Is it possible to make art and a living while keeping your sanity, dignity and value? Yes.
The fundamental component to making art is make art. Doing it. Now let’s face it, there are artists out there, even though we may not know their work, they made a name for themselves and can put anything up on a wall or in a room, and it will probably sell even though no one actually looks at the art itself. So how does one make a name for themselves? Well you can pull a stunt or two. Or you can sleep with the right people, and scratch there backs while you are at it. Another method is you collaborate with someone who has a name and paint their backgrounds and you might get some recognition this way, and ride it out for as long as you can. I think it is important to point out that there is multiple ways one can achieve recognition, and I guess you just have to ask yourself what is you want to achieve. My wish is to make art. My goal is to become an accomplished Canadian contemporary artist, both in Canada and otherwise. I have accomplished this already in my short relatively short career of working as an artist. We I began there was no contingency plan, I just decided I wanted to be an artist and away I went with it. I tried everything. Now however you want to interpret that last sentence is up to you. Still after nearly a decade I remain a relative unknown, and to be honest thats okay, for now. It can be a hard lesson to accept, and it is continuous there is no certainties in this profession and perhaps even in the world. So do you let that stop what you are doing? No. The world will test you, sometimes you may have to Do things you might not like, and guaranteed you will get burned at least once. Does it mean you have to suffer? I used think yes, now I think no. If you buy into suffering than you will attract it into your life. Now maybe for abstract art it pays to be suffering, the expression that you create might be moving but at what cost to your own well being are you willing to go? At times I have pushed myself well over the edge, and in doing so I think I lost touch with being human, I am not invincible I have a limit and knowing that is helpful because I can make decisions that are realistic and yet still tap into my higher being, which is happy because I am treating my temple, this bag of skin with love and compassion thus reflecting outwardly and through my art and my life. I am an artist, though it is important for me to keep this in perspective, or in other words it is only one component of who I am. I am a son, a brother, a lover, a friend, a mentor, a shit disturber when necessary, and a peace loving tree hugger and ocean lover. I am a surfer, a humanitarian, a peaceful warrior, I am my own autonomous being though connected to everything and that is what I tap into when I make my art. Would I recommend the artist path? Yes. Create your world, you are the creator, and sure there are going to be obstacles, opinions, comments, adversity and so on, go for it, you have the ability and the will to do it, there is nothing stopping you except your own mind. So with all of this is it possible to make a living making art. It is a question I am still researching and developing. Not a day goes by that I am not searching or putting my work out there, either through this blog or by actively making art in public situations, emails and all of that fin stuff. It is working to make work, and it is seemingly an endless feedback loop, always adjusting and tweaking, so that the results change from one point to the next. Perhaps a chart might help explain this, than again I think you catch my drift. My real hope, or dream, depending on how you look at it, is to one day have a beautiful studio in a forest, next to the water, with the one I love, self sustained and off the grid. It will not be easy, it will take some work, and that’s okay, because when that day comes and I am living in my dream, I will reflect back and laugh at all the small stuff and appreciate the challenges faced, with no regrets.
FotoMahaloness -the good work in various stages and form. ❤