Art Problems: What If My Friends Aren’t Good Artists?

Also, how to back out of a contract with minimal damage?

(graphic Nancy Zastudil/Hyperallergic, original image via Fredrik Sørlie's YouTube channel)

I love my friends, and I’ve had some of them for over 20 years — but they aren’t good artists. I feel like I’ve forgotten how to make new friends. I don’t want to be a jerk and ditch them, but I feel stuck. What can I do? — Lonely in NYC

Most complicated social questions have a simple answer. In this case, don’t ditch the friends you love. Forge a few new friendships with artists whose work you admire and respect.  

You have to do this work if you want your career to grow.

The hard truth is that you will never climb the ranks of any industry if you’re not continually making new friends and connections. How could you? Opportunities aren’t just the result of raw talent but a consistent effort to expose your work to new audiences. You can’t do that if you’re not always meeting new people. So, if you live in a remote part of the United States where you can’t connect with professionals on the coasts, you will need to spend time building your local connections, rock your social media, and find ways to make trips to art centers.

Read the Full Article on Hyperallegic