Imagine a world where art is everywhere. Art is free to see
and free to participate in. Imagine a world where art and artists are supported
by the community and the government. Artists are able to create their work without
restraint. Everywhere you go there is something interesting to look at that
asks you to challenge what you see and look at things differently. Imagine this
kind of utopia where community art projects are frequent and appreciated and
participated in by young and old and that bring the public together. Paintings,
drawings and photographs by local and national artists hang in cafes, shops,
hotels and businesses, sculptures intersperse gardens and public spaces, and
video works are displayed on bare sides of buildings.
Reality doesn't quite look like this.
Many of today's emerging artists struggle to make a living whilst being able to practice the very thing that drives them. When getting a coffee or buying lunch, chances are the people serving you are aspiring artists just trying to fund their dream of making art.
Many of today's emerging artists struggle to make a living whilst being able to practice the very thing that drives them. When getting a coffee or buying lunch, chances are the people serving you are aspiring artists just trying to fund their dream of making art.
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| Bindii Thorogood Photo: Charlie Donaldson |
This is no different for local Brisbane artist Bindii
Thorogood. And no, not Bindii like Bindii Irwin she is quick to point out.
After studying Fine Art at the Griffith's Queensland College of Art and
completing her Honours, Bindii has continued to work in hospitality to support
herself. When asked if this is what it's like for all artists, she says,
"I am trying to think of some who aren't [in hospitality]." She
shakes her head in dismissal and laughs, "You have to try to balance eating
with making art. That's the trick." Her partner Dominic Reidy, who also
graduated with his Honours from QCA, agrees, "It can be a hard game."
"The best way for artists these days is ARIs but the
main thing stopping people is getting a space." Dominic said. An Artist
Run Initiative is essentially a gallery run by artists. These artists organise,
fund and pay for their show. And that's what these two did. They are the front
runners of a small Brisbane gallery based in West End that opened last year with
three shows, Addition, Addition 2 and
Addition 3. Dominic adds, “[Addition]
was created by people who were keen to start something and to do something with
their degrees...we didn’t want to fall out of the arts.”
And it's an ongoing project with 11 others from QCA. Run completely independently, it took a lot of organising and hard work to pull together. Meeting one night a week, every week, the group would organise the three shows and approach artists and writers. "The program gives us a professional edge," Bindii explains. "We have begun selling them to shops and have even sent them to a few different libraries to help get Addition out there." Dominic hopes that in the future, Addition and exhibitions like it will be able to receive funding and make enough money to be self sufficient.
And it's an ongoing project with 11 others from QCA. Run completely independently, it took a lot of organising and hard work to pull together. Meeting one night a week, every week, the group would organise the three shows and approach artists and writers. "The program gives us a professional edge," Bindii explains. "We have begun selling them to shops and have even sent them to a few different libraries to help get Addition out there." Dominic hopes that in the future, Addition and exhibitions like it will be able to receive funding and make enough money to be self sufficient.
Kathy Daily is a practicing artist on the Sunshine Coast. Along
with her husband Glen, they are a creative partnership that seeks to extend the
significance of art in public places which, so far, they have successfully
achieved with many works around the Sunshine Coast and Hinterland area.
Although she is one of the lucky ones able to call herself a practicing artist,
she still teaches at a local Tafe to be able to support herself and her family.
"Life is tough for everyone and if you get to do what you love then that
is a bonus. My work means a lot to me, the more communities can get involved
the better."
When asked about her future, current student at QCA, Aishla
Manning, said, "I know that it is hard to break into the art world but
it's hard to do most things that matter."
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| Dominic Reidy with his work in Addition Photo: Mieka Thorogood |
"In [the] future I think I will always be making art.
It's not something you can just give up on," Dominic muses. "I could
never give up on it."
Bindii added, "I like to think that I have known
Australia's greatest artists. Our country just needs to realise what they
have."
