As the economy and job market continue to suffer, we are looking for any signs of hope we can find; especially those who dream of being a professional artist but are scared to take the leap for fear of becoming the dreaded “starving artist”. The good news is, there are recent studies that prove there is such a hope!

In the article, “Sorry: Art Is a Business” by Professor John M. Eger, he lists impressive statistics regarding the success and satisfaction of arts alumni. But, it did become clear that the success and satisfaction would be even higher if these artists had business savvy. While many schools do offer degrees that incorporate both art studies and business/entreprenuerial skills, these types of well-rounded curriculums are becoming a necessity. For example, at the Institute For Arts Entrepreneurship in Chicago, “there is clearly recognition that the artists in society can and must play a larger role in societal and economic affairs.” Creativity and innovation are necessary for improving our economy, and arts education is where it can all begin.

2011 is the 20th anniversary of the George Lucas Foundation, Edutopia.  Edutopia.org “spreads the word about ideal, interactive learning environments and enables others to adapt these successes locally”.  With art education quickly being diminished from many elementary schools, it is so great to see that on Edutopia.org, they are teaching and inspiring successful art integration within schools.

In their article, “Why Arts Education Must Be Saved”, Edutopia gives us five amazing reports on the success of academically integrated arts curriculum. Read about National Novel Writing Month, coming up in November, or watch a video of students singing Opera, to increase brain-based learning. Click here to find these stories and more.

Although yes, it may technically be illegal, the idea of creating graffiti with yarn is too fun to not talk about! Yarn bombing is one of the newest crazes on the art scene. This past June 11th was declared National Yarn Bombing Day.

Placing yarn creations throughout your community can be a pleasant surprise for everyone. They are expressive, eye-catching, and non-permanent unlike typical graffiti!

Check out the yarn bombing Facebook page to share your creations and admire others!

Also visit Yarnbombing.com to see some of the results from National Yarn Bombing Day.

To some Shea Hembrey might seem to have a case of multiple personality disorder,  to others he is simply a genius. One thing’s for sure though, he is most definitely creative.

Shea knew that he wanted to produce his own biennial, which is typically a contemporary art show put together by a number of artists in two years time. He had certain “criteria” that he wanted fulfilled by these artists. Most of  his criteria was developed after seeing some contemporary art shows in Europe that seemed too inaccessible. Shea wanted artists and non-artists alike to be able to grasp and appreciate the different works. It was after realizing this that he knew he would have to create every piece himself.

Shea developed 100 different “characters” or different artists that he embodied to create unique art. These artists came from all over the world and each had their own story. His inventiveness both in his art and in his stories is impressive.

To see the video of his story and to see some of his work, please click here.

We’d like to think that genuises such as Rembrandt and Michaelangelo created their masterpieces with their own hands, but the reality is that they had assistants and apprentices to help them complete their works. Today, with the pressures artists feel from their dealers and followers, the trend of hired employees is on the rise. To many this seems untruthful, especially when the artist has absolutely no part in the actual painting/sculpting but instead acts as a “director” to the work process.

This trend though does seem to help those who are new to the art scene. Recent art graduates have the opportunity to work under well-known artists, gain practice and maybe a little recognition, and then branch out on their own. After the assistants have branched out, it seems as though they all tend to disagree with the use of assistants. Rachel Howard, who worked as an assistant to Damien Hirst, says that she “can’t think of anything worse” than having an assistant herself although she seems to have learned some valuable lessons about her own worth.

How do you feel about assembly line art? Would you be less inclined to buy art knowing other people had a part in its creation other than the artist who signed it?

To read the full article by Stan Sesser, please click here.

Children can be humbling and inspiring in so many ways.  Their creativity and determination can surprise us all. Kennedy, a second grader from California, is one of those surprises. After hearing of the gulf oil spill, she was determined to help. With her parents assistance, her simple idea of selling the artwork she created has now turned into an organization that donates profits to charities such as American Red Cross, Keep America Beautiful, and the Pet Adoption Fund, just to name a few.

All kids in grades K-12 can submit their artwork and be able to feel like they are part of something bigger. It is Kennedy’s hope that kids from all over will get involved and be inspired to “act on the things that move them”.

For more information on Friendly Neighborhood Helpers and to read the rest of the article, please click here and don’t forget to visit www.friendlyneighborhoodhelpers.org to purchase some great artwork and donate to your favorite charity!

“Throughout human history, people have used comic book-like art forms to document the horror and valor of war.”

Post-traumatic stress disorder is frequently found in the brave men and women who fight to protect our country.  To help these men and women relieve this anxiety, DARPA, the Defense Department’s research wing, has put together an online tool. This tool is called the “Online Graphic Novel/Sequential Art Authoring Tools for Therapeutic Storytelling”. Long story short, this tool will help veterans create their own personal comic books.  This will be a healthy way for them to process memories and channel their emotions.

The veterans can choose to depict their story in a realistic form, or a more fantasy style. Either route they choose will lead them to a professional looking finished product and hopefully some closure as they confront their wartime stressors.

The overwhelming devastation that happened from Japan’s earthquake last month left many of us feeling helpless. But the people at Daily Paintworks have come up with a simple way for many of us to both share our talents and help those in Japan. This “challenge” they created started March 19th, but artists and buyers can continue to participate. The challenge is for artist to submit their works to the Daily Paintworks auction, and agree to donate the proceeds to an organization aiding Japan of their choice. So far an impressive amount of almost $27,000 has been raised! Anyone and everyone should participate in this challenge. More and more beautiful paintings are being added every day.  To learn more about how to submit your own work or to place a bid on one of these paintings, please visit: The Help Japan Challenge.

Please help spread the word!

*Painting featured is by artist Millie Nguyen and can be found in The Help Japan Challenge auction.

What do fashion designer Zac Posen, actor Robert Redford, pop artist Andy Warhol, and author Truman Capote all have in common? Before they were famous, they were all chosen as receipients of The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Earlier this month, 1,500 more students from all across the U.S. joined them on that list. These creative students produced work in categories such as sculpture, painting, novel writing, poetry, fashion design, and even videogame design.  Each year ART.WRITE.NOW.,  an exhibition of some of the chosen works, is displayed across the country and this year’s tour began at the Seattle Art Museum. ART.WRITE.NOW. is made possible by sponsors such as Dick Blick Co., Ovation, and Scholastic Inc.

CEO of Dick Blick Co., Bob Buchsbaum, was a proud speaker this year at the ART.WRITE.NOW. exhibition, showing his much appreciated support and generosity. For more information on award winners, dates, and locations  of this exhibition, please visit the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers.

Many of us know Roger Ebert as the hard-to-please film critic, not as an artist. In this article, “You can draw, and probably better than I can”, Ebert tells of his experience with Annette Goodheart, a laughter therapist, who preaches the idea that, “Everyone can draw.” Although there are few people who can technically draw well, each and every one of us has the ability to pick up a pen, and draw.  Soon after meeting Annette, Roger Ebert began spending his free time observing the world around him, drawing what he saw in ink, and later on in watercolor. The key idea is to realize that your work is not going to be perfect, and we just have to accept our ability for what it is.  Ebert says, “What you draw is an invaluable and unique representation of how you saw at that moment in that place according to your abilities.” His encouraging tale is inspiring to artists and non-artists alike. To read the full article and also see a video of Annette Goodheart’s laughter therapy, please click here.