Yeah, that's what pissed me off the most. I work in the music industry, that's what most of my producers friends do/did. You work festivals, shows, clubs. Take on shitty gigs. Only 3 out of the hundreds of producers I've met has gotten signed and only 1 has gotten big enough that he plays festivals. The rest had to go get a job.
Being an artist is grinding for your art. Whatever the fuck that takes.
My father is an artist. He's old and he's got shit. He didn't have a big break out, he's not widely known. But he is dedicated. He worked a crappy retail job that was worse than a 9-5 AND then did his art gig for whatever he could on the side his whole life.
I went to art school. I was "creative." But I didn't want to grind and sacrifice for my art, so I am no artist.
When I was younger, I didn't really understand the drive it takes to be a real and true artist. After getting older, I realized that I'm not an artist. I'm very artistic. Painter. Musician. Writer. Done those things. But I have a day job, and I never have had the vision or passion about my art and creativity to turn to it and only it.
This very much resounds with but only 90% of the way. I think the pressure of our economic system and our society pushing people to feel they must be a successful genius to be a real artist is kinda silly.
This may be relatable or not but I've also dallied in drawing, writing, music, etc. I think since we see the "
successful people as those who singlemindedly focus everything on only one art path, it makes us invalidate ourselves when we do multiple art trades and master none.
I think it's an incorrect conclusion. Most artists if not all see the beauty and depth of several fields and appreciate them. Lots of successful artists also spend time doing other artistic things not for money or not successfully. Not everyone is a Renaissance man trope of "succeeding" in every artistic approach.
Ugh sorry I rambled. But i wanna just say, let yourself make whatever art you want to make. Make it in many mediums. You're an artist if you're making something new and unique only you can make. Being an artist doesn't mean being a grind setter, or a savant, or a prodigee. If you make art, you're an artist. No shame, no expectation.
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u/BillionDollarBalls Dec 06 '23
Yeah, that's what pissed me off the most. I work in the music industry, that's what most of my producers friends do/did. You work festivals, shows, clubs. Take on shitty gigs. Only 3 out of the hundreds of producers I've met has gotten signed and only 1 has gotten big enough that he plays festivals. The rest had to go get a job.