By Blue Fatima

At the heart of the contemporary artist’s journey, navigating the art world isn’t just about talent—it’s about relationships, resourcefulness, and relentless self-representation. This was the powerful takeaway from "Surviving and Thriving," an inspiring talk held on Thursday, April 17, at Mall Galleries, led by Rosalind Davis—artist, curator, author, and Faculty Expert at the Professional Artist Association.

In an overflowing room filled with emerging and mid-career artists, Davis offered a compelling and candid roadmap for artists who aim not only to survive but to thrive in an often opaque, competitive, and rapidly changing art ecosystem. With a tone that was both empowering and pragmatic, she urged artists to stop waiting to be chosen—and instead create their own platforms, networks, and visibility.

“Don’t wait to be picked—make your own shelf,” she emphasized.
“Success is not about being discovered by someone—it’s about being memorable, present, kind, and proactive.”

Key Insights from the Talk:

• Representing Yourself: The most reliable promoter of your work is you. From emails to exhibitions, professionalism matters.
• Creating Opportunities: Beyond open calls and residencies, Davis encouraged artists to invent opportunities—whether it’s curating a shelf exhibition or initiating collaborations in unconventional spaces.
• Networking with Purpose: Relationships with curators, collectors, writers, and fellow artists are essential—not just for exposure, but for long-term sustainability.
• Reframing Social Media: Think of it not as marketing, but as community-building. Quality over quantity.
• Evaluating Success: It's personal. Sometimes it’s selling a work, sometimes it’s a meaningful conversation during a show.
• Collaboration and Gratitude: A simple thank-you note or thoughtful gesture can set you apart. Be the artist people remember—for the right reasons.
• Alternative Funding: From corporate sponsorship to crowdfunding a chair, she encouraged thinking outside traditional funding models.

The Power of Storytelling

Davis didn't simply deliver tips—she illustrated every point with vivid, real-life examples: curating exhibitions in a law firm, turning intimate dinners into networking moments, mentoring artists who later became collaborators. Her own journey—from being one of fifty artists in an open call to mentoring others—was a testament to the very ethos she shared: resourcefulness and resilience matter more than connections alone.

This was more than a professional development talk; it was an invitation to rethink what it means to be a working artist today—not as a passive recipient of opportunity, but as an architect of one’s own path.

For those interested in exploring more, you can visit Rosalind Davis’s Instagram page, where she shares updates, reflections, and links to her podcasts and projects:

instagram.com/rosalindnldavis

Website: https://www.rosalinddavis.co.uk/