Brainard Carey

“We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” Aesop

What does it take to succeed? Is it hard work and persistence? Or is there sometimes a darker motivation to those who rise to a high station? It may seem as though success often comes to those who play dirty – and in fact there is some research to back up the idea that toxic individuals often achieve success at higher rates. But the flipside is that this success is often short-lived. So carry on doing what you do, block out the noise, and forge ahead.

Tess Bilhartz joined us to talk about her show, Now You See Me, running through March 1 at Deanna Evans Projects. The oil on canvas works cover a variety of topics. One work, titled Green, draws on several sources, including a drawing of the artist’s own torso in a pool. In all of the work in this show, memories, emotions and more haunt ethereal landscapes. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.

Irina Lotarevich chatted about Settings, her exhibition at Silke Lindner Gallery that ran through February 8. The title was inspired by looking at sculptural techniques within jewelry settings. Lotarevich scaled up this sculptural device throughout the show. The title is a double entendre, too, of course, also alluding to a place and time. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.

A Few Words to Keep in Your Pocket.

There is a lot to be said for honestly earning your success.

Outings.

Join me at Luhring Augustine for a group show.

Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android, please click here. All weekly essay pieces are here in a shareable format. The full archive of interviews is here.

More Books to Read.

Ours is a community of readers. Tell us what books you’re reading now by adding your titles to our reading list here. Praxis user Libby M Gilpatric is reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin.

Opportunities.

Watershed Center’s annual Salad Days fundraiser celebrates handmade ceramics and local food. Each year an artist is selected to create 500 shallow plates or bowls that are then taken home by fundraiser guests. To learn more about this unique opportunity, visit the website. Deadline for residency applications is March 7.

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now. 

Art serves many functions during times of distress. It can soothe the creator, keeping one tethered to the routine of studio practice. It can help process big emotions and concerns, using the canvas – whatever that may mean to the artist – to visualize the swirl of thoughts and emotions that may be disrupting their daily life. And it can join the larger conversation, offering a perspective and a way to open important conversations. In short, art is essential. It is something to be carried out no matter how challenging things may seem around us.

In their own words: The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts awards up to seventy juried residencies per year to established and emerging visual artists, writers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists from across the country and around the world. Residencies are 2 to 8 weeks in length. Each resident receives a $175 stipend per week, housing, and a private studio. To learn more, visit the website. Deadline for applications is March 1.

NXTHVN, co-founded by artist Titus Kaphar and investor Jason Price, is a New Haven-based arts institution supporting artists, curators, and local youth through fellowships, apprenticeships, mentorship, and professional development. Visit the website for more details. Deadline for studio and curatorial fellowship applications is March 3.

Watershed Center’s annual Salad Days fundraiser celebrates handmade ceramics and local food. Each year an artist is selected to create 500 shallow plates or bowls that are then taken home by fundraiser guests. To learn more about this unique opportunity, visit the website. Deadline for residency applications is March 7.

Praxis Center recognizes that art, artists and artistic work do not exist in a vacuum. We are committed to ensuring that no matter what the external factors may be, our artists have the skills and resources to continue building their practice and enter the artistic conversation.

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now.

Photo credit: Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts