take your time
artist journal
I love writing, talking and thinking critically about my work and the art world. I wanted to put all my thoughts in one place so that anyone could get an insight to my practice and professional opinions at their own time.
Thanks for stopping by!
Take your time
Take your time
Galleries are your business partners, not your saviors.
I understand that some artists might find it discouraging to hear that nobody has the power to ensure the longevity of their career but themselves. But I promise that this is a great thing, let me explain why: Having agency over your life and career means having power and that is no small thing. The problem is that most artists have no idea where to start and what is the best way to build a lasting career. Most artists chase an idea of success and have unrealistic expectations due to the lack of useful information available to them. It’s important to understand that there is no one way to have a career as an artist. Even if you're copying exactly what someone else is doing, the results will never be the same. This is a wonderful opportunity because it means that whatever you decide to try is okay and has the potential to work for you.
Let’s say you get represented by a gallery, this still doesn’t guarantee that the gallery won’t go out of business in a couple of years or that they will sell enough work to ensure you a comfortable living. Galleries are your business partners, not your saviors. They are counting on your unwavering involvement in your practice in order to continue doing business with you. Galleries can be helpful but don’t limit yourself by expecting too much from them.
Reality is that if you decide that you don’t need to do anything else but make art, you are ultimately limiting your growth as an artist. Remember, it’s okay not to know how to develop your career. Admitting this to yourself is the first step towards finding the answers you’re seeking. Most established artists had no idea what they were doing at first, they simply tried new things all the time and kept what works. Even after being established and well known, one must keep innovating and adapting, this is true for the longevity of any career. It’s okay if you have to ask 100 people what works for them until you find what works for you. Being an artist is a life-long process and if you’re open, there’s endless things you can learn and apply to your practice every day. Eventually, your involvement will get you where you want to be.
Con amor,
Larissa
Un estudio en Camuy, Puerto Rico
‘Un estudio en Camuy”, acrylic and oil paint on canvas, 48x48in
Thoughts on this work:
Un estudio en Camuy begins to tell the story of an artist who has an improvised art studio inside of a cave in Camuy, Puerto Rico. There’s a curious woman peeking into a cave and it appears someone else has been there before her. Together with this woman, you are witnessing a surreal scene in nature. Where pigments are being extracted by flowers and fruits and a primitive yet skillful picture is being painted by an unknown artist. You can tell she’s in a tropical place but her identity remains ambiguous, mostly because she’s naked, has no tattoos and wears no jewelry. Her nudity is also a subtle way of suggesting that she isn't attached to material things and open to be utterly present in this moment. But this piece is not about her, even though she’s the only person there. It’s about the legacy of the person who was there, the person who spent time on something they cared about, someone who needed to express themselves and was resourceful enough to make it happen. But who is this person and why should they be remembered? Whether I like it or not, my work always ends up narrating my experience back to me. So it’s safe to say that this absent artist might just be me, living in New York for the last 7 years, putting together a studio in my bedroom and finding a way to create in the limited space I have. Regardless if this story is about me or not, all that matters is what remains, the signs of effort and the curiosity of someone who sees the value in that. Not all artists will get discovered or recognized but they're story still matters. If they found a way to make art against all odds, that in itself should be enough for them to be remembered.
I think I want you to succeed
an essay about competitiveness among artists
Friends or rivals?
Throughout the years, competitiveness among artists has always existed. It’s safe to assume that in between a lot of artistic friendships in art history there was underlying competitiveness. Like with Salvador Dalí and Marcel Duchamp or Andy Warhol and Jean Michel Basquiat. Friendly competition has been more evident with artists that explored the same styles or techniques, like with Picasso and Braque. Competitiveness in art isn’t inherently toxic, you can be friends with someone, admire them, even live with them and still feel competitive around them. Their prolificity reminds you of what you haven’t accomplished, and this feeling has the power to drive you to be more productive. But let’s be honest, being competitive, although it can sometimes be a fuel for creativity, it rarely is. When others get the attention we want it’s usually a moment when we feel like we’ve lost something or we feel insufficient.
Competition breeds envy
As former monk Jay Shetty writes “Competition breeds envy”. I’ve found myself getting competitive many times in my life and to be frank, it’s stressful and draining. There’s no motivation that comes from it. A lot of the time it’s a gut feeling that I’m not enough, that I’ll never “make it”, that everyone seems to be getting what I deserve or that I need to do more. I believe these feelings are not only universal but they exist more than ever in history thanks to being constantly exposed to social media. Artists do need to scroll less and be less on their phones but that’s a conversation for another time.
Finding meaning beyond praise
When we look back at the great artists that we know and love, we can see how they influenced one another yet each of them had their own motivation behind what they did. And no matter what their contemporaries were doing, they were laser focused on becoming masters of their craft. History has shown us that only if you concentrate on you and your work long enough, you’ll leave an undeniable legacy. To constantly compare yourself to others is dangerous because it hinders your own voice. Your voice is your most valuable asset as an artist, not your talent or your skills. Losing your voice ultimately makes you a mediocre artist that relies on approval and validation in order to continue making work. This is not the recipe for a lasting career as an artist, as many of you already know.
Compete with yourself
The reality is that we’re all struggling in our own way…in our careers, managing money, in our relationships, with our families, with our bodies, our health, etc.. We can idolize people and still be realistic in that we don’t all get the same opportunities, or privileges or as lucky and that’s a fact. So what can you do? Compete with yourself, consistently. Remember that painting you haven't finished? Dedicate time to it, solve it, or repaint it. Decide what type of artist you’d like to become, one that is constantly doubtful about their worthiness or one that is sure about what their next work will be? Remember to be happy for others because your time will come when you’ll want them to be happy for you.
-Larissa
Living off my work
an essay for an artist by an artist
Your job is to create
I would say it’s a common desire among artists to be able to make a living off their work. That’s been my dream for many years and I can proudly say I’ve achieved that dream. But as any goal is accomplished, one can only start imagining what comes next. I look back at myself 5 years ago and think of how impossible that dream seemed. I guarantee you, it’s extremely possible and even likely, if you put in the work. And by “work” I’m not only referring to art making, I’m talking about marketing, networking and the savvy money management necessary to sustain a business. But the great news is that life as a professional artist can be as deep and versatile as you want it to be. You’re a creator, your job is to create things that you find relevant, beautiful or both, that’s it. Whether you sell the work has more to do with how you sell it and less about what you’re selling.
Pride’s dark shadow
Let’s talk about Pride for a little bit because I think it’s something that inhibits artists from putting themselves out there more often. Artists tend to be proud of what they make and that’s how it should be. If you haven't felt a sense of pride from your work, it’s probably because you’ve been comparing yourself with someone else's progress and not your own. Pride in what you create is an essential part of helping others see your potential and to developing a strong inner voice that’ll get you through hard times. But pride has a dark shadow we must be aware of or else it can for sure get the best of us, it’s called the ego. The ego is part of all of us, artists and non-artists, there’s no killing it or dissolving it because its main purpose is to protect us from potential threats. We start developing our egos as a coping mechanism when we’re children but it isn’t something you just grow out of. The problem with the ego is that it comes to the rescue in the worst ways, many times in destructive ways, convincing us that taking risks and stepping out of our comfort zone is dangerous. When nothing can be further from the truth. Most of the time when we think negatively about ourselves and others is because our ego feels a threat coming and so acts accordingly. To avoid living a life where our ego is in the driver’s seat, we must first acknowledge its presence. First of all, it’s there in our toxic reactions, watching my ego flare up is always an abrupt wake up call, whether I’m actively judging someone, acting entitled, lashing out or whatever it may be at a given time, I find it helpful to be truthful about why I’m thinking negatively and call myself out right then and there. It may seem like a contradiction but having a “big ego” is another way of saying that a person’s sense of self is extremely fragile, this is why it’s important to know the difference between genuine confidence and ego driven behavior.
How we see ourselves
I can write all day about the ego and its effects on the quality of our life but I won’t do that today, instead I’ll explain why artists are typically associated with having “big egos” and what we can do to overcome that. Going back to having pride, to put it simply, being proud in comparison to what you’ve been is healthy and positive, being proud in comparison to other people is ego and it’ll always leave you with a sense of emptiness and neediness. A lot of artists end up having “big egos” or “fragile egos” because their pride comes from having something that others don’t, in many cases it’s their talent or artistic ability (and realistically speaking, “talent” is only a result of prolonged practice, not something you’re born with.). Furthermore, artist’s egos can get even more inflated as the external validations keep pouring in, for example: having lots of ig followers, showing in museums, selling out solo shows, getting featured in Vogue magazine, etc. But I’m curious, if no one had validated them, would they have given up or thought making art was a waste of time? I can’t help but wonder what they would have told themselves to keep going against all odds. I’ve been lucky enough to have received support and encouragement from an early age but I have immense respect for the artists that continue to make art without any external validation, support from family members or even strangers. You peeps are the real ones.
You vs. You
You might be wondering, what does all of this have to do with selling work? Trust me, self belief is the most powerful selling strategy you can ever have. It all starts by bringing consciousness to your life with everything you do. Make art that you care about at all times. Make art without thinking about the outcome and how it’ll be perceived, whether it’ll sell or if anyone will like it. It's knowing in your heart that anything you create is enough because it is a reflection of you, and you’re enough. You need to have a strong sense of self, one that isn't based on success or productivity, whether you get this or have that. You need to know that your worth is not your hands, your talent, your thoughts or your legacy. Know for certain that you are whole and complete as you are, only when this is true in your heart you’ll stop needing external validation and feel the wholeness of your existence. You need to realize that all you need is yourself. As a routine, we need to be constantly checking in with ourselves, every time we’re taken over by doubt, envy, anger, sadness or any negative emotion. Make peace with the uncertainty of life or else you’ll be going against nature. See if you can locate when your ego is flaring up and why. We must feel what we’re feeling, never seek to avoid the pain. Look at our reactions with curiosity and compassion, without judgment. These self healing practices are not only necessary to the longevity of our careers but also to our emotional maturity and spiritual fulfillment.
- Larissa
Managing money
Thoughts on this work
You probably don’t know this but I’ve used my aunt as a model many times throughout the years. Her expressive face, humor and sensitivity are all traits that she’s brought down to me ever since I was little. Even though she’s my model in this piece, the piece isn’t 100% about her but it does relate to her. This piece is about being more concerned with money and material possessions than with one's own health. I decided to cut out a piece of canvas, paint it as money and put it under her chin as a funny way to express the abundance of what she has, so much that it can get lost in her neck rolls. Of course, she couldn’t go without the LV scarf to show off her class and perhaps feel a bit less shitty about the fact that she’s throwing her future away with every minute she lets pass without taking action on what truly matters, her well being.
As I comment on this woman, I comment on today’s values in society. We care so much about how others perceive us and if we’ll ever be seen for who we are, yet go through great lengths to avoid being vulnerable for likebility’s sake. It’s hard not to care about trends, high fashion, diamonds and gold chains when having those things makes you feel grandiose, accomplished, significant, not to mention that it’s a wonderful shortcut to getting respect from strangers and your peers. I can sympathize with anyone who wants nice things, I know I wouldn't be mad if I got a Cartier bracelet for christmas. But I do wonder, why is it so hard for us to feel worthy all the time? Why is the need to impress others sometimes greater than my need to better my life? And by “better my life” I specifically mean to take care of everything I’ve been procrastinating: exercise, go to the therapist, cook healthy food, spend more time on hobbies and less on my phone, etc. All things that take real time and effort to accomplish, these are the things that we should be proud of and admire in others.