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Trying the artistic path in the 21st century...
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Posted 4 months ago Dear All, I wrote this little draft also for all people embracing an artistic field and wishing to be one day, able of living from it.... I belong to those, not for the money or the fame, but for the pleasure of doing what I love for the rest of my days. I am not giving any advice, just sharing with you all my thoughts/beliefs, based on my life experience, which does not mean I am right... comments/critics/questions are welcome! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Never quit... Never quit, that is right. This say does not only apply to artistic fields, though it always seems to be harder to make it into those fields. But life is tough at all levels, and a neverending challenge. For having worked hard in totally different fields, I can tell you this is so true! I used to be a carrier girl. I was never interested in money but was given fantastic work opportunities by people who saw through me, something that made me the right profile such or such job. I just grabbed those opportunities as they came, in the private sector mainly, also because I know what it means to be jobless and broke. I worked in SMEs and Multinationals and in many work fields + diverse cultures. I learned so much, I met some fantastic people, at their place, doing the job that was made for them. I learned from some mentors, and I also faced hard moments and issues. In the end I turned round, took height and looked at my life. About 10 years had pased by. I concluded it was not for me. Something was missing. This something was art. It was sleeping and trying to come back to me. I had been drawing for years, playing music instruments, dancing..it tried in many ways to express itself strongly. I did not listen to it for a long, long time. But You cannot get ridd of yourself and must face it lol...I left behind the carrier path, the suits and the big responsabilities and big salaries. I turned to art, specifically writing and photography, it was calling me so strongly. I started an intensive work, but still very unsufficient for sure at that young stage. My work life is modest now and irregular, so it adds to the spice. I never have a single second regret though. -------------------------------------------------------------------- But the things I learned and keep using, which I want to share with you all, are the following : - networking matters in all fields - it itakes time to get to be known if this is your aim - work, perseverance, obstination, always pay. Whatever the market size and the market restrictions. Whatever the competition level. I truly believe that if by putting the thousands of hours, nothing happens in such a small, hyperconnected world, getting smaller and smaller, well, then I may onsider changing field...and yet, not sure I would give up. - One must be prosaic, dary, strategical and structured, and never forget where he/she lives. You obviously need a structured mind and projects. Projects that you run now, projects for later if those present ones fail. Projects mean to plan, to organise, to think strategically, whatever the field. Even the most ''chaotic'' artistic field (how wonderful to feel you just do what you feel like doing...!) can, must be catalysed, briddled, in order to become successful to his creator. - To find ideas, to create a network, to stand out of the (usually powerful and creative) crowd takes time and is time consuming, energy consuming and money consuming. Find a new idea is a full time job per se. No miracle, no short term plan. Discouragement , frsutration and feelings such as ''it is not fair'' are usual and happen we all go through them but they must not be listened to. Not A la carte menu... - We have no time to pretend that x y z external factor is the problem, or that the society is not as it should be. Yes, many things are not satisfactory, or may sound not ethic, or unfair.. ..All of us have, at least once, experimented this. - We only have a short time life, in order to believe in our dreams and just not dream them but work hard on them, til we drop dead. The spice of life, the willpower, the faith, is this one. Push and push, and push. - Be and remain aware of your environment, of the market change, requirements, of the world you basically live in...Never disconnect from it. Via media, readings, observations, news, new creations, new ways of life, new life philosophies, new tastes and new trends, talks with people of interest to you, specialised magazines, cultural evolutions, etc. - No artistic field ever can totally disconnect itself form its market and be totally free from it. Unless you only create in your room and just wish to continue to do so, for yourself. The market requirements feed us and we must use it in order to find our place on the market. It is in a way, so amazing. It is out there and most nformation and data are available. They must be used, they can only help us. We should be very attentive to all the signs. This is called pragmatism. Read him, he writes wonderfully, and is a great, brilliant guy: Malcom Gladwell says that (I simplify his amazing theory) at least 10 000 hours are necessary in ANY field one chooses, in order to start knowing what he/she talks about. Only after spending those 10,000 hourse, IF an opportunity window occurs, then you may have a chance to see it and a chance to catch it. Haven't you ever come to that stage, in your field, where you already put some hundreds of hours and...you sudenly realise how small you are, that you know so little and your humility grows, as well as your panick...? I was there. The only way is to keep walking, pushing, learning and never giving up.Faith, osbtination, it has got many names. There is no other way. Think 10.000, not like a magic formula but a minima to fulfill....Isn't that great to get there, just to see if the theory works out? -------------------------- The artistic community....a breathe of oxygen I believe that as an individual one must play its own game BUT always think collectively, and be a universalist, philosophy wise. You are alone and are not. Alone in your life choices and struggles, but surrounded by a amazing world, community, bringing along opportunities and challenges of all kinds. Thoughts. Ideas. Bridges. Hands. ArtBistro is just a wonderful representation of it. It can only nurture your mind and creativity by showing you what the othes, on the Blue planet, are doing, thinking creating... The more brains and intelligences, the more sensitivities and ideas, and the more you will grow yourself and centrer yourself, and find your own place... The smaller the world nowadays: people have more and more chances, to manage to hit and knock at the door of the market they are interested in: but they also face a wider competition. Again I believe in competition as something great. Why be scared,? Would I be an entrepreneur, a 3d animation designer having her own society as an example, I would want to be surrounded by people better than me, more talented than me, with whom the learning process never stops....so, diversity competition, is from my point of view, both an emulation and a help. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time passing by matters less than not having tried everything you could. Yes, everything is possible. But the road is very long and it is all about stemina......and faith. M |
