WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — It’s notoriously difficult to make a living wage as an artist in the traditional sense. A Palm Beach County art collective called The Peach is working to soften some of those challenges.
The Peach is a place for art to be created and sold by a number of artists, who share resources and ideas.
Art Collective Manager Craig McInnis said the gathering of creatives from across the area has been useful to many. Every week, he leads a session called Brass Tacks. About half of the time is spent with peer critiques.
“This is for people who are in the midst of a work and don’t know where to go with it," McInnis said. "They think they’re done and they ask a group of their peers.”
Then, the discussion branches into other areas of business.
“How am I going to license my visuals, how can I protect them?" McInnis explained. "To something as creative and esoteric as getting over a creative block.”
Artist Quinn Miller is also a teacher at William T. Dwyer in Palm Beach Gardens. He points to how difficult it can be for artists to sustain a living.
“Artists supporting artists," he said. "You need to help build that community that you’re a part of, instead of tearing it down."
The process of asking for help from the group was useful to Miller.
“It was a very non-discriminatory environment, where people chimed in," he said. "So, if people had issues, that you personally felt were silly, everybody gave you confidence.”
Artist Erin Donahue has also found the sessions helpful.
“You have support that you can all voice what you need and your opinions,” Donahue said.
The free Brass Tacks artist talks are held each Wednesday at The Peach, which is located at 3950 Georgia Avenue in West Palm Beach.
