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I also took exception to that statement.  Why should we expect something
that we are asking someone to create to be free?  Are you asking for art
for arts sake or are you asking an artist to make something very
specific for you?  Regardless, why choose to not support art simply
because it isn't free?  Yes, artists love to create art, but I also love
my job and I can't afford to not cash my paycheck, why should we ask
that of them?

My mother is an artist, a very good one at that, and she has worked on
commission for some of the museums and zoos in the Boston area.  I
remember being a child and her working out of her studio at our house in
Medford MA, spending hours painting pond animal models, or drawing canid
species skulls for a natural history display, or painting portraits of
Medford's founders for the city hall.  Should she not have been paid for
those things, simply because someone else might have done them for free
or because she enjoyed making them?  Or, is there importance in the fact
that the zoo or the natural history museum or the city paid her for a
service, which tells me and others that they support art and they
support artists in the community.  In return, those places had someone
whose specialty is art, whose degrees are in art, and who has a fine
tradition and education backing her create those works for them.


Lucy Hale
Education Coordinator, Public Programs
Conservation Education and Science Department
The Dallas Zoo and The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park
[log in to unmask]
(214)670-7496
www.dallaszooed.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jeff Courtman
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 9:37 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Collaborations with Artists

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****

I came to the science center field after an art degree, have worked  
with artists on several occasions.


Mike, I do take exception to this statement.

> #4......Scientists generally have real jobs and
> don't rely on selling art for income.....

There are many experts, be they scienctists, science center people,  
artists, craftspeople, etc.   Some have good business skills, some  
don't.  But to make a blanket statement like this seems a little  
flip....I can tell you from experience, I've worked with several in  
the science community who were more arrogant, more demanding, and  
more inflexible than just about anyone I can name.  I can also name  
several artists who's art  is suspect, but whose business acumen  
allows them to be highly successful financially....

A corollary to Mike's statements is that we, as professionals, don't  
understand very well the cultural differences (and by cultural, I  
mean the culture of experts in a certain field) owing to a different  
realm of expertise.  I would say the main difference we fail to  
appreciate fully is that many, many artists work alone; we, on the  
other hand, are used to and comfortable with collaboration.

Mike's list is excellent but it makes it sound as if artists are  
aliens.  The top ten list provided is a great guide to working with  
just about anyone - not just artists.....And I dare say most of us  
respond best to positive feedback....The bottom line for working with  
artists, as it is with anyone, is to be clear in your expectations  
and your communications.

If you really want a kick in the pants, create a team that includes  
both an artist and a person trained in science.






	




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