Blog / 2018 / Beauty and Human Understanding
September 23, 2018
This video features footage from the opening of my solo show at the Littman Gallery, from my TEDxGeneva talk, from an Oregon Public Broadcasting video of the making of Kirk Reeves mural, from the making of a painting of a chimpanzee and a canary, from a reception for my art in Belgium, and from the making of some public art in DC.
If you sign up on Patreon before September 30th and pledge at the $15 level or higher, you’ll receive a special gift!
Intuition
2016
acrylic on canvas
24 x 24 inches
(Prints and pretty things available here.)
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
When you give money to the grocery store, it becomes food. When you give it to the government, it becomes bombs and schools and a social safety net—but mostly bombs. When you give money to artists, it becomes creativity, connection, beauty, human understanding!
And I know you might be thinking:
“Ya, but I have to give money to the gorcery store or my belly will grumble. And I have to give money to the government or the IRS will come and get me. But I don’t have to give money to artists.”
And it’s true! You’ll still have access to all kinds of books and music and magic even if you don’t pay artists. But when you do give money to artists, you are making a powerful statement about what you want for the world.
And these days it’s easy to give money to artists without breaking the bank. There are what’s called “ongoing microdonation sites,” sites like Patreon. You pledge money to artists every month—a dollar, two dollars, five dollars, whatever—and, every month, that money goes directly from your bank account to theirs.
And if you only want to give a dollar or two, that’s still huge. It’s not about the amount: it’s about the statement you’re making. A statement that sounds like a roar! You’re cheering on the artist in a huge and meaningful way. You’re saying that art is food, you’re saying that it teaches you things and it makes sure you’re okay. And that maybe even it will explode and the world will be filled with beauty and infused with a better understanding of itself. When you give money to artists, you’re saying that art matters.
I accept monthly donations at patreon-dot-com-slash-gwenn with two Ns!
Maybe this post made you think of something you want to share with me? Or perhaps you have a question about my art? I’d love to hear from you!
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