Scooter's Blog

First of all, it's not optional. If you are an artist, you are called. Ignoring your desire to make art is not possible. That will only kill you. You must make a choice as to how to make art. You must consciously decide how to marshal your material resources to meet your spiritual needs. One choice is to take the plunge and determine to make your art and live on it, come what may. You find the cheapest place you can find where there is space for you to work. You minimize all your expenses. You strip down your life to the essentials. You figure out what it costs to eat and clothe yourself and you get to work. You don't spend money on anything except what it takes to survive and do your work. Either you have money saved or you sell pieces or you have a part-time job that does not require you to think about anything, so you just show up and do your job and then go home and do your art. This is not complicated but neither is it easy. Our desires are many, as are the lures of pleasure and entertainment and comfort. But it can be done. You are free to do this. I encourage you to try it if it appeals to you, and if it doesn't work, if it is too harsh an existence, then you are free to stop doing it and find something more comfortable.

The other option, which is more comfortable, is to take a gradualist approach. Find a job or an area of work that is not too taxing, and make for yourself a space where you can work on your art an hour or three a day, and on weekends. Work steadily over the years. Sell work as you can. Make friendships and be a part of an arts community. Take classes. Practice. Study. Get better. Keep at it. Use your art as a vehicle to know yourself. Eventually you may reach a point where you can support yourself on your art, or you may not. But you have a sustainable life that includes art even though it may not be completely about art.

Some artists find that, if they must have a job, it is better to have a job not in their field. The problem with having a job in your field is that all your creative powers may be brought to bear in your job. Whereas if you are flipping burgers or something, you may be free to save up all your creative energy for your artwork.

In either case, the important thing is to start now. The worst thing to do is to drift, thinking that one day soon you will settle down and get to work on your craft in some way. Decide today whether you are going to go for broke or try to build a sustainable long-term life that includes art.

This is a serious matter. You must do something. Experiment. Find something that works for you. Seek support from others. Be kind to yourself. Do not despair. Keep at it. Make a life of it.

cary tennis, salon.com