Recorded live at the Maine International Conference of the Arts, this was a closing keynote about where we are in arts, arts education, and the particular challenges artists face coming up in a place like Maine. This short piece is about the changing season, and how often we blind ourselves to it. If you really want the full effect, you need to put a badge on, drink some free coffee, and have spent 72 hours in breakout sessions.

Left Daisey's name out of title to avoid controversy, but feel free to hate him as much as you want. The man's still a fantastic monologist.

Anyway, as an aspiring future artist (perhaps in the style of Anis Mojgani - using whatever medium I feel is right for a particular work), the state of the arts in this country honestly terrifies me. I've been very very lucky to have had great arts teachers, and tons of fantastic opportunities to learn and create, but I also recognize that not many people get that, and even of those that do, only a select few will really "succeed" (which, as Daisey points out, has come to mean "have enough money to eat and maybe own a house" - how fucked up is that?). It really worries me to consider that I may have to work three jobs just to survive, but there's really nothing out there that a.) I love and b.) is profitable, so I guess this is the life I got.

Any other (future) artists out there? What are your thoughts about art in the US (or wherever you are)?