Philthy Conversations with Artists

What do we need from each other?

I have been letting a deeper rythm sink in since I left that rapid hiccuping energy of Philly. It was what I needed. Sometimes the lull is too deep and I get restless. But the importance of place cannot be underestimated in the search for our own personal meaning, and the importance of place should not be overestimated in the search for community. With the internet, this joyous, strange, possibly dangerous tool that I offer almost all of waking hours to (besides the beach hours) I work, talk, share, create, think, speak, and help shape and shade the world.

It can be difficult to gauge how much my work online has shaped and shaded anything, but then again, how do we create the metrics of influence anyway? How do we measure if what we pour our hours into can echo out farther than the ends of our noses? I don’t know. Certainly, only time can tell what ripples are superficial and which ripples run deep and far. And since these truths remain hidden in the time being, I try to use a different measure to gauge my work: my daily happiness. If I am engaged and joyful in my daily work, then I consider myself ahead of the game, and ahead of where I could be.

But in being a conduit, a bullhorn to the world, a marketer/cheerleader/web 2.0 nerd like myself has to think strategically and methodically about how to take an idea, a piece of art, a service for artists, and make it ring. The process reminds me of the process of writing a short story. I must think through what I am attempting to portray, but I must not look at it too directly, too soberly. I must leave a window of accident, inspiration, and irrational belief open. Like the myriad possible flows of a short story, a marketing plan is fluid, dynamic, and by no means a perfect science. We can speak our words to the world, but will they listen? And how do we know that they should?

I believe in supporting artists, whether beginners or world-changing masters. I feel good when I help an artist talk about what they are trying to create. Our government, our politics, our society, our businesses put art in all its forms on the shelf. I want to be one of those people who push it back into the room, set it in the center of the table, or at least right next to the good china.

We’ve been singing the praises of The Cox since her opening at E’s on Passyunk nine months ago. She’s a very talented artist for who 2007 has been a banner year: from illustrating the cover of the Philadelphia Film Festival film guide to designing the cover of Eric Hutchinson’s CD (just before Perez Hilton skyrocketed him to iTunes fame), and just generally being the most fabulous person in South Philly.

She currently has a show of her work at the Lift Cafe in Philadelphia.

And we have her wonderful illustration “Reach” on our wall of fame.

But news that makes us happiest is that now you can enjoy her Zooey Deschanel-like dead pan (and strangely soothing) delivery while she teaches you how to draw a race car at About.com.

These reasons, and so many more are why we honor Rachel J. Cox with the second-ever Philthy Spirit Award.

Send her your congratulations, check out her website, and get some of her work while it’s still affordable.