Being surrounded by a community of other entrepreneurial artists has been helpful for Plaine. She explains, “It seems like they all know what that looks like from inside the cockpit – no matter what the art form is. Honestly, sometimes the hardest part is keeping the faith. People tell me all the time, ‘I could never do what you do.’ I know what they mean, and that it’s a compliment but I occasionally wonder what I’ve gotten myself into.”
The level of support that Plaine has received from the broader community around her is something for which she is deeply grateful. She says, “What I really think I am is an interdependent artist. I see all the support around me: the house concerts, the upstart concert series, the festivals that are held together by a team of volunteers. People want music in their life, and they support it with their time and money.”
She continues, “My ability to make a living in the arts has been connected to my versatility to fit in different situations: house parties, weddings, conventions. I stay committed to who I am as an artist in all contexts. I’m lucky that my music is embraced in this way – not all styles are so adaptable. It comes down to building community, and being grateful. One small show can literally involve hundreds of people to pull off successfully. I get slack jawed in awe when I think of what it takes, and all the people who offer support: food,accommodation,technical expertise and advice. It’s staggering and endless.”
In the future, Plaine wants to explore many different creative pathways. She elaborates, “I want to continue working with visual artists in partnerships. Building community. I want a career that meanders with the pull of collaboration and creates an interesting path. I know that makes me hard to categorize, but those are the kind of artists I like – the ones that keep you thinking and listening.”
The motivation to keep making music is simple and direct for Plaine. She says, “I love singing. There is nothing that fills me, and frees me quite like it. I believe there are always stories to tell, and I want to be in that game.”
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