Anonymous
How did you get into debt?
We are a two income family. Both saleries count. My husband lost his job of 5 years. He has been on unemployment since. The income is not enough to cover our basic monthly expenses and my income ( less dependable and consistent) cannot cover them either. We drained all our saving to pay the missing monthly difference of our bills. On top of that; he needed surgery, then I needed surgery and everything left went to this. We need $60,000 after taxes just to make ends meet and pay our basic bills. Our current annual income is $44,000 gross for two people. We are in hardship and risk loosing our little home where our monthly mortgage is less then an apartment.
How does your economic reality effect your art?
I am limited to exhibitions I can say yes to if they do not cover my expenses. I am limited to the work I can make as shipping expenses can be costly, I am limited to getting my work sent out for exhibition consideration due to juggling so much else.
Would your work look different if you weren't in debt?:
Yes perhaps, because I could then afford better quality and different materials, materials that were more permanent or unlikely to fall apart easily. I could afford a studio where I could leave out what I made and am working on for contemplation of needed change, instead of working on a dining room table having to put things away every evening and take them out when I want to work.
www.suzanshutan.com