The struggle...to be and to be an artist.

Despite the wonderful support and interest in The Rent Project, I find that I struggle with my energy level. It sometimes feel as though I am lifting a huge boulder above my head. I know I can do this piece and I'm very good at keeping my commitments, in this case performing all the 20-minute requests that I have received so far. But it is honest to say I am easily overwhelmed in my head and body. It's often like a hump I have to get over. As an artist, being out of graduate school for just over 5 years now, it can sometimes be difficult to attain that same creative momentum I had when I was immersed in the built-in community of college. In that time, it was enough to just show up, engage in dialogue with those around you and access all kinds of great minds. Outside that bubble, one must work around "day job" schedules, family and other life responsibilities. I just wonder how we, as an art community can integrate those things into some sort of communal living. I wonder how many artists are interested in such an idea. Why are most of our living situations so isolated from one another? Can there be a center? The capital region has plenty of artists but they are all over the place. There are small enclaves, such as the CAC, The Foundry, Grand St. Community Arts and other groupings of artist studios but I have yet to see a powerful force. How can we merge these energies more? I'm just thinking aloud. I would like to have this conversation with others.