Professional Context - Lecture by Carline Wright 7.3.2011

EXPOSITION AND CONTEXT

Why do I need to make a Career out of what I do? And what are my reasons for doing so?

I do need to create some form of a career out of what I do because I am a person who needs to create, but often needs a reason to create. Once your house is filled up with your images and your family and friends have run out of space, where next do you go or what do you do?
A career within the art world would give me consistent reason to keep striving to improve the work I produce, it would allow me time in which to be able to create as well as being a parent, rather than constant struggle to fit the creative side of me into my schedule. The fact that I have had to sacrifice my artist urges because of time constraints has had a profound effect on me, creating this need to justify and validate myself as an artist. For instance the degree was the starting point, I could create because I was doing a creative degree, furthermore the MA is a justifable reason for creating I don't have to make up an excuse to create work.

What are my needs?

The reality is that I need to create an income that covers the cost of the materials at the least.
I need to create it helps to rationise my feelings, reactions to the society in which I life. I explore my private life and many other areas. To paint is to have my own private therapist, a friend something that I can physically explore, being physical with the paint releases pent up frustrations and anxiety, I pour my interests and opinions and insights into what I see in society onto a canvas, that is who I am.
I need to have some validation to my work whether to hear a critisicm or a positive reaction to me is validation, I have created a debate through a painting or through my ceramics.
When I do sell a piece of work there is a sense of recognition that I created something that another person has had a response to, they want that image that I have spent time physically making, and mentally thought about and reflected on.
Furthermore I believe that I am giving my daughter something invaluable the notion that anybody can achieve at what ever stage in your life and whatever position you are, rich or poor, the ethos of hard work as part of achievement, whether this be in a professional or private area of life has been something Emma has witnessed from me, for most of her childhood, it is something that has given me pride that I have instilled this in her, it maybe a bit moralistic, but it something that cannot be denied.