Artist Myth #2: You have to live in LA or New York to be a real artist

In the days of old, trawler fisherman would drag a net behind their boat and scoop up everything in their wake: shellfish, cod, lobster, crabs, car tires, etc. This style of fishing worked if you were hungry, but not if you wanted to make a profit, especially in terms of maintaining a long term industry. This style of fishing left fisherman with a lot of product they just couldn’t do anything with.

A lot of artists think of networking in the same way. They think that more is better. That meeting as many people as you can in a speed dating-like frenzy (akin to trawler fishing) is the best way to network, but that’s simply not true. In fact, this premise takes away from the focus of networking which is simply about meeting new people, (including those in and out of the art world) and winning them over with your authentic self.

An honest, authentic interaction wins the race in terms of networking. It’s not about selling someone something; in fact it’s better if you don’t. It can be as simple as meeting someone for coffee or exchanging a business card in a parking lot.

Myth #2: You have to live in LA or New York to be a real artist

The other day I was in Staples, picking up a draft of my memoir. As I was waiting in line, I started to make small talk with an older women standing beside me. She was picking up a poster for her dog that was missing. I told her what I was doing and soon the conversation involved another woman making copies nearby.  It ended up both women were writers, one had published four children’s books and the other had a friend who was involved in the publishing world in some way. Before I left, we exchanged cards and I drove home astonished, once again, by the random contacts and connections that exist all around us in any given moment.

 It’s true, every person you meet has the potential to buy a ticket for your show, purchase a painting, buy your book, and connect you to someone in the know.

Gone are the days when you literally had to write to a journalist living in New York to get an article in the New York Times. There are freelance journalists living all around us that send stuff off to national publications every day. My press exposure in the New York Times, Backstage Magazine and American Theatre Magazine were all the result of local contacts.

Artist Myth #2: You have to live in LA or New York to be a real artist

I often think of my career as a lottery ticket. Each time I write a goal, I’m buying a lottery ticket. Most of my lottery tickets come up bunk, but many more come up winners. People who look at my career from the outside may see a lot of accomplishments, a lot of winning lottery tickets. What they don’t see is that for every ticket that comes up a winner, there are a hundred left on the sidewalk.  

Making statements about what a “real” artist is or what constitutes “successful” for an artist is, for lack of better words, “unreal.” True success can only ever be measured by your own individual goals and objectives. Besides, true success exists in any number of areas, not just your career, your bank account or where you live. 

When I went to grad school at Columbia College, renown for its arts program, on any given day there were a number of students hanging out in front of the arts building on Wabash Avenue, smoking cigarettes, playing hackie sac, and looking like “real” artists. If you pulled up you’d probably think, “Wow, this school has a really cool art scene.” The reality is, the “real” artists aren’t ever hanging out in front of a building, they’re in the music rooms practicing scales, in a dark room developing film, or locked away in their apartments writing.  

A lot of artists fool themselves into thinking they know what it means to be a “real” artist. But what about success in you finances, your spiritual life, your family, or your love life? Are you successful if you’re a world re-known jazz musician with tons of acclaimed work (as was the case with jazz bassist Charles Mingus) but because of tax problems you’re evicted from your home and living on the street? Are you a real artist if you were a pop icon living on top of the world, (as was the case with Brittany Spears), but because of a series of addictions and unfortunate decisions find yourself living a less than artistic life? 

Artist Myth #2: You have to live in LA or New York to be a real artist

TV producer Karen Newton has this to say about the allure of LA and New York. “The world is far too global now and if you’re a talented artist, people are going to find out about you no matter where you live.” This would explain why towns like Northampton, MA, Portland, OR and Ashville, NC are creative mecca’s and full of extremely talented and successful artists.

Consider this: Because of the number of artists located in New York and LA, there are more artists per capita who claim art as their profession, but that’s only because the population is larger.  There are also more artists per capita there living below the poverty line. It’s true that New York and LA are famous spots that will inspire your artistic spirit, but they are also famous spots for dampening it as well. I’ve had numerous friends leave New York because of the expense and LA because of the attitude. 

“It’s good to keep in mind what your trying to achieve,” says musician Dave Brockie, founder of the international renown band, GWAR . “Big cities are expensive. Big cities have big attitudes and lots of people are only there because they think they’re “supposed” to be there. Staying in a small town has actually helped us. We have a ton of cheap studio space that allows us the square footage we need to create on our own terms. The reality is that artists need space and if you’re trying to work out of a shoe box you’re going to severely limit your creative options.”

There are distinct advantages of getting your chops in order in the town you live in. In fact, it works to your advantage to get your artistic chops in order in your home town first before you even think about taking off to a bigger city.

Dave Brockie is a musician and performance artist who is best known for his portrayal of Oderus in the American thrash metal/punk rock band GWAR which he helped found. The band, which has appeared on The Jerry Springer Show, The Joan Rivers Show, and Viva la Bam is best known for their elaborate Sci-Fi horror costumes and graphic, politically and satirically-inspired stage performances that include spraying their audiences with imitation fluids. Brockie lives in Richmond, VA. www.gwar.net.