Fed Artist Grassroots Angel Network to Support Artists

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.
[tags] Party, DJ Static, Center[/tags]

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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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Americans have a tendency to take an idea, market it to death and turn it into the 2nd Coming. The downside to all of that hype is people (read: me) are so turned off by the media machine, the parodies that we can miss some good advice. Since I am a vegetarian, I will never be on Atkins. However, something is to be gained from not eating pancakes and mac n’ cheese 24/7 (which I’d LOVE to do).

Same goes with Rhonda Byrne’s “The Secret”. Parodies and critics abound. It is the Joke de Jour. However, there is one part of the dvd that says what you focus on grows and expands. Let me jump on my soap box real quick and say every artist should pay attention to this concept.

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One of my favorite things to do is promote my friends. I have a loud mouth and I love to use it to make others look good. After donations started coming in, I wrote an email to my generous friends that if they’d like me to promote them in some way (show my appreciation) that I would gladly do it.

No one responded. With the exception of one person, everyone who gave money to Fed Artist is also an artist. And they all gave from their heart and that’s damn cool.

Yesterday, we (royal) made our first action towards helping other artists. She is a stylist and wanted a book on managing finances. I grabbed my Paypal card, ran into Borders and in less than 24 hours, she had her book. It was SO cool.

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