Social media site prompts conversations, connection for local artists

Visual artists often work alone, for prolonged periods of time. Sometimes they are new, or one of only few who work in a certain medium, or consider switching to a new technique. For the hobby artist through to the professional, art is an endeavour without much interpersonal connection.

An conversation just got started online for artists in the Prince George region, and it goes on 24 hours a day in the way only social media can. The Facebook page RSA Arties is now underway for any kind of painter, sketcher, sculptor, carver, or whomever to have a chat about the craft.

The page was started by Ridge Side Art proprietor and commercial artist Christina Watts. As one of the region’s only art brokers and suppliers, she was often in the middle of interesting conversations and earnest questions about the making of art. She realized that dialogue could be much more widespread.

“I wanted to create a space where artists could have self-directed discussions, share personal thoughts, be inspired by one another, and the only rules I wanted was that everyone be respectful and positive, and keep the discussion on the artistic,” Watts said. “If you want to rant about something or say something unkind, there are other social media places for that.”

The page was launched in June and already has 140 members. It’s a space to help artists quell the loneliness of the profession, and also have a casual professional development tool.

“Some of the members are actually groups, not just individual Facebook people, so the conversation is spreading that way,” Watts said. “It has already become a hub.”

She is also noticing art fans checking out the page and chiming in on the images being posted. Collectors are able, through the page, to informally get to know the artists and their work for potential purchases in the future.

There is no overt commercialism on the page, however. Watts named the page RSA Arties to ensure the arts public that this was indeed a legitimate and curated conversation, but she does no upselling of her own.

“I think if you talk to any experienced artist you will hear the same thing: just do the art for it’s own sake, do what motivates you, do what you love, and everything else will flow from that,” said Watts.

“There is a need for some people to have face to face conversations about some things, and there is sometimes a need for interactions to take place in person, but the visual arts really are built for social media platforms. That’s where you can post images, ask questions, join conversations, start up a new conversation, at whatever time it happens to be or whatever mood you happen to be in. It’s all on your own terms, but it does take away the solitary nature of the work. It’s a safe way to play.”

Any artist, at any level of experience or ambition, is invited to join the page and join the flow of conversation.