Crafts Business Magazine

Two minds are better than one. But when each of the two minds belongs to an artist, that famous proverb can easily metamorphous into "too many chefs in the kitchen." Artists are often so driven by their creative spirit that it leads them to a life of isolation, carving, sculpting, building, painting into the wee hours of the night or early hours of the morning.

Despite the often-wearing solitude and sometimes accompanying bouts of loneliness, most artists choose to work alone, rather than risk the toe-stepping dance of the multi-chef kitchen. At times, even their significant others may get involved in the business, but most often as salesperson or business manager.

But can the "two minds are better than one" adage apply when strong-minded artists are involved? Yes. And for some, collaborating has made them even more creative and perhaps even enabled them to survive as artists.

"Being an artist is a constant challenge," says Ann Wood, who collaborates with her partner, Dean Lucker, on original, handmade mechanical sculpture, games and pictures out of their St. Paul, MN, studio. "You always have to make sure you keep doing something fresh and new, and make sure you keep being really creative. You can have something that sells really well, but you have to change at some point, not only to keep selling, but to keep yourself interested."

Read more in this issue of Crafts Business