Interview with Miriam Hohag, Esq.

I had the pleasure of talking with Miriam Hohag, Esq. of Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. As an emerging artist, I think it is important to make connections and explore avenues that can help to navigate many aspects of the art world. - Lisa Haskell

Can you tell me a little bit about the mission of PVLA and the relationship with the Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia?
PVLA provides pro bono and reduced fee legal assistance as well as educational programs and business counseling to low-income artists and cultural organizations in the Greater Philadelphia region. We were founded in 1978 as a non-profit legal services organization. PVLA was one of the first organizations of this type; the very first was in New York. In 2008 we combined with the Arts and Business Council to package our services together so that when an organization, for example, needed business advice, a board member, or legal assistance they could all come to one place. Hopefully that is where we are going for artists who need assistance as well.

Does PVLA just work within this specific organization?
We are a program of the Arts and Business Council, operating as the legal branch.  We do occasionally collaborate with other organizations, and many have expressed interest in hosting workshops or educational programming. For example, people who want to become arts managers in the Drexel graduate program can take a PVLA Art and the Law class. PVLA also works in tandem with other non-arts pro bono legal service organizations to ensure that legal representation is within reach for Philadelphia residents in all walks of life.

PVLA's partnership with the Arts and Business Council is relatively new and in the early stages.  How do you see things moving forward in the future?
The mission of PVLA hasn't changed at all. Since being founded we've always provided legal aid to the arts in Philadelphia. Our job, regardless of what organization we are working with, is to leverage the legal talent and make sure that people who are creative but cannot afford their own lawyer have somewhere reliable to go.

I have to honestly say that I did not know much about your organization before having the opportunity to hear you speak at NET Nights.  I have since done my research, and I have even become a fan on Facebook.  How key of a factor are social networking sites, how do you spread the word about PVLA, and how do you get noticed?
We also just launched a Twitter account—PhillyVLA! It’s exciting. We’re noticing an increase in generational turnover in many organizations—especially in the arts right now. Social networking, if used as a part of a comprehensive communications plan, is just as important for maintaining visibility as fundraising events and newspaper articles. As little as two years ago, viral online media wasn't taken as seriously in traditional business communities, but today it is increasingly being used by for-profit companies and entrepreneurs for reaching target audiences who want their information a la carte.

Miriam, you are the Director of PVLA, can you give me a bit of information about your responsibilities as Director?
Yes, my title is Director of Legal Services, and I serve as one of four program directors within the Arts and Business Council. My job covers only the legal requests we receive. I supervise a very dedicated group of law student interns who help us do artist outreach and legal research and writing, and I coordinate more than 1500 art law cases per year in the greater Philadelphia area. In a nutshell, my job is to ensure that the legal safety net for the arts in the region remains strong. It’s certainly never boring, and I really enjoy it.

Outside of all of that you have lawyers that come to you because they are interested in volunteering?
I am an attorney and I can take cases occasionally, but because our caseload is so high we have about 500 lawyers in the region who volunteer for us while working their regular jobs in law firms every day. We give lawyers with talent, time and interest the opportunity to be engaged in the arts in areas of the law as diverse as real estate, wills, contract drafting, copyright and litigation.

Can you tell me about your background and where your desire to help artists came from?
I was always a bit of an artist type even in law school. I was a dancer for about 15 years and was an apparel design major in college. I decided to go to law school because all too frequently I saw classmates who were on the cutting edge of creative thinking, but didn’t always make good business decisions. I would watch them make simple mistakes like assuming that artwork online was free to use without permission, while assuming that someday they would have a business manager to take care of that side of things. I still enjoy the creative arts, but even before law school I knew that I could see myself being that kind of protector. Problem-solving in law is surprisingly similar to the artistic creative process. We have had a lot of lawyers who really benefit from talking with artists; they learn how to think outside the box a bit. 

What would you say are a few business or legal aspects that are important for an artist or designer to know but are often overlooked?
Very good question. I think that commonly, what people often overlook is that the information they receive about the laws that apply to them may be outdated, or just plain wrong. Maybe they read a book or they talked to a friend and they assume that if they just change a picture 30%, or they use it and they don't make any money off of it then everything will be fine.  A little bit of knowledge can be dangerous. People should not resist coming back to receive more assistance and ask follow-up questions. A lawyer can help you figure out what applies to you and what is current—a common example is that unlike in the 1950s, an artist in 2010 owns a copyright in her painting as soon as she paints it. Copyright registration is now optional, but a copyright lawyer could definitely assess your situation and tell you if the time and expense is worth it—and give you some pointers.

I think another big struggle for artists is not looking far enough down the road to prepare for the unfortunate event where people they trust let them down—even unintentionally. I know that it is a terrible thing to have to acknowledge that despite your best efforts, you may still run into problems, but nobody can protect you as well as you can protect yourself. That is what the law is for and that is what our lawyers help you with.

What would be a few reasons why someone would come in seeking PVLA's service? Do any special criteria need to be met in order to receive services?
We have a couple of different levels of service—in order to have an attorney talk to you for free, you need to qualify financially (usually a percentage of the federal poverty line).

PVLA clients need to be artists, or arts or cultural nonprofits, with arts-related legal issues.

If something is outside of the scope of what we normally provide, or you are over our income limit for free service, then we can refer you to other attorneys in our database that might take your case for a reduced fee.  

Some of the most common issues addressed are:

Musicians with questions about how to protect their work, especially if they are putting it up online;

Copyright, trademark, and logo questions;

Employment contract or “work for hire” questions.

Additionally, if an artist has lots of general or broad questions about what they might encounter, we can chat with them about their concerns and help them think out loud about what they do, what is important to them, and where they want to go with it. We can send them the appropriate information and materials and after educating themselves, they will often have more specific questions that are easier for our lawyers to answer. Often times if we get enough inquiries about certain “areas of interest” we will hold a workshop, like the one about small claims court we held at the Crane Arts building in June.

Could you end by touching on the importance of professionalism and efforts to bridge the two different worlds to help make it further as an artist or designer?
As someone who was formerly (and is still, secretly) an artist at heart, I am positioned to understand that the business world can be very overwhelming. A big setback for artists is their own fear. As soon as you tell yourself that you can be your own business manager or that you can be your own marketing consultant –with some help--it gets easier. You find it’s possible to show people how amazing you are at what you do. That is really half of the battle because after you get there you have so many amazing resources at your fingertips, especially in the Philadelphia area. Remember that as an artist you are a professional, just like a CEO is a professional.  You have a product, a skill and a service, and you will need to protect and market that like anyone else. And remember: everyone you meet could be a potential client.

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Our interviewers Lisa Haskell (left) and Kelly Kozma, both 2010 graduates in Moore's Fine Art program.

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Interview with Joan Tarka, Esq.

Joan Tarka is a solo practitioner based just outside of Philadelphia.  Joan volunteers her time to the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Joan was interviewed by recent Moore graduate in Fine Arts and emerging artist Lisa Haskell.

Can you give me a little bit of information on your background and what led you to be interested in volunteering for the arts?

I am a semi-retired contract attorney working from a home office and specialize in software licensing and related services for software companies. I have some expertise with intellectual property and copyright and contracts, all of which are important issues for artists to know about. I was looking for pro bono work in order to give back. I came across PVLA by checking the Pennsylvania Bar’s list of volunteer opportunities and thought working with artists would be quite simply, fun—I am a patron of the arts but not an artist myself, and I am the attorney for my daughter’s band so it seemed to be a good fit. I have to say it really is fun and I enjoy helping artists to spot issues, analyze, and reach conclusions.

Have you been a part of the group since its inception?

Basically yes. I started in mid-June of 2008. I will continue because it is important to continue to learn and gain valuable knowledge and of course PVLA is just a great organization to work with.

How much of your time do you give?

I am one of over 500 lawyers volunteering for PVLA. After PVLA does an initial screening [of a potential client] they will contact me if they think I might be helpful and available. If I am available, the person seeking services will contact me personally.  I communicate with the client before our first meeting in order to eliminate any misunderstandings and I will typically engage with a client for one project.

I see that PVLA offers support with contracts, commissions, leases, and more. Is there something that you tend to deal with more frequently?

I specialize in reviewing and negotiating contract particularly in the music industry; clients seeking help of this nature are often referred to me.  Most times I am just reviewing, advising, and providing information. Providing the client with more information saves time and gives a better explanation and reasoning for what needs to be done; this helps them to do some of the work on their own. For instance, I might have a client come to me with forms that they are proposing for contracts so I will some research of specifics, draft a contract relating to potential problems that might occur, and then revise based on the clients needs.

Do you personally work with small- and large-scale clients?

I am not a litigator, nor do I have the resources to take on large scale work. Through PVLA I am looking to help creative individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford such services.

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Interview with Jordan Griska

Philadelphia-based artist Jordan Griska was recently interviewed by emerging Philadelphia artist and 2010 Moore graduate in Fine Arts Kelly Kozma to talk about what he's working on now and how he lives and works in the city.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background as an artist?

I would say my interest in art started in high school, or even younger. I was into building skateboard ramps and things like that. If I needed something I'd try to make it myself. In high school I was more into drawing than building. I wasn't sure what it meant at the time but I enjoyed doing it. I grew up in a family of doctors but they were very supportive; maybe not in the sense of it being a career but they did support my work. I went to George Washington University on a scholarship. I started getting more serious about my work and realized it might not be the right place for me to grow, so after a year I transferred to Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA). I did a combined program with PAFA and UPenn (University of Pennsylvania) so I was able to get both the academic and technical training I needed. It was important for me to have a well rounded education and that is where I realized that I was going to be an artist.

Being a recent graduate myself, I am constantly getting the question 'What are you going to do now?'  It's definitely a time of uncertainty and can be a bit daunting. Can you talk about the goals you set and steps you took after you graduated to transition from student to working artist?

One of the biggest roles in my post graduation career was establishing a group of other artists to be around. I work collectively with 5 guys, all graduates from PAFA. We bring together our tools and ideas and feed off each other's energy. Setting goals is also important. You need to be constantly applying for things even if you are busy with your job.

Speaking of which, what is your day job?

I do a lot of construction, framing, and building stuff. It works because it's flexible and I can spend time in my studio. On a side note there is a gallery opening on Juniper, Jolie Laide, that is commissioning many large works from me so I will be able to pay myself with that.  But in terms of succeeding as a working artist you have to keep your motivation and ambition strong. Find out what's available to you and go for it. It's also important to set perimeters. Work in your studio like it's your job. My friends have said I'm the hardest working person they know without a "real job." I also recently became a fellow of CFEVA, which has allowed me to network and find more opportunities.  

You talked briefly at the Net Nights event about the injury you experienced during one of your performance pieces.  Did that affect the way you approach your work or provide inspiration for future pieces?

It definitely affected the way I approach my work.  A lot of times you get caught up in the creative aspects and forget the practical ones.  It opened my eyes and taught me to scrutinize everything, especially when it comes to performance pieces that interact with the audience.  I learned to open up to people and ask them for help when it came to the engineering of my pieces.  You can contact other universities and talk to artists who really know their stuff.  It's important as an artist to reach out for help. It's just like making friends and then you know all these people with different skill sets. Most artists are willing to help when they can. After the injury it didn't take long to get ideas for new projects though.  My body slowed down, but my mind didn't.

You mentioned your collaborative workspace, Philadelphia Traction Company.  Would you talk about the benefits of being part of a collective and how the group came together?

It started out with me and my friends John Greig and Billy Dufala. They were a couple years ahead of me at PAFA. They saw my work ethic and skill sets and we had similar interests.  We talked about getting a big space with inexpensive rent, where we could come together, share tools and make work.  It started out with the three of us and then grew to six people. The advantages? Well, six heads are better then one.  We all are doing different work and have different skill sets. Some guys are working with molds, others bronze...steel...wood.  So it's nice to have all these different areas of knowledge.  It's also six times the amount of money for tools and the space.  It's great when you are setting up for a show because you can ask for help without overwhelming one person.  I remember at my first solo show everyone came and helped out.  Where would you find funds to pay people otherwise? I think it works because we are all doing different stuff. If we were doing the same thing there might be more of a competitive nature. It's also the mentality of a group and learning to share.  I used to be really particular about my tools but I've opened up a lot and have learned that having a sense of community is more important than having my own possessions. Having someone else in the studio is great, even if you aren't talking because it makes you want to be there and work hard.

What can we expect to see at your upcoming show?

I've been working on these honor boxes, titled Honor Box Reflection. They are newspaper boxes that I cut in half and then weld back together; creating a symmetrical structure that gives the illusion of a reflection. I wanted to address natural disasters like Katrina and the whole impending apocalypse. I'm taking a common object from the street and manipulating it, making you imagine that you are looking at it in a flood. I wanted to take a look at the phenomenon of natural disasters, which seems to have heightened since I was a younger, and create a 3 dimensional sculpture out of a 2 dimensional reflection. The conceptual aspects are important to me but I incorporate aesthetic value into what I'm making too. You never know who is going to see your work and I want to create a dialogue with as many people as possible, not just other artists.

What goals do you have set for yourself as an artist? Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I'd love to be showing in New York and internationally; the wider the audience, the better. The more places you are showing, the more funds you can get. I lived in Italy for five months and did a residency in Switzerland and it was really great to find out how similar people are despite their differences in culture. There is a dialogue about art wherever you go. 

Do you think with recognition and money comes pressure to make a certain type of work?

It can, but the way I see it is that the more money you get, the more power you have to discuss what's important to you. It's a luxury to be able to choose what you can and can't afford to do. I want to create works that reach as many people I can. Different people and different audiences allow for more opportunities, which allow me to make more work.

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