Ashley Biggs Business of Fine Art

I've been thinking about the four leader types you need for a team, visionary, client-oriented, enforcer, and I can't remember the last name exactly but I believe it was the manager. Originally I believed I was a visionary and client-oriented. However, I have been thinking about it and I don't think I am client oriented at all. I consider myself a people-person I realized that doesn't equate to client oriented. I remember in high school I worked in a graphic design center in the school where we created material for local businesses and absolutely hated it because we would often have to change things, in my opinion for the worse, because that's what the client wanted. Now, fine arts is certainly different, but I believe I would be better suited for visionary and if I had to have a second, probably the manager. With a military background, I am very good at routine tasks and getting everything that needs to get done, done. 

When I was doing my research for my public art paper, I learned that Ellipsota by Robert Chambers was created thanks to the Sarasota Public art requirement that I found very interesting. Any property owner or developer who applies to the city for a building permit for construction or improvements that will cost more than $250,000 in downtown Sarasota has to make a public art contribution. I think this is a very interesting way to support artists and to keep art active in a popular community space. I can't help but wonder though if in any way this has contributed to the state of the installation as it was rather deteriorated or whether it was just normal wear and tear since it has been up for over ten years. Maybe it's so deteriorated because the company doesn't take care of it.

Last class got me thinking, when I graduate and move back to Virginia, in what ways other than in my home will I continue my arts practice? So I started looking up opportunities within the state. I found the Virginia Commission for the Arts that lists an unbelievable amount of information. They list all of the local art agencies, public art foundations, funding opportunities, and artist opportunities outside of public art. They also have information on how to write grants and advice on how to win commissions. I took a lot of interest in funding, I found that the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has a fellowship that I can apply for while in school. I would need to apply for the graduate, but it awards $6,000. I will be looking into this website much more.