ABSTRACT

The focus on interviewing only visual artists was an intentional one, believing that it would tighten the conclusions, and eliminate the blurring of distinctions between artistic practice, creativity, problem-solving, and other forms of creative enterprise that occurs in broader studies. The visual artist who is looking to find solutions online is typically not looking to collaborate with others or establish recognizable connections to his or her work. Continually shopping for solutions, rather than developing one's art within a holistic practice leaves the artist with no critical mass of knowledge and ideas. Artists working in this way are constantly drifting from one idea to the next with few connecting threads between individual works. Every artist has to contend with ideas through research and prep work, get to a studio, wrestle with materials, get the art in front of an audience, and deal with the response from that audience.