Portland artist Gwenn Seemel 2003: learning how to paint a portrait and how to be a working artist.

In 2003, I finished my undergraduate studies at Willamette University and immediately entered the graduate school of real life. Besides the two fundamental courses, Acting Like An Artist 101 and Finding Your Voice, I leapt immediately into more challenging classes like Painting For Clients and Deconstructing Your Naïve Trust In Others (this last featured a three day workshop in art law at the Lewis and Clark Law Library). The workload that the graduate school of real life dumped on me from day one was immense--and also immensely satisfying. I was learning how to make ends meet by working for myself and by doing what I love. I was learning that being an artist should not mean taking a hated day job and creating in my spare moments: being an artist can be a day job (an every day, all day and into the night kind of day job!).


	In 2003, I finished my undergraduate studies at Willamette University and immediately entered the graduate school of real life. Besides the two fundamental courses, Acting Like An Artist 101 and Finding Your Voice, I leapt immediately into more challenging classes like Painting For Clients and Deconstructing Your Naïve Trust In Others (this last featured a three day workshop in art law at the Lewis and Clark Law Library). The workload that the graduate school of real life dumped on me from day one was immense--and also immensely satisfying. I was learning how to make ends meet by working for myself and by doing what I love. I was learning that being an artist should not mean taking a hated day job and creating in my spare moments: being an artist can be a day job (an every day, all day and into the night kind of day job!).
	To see where 2003 took me conceptually, check out Critics Critiqued.