I got something completely unexpected in the mail yesterday. In fact, after its arrival I decided to gaze at it suspiciously instead of read it.
Creative Quarterly sent me their most recent issue of their magazine! I don't know why and I'm afraid to ask. Perhaps this is the first issue that I submitted to (and failed to be included), but I didn't keep track of it. It seems unusual that non-winners would get a copy, so I don't know if this is awesome or a mistake! lol Whatever, I'm happy.
You know what automatically gets them in my "good" books? The fact that canadian selling price is only a dollar higher than american. Hell yes. When novels are DOUBLE the price in canada (for political reasons, not good ones), this is a refreshing change! You rock!
The only other mag of theirs I've seen is the 3x3 issue I bought a few years ago. And the art in this magazine is almost identical, actually. Do they keep publishing the same artists over and over? I don't know.
Anyway, it was a lovely surprise! And the artwork inside is fantastic. I don't know about other places but it's a struggle to find magazines like this here. It's like stores skip from photography tips right into country-time scrapbooking without ever acknowledging large categories of fine art! It's puzzling to me. I only ever saw one single copy of Creative Quarterly (3x3) in a store and I snatched it up, even though it cost $25 and I was even poorer then, haha.
One thing: I think I spend too much time on the internet because reading some of these artist profiles and opportunities reminded me of how posh and exclusive the professional art world can be. I couldn't help but feel way out of my league when reading the artist profiles. Seeing the qualifications I may never have. Reading the answers to the questions and feeling suddenly inadequate.
Am I inadequate? Am I supposed to be fond of reading essays? Are my parents supposed to be the most influencial people in my life? Should I only watch classic films? Should "travel" be how I spend my free time? Should I joke about religion and politics in my answers, if only to show how smart and educated I am?
It seems like a completely different world when visiting galleries and reading magazines. It's really no wonder why I was so discouraged from art careers before.
Does this mean I am naive now that I have a bit of hope?
I'd prefer to think that the world is being turned up over its own heels, that ideas and beauty and opportunities and fulfillment are no longer reserved for the upper class! I'd prefer to think that someday we are going to take it all back...
2 comments:
Cool that you got a free copy in the mail! I've never seen this mag before. I agree with the mag selection in Canadian stores. So SOOOO many mags in some categories and so very few in others. I think sometimes, wow THIS mag made the cut but the ones I'm looking for do not? I noticed the same thing at my local library. I wonder what determines their selections. Are there really that many "teddy bear collector" types out there? (random example)
About the last part of your post: I have felt this and questioned this myself. I have read many artist/writer bios and thought to myself GEEZ, is that what I need to have? This person has four university degrees. I cannot afford that, I'll never be able to pay it off. And they travelled the world while doing it? Where do they find the time, and the money? I felt this way also after watching "Eat, Pray, Love" on DVD. I feel awful thinking wow I don't have "enough" of anything (money, time, drive) to do all of these things. Why do we compare ourselves? I'm not sure. I work on not doing it though, because the only thing it gives me back is negative feelings. I DO hope that everyday people can be considered valid in the art that they do, because it IS valid.
haha lousy libraries REPRESENT! Yeah I don't know why they don't have certain types of magazines everywhere; the artsy ones are often the coolest too!
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