Making and taking to the world…
Laureen in studio, early 2015
“There are lots of artists in the world, but there’s only one you, and the only person who has your point of view is you. If you decide to not make things, all you’ve done is deprive the world of all the stuff that only you could have brought to it.”
That’s Neil Gaiman, author of over 30 books and one of the best commencement speeches in the history of the world.
And if you do make things but you don’t take them to the world, will you keep on making?
That’s me, Laureen.
These two aspects of the artist’s life are so closely linked. How do we keep on making art? How do we take our art to the world? If we stop doing one, will we inevitably stop doing the other?
If you want support with making and taking your art to the world, my version of that support will re-open in a tab on this website on Monday, February 23. If you want an early look-in on Saturday, and the early possibility of booking a free introductory session, please sign up to receive blog posts by entering your email in the box on the right. I limit my mentoring practice to a small number of very carefully selected clients.
About me, Laureen:
As a career artist and former art gallery owner I have huge amounts of experience with the will and faith needed to make and keep making art and with the nuts and bolts of getting that art to its audience. I have BFA and MFA degrees and have exhibited for over 25 years. I have had more than two dozen solo or two-person exhibitions as well as over 40 group shows. My paintings have been recognized by the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Canada Council, are held in many public and private collections, and have been represented in exhibition catalogues and reviewed in newspapers and magazines. In the visual arts I’ve worked as organizer, teacher, mentor, adjudicator, writer, and curator. I’m proud to hold the Canadian Artists Representation “Tony” Award for service to the visual arts in Saskatchewan and the Centennial Leadership Award for Service to the Province of Saskatchewan. In addition to freelance writing and giving workshops about the business of art for artists, I’ve been writer, researcher and editor of the Saskatchewan Visual Arts Handbook, published by CARFAC Saskatchewan, since its 2nd edition and now in its 10th. I owned and operated Grasslands Gallery for five years, until I decided in 2014 to close it so I could spend more time with my own studio practice. I’m technologically literate and have set up several WordPress websites including Grasslands Gallery’s at www.grasslandsgallery.com and my personal site at www.laureenmarchand.com. The gallery website offered online sales, so I had a chance to learn about that too. In fact, I love to learn. It’s a core value for me, so I regularly take classes and engage coaches of my own in order to continue with my own artistic and business growth. And please feel free to ask any further questions you may have!
I look forward to hearing from you.
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