Arts writer and painter John Seed discusses how artists can use blogs to empower themselves, and gives tips on how to commission and work productively with writers.

“I’m interested in shifting things. That’s something you can do as a blogger, you can be a little bit subversive…. I try to not write about not the usual suspects. I guess I have a little bit of feeling for the underdog.”

John Seed is a California-based arts writer, painter, curator, and professor. Seed is a 7th generation Californian who grew up in Westside, Los Angeles. He began making art while attending Stanford University, where he earned a BA in Studio Art in 1979. After several years, during which he worked as a night manager at an ampm convenience store, Seed matriculated at UC Berkeley, where he earned an MA in Fine and Studio Art in 1982. Seed subsequently worked for Larry Gagosian, as a studio assistant for Jean-Michel Basquiat, and at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA). Seed began teaching at the Art Center College of Design in 1985, a position he held until 2001. In 1986 he began teaching at Mt. San Jacinto College, where he currently serves as Department Chair in Art. Seed initially began writing about art for his local newspaper, which led to a position writing for The Huffington Post. Since then Seed has written for such sources as Harvard Magazine, Hyperallergic, Art Ltd. Magazine, and Christie’s Hong Kong. He has published several books, including Arman Manookian: An Armenian Artist in Hawai’i (2011), Nine Artists… (2011), and Ten Rather Eccentric Essays on Art: Refelctions on Damien Hirst, postmodernism, the art market, food in art and more… (2014). Seed was a Finalist for the 2012 Creative Capital Arts Writers Grant and he is a frequent speaker and panelist. He currently lives in Southern California with his three daughters and two dogs.

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