Managing a career as an artist and..something else.

There may come a time when being and acting on what you want isn't just what you can do at that time. A painter may soon come to realize that he ir she cannot create as much as they wanted in times when other responsabilities have to be taken care of. I am referring to social responsabilities such as having to provide financial and spiritual support to one's own family. And this is very hard to digest, knowing that for some temporarily indefinite time you will not be able to do what you may believe were born to do, for deep inside one's head you may discover a subtle, kind, quite confidential voice, whispering "this is your call". so, what is an artist to do? well, an artist should do whatever he or she feels is right for him or her at the time; I wouldn't even dare to suggest what is the best solution for such a debate.

I think that whether one decides to undergo what I believe to be the heroic professional routes artists like Cezanne and Van Gogh chose, or to innoculate hir or her talent into some other businesses; it is all right. It is not to say that an artist who is willing to put aside his or her talent will not suffer for it; that is, if one is a true artist; someone who breathes the passion and love for what they do, even if it was the last thing they had to do.

I believe that one shouldn't just quit on painting or sculpting, or engaging in any other artistic manifestation, if you feel this is what you really, honestly, were born to do and live for. No amount of goods, will compensate for the time being lost to a secondary purpose in one's life, ever. However, if you can't do anything about it, or you believe starving to death and placing your faith in what your art can do for you is not something you are willing to do; then there is still hope for you, the artist. If you are given some real talent in your life, it will fluorish as long as you let it see the world, regardless of what you do. It may not be seen the light of a canvas; that's a shame; but it sure will reappear somehow, somewhere. A talent which is being nurtured for some quality time, will continue to grow inside you and it will grow stronger the hour. Just as a faithful mother, it will wait for you until one day one decides to open one's doors to it.