The slacker lifestyle of the modern artist

This stunning surf painting by Peter Yesis is currently on display in "From Two Sides of the Bay" at Camden Falls Gallery.

This stunning surf painting by Peter Yesis is currently on display in “From Two Sides of the Bay” at Camden Falls Gallery.

Yesterday I was kicking around the studio in a listless funk. Too many miles, too many long days, too many houseguests. I set out to pay my bills—urgent—and pack a few things for Castine Plein Air, but neither compelled me.

At 12:30 I got a call from Bobbi Heath, who was driving from Yarmouth to Castine to teach a workshop. Did I want to go rustle up Peter Yesis, who was painting in Camden, and get some lunch? Hanging around with my friends seemed a lot more fun than paying bills.

Bobbi Heath's pine from Castine Plein Air 2014.

Bobbi Heath’s pine from Castine Plein Air 2014.

Obviously, artists do three things:

  1. We blow off work on weekdays;
  2. We go out to long lunches on weekdays;
  3. We drink with our lunches.

Slackers, right? I’ve been working six days a week since spring. When I’m not painting, I’m prepping, ordering supplies, marketing, and publicizing. Peter just delivered work for a show at Camden Falls Gallery, and Bobbi was traveling three hours to teach tomorrow in Castine.

To be perfectly honest, all three of us had water to drink.

"Castine Lunch Break," by Carol L. Douglas, 9X12, oil on panel.

“Castine Lunch Break,” by Carol L. Douglas, 9X12, oil on panel.

Conversation over lunch was lively. We talked about shaping social media, assessed shows and galleries, tossed around new ideas for marketing our workshops, and—most importantly—discussed where we are moving in our painting. Not a single word was said about scoring drugs, sleeping with our models or who we saw at someone’s studio party.

There are artists and there are poseurs. All the pros I know are dead serious. The poseurs seem to end up working elsewhere.

Let me know if you’re interested in painting with me on the Schoodic Peninsula in beautiful Acadia National Park in August 2015. Click here for more information on my Maine workshops! Download a brochure here.

Carol Douglas

About Carol Douglas

Carol L. Douglas is a painter who lives, works and teaches in Rockport, ME. Her annual workshop will again be held on the Schoodic Peninsula in beautiful Acadia National Park, from August 6-11, 2017. Visit www.watch-me-paint.com/ for more information.