V I S UA L / MU L T IM E DIA
success: noun the accomplishment of an aim or purpose • the attainment of popularity or profit • a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity (Oxford Dictionary) Success as an artist is something I don't think about very often. To me success (or "making it") in our society has always seemed closely associated with making money. When I was graduating from the Alberta College of Art (ACA), back in 1969, I had a vague and naïve idea that I would sell my prints and paintings in a commercial art gallery and make a modest living. That defined success for me at that time. I even moved to Toronto in 1970, the art-capital of Canada, in order to be in an environment that was more conducive to achieving success. I approached commercial galleries in Toronto and found one to represent my work. While I was attending ACA, I became aware of the Dada, Neo-Dada and Fluxus movements. As I matured, the ideas and attitudes embodied by those movements came to dominate my thinking and attitude regarding art. I also became critical of capitalism and the accelerated growth of consumerism it caused and how that was affecting the mainstream art world. In 1972 I became involved in the Correspondence/MailArt (CMA) network, which was an alternative to the mainstream art world. CMA was freely exchanged and money was not involved in any way, I felt this was a way to exhibit and have a "career" as an artist and not have to be involved in the art-for-money-game. At around the same time I became aware of Artist-Run-Centres (ARCs) through A Space Gallery in Toronto. I felt that ARCs would be a viable alternative to the commercial art gallery system, and while living in Toronto, I became involved with some Artist-Run organizations. When I returned to Calgary in 1974 I became deeply involved in ARCs and spent a great deal of the following 20 years or more founding, running, rescuing, and, in one way or another, being involved in ARCs. In 1997 I became involved with Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) and spent a number of years promoting that concept. One of the attractions to ATCs was, once again, that there was no money involved; ATCs are traded not sold.
Don Mabie, Art is the Proper Task of Life. 8.5 x 11 inches, pen on card stock, April 15, 2012
I let my association with the commercial gallery in Toronto wane and I never really had any dealings with commercial galleries since. I never stopped selling my artworks; I just didn't make much of an effort to sell them. But from time to time I have sold artworks – I don't want to leave the impression that I am opposed to selling art. Since the early seventies I have not expected to make money directly from my art practice, so I have always had alternative ways of making a living in order to support my art-making practice. Over the years I have had a good time; I have travelled extensively and met a lot of very interesting artists and collaborators, and I live a comfortable life, all due to my art practice. Have I achieved success? Not by the standards of society as I understand them and I don't think I would call what I have done a success in any way, I just did it. I didn't really have aims or purposes to accomplish; I just lived my life and maintained an art practice as best I could.
Don Mabie
Artist, Nakusp, BC, CanaDaDa
24
stephen winter 2014
Don Mabie, You shouldnt have took more than you gave. 8.5 x 11 inches, pen on card stock, May 14, 2012