FAUSTINO
Artist, male, ‘suburbs’ of Guatemala, active since 1992, has painted since going to school
I have a small space at home where I paint. About 1/5 of what I sell goes for material, so if I would get 100 €, I will spend 20 € on material.
PRIVATE LIFE
500 $/m. For food for the family and providing for 2 kids, I broke up with my wife. I live with my family in a family house, my dad bought the house and we share the expenses.
WORKING TIME
I work all day with a break for food, from 9am to 9pm. I take a day off a week - I spend Sundasy with my daughter and son. I was teaching from 1999 to 2001. When I was teaching, I experimented more with my work, after that, in 2001, I had an exhibition in Antiqua (capital) and got a scholarship. I went to Todos Santos to rediscover himself. My family was living in Todos Santos, because of conflicts they all fled to the city.
INCOME
I sell paintings through galleries, sometimes in my town there are benefit exhibitions for the sick - gets to keep half, another half to the sick.
I taught 3 years at secondary school in the town where I was born, Todos Santos, before teaching I also earned with paintings.
Scholarship for Peru for 2 months from government. Stayed 3. And now I got this residency in the USA for one month.
The mother of my kids lives in another city. I see them twice a year. My mother and sister are taking care of children when I’m not there.
Paintings would sell for: small ones 30×40 cm ca. 250 $, middle. 30×60 cm. 500 $ (I would spend like 5 days on it), a big one. 60×110cm 2000 $. I get half less when such benefit events are happening. Buyers are mostly business people.
SOCIAL SECURITY INSURANCE?
No. The painter doesn’t have anything. The workers have benefits, painters don’t. Artist doesn’t have any insurance.
There are few women artists in Guatemala but they are good. I think technically the women are better. If there work is good, it doesn’t matter if it is a woman or a man. The collectors don’t care if it is a woman or man, two women I know live very well from it.
FINANCIAL SITUATION SECURE?
No. Because sometimes I have and sometimes I don’t, although I would say it is improving since I think my work has been improving compared to a few years ago. When I sell I am very happy, when I don’t it is very hard. I am grateful then I can do what I wants. They pay me. For tax reports I sell with one of the galleries and from that I pay 5% of tax. It depends how you are registered if it is 5 or up to 12%. For artists 12%.
I am not registered as an artist because I don’t sell a lot and I don’t want to do all the accounting work. I borrow ‘fakturas’ from a friend.
Johnson, Vermont, April 25, 2006