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Artists and the recession

By: a-n

Artists in their hundreds across the US responded to a request on the New York Times website asking them how the economy is affecting their lives and work.

Many were defiantly upbeat despite grim circumstances, saying that the recession had strengthened their commitment to their work or allowed them to concentrate on their art – since the time spent on side jobs had diminished – or had even been a source of creative inspiration. Liz Fallon from Portland who's been selling to private collectors for ten years said that although she hadn't sold an original work in almost a year, her area seemed to be undergoing a kind of artistic renaissance as various artists' groups formed. "Freed from the constraints of creating for a specific buyer, I've been producing a great deal more than I used to. While it would be nice to still be getting paid for my work, the need to be more resourceful is having a beneficial effect on the arts community around me." She supports herself working as a customer service representative for a direct marketing firm. The lack of commissions has enabled her to pursue new projects. "Nobody wants me to do anything, so I'm just doing what I want," she said. For Cadine Navarro, an artist in New York and Amsterdam, the recession was "making me want to pursue my career as an artist more forcefully than ever....

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