Neighborhood art tour, weighing professionalism and vulnerability

Have you ever considered having an open studio sale or being part of a neighborhood art tour? 

I made this video when I was preparing to invite people to my yard to see my art as part of a neighborhood art tour. I offer it to you here as a way to think through the value of sharing your work in a tender way.

The idea of a neighborhood art tour brings up the balance between professionalism and vulnerability. 

To be "professional" you would present only the spit-shined art in a clean gallery setting. It's the resume self. And there is great value in doing that. It is a way to get out of the way of the art and let it do its thing with the viewers. It is not about you, the artist.

The thing is that I am scrappy - and art is messy. Maybe this is true for you too?

Opening my space to the public is allowing them to see my vulnerable underbelly. All of my self doubts are right there. I do not have a perfectly manicured lawn, and the chickens are likely to come sauntering through. It is an invitation to the human side of creative practice.

Is this a good idea?

What I came to at the time is a deep realization that I wonder if you would resonate with. My art is about the vulnerable underbelly. It is ok to share that with people because they also have a vulnerable underbelly and they may also want a little permission not to be perfect and spit shined. 

Also as artists we need to have our work received and to feel it being received in order to continue to understand the value of it. This means interacting with an audience in some way. 

Art is a communication and if it is not received then it is like talking on the phone when no one is there. At a certain point you stop talking. The ideas dry up.

It will nourish your creative side to have that connection and quite possibly someone will walk away with some new understanding or deeper awareness because of your work. You have to trust that. 

I did and it was a really great day of socially distant connection!

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