Emergency Working Artist Project Grant FY21

This funding will allow me to set aside other works and expand my art collection. It takes about 110 hours for a painting this size and while this funding won't cover the entire cost, it will allow me to dedicate some time away from my commission-only work. Finished commissions are seen only by the client, not the general public. My growing work of large paintings is something the entire public can enjoy in the gallery and someday (past Covid) as part of an exhibit. Now, during Covid is a good time to get these big jobs done because it adds relatable meaning and purpose to works such as these - "I painted these during Covid." My work samples should speak for themselves. They are large and ambitious and if you note the completion dates, I am producing them fairly quickly all while delivering on commissions to private clients as well. I'm a working artist with the knowledge and skills to complete a project and have demonstrated it many times over with clients and the Chisholm Public Library project. For that project, I delivered 6 large paintings a full 2 months ahead of schedule in 2019. I've also been self-employed for over 45 years as a resorter and wilderness outfitter. My responsibilities and ability to execute them exceed those of what many people have done in a lifetime. I've met many deadlines and finished many projects out of both necessity and pride. I will know this project is successful by response in social media when complete and displayed, plus with viewers attending the Fernberg Gallery (I own this) through the course of the summer. I usually increase public "buzz" in social media and then encourage in-person viewing. During Covid, online viewing may be see the highest attendance. I then look at viewership statistics to see if participation is more or less than my most recent large abstract. Hopefully, every painting I do sees an increase in viewership and shares. It's a great way to measure the public response.