Play To Win

The current Mega Millions jackpot is 304 million. That’s 193.6 cash value for those who don’t completely trust the government and that guys is a lot of money. Oh sure your chance of winning is 1 in a 175 million, but let’s face it when is a working artist going to have a hundred and ninety-three million dollars waiting at the end of a one buck purchase?

But to get in on this big buck bonanza, you have to buy a ticket. The more folks who play the more the odds work against you, but the bigger the payout becomes so you have to ask yourself one question, “Do you feel lucky, punk?” Okay, you’re not a punk; I got carried away with Dirty Harriease. Still the question is a good one, do you feel lucky?

It’s the same question every artist has to ask themselves when they enter a picture in a show, “Do you feel lucky?”

Not because it takes luck to win but because there are so many variables each time you enter you take a great, big, fat chance. Just take a look at all the lotto outlets today, there are a bunch of folks feeling lucky and the numbers will grow by the hour. They feel lucky.

But with art shows lately artists in the Bay area haven’t been feeling lucky or they have been too distracted, or busy or just indifferent to enter, entries have come slowly, erratically or not at all. Why? Was the focus too different, too unusual or too, (gasp!) creative? There must have been something to keep the coastal artists away.

Finding your particular niche is a wonderful thing, it makes going to work a pleasure because when you face the easel you know what you are going to be doing. There is nothing more frightening than indecision. The best artists in the area have all found that one thing which makes them so noticeable and distinctive. Kim Wurster, Kelle Herrick, Susan and Steve Dimmock do birds, Dutch does boats, Pat Snyder does prints, Susan Lehman does collage, Susan D’Amico does portraits and David Castleberry does, well. I’m not completely sure what David does, but it is distinctive.

All of these artists have a special view of the world they want to create, but they still take time to investigate other worlds and other views. Susan Lehman and Dutch are going to be part of the jury for the motorcycle show and that’s a step away from where they usually stand. It is different, but then a truly great artist can have many skills. Picasso was a master draftsman before he deconstructed the world.

Participation is the key to becoming one of those recognized artists. They didn’t get there by painting in the dark, they went out into the world and used every tool they could lay their hands on to get better acquainted, known, skilled and prepared. They participated.

There will be long lines at the lotto outlets today, People desperate, passionate, fearful and lucky all buying tickets as fast as the machine can print them, because even though the more tickets that get sold the more the odds go up they believe.

Maybe that’s the secret the lotto players need to share so that when a show comes up with a different theme than the usual, the artist community will rush to enter. You have to play to win.