"This fall I was fortunate enough to be accepted as one of 25 artists to take part in a program entitled "Artist Inc." . It was sponsored by the City of Austin and the Mid America Arts Alliance. This was an eight week long course in helping artists in various mediums discover and explore a number of methods to improve their skills in business to potentially further their careers. It was an incredible opportunity and I made friends and connections with many of the other participating artists, some of whom i may be collaborating with on future projects. In the everchanging cultural climate of the digital age where more and more art is reduced to "content" and burdened with the expectation of being provided for free, it is increasingly vital that artists develop a stronger business mind that is equally as creative as the work they make. That is of course easier said than done for many of us and there is certainly no one silver bullet that will unravel this conundrum. But to dismantle the myth of the starving artist that so many fall prey to is a powerful first step. I am thankful to Laura Thomas for encouraging me to have applied to the program and most grateful to Artist Inc for providing such a valuable, inspiring and informative opportunity and experience."
