Hey, Barb! I met you at a party at the Gardens Hotel in Key West, like 3 years ago when the ART SLUT thing was just taking off. Remember?

I read that you moved to CA after you sold your gallery & now I have the impression that you’re in Key West again? What gives? Where aer you? What are you doing? Any art? I went to your myspace & it looks like it’s outdated & frankly you’re not that great at keeping your blog current - just something you may want to think about - uhum.

Anyway, What’s UP ART SLUT? I may be coming to KW soon & I’d like to run into you.

JN.

 OOOOOOOooh, I DO remember you! How you doin’ JN? Yes, things have changed, a LOT. I was in LA for about a year & a half, blah, blah, blah… I wrote a book about making your way as a visual artist & things were pretty good. Then, the dirty bastards that I sold my gallery to, defaulted on a big balloon payment & put me in a ’spot’. They even sold all the consigned art & kept the money! (Watch out for bad people, artists!) So, I moved back to Key West (Thank GOD!).

 It’s super great to be back where I belong & now, I’m starting a new gallery!

 It’s SO exciting! I can’t say a lot about it ’till I secure the lease on the building, but it’s friggin’ PERFECT! It will be 100 times, cooler & more successful than the last one. Isn’t it funny, how things happen for a reason?

So, I’m traveling right now, looking for more great art work & sourcing displays, gathering knowledge, etc… That’s why I’ve been a little remiss on the blog, sorry. I’ve been spending my time working on gathering investors for the new biz & getting resituated on the island, too. I’ll spill the beans about it as soon as I’m able. Wanna invest in the best, coolest thing that Key West has ever seen? Uh, call me on the ArtSlut Hotline, Baby! Meanwhile, let me know when you’re coming to town & perhaps I can arrange an ArtSlut Sighting! take care, JN -

B

 The Question: Hey– I always knew I was an art slut, but it is kinda like AA I didn’t know there were so many of us !

Best or worst art slut stuff I’ve done over the years: write some one else’s master of fine art thesis (I think he got the mfa, but he is dead now), carry fifty television sets up and down two flights of stairs for a television/video project at the fab mab in SF (famous punk club), steal steel sculpture and pay for it with pot….later got marriage proposal from victim….we have lunch often, he is 80, I’m 48….

My quandary: Have left evil misogynist husband after 15 years, two
kids, he has house, started MFA program, but will need three years. He is trying to take away my spousal support and school– how to prove
to court I am worthy ? — Need jobs that require MFA that make over
$50,000. they don’t have to be real jobs, they just have to sound
good– (oh, I haven’t worked in 12 years and he makes three hundred
thousand a year)(in good years)(when he wants to). Have completed first 6 units, two classes, got B - minuses (they were tough courses, esp with two kids and divorce) only 56 units to go ! !

Advice ? (besides get remarried, right away….) ? Go to more AA
meetings, work out and buy cute pink slutty shirt to wear with with
really short white shorts….

 The Answer: Hey, Short Shorts! I would probably never say, ‘get married, right away’, unless you were really in love- of course! Congratulations on getting away from the bad man. I am sorry that life took that detour, but I’m certain that you gained from it a lot, even if it’s not easy to see right now. Have you considered using it for fodder for new work? Maybe, it’s as simple as painting a series about what you want your life to be like.

Yes, without question - DO, get the adorable little pink tee, but don’t wear short shorts around the kids. It freaks them out to see mom looking too sexy! As for financial advice, you didn’t give me a lot to go on. So, all I can really say, is stick to your guns on the spousal support. It’s great that he was able to go make that kind of dough & he couldn’t have done so, if you weren’t willing to take care of those chillens for him - cocksucker!

Anyhooch, about this MFA & the J.O.B. you’re looking for… what do you want to use your degree for? What is your medium? Without more info, I can tell you that there are well paying jobs in the arts field, but most will be in the business side of art or teaching, but that takes a lot of time.  Are you interested in marketing for a major or chain gallery? Did you get a cash settlement in the split? Perhaps you could use that to open your own space.

My first advice is to get a copy of my book. There actually is a TON of useful info for artists in business, inside. Then, send me some more details on your sitch & I will do my best to be of service to you.

Meanwhile, enjoy your fabulously sweet, soft pink, ArtSlut Tee! Send me a picture of yourself in it & I’ll post your gorgeousness on the site! ‘Till then… Love ya, Mama & thanks for being one of us! Now, go get creative!

Babs

Ps. Does that post heading sound like a tagline for a dirty porn show, or what?… It’s just a coincidence, I swear. ArtSlut has nothing to do with porn. That’s just a nasty rumor, like the whole ’slut’ thing. It’s a bout ‘ART’ - Duh!

` 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 Letter:

I love Art Sluts. I think you have a good thing going here.
I have added a link to ur site on my site.
any who, may I suggest you check out xoops.org they have a great free web content managing software with many add ons. you may find it useful to ur cause. I use it for my site if u want to see what it can do. Well thats all I have to say, and I look forward to seeing artsluts grow.

Love ya,
Ben Howen
painter/printer/graphic designer

p.s. I learned of ArtSluts from ArtNews Mag.

 The Response:

Aww Shucks! You’re so sweet… Thanks! That really is what ArtSlut is all about and, we love you too! Sorry, we’ve been so AWOL lately. We’ve got a new concept gallery that we’re putting together in Key West and it’s taking a TON of time, but it’s SO FRIGGIN EXCITING! I’m SO glad to be back in the tropics and doing what I love… Ain’t life grand? More on that later and a lot more posts are coming real soon, too - I promise! Thanks for your support, Ben and have an ArtSlutty Day!

 Barbarella

Ps. Are you the person who was asking about men’s shirts? They are on our store, which is a little hard to navigate, because of my lack of tech. skills (gentle hint for free assistance, here), but if you don’t find the size or style you’re looking for, email info@ArtSlut.com I’ll be happy to help. Thanks, Hon! Babs