` The Question:

OMG! I saw the piece on ART SLUT in ArtNews Magazine & I LOVE IT!!! But, when I went to your site to get one of those bitchin’ tee shirts, I didn’t see an off the shoulder version, like the one you were wearing in the picture - Tres` Fabu on you, btw. Where can I get one like that? Thanks, Tonya

Ps. I’m a painter & sculptor from WAY back & I can’t wait to wear this to my next show. Love you! TT

 The Answer:

Oh, how I LOVE the ART SLUT LOVE! Keep it comin’, Baby! You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! Wearing an ART SLUT tee at any time, is brilliant, but especially if you want to talk about your work (& who doesn’t? DUH!) This is an excellently sly type of marketing. Next thing you know, after “What’s an ARTS SLUT?” They’ll be saying, “What kind of art do you do?… I need a ____________ (fill in the blank).

“How very observant of you, too! - It’s true, the shirt I was wearing in that pic has been deftly modified. Although, our standard girlie tees are perfectly remarkable (in terms of jug smuggling, gorgeous girlishness!), I wanted to add a little extra spice to my ArtSlutty wardrobe’s offerings. Here’s how I did it & YOU can too:

1. With a sharp pair of scissors, neatly cut the tiny rolled hem out of the neck. Cut it in half & save it- easy peazy.
2. Next, cut the top of the cutie-pie capped sleeve up the center, ’till you get to about 1″ from the seem.
3. Use the two halves of the hem, cut from the neck to make neat, little adorable ties from the center of the slit you made up the top of the arm to the neck line & Viola!… Tres’ Goregeous!

Here are some more great ideas for ArtSlut Fashion!

 The Question:

Today’s question comes from Jill, who asks, “How can you balance making a living and your art, without being a sell-out? I’m an art buyer, which is great but I want to paint and I don’t want to do things just so they’ll sell. How did you do it?”

 The Answer:

Hey Jillie! Here’s the thing about that: First, you need to decide whether art for you is a career or is a hobby. If you’re into ‘art for art’s sake’ well, awesome. That’s delightful & I hope you can afford the time and money your hobby requires. If you’re in it for self expression, but need to make a living, that’s cool too. Just be sure that you consider your audience if you’re trying to sell it & what I mean by that is this: If you’ve got to express your anxt & misery, we all understand, but you can hardly blame people for not wanting to buy it, ’cause, let’s face it; they’ve got their own crap to deal with.

I figure that everybody has to pay the piper somehow. If that means getting a J.O.B. cool. With any luck you can get one that’s at least related to your passion and use it to further your skills or connections. In my case, I made a sculpture that people really flipped over. It was hardly my best work. It was kind of silly, but it made people happy, which made me happy + they gave me money for it, that afforded me to do the kind of things I really wanted to do. I think that’s fair. There are certainly people who’ve called me a sell-out for this, but I figure they have a case of sour grapes. As Ashley Judd said, “It’s none of my business, what other people think of me.”

 (This is it. I made & sold thousands of them.)

It’s unfortunate that there’s all this societal pressure about being a ‘real artist’ (&, btw: WTF does that mean? selling stuff, being tortured or starving?) or being a sell out… The truth of the matter is that there is no wrong or right answer except that you have to do what feels good to you & put those labels aside. See what I mean, Jelly Bean? If painting kitty cats makes you happy & they sell, that’s a double win - good for you. Otherwise, balance is just that. Doing what you like & a bit of what you have to (whether it’s working a ‘real job’ or learning the business & marketing of art), in order to do what you love. I hope that helps & you can find a lot more about this subject in my new book, which is available in the side bar under ‘ArtSlut Store’.

Now, go out & make something beautiful, because it’s what you feel. Love ya, Girl!

 The Top ArtSlut is on the air TONIGHT at 10:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time on CJAD’s “Holder Tonight” Show, hosted by Peter Anthony Holder. We’ll be talking about all things ArtSlutty like the “Ask ArtSlut Advice Column”, the “Are you an Art Slut?” Quiz, the new book, “The ArtSlut’s Guide to Makin’ It ~ As a Visual Artist” & more!! Tune in and listen live online at 10:00PM at http://www.cjad.com/

So, listen up ArtSluts! & light up the phone lines with your comments & questions for ArtSlut Annie!

Toll Free at 1-800-491-CJAD

I just found out that one of our favorite ArtSluts - Bassist, Brian Napolitano will be playing on Jay Leno Monday night, July 16th, along with actress/singer, Minnie Driver!

How freakin’ fabulous is that? Two, TWO, 2 ArtSluts are better than one! And I hereby proclaim Minnie Driver the Honorary ArtSlut of the week. Acting & singing? How very creative! And she’s beautiful to boot!

The following is an excerpt from her site: http://www.minniedriver.com/?id=audio.php#

“Though best known as an actress, Minnie Driver defied critics’ expectations and established herself as a serious artist and musician with her well-received debut album Everything I’ve Got in My Pocket. Her new CD SEASTORIES goes farther in exploring new musical territory, from the rich sonic textures of “Beloved” to the bluesy soul of “Cold Dark River” to the seductive minor key groove of “Mockingbird” to the poetic chamber folk of “Lakewater Hair.” Producer Marc “Doc” Dauer and guest musicians Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, Liz Phair and Rami Jaffee (The Wallfowers) match but never overwhelm Driver’s vivid lyrics, soaring melodies and spirited performances on this thoroughly pleasing collection of intelligent pop.”

“Blasting holes in the actor-singer stigma…Minnie Driver isn’t like most actors who treat making records as a hobby. She’s actually good.” - HARP

 It’s bluesie, sweet stuff. Enjoy!