- Image by eyesplash Mikul via Flickr
We know art school grads are trained to have expensive taste, so why ask them to compromise when everyone else has to? Check out the nouveau hedonism for today’s poor epicure, from Salon’s Hipsters on Food Stamps,
In the John Waters-esque sector of northwest Baltimore — equal parts kitschy, sketchy, artsy and weird — Gerry Mak and Sarah Magida sauntered through a small ethnic market stocked with Japanese eggplant, mint chutney and fresh turmeric. After gathering ingredients for that evening’s dinner, they walked to the cash register and awaited their moments of truth…
Magida, a 30-year-old art school graduate, had been installing museum exhibits for a living until the recession caused arts funding — and her usual gigs — to dry up. She applied for food stamps last summer, and since then she’s used her $150 in monthly benefits for things like fresh produce, raw honey and fresh-squeezed juices from markets near her house in the neighborhood of Hampden, and soy meat alternatives and gourmet ice cream from a Whole Foods a few miles away.
“I’m eating better than I ever have before,” she told me. “Even with food stamps, it’s not like I’m living large, but it helps.”
Mak, 31, grew up in Westchester, graduated from the University of Chicago and toiled in publishing in New York during his 20s before moving to Baltimore last year with a meager part-time blogging job and prospects for little else. About half of his friends in Baltimore have been getting food stamps since the economy toppled, so he decided to give it a try; to his delight, he qualified for $200 a month.
“I’m sort of a foodie, and I’m not going to do the ‘living off ramen’ thing,” he said, fondly remembering a recent meal he’d prepared of roasted rabbit with butter, tarragon and sweet potatoes. “I used to think that you could only get processed food and government cheese on food stamps, but it’s great that you can get anything.”
What are these so-called artists learning in art school? How not to make an honest living and how to mooch off others? Apparently, I should not be so judgmental, and assume these highly-educated artists are entitled to this support because of their creative output.
“At first, I thought, ‘Why should I be on food stamps?’” said Magida, digging into her dinner. “Here I am, this educated person who went to art school, and there are a lot of people who need them more. But then I realized, I need them, too.”
I’m really quite appalled at her rationale. Even from a graduate just out of school, I might understand, since this is the worst economy in decades. But these people are just a few years older than I am, plenty of time post-graduation to realize they might need to diversify their potential streams of income. I’m also an educated person who went to music school. Once I realized that I, too, was unwilling to eat ramen to make ends meet, I did not seek ways for others to subsidize my chosen career path. I found additional work and education that allowed me to support myself and my family while maintaining a level of artistic output I am happy with.
Am I totally alone in thinking other (admittedly) able-bodied, educated artists should find honest work, even if not in their chosen field – and save the food stamps for those who really can’t afford to live?
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Tags: Art, Baltimore, Business and Economy, Creative Careers, Fiscal Viability in the Arts, Politics
Despicable sub-human parasites is what they are.
I attended a (fairly well-to-do) private, Catholic high school and, a little over a year ago, finished my two masters degrees (architecture and urban design) at a (very exclusive, very well-to-do) private university. In both places, I was surrounded by people who professed not to care about money and yet maintained impossibly high standards of living subsidized by their parents. Mind you, these are grad students and most were over 25 years old.
It seems to me that the people who “don’t care” about money (and the most eager to spend money that isn’t theirs/they haven’t earned) are the same ones who’ve never been want for it. I, too, think it is ridiculous that those who chose a low- to non-paying jobs in the arts, volunteering for AmeriCorps, or whatever should also think that I or anyone else should subsidize their bullsh*t, stylish-liberal lifestyle.
One of my favorite talkbacks from the original Salon piece is this:
“I’m an AmeriCorps volunteer for 2010. I’m get 200/month in food stamps. I’m also in low income housing. Because of where I’m living (small, rural town) I don’t have the option of buying all my food at a specialty or high-end store. But at the local Safeway I’m buying the organic, free-range, all natural options whenever I can. I’m doing this because I believe that way of growing and producing goods is better for everyone. I also happen to have “foodie” tastes and I’ll buy the wedge of triple-cream over the brick of velveeta every time and I don’t see why anybody gives a sh*t..”
Two points:
1) Someone should enlighten this young lady on the fact that synthesized nitrogen in chemical fertilizers is what allows all 7 billion people on this planet to eat. She may believe that organic farming is “better for everyone,” but organic farming would only produce enough food to feed about 4 billion. Think she’d want to volunteer to starve to death if it would be better for everyone?
2) When I’m paying for it, I have every right to “give a sh*t” about what you’re wasting my money on.
@tbriehan – You make some excellent points. It does seem the ones who purport to “not care about money” did not want for it, and carry on delusions about money and their deservedness throughout their adult life.
As I grew up, money was usually pretty tight in our household and I began working as soon as the government said it was legal for me to do so in Michigan at age 15 (though I wonder if I’d have been arrested for not reporting all my babysitting income prior to that). I’ve always had to support my own activities to some degree, even though my parents were incredibly generous and fiscally supportive of my decision to attempt a career in opera singing and did whatever they could to send me to the best schools and training programs. They sacrificed big time.
But once I graduated, I turned down my father’s offer to send me to live in New York on his dime while I tried to eke out a career in music. I knew it would require too much of him, and I was realistic about my prospects. Funny how things turn out – he died just a few years later – and staying in Michigan getting a corporate finance job (then master’s degree in the field) turned out to be the best thing for me in my career and my family life. I was able to find a way to make a decent living, still perform on a regular basis, met my musician husband, and could be close to home when my father fell ill. During that time I remember feeling so grateful I had not mooched off my father during his last years just so I could “find my bliss” in the Big Apple.
Fun fact: art students are the least likely to default on their loans, according to Canadian statistics at least.
@Nick – It must be something in Canada’s water? That is interesting though.
Maybe it’s the gold fish!
If you are planning to clean all by your self, you can use a vacuum cleaner used to clean a dirty carpet. You can find this equipment on the market in various sizes and prices. You can choose according to your needs and budget.
Good reason. I prefer to make out the print Marcy