What does it mean to be an artist? Many of you know I take issue with all the useless adjectives we impose on ourselves when defining an artist. Part time, full time, professional, hobbyist, and other definitions really only apply to the artist if the artist chooses to call themselves by that particular title. For example, if you are an artist and you call yourself a hobbyist then that is what you are and there is nothing wrong with that. However, when one artist labels another then I take great offense to them when they choose to devalue the other.
Art is subjective, and because of this, the art one creates is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Good art or bad art, it really does not matter. If you create art then you are an artist - plain and simple. You choose if you want to be a hobbyist, or professional. You also choose how much time you want to spend doing your craft; part-time or full-time. One thing to remember is that part-time is 20 hours or less and full-time is 40 hours. But let me add that these numbers are not the rule they are the accepted terms in our society. I hope to create a good living (I restate GOOD LIVING) painting 20 hours a week. I plan to call this full-time because that is all the time I want to work each week. As for the good living, my goal is $80,000 per year (Gross). My accounting may be wrong, but between me and my accountant we have concluded I would need to earn at least $350,000 in sales to take a salary of $80,000 per year. Your results will be different and I can't tell you how to run your business.
I paint, I enjoy it, I get paid to do it, therefore I am an artist. You define it for yourself, but understand that professional does not mean full time or that you make your living from what you do. It simply means you are selling what you make (notice I did not say your stuff is for sale, I said selling). If you do it for fun and have no desire to sell what you make then you are still an artist. Never, let someone define your role as the artist no matter how you approach your work or how much time you invest each week to create.
Yes this is a rant to some extent. But it is important. I am not saying that everyone who paints should. I am also not saying that every "professional" is worthy of the title. I am saying that you (the artist) must decide for yourself if you are an artist or not. One final thought, if you make your living as an artist, I applaud you for doing what you do. If you want to make a living from your art, keep on working at it if you think you can make a living - find your customer and develop your skills.
Making a living from art is part luck, part skill, part persistence, and part good businessman. The art, hanging on the wall, that you create, in and of itself has nothing to do with you becoming a professional. You know this is true because you've seen the crap many so called professionals create.
Happy Father's Day!
Michael
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