Why are you an ARTIST, or why are you not an Artist?

[MrScorpio]

Well, it's the second day of the year. But, I've yet to follow through on my one and only resolution; start drawing again. I need to clear off the drawing table, stick a bulb in the drawing lamp, sharpen my pencils and get to it.

I'm going to write and draw a sci-fi graphic novel, by the way.

So who here are artists? If you've had a block (I'm not going to say how long mine has lasted), how did you get through it?

Are you a professional making a living from your talent?

Show some of your work, if you can,

[jimbo fett]

1. I'm an artist. I make a living as a graphic designer and for

my own pleasure I enjoy photography, screenprinting and graphic design (for friends and causes I believe in).

To see some of my recent work look at the "In Bright Mansions" CD for the Fisk Jubilees Singers < www.curb.com > and the "Come On, People" CD for Brother Henry < www.brotherhenry.com >.

I love doing music related graphic design.

My screeprinting has a definite retro-feel because I choose scenes of the streets of towns/cities from the 30s-70s as my subject matter quite often. No samples to show though. They're on the walls of my home.

[Raven]

2. I want to be an artist.

I have always wanted to be an artist. I retired from my law practice last May and immediately signed up for art classes here in town. I've always loved folk art, early american stuff and some tole painting. I've been taking classes once a week since May and I just love it. I made many of my Christmas gifts this year and I think folks actually liked some of them! I try to paint everyday but some days I just don't have the patience for it. When that happens I just do something else because I don't want this painting to become work. When I paint, I get lost in it for hours. Good luck getting back to your drawing board! :hi:

[DS1]

4. I took a drawing class in school last semester

In order for me to create, first I had to see, the professor was IMHO really good. Finally I can put ideas on paper and they end up somewhat like I envisioned. It's a wonderful thing!

[nostamj]

3. hmmm....

I am primarily a writer (though I have not made my living though it). that may change now that my 10 year job is about to end. (not by my choice!)

in getting things moving on my graphic design/writing/directing website I've found that my year+ writer's block (on lyrics) is beginning to break. (a good thing since my composing partner is getting fed up with me) something about working visually (designs for my mugs) has been opening up the writing channels too. I've posted the mug designs in the Lounge before but you can see them here:

MUG DESIGNS

oddly enough, this new lyric was *suggested* by a thread here in the Lounge about a NYE indiscretion. I just sent it to my writing partner and have NO idea what the final form will be.

I WENT ASTRAY

WHILE YOU WERE AWAY
I CONFESS TO
NOTHING LESS THAN
AN EPISODE OF
INFIDELITY...
I KNOW, I KNOW
IT'S NOT AT ALL LIKE ME,
THAT'S TRUE ENOUGH
BUT
WHILE YOU WERE AWAY
I WENT ASTRAY.

A CALL FROM YOU
OR IF YOU HAD BEEN THERE
WHEN I CALLED YOU...
WOULD I HAVE LET THE IMPULSE PASS?
A LACK OF SOBRIETY,
TOO MUCH ANXIETY,
OR WAS THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY
THE ONLY THING STILL STOPPING ME?

THE DESIRE TO BE DESIRED
IS DIFFICULT TO DISMISS,
SO WHILE YOU WERE AWAY
I WENT ASTRAY.

[pansypoo53219]

5. i am an artist cause i am very visual

and i like to make pleasing pictures.
and i do not have a block, but distractions-ie. Bush and new kittens.
and while i do not make a 'living' yet. it may happen yet.

and as a luddite, i can't post squat. i can attatch tho

6. just remember what Celine said

art is a luxury for which the artist pays

[nuxvomica]

7. Ink and watercolor

I hadn't done anything since college but back in 2002 I made this Christmas gift for my dad and got interested in it again. I've done a few more since. I'm afraid the colors are a little washed out in this photo.

[Rhiannon12866]

12. I really like this, washed out or not

Thanks for sharing this with us. What did your dad think of it? I think you should get back into this kind of thing. I really think you are very good.:-)

[nuxvomica]

14. Thanks, Rhiannon

My dad loved the picture. The subject is a church in the little Sicilian town his family came from. Yes, I'm getting into it again after 30 years if only for the peace it gives me. :-)

[izzie]

8. I am an artist if a little retired now. Block?????

I used to set up still lives to paint or draw as they are so school like.It is like doing a lesson and it always worked for me, and always doing one art drawing a day.

[greendog]

9. I'm an Artist

There isn't any particular reason why, I just am. What else would I be?

The most difficult part of being an Artist is the question "do you make a living with it?" I'm not aware of any other occupation where the discussion of ones personal finances is required. The first time you say "I'm an Artist" is guaranteed to begin an inquiry into your financial situation or your marketing plan. I suspect we'd have more Artists if this weren't the case.

I mean if I wanted to talk about money I'd have gone into banking!

I get blocks all the time. Some are related to the actual work in progress and some come from the doubts that arise when the work isn't being validated by money or praise. The only way I've found to get out of a block is to simply "work" my way out.

Sometimes I'll work the same image 20 times before I'm satisfied with it. Sometimes I'll set something aside and work on something else for a while...I've found it's good to have two or three paintings going at once.

You can see some of my work at: http://www.paulalbers.com
*************

Two summers ago I was sitting in a bar in Seward, Alaska and stuck up a conversation with the guy sitting next to me. I asked him what he did. He said "I pretend to be an architect". I said "pretend"? He said "yes, I have no formal training but I have a business designing custom high-end houses", he laughed about it and said he was getting more work than he knew what to do with.

So I asked him how he got to be an architect without taking even a semesters worth of drafting and he said he'd worked for a carpenter and decided he'd rather draw the plans than work from them. So he quit working for the carpenter and started to draw and sell house plans.

He then told me what he thought was the secret of success. He said "You will succeed at what you work at every single day". He'd realized that if he kept on working for the carpenter he would
be a successful carpenter but would never be able to spend the time required to be a successful architect.

So he just switched from being a successful carpenter to being an unsuccessful architect....and eventually became a successful architect by working at it every day.

[Whitacre D_WI]

10. Because I have to be.

n/t

[CrownPrinceBandar]

11. I'd like to think...

that if your an artist once, you are for life.

I used to draw and paint alot in HS and college. But over the past few years, the muse has seemed to left me. The shitty thing was that I was just coming to the point of being satisfied with my work. I would like to get back into being visually creative, but unfortunately I'm also a person who needs an assignment or challenge to fire my inspiration. I always wanted to be a graphic artist, but settled on archaeologist instead.

Good luck on the graphic novel. Let me know when you get it done. I like the sci-fi genre, and have been known to read a graphic novel on occasion.

[rbnyc]

13. I was born that way.

And I've been lucky enough not to have it conditioned out of me.

[terrya]

15. I'm not an artist because I have no talent. eom

[RebelOne]

16. Exactly what I was going to post.

Talentless. Can't draw, paint, sing or play any musical instruments.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

17. I am

I would ideally like to make a living off graphic design and photography but if that doesn't pan out, photojournalism.

Some of my stuff can be found at
http://www.maggister.com

[bleedingheart]

18. I am painting an acrylic based mural on my one basement wall

to get back in the swing of things...

I am not by profession (actually an engineer) an artist...I am totally an amateur but people have liked the stuff I have done and I like doing it...

[scarlet_owl]

19. I'm an artist, but I don't make a living off of it.

Everyone in my family is artistically talented, so I guess it's just heredity. I paint and draw, but I do it as a hobby. I have had some major blocks, like when I didn't do anything for over a year. Something always brings me out of it, though.

[CShine]

20. I am an artist because...........

.......I take my guitar and go out in public and sing and holler and make an embarrassment of myself. But if I'm going to be a good little capitalist then I'm not an artist because I don't make any money at it.