Publisher is no starving artist
FOURWAYS - Fourways resident, Chris Page is the creator of the new Arty Elephant website and online magazine.
An artist in his own right with a number of successful exhibitions to his name, Page explained that the vision for the website was to have an online creative resource centre for creative professionals to promote and showcase their creativity.
“We wish to dispel the ‘starving artist’ misnomer and show that creative people can sell their services and products, and make a healthy living in the process,” Page said.
The website goes hand in hand with the magazine which serves to showcase the success stories of creative celebrities. “The magazine aims to inspire people to continue with their creative activity with passion and with the goal to become successful, perhaps even more so than those people interviewed in the magazine.”
Page believes that the magazine and website are particularly relevant to South Africans because the country seems to be more focused on corporate success and survival, rather than uplifting and supporting the creative industry. “We are a colourful and creative nation with so much talent going to waste,” he said.
Page added that the website and magazine wished to become the voice of the arts in South Africa, and lead the way to promoting the myriad of creative activities available in South Africa’s multi-cultural society. “We need to begin with changing the perception that artists and creative people need to have day jobs as security,” he said. “We want everyone to know that your creativity can earn you a great deal of income if you promote yourself and believe in your abilities.”
