Fed Artist Grassroots Angel Network to Support Artists

My main focus behind giving money through this vehicle I call Fed Artists is I hated when artists felt they had to chose between buying art materials that they needed or paying Con Ed. Why can’t they do both. These last few years have been very successful and exhilarating for me. What I have learned is that being a successful artist really is an individual journey.

A friend of mine has crafted a very interesting film series called “Keeping the Lights On.” How he explains it, “Being a “starving artist” is so clichéd. So to pay the bills many artists work all sorts of jobs—whether interesting or mundane, related to their art or completely unrelated. Keeping the Lights On is a documentary series about artists, their work, and the day jobs they love and hate.”

The site goes on to say, “Keeping the Lights On is directed and produced by Danny Powell, an award-winning filmmaker whose work includes the short films Damien, solus, and To Be Beautiful as well as music videos for The Track Record and the internationally acclaimed Tin Hat.”

Watch the clips and you’ll certainly find inspiration

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(yes, sung like “food glorious food”).

One of my absolute favorite books of all time is “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” by T Harv Eker where I solidified how important it is to promote oneself. I’ve always said “no one will ever believe in your career more than you do”. So it’s always been my job to learn and grow to the point where I really believe in my talents and then to tell every mo-fo that I do.

Check me out on the Freelancers Union Blog.

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I had the best day today. Weeks ago, I had told a friend about this charity (Fed Artist) and how I also teach every year at The Ghetto Film School in the Bronx. GFS is an incredible organization. I taught a lighting seminar there about a month ago and asked the founder, Joe Hall, if there was an art reference library for the students. He said he was too bogged with other needs for the students to address that yet. And I had such an “a-ha!!!”. I could send an email to all of my friends to donate art books.

A few days later, I mentioned this idea to a friend and he asked if I knew about the Distribution to Underserved Communities Library Program (DUC). Essentially they offer loads of art books to libraries in under-served and under-represented communities. I emailed them today and, even though the Ghetto School is not a library, they allowed me to order books for them.

I ordered about 15 art books. After I filled out the form, I thought, “you just started a library…like Carnegie”. I could not be happier. Really.

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I was just forwarded this link from Ted.com. It’s a presentation of Ebay founder Jeff Skoll on “Making movies that make change” and as I listened, I felt a tingle go up my spine. Sort of like this person I have been trying to create: this artistic philanthropist, “70 year old Eastern European Cinematographer trapped in a young girls body”, business minded, Wall Street Journal addicted party girl is very much a possibility.

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When I was really little, my Dad told me how the three painters, Monet, Manet and Renoir were all friends growing up and then growing famous. Ever since then, I have been FASCINATED by my friends. Who would we be when we got older. And I always celebrate my friends accomplishments because I believe in “birds of a feather”. I want history books to say “Cybel Martin knew so and so in their early days before winning the Oscar…or winning the Noble Prize”. Whatever.

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A friend of mine once told me, “you can’t ride two horses with one ass.” Meaning I had to pick a profession and stick to it. Otherwise, I am diluting my effectiveness. I believed this and extolled this wisdom for a while, until I realized its not quite true or a rewarding way to live.

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There is one chapter in my book where I am not sure of the title. Perhaps “Speak My Language” or “Dances With Suits”. I am not sure. What I am sure of is if you want to be a Fed Artist, if you want to make money and make a living as an artist, you have to learn how to communicate with the money people. It is in your best interest to learn their two-step. For starters, be on time for an interview. I just got hired for a film job simply because his previous crew kept showing up to set late. Know how to negotiate a contract. Return phone calls promptly.

Us artists love our hip personas: messy hair, cocktail in hand, arriving fashionably late. In business speak, that translates to hard to manage, irresponsible, liability and easy to manipulate and exploit.

Perhaps its our arrogance? We want their money and connections but we don’t actually respect business people. Hmm. Chew on it.

In Dad’s blog, he asked “In Art, are we able to find Excellent in Scarcity”. Part of that discussion that hit a nerve was that artist today spend too much time pandering to gallery owners, publications etc.

This is my response:

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Besides being the title of a Smith’s song, that line above aptly describes me and my email/blog life. When will I shut up? Maybe when I am dead, but I can’t guarantee that. (ever seen “Medium”?) Anyway, you can not be a successful artist or art-trepreneur without promoting yourself and your talents. And if you are really smart, you will learn to promote and celebrate those that support you. You’ll notice that pretty much every one of my blogs & websites has a link to RFilm (aka The Arsonist) and Limachips, two of my greatest supporters.

Limachips is having a party this Thursday. Similar to being at my parties, you can keep your agenda to partying and bs-ing, or make some life lasting professional connections. The choice is yours. The event is free.

Look for my upcoming interview with the Limachip boys and what their lessons are for throwing a party of this size, making a profit and NOT charging at the door.

Technorati Tags: Party, DJ Static, Center

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I am currently reading “Losing My Virginity (How I’ve Survived, Had Fun and Made a Fortune While Doing Business My Way)” by Richard Branson. What an inspiration! I love this for the same reason I love the Google Story. We are inundated with examples, rules, advice columns, experts who want us to color inside the lines (read: write business plans, have a board, do focus groups, get another degree). While reading this book, I realized that all of that stuff dampens my fire. I bet I will make much more money, throw plenty more parties and travel a hellalot more if I follow his mantra, “Oh screw it. Let’s do it”.

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