Reading poetry

A 20-step guide.

Advice for anyone who ever takes a class. At a school. Or other school-like place.

This Captain Awkward blogpost deals specifically with behavior in a grad school seminar. But it applies, to all of us, and it's really worth reading a few times.

Thanks to my friend Molly for sharing this--I didn't know anything about Captain Awkward until she posted this.

Feedback

While this Harvard Business Review post has nothing to do with art, I figure all my readers (like, all four of you) have to deal with giving and/or receiving negative feedback. So why not pass it on?

Really old advice

I know it's June and the time for graduation speeches is over. But consider--no matter when you graduated and at what level--this open letter of advice to the class of 2015. It's advice so old it seems really fresh and interesting.

Eight Tips on Creativity

I don't know who Michael Smith is, and I try to avoid passing on too much advice. But I like this quirky list from a professional.

Monet isn't enough

Here is some really great advice about how to listen to contemporary classical music, which is often very difficult and very un-pretty. (I spent a few hours last night trying out some living composers I'd never heard of before. I hated all the music, but I'm glad I listened.)

Change "music" to "contemporary art" and switch a few composer names to artist names, and the same advice is also really good for looking at new and difficult contemporary art.

Advice to young artists

(photo)

from Marina Abramovic: 

"But my advice to young artists is to be less selfish. When you arrive at a certain age, you have to give unconditionally. I think young artists should be much less selfish than they are. First of all, you have to know that making art is not about being famous and having money. The art is about a different matter. Fame and money is just a side effect. This you have to get clear in your head.

The second thing you have to figure out is whether you’re an artist or not. People want to be artists for different reasons, but if you have to create then you might make a good artist. And it requires a whole different set of sacrifices. It’s a lonely life. You have to really dedicate yourself completely. You have to be inferior. You have to be in fever, diseased, like it’s the only thing that exists ever.

Then, if you’re a really good artist, you have to learn how to survive in society—not compromising to the market, not creating art pollution in your studio. And there are so many things you have to learn about the business. It’s amazing, my first show ever was in Italy, and it sold out. But I never got a penny. All artists experience the same shit. So you have to kind of stick together and give each other advice. There are very few artists who are actually generous. Robert Rauschenberg was one of them. He created a hospital for artists. He created a kind of bank account if you’re in trouble as a young artist."

Read the entire interview at VICE.

What they've learned

I came across this "What I've Learned" list, with arts administrators explaining the lessons they've learned through their careers. Arts administrators? Who cares? I ain't no stinkin' arts administrator! There are two good reasons to take some time to read through this (I haven't read it all yet, but I am committed to reading it all over the next few days):

1. If you're interested in art history and are thinking about a career related to art history, then there's a really good chance you're thinking about being an administrator--or at least working closely with them. Even if you prefer the academic route, you'll most likely end up doing administration too.

2. Most of this advice is good for anyone in any career, even if you're not at all interested in being an art historian. Want to be an engineer? A comic book artist? A sales person? This is still good advice from people who have been working for decades.

How to Make It in the Art World

New York Magazine tells you everything you need to know about contemporary art, especially if you're a bit cynical. This is a lot of reading, so pace yourself. And enjoy.

Reading List

A local AP Art History teacher is compiling a list of resources to share with teachers and students. He's soliciting help from all the teachers on teh College Board e-mail list, so it should get bigger and better soon. Check it now and then.

This post has nothing to do with art

But if you are reading this (is anyone still reading this?), you are probably heading off to school in the next week or so. Need/want/willing to listen to advice? These tips are good. Best of luck at your new home.