Artists Spotlight: Peter Winne

Peter Winne- singer, guitarist, banjo picker, and a few other things.
Pete Photo

Pete grew up near Hartford, Connecticut and has been playing music from an early age.  He graduated from Vassar College in 2007 with a major in Urban Studies and a correlate in Music & Culture. During his time there he began working with traditional folk group The Powder Kegs, with whom he appeared on the nationally syndicated radio program A Prairie Home Companion.  He moved to Charlottesville, VA in 2008 where he stayed for the next three years working as head of publicity for the bluegrass record label Rebel and County Records.  In Virginia he immersed himself in its rich Appalachian music community and toured with various local bands across the United States, France, and Ireland.  In early 2010 he was awarded an Appalachian Sound Archives Fellowship from Berea College in Kentucky to study gospel music traditions of the Upland South.  He currently resides in Portland, Maine where he continues teaching music and performing in the folk group Tumbling Bones.

Intern Sara Blumenthal interviews current A4A participant Peter on old-time music, making a living in the music industry and contemporary life.
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The rich tradition of bluegrass and folk music influences your musical style. You state your music is ‘traditional yet current’. How have you found success in blending a rich tradition, live performance and contemporary life? 

I’ve come to think of “traditional” music as more of a philosophy than a particular aesthetic.  It means breaking down barriers between audience and performer, between professional and amateur.  It means making music that gives people something they can hold on to – an infectious pulse for the dance tunes and lyrics in the songs people can really relate to.  You’d be surprised how in many really old songs the themes are still relevant and probably always will be: religion, heartbreak, jealousy, death of a loved one, divorce, and alcohol to name a few. I’ve apprenticed myself to traditional American music by spending time with older musicians in their homes and attending old-time music festivals and square dances.  It was easy for me to get to these opportunities from my former home of Virginia.  By aesthetic, my own music doesn’t necessarily follow the old music note for note.  I draw on my own experiences and the music I grew up on, namely rock ‘n’ roll.  But I’d like to think that I’ve internalized some of the bigger themes in traditional music.

You worked for Rebel and County Records, has working in the music industry helped you promote your own music career?

Absolutely.  It helped teach me the basics from writing press releases to managing a mailing list to making contacts in the industry. It also gave me unlimited access to a huge library of music to listen to which informs my music to this day.

There seems to be a large community of bluegrass and old-time music performers and fans. Is there a niche about your particular musical style, expertise or performance that appeals to an audience?

It’s definitely a niche community.  It’s not so large, but the people in it are very devoted.  That said, I think there’s universal appeal in the music.  One of my favorite things about making this music is receiving a positive response from people of all different ages and backgrounds.  We might play a nursing home one afternoon, a club full of twenty-somethings that night, and teach a workshop in an elementary school the next morning.

The internet has transformed the way in which we purchase and experience music. Many musicians often perform overseas to make a living . What strategies has your band Tumbling Bones used to wade through these tricky waters in order to make a living? 

We do in fact play overseas in Ireland quite a bit. To answer your question in a concise list: wedding gigs and any sort of private event gigs, street performing, and applying for grants.  We recently made it to the final round of the American State Department’s American Musicians Abroad program which would pay to send us overseas.  Fingers crossed.

Why did you enroll in the Assets for Artists program?

Quite simply I’m sick of not making ends meet.  I’m hoping this program can help me learn to keep my finances in better shape.

Do you have any advice for other musicians?

Always think outside the box.  For example, we’ve found street performing to a fantastic way to promote ourselves and make money.

For more on Peter Winne:
https://twitter.com/peterwinne
http://tumblingbones.com/
http://tumblingbones.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/TumblingBones

Assets for Artists in Portland, Maine

maine-portland

We are pleased to announce Assets for Artists has enrolled ten new artists residing in Portland, Maine – the first of several new partnerships outside our home state of Massachusetts. We teamed up with the innovators at Creative Portland (who secured generous support for this program from the City of Portland’s CDBG funding through HUD) to bring financial and business training and working capital matching funds to ten artist-entrepreneurs in Portland.

The eclectic group of visual, performing, and film & media artists have already participated in our financial training “bootcamp” with Esther Robinson of Arthome, and have received intensive business counseling through the Portland office of Coastal Enterprises, Inc., to support them in developing their business plans. “It was exciting to see the level of engagement by these entrepreneurs, and their interest in supporting each other through a business planning process,” said Business Counselor Sarah Guerette of Coastal Enterprises.

At the core of the Assets for Artists program is the matched savings account. Each participant will save, over the course of two years, $2,000 in a restricted bank account. Grant funds provide a 1:1 match for this money– doubling the artist’s savings and offering a powerful boost to their working capital funds. Once an artist reaches their savings goal, the $4,000 targeted investment is used to implement a business plan for their microenterprise. We’re excited to see this group of artists take their careers to the next level with a focused business plan and the savings and matching funds to execute their plan.

Scroll down to meet our Portland, Maine artists, and follow the links to check out what they create.

Shawn_Brewer (2)Shawn Brewer
printmaking
fastfoodprints.tumblr.com
Angela_Ferrari1Angela  Ferrari
illustration
www.byferrari.com
DSC_8713Christopher
Giamo
documentary
www.fogtoothmedia.org
AdriaAdria
Moynihan
painting
www.adriamoynihan.com
Joe_RosshirtJoe Rosshirt
illustration
game design
www.forthousestudios.com
GRybus_GettyPortraits-1501Greta Rybus
photography
www.gretarybus.com
Andrew_ThompsonAndrew
Thompson
sound art
Pete PhotoPeter Winne
folk
blues music
tumblingbones.bandcamp.com
Convery_K_01Kimberly
Convery 

drawing
kimberlyconvery.com
ROSEN_ANDY_DusterAndy
Rosen

sculpture
andyrosen.com

 CEI maine       Creative Portland Logo                  

Spring/Summer Artist Opportunities

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A4A participant Gabrielle Senza installs her work for the exhibition, Bridging Earth and Sky.

Take a look at these time-sensitive calls for entry:

FredericksBurg Center for Creative Arts

Celebrate Color & Form Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts (FCCA) presents an all media 2-D and 3-D national juried exhibit for July 2013. Theme is “Celebrate Color & Form.” Cash awards.

Deadline:  May 31st, 2013
*$25.00 entry fee

The Aaron Siskind Foundation: 2013 Individual Photographer’s Fellowship

Individual Photographer’s Fellowship grants of up to $10,000 each, for artists working in photography and photo-based art. Recipients will be determined by a panel of distinguished guest judges on the basis of artistic excellence, accomplishment to date, and the promise of future achievement in the medium in its widest sense. The Foundation seeks to support artists/photographers who demonstrate a serious commitment to the field, who are professionally active or employed in the field.

Deadline:  May 24th, 2013
*$10.00 entry fee

Women’S CAuCus for art

A national call for Stories We Tell, portraying the rich tradition of visual storytelling through women’s voices. This call is open to all self-identified women residing in the United States. Seeking artwork in all media and genre: figurative/narrative, text based art, and abstract/conceptual; art that weaves together a story through mood and tone, work to provoke and inspire.

Deadline: Friday, May 31st 2013
* $30.00 entry fee

SlowArt

Strange Figurations: The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery in Hudson, NY. This exhibition is open to all interpretations of the concept Strange Figurations. Included are all forms of surreal, visionary and extraordinary figurative art. All interpretations of the theme “Strange Figurations” will be reviewed and considered.

Deadline: June 30 2013
*35.00 entry fee

The Blanche Ames National Juried Art Exhibition

The 2013 Blanche Ames National Art Exhibition returns to Borderland in mid-September. The juror for this year’s exhibition is David Preston Wells. Cash Awards.

Deadline: July 6, 2013
*$ 30.00 entry fee

Rayko Photo Center

Me, Myself and I: This competition is open to artists working in photography and photo-based media. Me, Myself, and I pictures the individual, through self-portraiture, images of self-discovery and identity, pictures of friends, family, and place. Not just how you fit in, change, and grow, but how you construct your life, depict your surroundings and illustrate your story. Your photographs can be of yourself or reflect you in any manner of creative styles or approaches. (No cash award.)

Deadline: June 12, 2013
*30$ Entry Fee

Write our next blog post! Assets for Artists is seeking a summer intern.

We’re pleased to announce a summer internship opportunity with Assets for Artists! Working at MASS MoCA as a key member of a small team, the A4A  intern will be involved in all aspects of program administration and development, including artist outreach, data management, grantwriting and stewardship, content development for social media, and researching and promoting artist opportunities to our network. The intern will receive a stipend of $100/week, plus access to MASS MoCA’s fabulous summer programming.

Send resume and cover letter to Briana Halpin, or email for more information: bhalpin@massmoca.org.

Creative Business Book Review: Creative, INC.

Introducing round two of our  business book review series for creatives. This week we share Creative, INC. by Meg Mateo Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Choan ambitious collection of interviews and advice to help the creative freelancer gain footing in the industry. 

creative-inc-book-lg

Creative, INC. 

The ultimate Guide to Running A Successful Freelance Business

Creative, INC. hits the ground running, and fast! This smart, hip guide to becoming a successful freelancer intertwines personal experience and straightforward know-how, making it a compelling read.

A  ‘freelancer’as described by co-authors Meg Mateo Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Cho, is a self-reliant, self-motivated, confident, and organized individual whose passion and technical skill blend with their ability to self-promote and trust their artistic worth.  Offering insightful interviews with some of the most successful freelancers in the country, this book urges you to look to those whom you admire for inspiration and consider their accounts and innovations when starting your own creative venture.

Both long-time freelancers, Ilasco and Cho offer plenty of advice on the nitty-gritty of all things business: deciphering taxes and licensing, negotiating with clients, writing contracts, working with agents, and the tricky world of intellectual property rights. On the marketing front, the authors stress the importance of keeping a blog with high-quality content, and they remind the reader that maintaining business etiquette and good relationships with clients will lead to referrals and future success.

Through its potent blend of inspiring anecdotes and seasoned advice, Creative, INC. proves a comprehensive guide to striking out as a creative freelancer.

Spring Opportunities-Upcoming Deadlines!

Artists! Listed below are a series of upcoming deadlines for Spring/Summer in all mediums!

THE KALA FELLOWSHIP

International Artists producing innovative work in book arts, electronic/digital media (video, sound, animation, etc.), installation art, social practice, photography, and printmaking are encouraged to apply. Fellowship Awards will be given based on conceptual creativity, originality and artistic excellence as well as project specific technical knowledge.

Deadline:  May 24th, 2013

$1000 WORKING ART GRANT

The Working Art Grant/Purchase Award is a meager one-time purchase award intended to disperse small but vitalizing bursts of funding to support an artist’s ongoing art making process. Award is available to all domestic and international artists working in all media.

Deadline: April 30, 2013

WINNING WRITERS, MA / SHORT STORY CONTEST / CALL FOR WRITERS

Prizes of $3,000, $1,000, $400 and $250 will be awarded, plus six Most Highly Commended Awards of $150 each. Submit any type of short story, essay or other work of prose, up to 5,000 words

Deadline: April 30, 2013

WOMEN IN FILM & VIDEO/NEW ENGLAND: CALL FOR ARTISTS 

The WIFV/NE Screenwriting Competition promotes the work of female screenwriters and supports the creation of multi-dimensional leading film roles for women. Entries must be authored or co-authored by a woman and/or feature a woman or women in prominent roles.

Extended Deadline: June 4, 2013 (see website for entry fees)

BRIDGING CULTURES THROUGH FILM: INTERNATIONAL TOPICS 

This program supports documentary films that examine international and transnational themes in the humanities. These projects are meant to spark Americans’ engagement with the broader world by exploring countries and cultures outside of the United States.

Deadline: June 12, 2013

Artist Residency Resource

A collection of online artist residency resources for you to browse, find the perfect program for you.

Need to make time and space to create work? Want to break through those creative blocks?  Have a project with no resources to complete it? Assets for Artists has compiled a list of artists residency resources for your perusal.  Many residencies come with a fellowship, scholarship or grant, while other programs require a fee for your stay. Start filling out applications today.

Residency Program with the Agora Collective in Berlin Neukölln

Residency Program with the Agora Collective in Neukölln, a borough of Berlin, found on Res Artis website.

Trans Artists

A database with more than 1000 artists-in-residence opportunities worldwide!

Alliance of Artists Communities

Offering hundreds of residency programs worldwide.

Residency Unlimited (RU)

With the ultimate goal of fostering the creation and dissemination of contemporary art, Residency Unlimited provides a unique, multifaceted residency experience. Check out their tailored list of interesting residency opportunities.

Artistay

Have a project requiring a residency? Artistay can help you to achieve it.

Res Artis

The worldwide network of residential art programs.

Art Rubicon

An art resource for artists, complete with a well-curated residency opportunity page.