance where there are no rules, no guidelines, no advice, no help, and nothing is forbidden. You might think that that sounds like freedom, but try it, and you’ll see just how daunting it is. Yet, despite all the pressure to be dependent on all that other stuff, if I stay with it, I can get back to the real me, the unique me and the creative, powerful me.

Then, when I go back to the internet, I can sift through the information that had previously seemed overwhelming (oh, I should know that, I must get that, I must print that out as a reference etc.) and actually use the computer as a tool that serves me. Let’s face it: most of the information on the internet is not much use to us. Even the good stuff is repeated ad infinitum in different guises – especially now we are all madly linking everything through various social media tools.

What concerns me is that much of the media we are exposed to in our daily lives is sliding into a predictable same-ness, a grey, comfortable blandosphere of mediocrity. That is especially apparent with television. No one can doubt that, technologically, the media machine is very impressive and its accelerating development is going through a creative explosion, but (dare I say) spiritually, it seems to me to be dull. I don’t think we can afford to be that way, especially in business. If we go down that road, we end up with companies, products and services that are technologically and intellectually brilliant, but somehow lacking character or interest. In the search for safety and security, we risk sacrificing spirit and creative innovation; and in communicating in this way, we risk losing inspiration and exploration of our higher potential. We become boring.

When I tell people that I am a marketing communications consultant as well as an artist, it can confuse. To me, they are equally important facets of my life. They are interdependent, but the art definitely benefits the marketing communications more than the other way around. The creative process is the essential key to everything I do, as I believe it is for any business. For me, it has to be real and not virtual. ‘Press the flesh’, interact authentically, challenge myself with some ideas for a painting and dare to experiment without judgment. Everyone has their own way, I’m sure, but it’s only when you truly engage in the creative process that you are bringing new value into what you do, that you can find new and unique qualities that every business craves, and that you become more independent and powerful, as a result – on both a personal and a company level.

Because our creativity is like a muscle that we don’t flex very often, it can get a bit flabby. To truly think outside the box is a very liberating, although sometimes disturbing, experience. But we need to be disturbed! Otherwise we keep going through the same cycles and routines and we miss out on a whole chunk of life. We also need to discover our own uniqueness in order to find fulfillment. When we do that, we emanate those qualities and attract the relationships, money and success that we want.

So, if you feel like responding to this blog, try flexing that muscle. Don’t just say how much you like or dislike it, or that I have raised some interesting points. Be daring, surprise yourself – and the rest of us – and let’s really get out of the blandosphere!

Culture and sport for tourists – a morning with Mary Hanafin

Image via Wikipedia

I met Mary Hanafin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Sport, in the lobby of the Pavilion Theatre before a forum in Dun Laoghaire designed to give people in the arts a chance to feed ideas into the government’s cultural strategy. I was impressed by her warm congeniality and obvious enthusiasm for her job, but when I quizzed her on the logic of combining three of the country’s profitable but seemingly unrelated activities into one government department, I wasn’t convinced that even she saw the relevance of sport to the arts. I suppose it all comes down to definitions. What is ‘culture’, after all? According to Wikipedia it is

• excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities;
• an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior and;
• the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

That’s quite a range of responsibilities she’s got there! And how can you combine all the many and various aspects of ‘the arts’ into one amorphous lump and somehow give that word any real meaning? Being a cynic, I suspect that this was all a tenuous marriage of convenience driven by ulterior government motives, and that culture and sports were simply there to create revenues from tourism. By the time the event had finished, I had come to my own conclusions as to why at least 90% of those in the audience were wasting their time and what really needed to be done.

Mary: It all looks good

Mary launched the event with a sparkling explanation of what her department was doing, how it was supporting the arts and what progress had been made. She was followed by a nice lady from the Arts Council who waxed lyrical about how much it supports artists, handing out grants, developing partnerships with business and so much more. She could barely tear herself away from the microphone to allow the discussion to start. Brilliant, I thought; all is well in the world of the arts in Ireland. As a relative newcomer to the country, I was almost convinced.

Artists: We’re dying on our feet

The story that the audience had to tell was so different it was hard to believe it came from the same planet as the two nice ladies on stage. There were complaints about high costs—rents, rates and more—and lack of facilities. The general picture was of dispirited artisans passionately trying to operate on hopelessly inadequate budgets in an environment of minimal, if any, support from government and the Arts Council. Many felt abandoned by a system that was unresponsive and cumbersome. However, all this was expressed with polite deference to, and even appreciation for, Mary’s genuine attempt to reach out to the arts community. Expressions of frustration were understandably muted, as the two ladies on stage represented potential resources and investment in their arts endeavours. Where else could they go for essential support?

As Mary herself admitted, only about 10% of the arts community received any support from the Arts Council, and she was, understandably, trying to maximize the effect of the scarce resources available. Considering the 90% left hanging, however, she faced an impossible task.

Strong culture—the foundation for growth

Ireland is well-known for its rich cultural heritage. But it’s also had its share of strife, hardship and Catholic condemnation, resulting in a pessimistic mentality that has left the country morally, emotionally and financially bankrupt. Add to this a disorganized arts community and things don’t look too good. Not only that, but many arts practitioners often have a weak business model. But that’s okay, because the true value of the arts is not in their business potential. The arts are there to enrich our lives, to challenge fixed concepts, to entertain us and to enhance our leisure time. They form the bedrock of a country’s culture and they are drivers of social change—something Ireland badly needs. Yet, at this event, it was clear that art was being sidelined and marginalized.

By definition, creativity is dynamic. It’s not enough for the country to concentrate on developing the traditional arts—as wonderful as they may be—into blockbuster tourist moneymakers. New ideas birthed in the studios and workshops of struggling artists all over the country need to be embraced and developed. Doing so would benefit the whole of society, helping to mend broken communities and inspire and uplift individuals. It would also foster innovation and improve quality of life by empowering those who embrace a truly creative path. Politics, finance and business cannot create the fundamental shift that Ireland needs to undergo, because that kind of profound change starts in the hearts and minds of every individual, and the arts are crucial to that process. Ironically, politics, finance and business would also benefit from such a process.

The true value of the arts—for everyone

One of the reasons for organizing the Dun Laoghaire event was to try to bridge the communication gap between the Arts Council, government and artists. But there also appeared to be a communication gap between and among artists and their communities, seemingly driven by a feeling that the arts are a non-essential add-on to life—a ‘spare time’ activity and something to keep the kids occupied. Many of those in the meeting stressed the importance of encouraging children to take part in the arts but failed to recognize the pressing and largely ignored need for adults to do the same—thus reinforcing the notion that the arts are somehow not a ‘serious’ activity. Artists are ranked in terms of ‘young’, ‘emerging’ and ‘established’—preposterous and damaging labels that merely serve to establish elitism and market value. However, until each individual—not just professional artists—acknowledges the personal value of their own unique creativity, and starts to nurture and express their right brain, the arts will remain in the sidelines. The true value, relevance and importance of the arts as a central pillar of society will never be realized. And unless artists become organized, empowered and relevant in people’s lives, they will never gain the status they deserve or be fully integrated into the everyday cultural landscape.

Back a strong culture for success

Governments are transient. Culture is enduring—and it’s much bigger than government. Even if the funded 10% became 20% or 30%, that wouldn’t fix things for the arts, let alone society as a whole. Equally, establishing a few shiny high-tech innovative companies won’t turn the economy around. But of all the things that a government can do, supporting the arts arguably has the greatest potential to resuscitate the soul of the nation. In doing so, it will generate the human platform for cultural growth, enabling everything else to move forward in healthy ways. It’s a difficult one for ministers to get their heads around and act upon, preoccupied as they are with firefighting, but it’s a dynamic, creative approach to bolstering the country’s morale, empowering innovative individuals, and ensuring the nation’s success.

A winner for charities, artists and business. Can you make art work for you?

I’d almost forgotten about it, travelling for the last six months as I have been. But I still think it’s a great concept. Making Art Work is a website concept that I developed some time ago when we lived in Vancouver. The idea is a win-win for artists, charities and the local (or international) business community. I just got it going, but I found that dealing with charities in the Vancouver area was like wading through mud, so I lost the impetus the project needed to really make it hum. Here are the details. If you feel you can make something of it, or you would like to help me develop it, just give me a call or drop me a line. I have loads more information and ideas to share on it.

Press Release

Making-Art-Work – generating funds for charity and building meaningful links within the community

Vancouver, BC, Canada—1 October 2007

Artist Lewis Evans is introducing a new way to buy art that benefits local charities and facilitates networking among local businesses, artists and good causes.

Making-Art-Work is an internet-based initiative that is designed to generate funds for Vancouver-based charities through the sale of art. For each piece of art sold from the website www.making-art-work.com, Inside Out Media (Lewis’ company) will donate 30% to a local charity that the purchaser can choose from a drop-down menu. Only ten charities will be invited to join the list, and they will represent a wide variety of charitable causes. “I am looking for a good mix of charities” says Evans, “that represent a spread of concerns throughout the local community. Making-Art-Work can help by increasing awareness of these causes and providing some funding for them.” By limiting the number of charities, Evans intends to keep the service more beneficial for those involved.

It can be a tax write-off for the customer, it creates valuable funds for the charity, exposure and networking for local artists, and an opportunity for all involved to contribute to a good cause.

The website is in its early stages but it already has three charities on board and more are going through the process of joining; and encouraging their supporters to add links. Evans says that it’s a great way for companies and individuals who have websites to sponsor good causes and show concern for the local community – without having to spend anything on the initiative themselves – by helping to drive interested parties to the website. Additional artists are starting to come on board, starting with the recent addition of Jeanne Krabbendam. Evans is sourcing artists who are selling well and who would like to make a contribution in this way. “This is a great way for artists to sell their work.” says Evans, “The real cost of selling work is often greater that what we charge them, they are able to make a real and valuable contribution to the local community rather than their commission getting swallowed up in other ways, our arrangement with them is not exclusive and they get a chance to build a relationship with their customers.”

The website will be developed as a launchpad for locally based cause-related marketing initiatives (that can be extended beyond art products) and will be a resource for the networking participants to actively promote charitable donations in a sustainable way. The strapline ‘Contribution through appreciation’ reflects the spirit of Making-Art-Work. It’s a win-win for all involved.

A charming press release written for me recently…..

Lewis Evans has been a fartist for as long as he can remember. It just naturally seemed to flow out of me, he said, when asked how he managed such a prodigious output.

His personal statement is simple and succinct. I look at my wife and think, ah, yes, lovely, and then I go and paint her, or a house or whatever else I can fill with the passion that I feel for her. It doesn’t really matter what. It could be a garden hose. It could be an armadillo. It could be a cornflake.

But what about the depth in his work? It’s as deep as your own projections, he says. Or as deep as the paint on the canvas. Or as deep as your pockets. Depending on how much you want to read into it. Of course, ideally you read everything into it and then go deep into your pockets, he says. If you feel good about what you see in my painting, then I feel very good about you paying me a fortune for it.

A simple man, Evans. And direct. He shakes your hand and then gives you his bank account number. No trivial, time-wasting conversation about the meaning of art. Just straight to the point and then on to the bank. Quite refreshing, really, in the teeming sea of pretentious artists eager to impress upon you the deeper meaning of their mystical, enigmatic painterly endeavours.

A load of crap, says Evans. Art is nothing if not a purely personal experience. You cannot make it mean anything for anyone else. It just is. Or isn’t. Words just mess it all up.

Quite.