Welcome to the uckiood blog where we share our thoughts and opinions on all matters art, sculpture and what it is to be a professional artist. Click on the images to read more.
From Origins to Originals: BIG PUFFA
Exploring the diverse influences behind our 2023 sculpture, ‘BIG PUFFA’.
Oct 2023
From Origins to Originals: TV
In this series of behind-the-scenes posts, we take some of our most popular works and explore the diverse influences behind them. This week, it’s our 2021 sculpture, ‘TV’.
Feb 2023
The Art World v. The Tech Bros
AI is just the latest in a long line of tech initiatives that have promised to revolutionize and disrupt the creative landscape. Artists, we’ve been here before. Stand your ground and ignore the blah blah. If you are doing your job right, it won’t affect you and your craft.
Jan 2023
Was It Worth It? The True Cost Of Becoming Honoraria
Missy recounts what really happened in 2022, our experience as Burning Man Honoraria Artists, and how it nearly destroyed uckiood - and us.
Dec 2022
Earn A Crust Or Burn Out?
When desperation to pay the bills leads to stress, illness and professional failure.
Nov 2021
UCKIOOD In The Time Of Covid
Surviving the pandemic and the challenge of keeping the studio alive.
Mar 2020
7 Ways To Support A Professional Artist
In response to our previous post, ‘12 Things You Should Never Say To A Professional Artist’, here’s how you can support and engage with your artist friends in an entirely POSITIVE way!
Oct 2019
13 Things You Should Never Say To A Professional Artist
Oh, how we’ve heard these a thousand times before! General rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t ask your accountant, software developer, doctor, attorney, barista friend these questions, then you probably shouldn’t ask us either.
Oct 2019
Dying Of Exposure
We know you want to make it as an artist. But don't be sucked into an awful web of lies and false hope. Unless an unpaid offer of exposure guarantees tangible results and will propel your career forward in concrete terms, JUST SAY NO.
Jun 2019
Artists, Be Kind To Each Other
Don't view each other as a threat or competitor and don't bad mouth each other's work. You are an equal, a creator, not an arbiter of taste. Don't cynically befriend someone because you think you can ride their rising star. Play nicely, support each other and we can all be winners.
May 2019
SCAM ALERT! The Pay To Play Epidemic
The unethical and morally bankrupt practice of galleries, shows, prizes, events and application platforms requiring artists to ‘pay to play'.
Apr 2019
Coupled Artists
Take a risk, galleries. Don’t judge us on our personal circumstances alone. Look at the artistic superstars of right now and yesteryear. And bloody well allow artists to put an ‘&’ in the basic artist info box.
Apr 2019
Airbrushing Mrs
A huge sisterly shout out to all the Wife Artists out there - to Mrs Nicholson, Mrs Stieglitz, Mrs Ernst, Mrs de Kooning, Mrs Bratby, Mrs Delaunay, Mrs Albers, Mrs Richter, Mrs Rivera and all the others who have proven that women can dare to outshine and out-earn their husbands.
Mar 2019
The Illusion of Artistic Success (or Why Not To Buy Fake Followers)
Turn off Instagram and spend that time you would have wasted constructing a transient, virtual world of fake admiration, on creating better art instead.
Feb 2019
Put Your Lipstick Away, Love
The continuing struggle of female artists to be recognized for the quality of their work rather than the color of their lipstick.
Feb 2019