The+Starving+Artist+Model

Artists are iconic for doing what they love and pursuing their dreams despite the uneven flow of revenues. Now, however, in the twenty-first century, with the economy shifting continuously, this very same model is a valuable tool for anybody in any profession. Many segments of the population must face uneven income. On the positive side, many recent college graduates have adopted the positive attitude of only pursuing what fits their dreams and life style.

Artists, then, can serve as a viable model for a great portion of the workforce. Although this model can be derived from a composite of approaches by actors, writers, and the full range of artists, the model is best represented by the Starving Artist Art Show organization. Starving Artist produces attractive original artwork at ridiculously low prices by using an assembly line approach. Each artist focuses on one segment of a painting and does it over and over.

These are artists who may have plenty of technical and artistic skills, but—either because they are starting out or between jobs—they are willing to work at a more mechanical level, in a rote fashion. The environment is a great place to start or to fine-tune skills. Given the opportunity to take a commission on something important, they would undoubtedly take it, but Starving Artist provides the base from which to work.

If you are just starting out in a career or are between jobs, and it seems that “nobody is hiring,” then the Starving Artist model may hold the answer for you. Similarly, you may find this model attractive if you are “underemployed,” seeking to increase your workload. Find ways to do piece work, while you look for more meaningful long-term opportunities. While doing, fine-tune some of your basic skills by practicing over and over.

The Starving Artist Art Show is no longer the only framework for doing piece work now. Companies everywhere have started to look for support from amateurs and professionals who are retired or between jobs. The framework is there, waiting for individuals to attach themselves. Approaches such as Open Source readily lend themselves toward a compartmentalized, piece work approach to development.

The Living Widgets Global Supply Network makes it easy to create groups of professionals using the Starving Artist model, or to attach to such a group.

Complementary models: India Inc. / Plug-and-Play, Open Source / Second Life

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