A Career in the Arts? Really? – Part IV
What drives someone to desire a career as an artist?
What makes them say, I’m going to make “art” for a living?
Every single artist I’ve met along the way has a different story to tell and, seemingly, a different impetus behind what drives them to create their art.
There are those who create art because they enjoy it, but feel uncomfortable making the jump to working on it full time, and there are those driven by an all-powerful need to create that allows for nothing else, and so, create they will, all else be damned. There are then those who simply enjoy the creative aspect of the work as a hobby and nothing more: something to pass the time and calm the spirit. And there are those who work at other tasks for the majority of their lives, turning only to art when so many other hurdles have been vaulted. The list goes on…
For myself, I realized that creating was what made me the most happy, and at an early age I discovered that I was a slave to making sure I was happy if nothing else. I’ve been called selfish, single-minded, stubborn, foolish, courageous, and a litany of other words because of this, but in the end it’s the pursuit of happiness that is the most important part of being alive for me. There have been a slew of words published on this very subject, illuminating the modern origins of this philosophy, but at the end of the day I can’t help but think that this is what one’s forebears had hoped and strove for: the dream that is “a better life”.
And so, shamelessly, I turned to the arts in one form or another to satisfy my desire to be happy.
To that effect, when I was asked recently what I would do should my current plan to establish myself in the art world fail, I paused, thought, and answered: “I’ll do something else in the arts.”
You see, I don’t have another realistic choice if my first priority is to be happy. Happy is different than rich. Happy is different than successful. Happy is not, however, so different than fulfilled.
In an earlier post in this series I mentioned that my father was not around a lot while I was growing up, but fortunately I had a supportive mother. I was, however, also very lucky that my mother, though divorced, was dating a young man who was equally supportive of my interests. That man later became my stepfather, whom I think of as my dad, and provided me with much of the support that a growing child needs in order to see one’s creative interests as viable in the context of a world at large.
For whatever specific reasons I chose the arts as the path which I walk down, it was without question made easier by the support I received, and still receive today by those I choose to surround myself with.
At the end of the day, were I to offer advice to a person seeking to become an artist, it would be this: surround yourself with support.
In fact, I think that good advice no matter your pursuit.
And, oh yeah, honestly ask yourself, “am I happy?”
my dad: a supportive environment is important for the developing artist
To catch up on the previous parts of this meandering series click here: Part I, Part II, Part III
One Response to “A Career in the Arts? Really? – Part IV”
Aww look at dad’s mongoloid vampire baby photo on the wall
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