Artist Reveals How to Survive

The following article appeared in the Des Moines Register
on December 1, 2004

Des Moines Register


By AMANDA PIERRE
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

So you want to be an artist? Put down the paintbrush and pick up Paul Dorrell's new book, which covers everything from low-budget travel tips to the defense of copyrights and to the preservation of sanity.

Information about all three, and more subjects, fills the 173 pages of "Living the Artist's Life" (Hillstead Publishing, $16.95 paperback), a quick read in a simple, conversational tone.

Dorrell, a 47-year-old author and father of two, is from Kansas City, Mo., where he has steered the Leopold Gallery since 1991. His book is sprinkled with the secrets of his success and heavy with personal anecdotes - some are funny while others approach the tragic.

Currently, he's touring the country promoting the book, and will speak at the Moberg Art Gallery Friday in Des Moines.

Dorrell is adamant about attracting an audience of artists, as he considers himself "a champion of the artist who feels ignored, not because of lack of talent but because of a lack of connections." He talked about the state of the arts in a phone interview from his Kansas City gallery.

Q. Where are your favorite places to look at art?
A. All the major cities, like New York, Chicago, L.A., but those are not necessarily my first choices. I'll take time to view art in any city I visit. I'll probably go to galleries before museums to see what's going on in that city, to get the flavor of what regional artists are doing.

Q. For every person who makes it there are probably hundreds, thousands even, who try and fail. What would you say the odds are for gallery owners today?
A. About 80 percent against and 20 percent for succeeding. By succeeding I mean turning a profit. There are plenty of galleries that are underwritten by deep pockets so they can stay open. That was the case with Peggy Guggenheim's and Alfred Stieglitz's. But to my experience, of galleries that expect to turn a profit selling original art, about 80 percent of those galleries fail.

Q. What do you think of the current art scene in New York City?
A. It's progressive but in an elitist way. Galleries in Soho and Chelsea operate largely on social connections and rarely on the caliber of art. There are still galleries in those places that are sort of "old-fashioned" and don't rely on image or celebrity. They still review slides and look for artists, and they don't care where they're from . . . but that kind of selectivity I find to be rare - almost unheard of in parts of New York.

In about the last 10 years, artists outside of New York have been virtually excluded from the art scene (there). (In New York) they're working under the misguided notion that talent must come from that area.

The conditions in New York are still conducive to art, although in Manhattan less than it used to be. Many artists have had to flee to other boroughs. As far as the atmosphere, the underground galleries - ones that aren't considered first-tier, have a lot going on, especially in Brooklyn. In my book, I emphasize how we really don't need New York anymore. It's important, but not as critical as it was in the 1950s and '60s. The world has gotten so much smaller with the Internet, and the market is growing so fast, we really don't need approval from New York. It's still an artistic center, but it's appallingly ignorant. There are many movements going on outside of New York.

Q. Should Midwestern artists try to move to New York?
A. I don't emphasize that an artist has to have gallery representation in New York, but he or she must be spread out geographically. It's particularly true in the provinces (in his book he refers to the old adage that "the genius is always in the next town") and let's face it, the Midwest is "the provinces."

The Midwestern cities will often be the last to believe in their own artists. It's just a sign of a certain level of uncertainty on the part of the city. I'm not naming Des Moines in particular, but I've seen this happen, especially when it comes to big commissions.

In reality, a high level of cultural maturity can be found in your own region, if you know how to look for it and how to cultivate it.

Q. What is your biggest piece of advice for artists, art gallery owners, students of art or people who are considering careers in art?
A. Talent alone won't cut it - I would say self-discipline is more important than talent. If you've got talent as well as self-discipline, the latter will pull you through.

A Guide to Growing, Persevering, and Succeeding in the Art World