Cay Lang

This book was recommended by someone I consider my mentor and I found it very inspirational. Lang gives lots of practical advice about how to get from student artist to professional artist. She doesn’t gloss over things and is honest about the hard work it takes to make a living with your art. But she also inspires with her practical advice about never being afraid to fail, and how to keep energized and going especially on the days you don’t want to. Each page has an inspirational quote from an artist, but they’re not the syrupy sort of quotes. They are sarcastic, witty and true. Lang walks the reader through every step of the process from deciding which people or galleries you want to present your work to, how to build an artist’s packet and what to do when you get the call to show at a gallery. She also provides sample cover letters, CVs, inventory lists and contracts.

The one downside to this book, and it’s a big one as far as I’m concerned, is the lack of an update to the 1998 edition regarding photography. Everything in this book is geared toward film SLRs, not digital. I found myself wondering what the best procedures are now that just about everything is digital. She warns against sending “CD-ROMs” because not all museums and galleries have the capability to view them. This can’t be right in 2010.

While a lot of the book doesn’t apply to me, and may never, I still appreciated how it helped me define some things regarding my personal approach to my art. Despite the antiquity of some of the technical information, it’s a great book to have and keep in your office as you wend your way through the world of art on the path towards getting your own show and earning money from your art.… (mais)