Free Idea Factory

The bARTer system would allow artists to exchange their art for products or services offered by individuals or businesses who are willing to barter for their goods or services. The web has faciliated many barter sites, this one would model itself on those, but limit itself to those able to offer art and those willing to accept art as barter.

Trade a painting for some plumbing work. Water plants for a week and be paid with a watercolor. You need a root canal…a dentist in your area needs a sculpture for her entryway, the bARTer system is here to help.

I’d like to set up a large city block with subsidized artist condos. We bring in a select group of musicians, painters, graphic designers, videographers, etc. and subsidize their rent in exchange for periodic help with projects. There are regular meetings, both structured and informal, where artists can collaborate on projects. Also in this building are practice space, art studios, a print shop, recording studio, etc. for artists to do their work. Pro-bono projects are taken on from time to time for goodwill and to create community awareness of the artist community.

Also, this is no broken down hippie co-op*. It’s a nice, modern, sustainable & green building with accomplished, motivated people in it.

I would live in the Penthouse and call on artists from time to time for help with projects.

*I like to make fun of hippies, but they’re alright with me.

Following posts about aiding the creative process. My old life-drawing teacher made an exercise, whereby the model moved to a new position every 20 seconds. The students had to produce a new image for each pose. She went on to say that if you saw someone jump off a ten story building, the truly confident artist would have drawn them before they hit the ground.
I suggest an excercise , whether artist or writer, sit in a cafe or restaurant where you can see people walking past through the window. Sketch, or write a description phrase, for the next person you see each time you look up from the last - as many people as possible over ten minutes. You should end up with a notebook full of material. An excercise in beating hesitancy and building confidence.