A Portrait of the Artist

An arts task force is exploring ways to enhance affordable spaces for artists who live and work in the city. But first they must answer the age-old question: What is an artist?

By Jorge Casuso

Tuesday, May 4 -- What is an artist? That age old question preoccupied an arts commission task force which met Monday afternoon to begin exploring ways to enhance affordable spaces in Santa Monica where artists can live and work. The first order of business, of course, was defining who was eligible.

"The question of defining an artist is akin to defining what is the meaning of life," said task force member Stephanie Blank. "It has so many interpretations."

"You become an artists when you decide to be an artist," said artist Bruria Finkel, a member of the task force. "Then you have to do something with it."

"It's a concern that we not just subsidize people with a beret on," said artist Todd Darling.

By the end of the hour-long discussion a portrait of the artist began to emerge. Under the task force's proposed definition an artist can be a writer, poet, playwright, actor, sculptor, dancer or painter, but not an architect, artisan or commercial artist. An art student is not an artist, at least not until proven by holding an exhibit (perhaps at least three), neither is a hobbyist who dabbles in art for pleasure.

The task force agreed that San Francisco's all encompassing definition of arts activities - which includes editing services, the sale and rental of wardrobes and fashion stylists -- is far too broad.

"San Francisco is too San Francisco," said Lawrence Shapiro, a photographer. "They include everybody in the world so they don't offend anybody."

Finkel proposed winnowing the field by requiring that applicants present tax returns showing income from art, some knowledge of art history and a professional portfolio.

With at least a working definition of an artist in hand, the task force then tried to determine the space required to create art. A writer may only need a desk and a word processor in the corner of a room, while an painter might need a large space with tall ceilings. Actors probably need a large rehearsal space they can share, but not live in.

"We want to make sure that artists who are truly in need of it and practicing get it," said Neil Goldberg, an arts commissioner who chairs the task force.

The real task at hand will be finding ways to enhance affordable arts spaces in a city grappling with an escalating real estate market. Among the proposals were setting up temporary spaces rented month to month on MTA land, builing spaces atop parking structures and using land at the Santa Monica airport.

"Visual artists working in the analog domain are being priced out of the community," Darling said. "They need to be subsidized or they can't afford to live here. They would disappear."

Two related meetings will be held Tuesday at the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 Fourth Street:

· 9 to 11 a.m., architects, building owners, developers and real estate brokers will discuss real estate issues, which include current zoning and home occupancy regulations and market demand.
· Between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. artists will discuss the need for art studios, defining "artist", current zoning and grant or loan programs.

According to the LA
ordinance an artist is:
"an individual who is registered under a
business license with the City Clerk as an
artist."