Comments on: Deep Thought Thursday: When you’re not taken seriously

By: Sheree Rensel

Sheree Rensel — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:55:18 +0000

I have never had this problem. NEVER. I think it might be because I told people I was an artist even when I was a tiny child. I realized I wanted to be an artist around age 4. Consequently, it has been a deep part of my self perception and identity for my entire life. If there have been people in my past who didn’t take me seriously, I never noticed. I guess I wasn’t paying attention because I was too busy being an artist. LOL

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:20:20 +0000

I disagree with most of the comments here. I think most artists take themselves way too seriously and forget that we got into this because it WAS fun! I don’t mean we shouldn’t be professional or present ourselves as doing our job but I think it’s good to look inside and see how we judge the jobs of others, too. Every day we see people doing jobs that we may have judgemental thoughts about, like that being a doctor is more importand than cleaning out septic systems of washing cafeteria floors or that the principal is more important than the secretary, etc. The truth is it takes all of us to make the world go round. Whenever people make comments about how lucky I am to have such a fun job and that it must be nice to make money with my hobby I just smile and agree. Yes, I am lucky. My fun hobby pays all my household expenses and helped put two kids through college but why bother to say that? Am I going to try and say, hey I worked for years to learn these skills? It won’t matter…it doesn’t change anything. There are those who will appreciate the efforts of an artist and those who will never get it. I am grateful for the first and forgive the latter….

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:26:58 +0000

I must admit it: I have had some trouble about what I do with several people in my life. Since I am mostly finished with my web art gallery, it has really valudated of who I really am. And, also I feel authentic, for once in my life. The next part is obviously to transmit these thoughts and feelings into communication with others. It is soon.

By: Sarah Hempel Irani

Sarah Hempel Irani — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:01:21 +0000

It is refreshing to hear that we have all had similar experiences! I have probably heard all of these things. People seem to think that my life is non-stop excitement and that working on art is “relaxing.” Actually, it is really, really hard. They imagine that we are all full of inspiration all the time. My life still has “normal” elements. I live in a regular house that I have to clean. I make dinner every night. I have to go to the dentist, etc. I’ve been asked what my “real job” is. “Oh, it’s real!” I tell them.

By: Charlotte B. DeMolay

Charlotte B. DeMolay — Sun, 04 May 2008 03:18:39 +0000

The comment that gets my goat the most is when someone is in my art booth or finds out I’m an artist and they respond with “Oh..that must be so relaxing.” Hm..being an artist is many things but I haven’t been able to relax since I hung my proverbial shingle on my studio door. I’ve gone around and around in my head about why someone would think this I have come to the conclusion that people like this are envious that I’m actually doing the work I love. We all know we work as hard if not harder in order to survive in this field but those who haven’t made the leap of faith to pursue their dreams will always feel compelled to bring us down a notch or two. When I get comments like those I just smile or laugh and say, “Relaxing? I don’t know about that..but there is nothing else I’d rather be doing!”

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sat, 03 May 2008 23:21:19 +0000

Excellent comments. Since I quit a “regular” job a year ago I found myself in the same position. It was important to let people know that I have a home studio, not a spare bedroom. I don’t paint when inspiration strikes, I work at it every day. Take yourself seriously, but remember how lucky we are to have to go to work standing under a blue sky while painting a beautiful landscape!

By: Wendy Edsall-Kerwin

Wendy Edsall-Kerwin — Sat, 03 May 2008 11:21:42 +0000

I still am at the point where I hold a part-time traditional job and over the years I’ve had trouble finding fulfillment from this part of my life. My mother always told me that I needed to look for a career, not just a job. I told her that my career is my art and I don’t want to invest all the time it takes to start a career in another field just to leave once my art career takes off. She gets little fulfillment from her own job, at least in the way she talks about it to us. Lately though she seems to take me a little more seriously. Maybe it’s the new studio and the new work I’ve been putting out. Maybe it’s my blog. Maybe it’s the fact that I have some gallery representation and have been in some exhibitions lately. But it’s still hard to convince family that an art career is still important enough to come before family sometimes.

By: DM

DM — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:02:55 +0000

I saw this printed on a T shirt at the art supply store: A bad day in the studio is better than a great day in the office. I think that is a good response when someone starts to question why you are an artist.

By: Stacey Peterson

Stacey Peterson — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:02:11 +0000

I was thinking about this last night, and I’ve never realized this before, but surprisingly, I think that having a blog has been the most positive thing I could have done to help my friends and family take my art seriously! Honestly, I used to get a bit frustrated because my friends, while supportive, didn’t have a clue about the art world. I don’t blame them – like most people, they didn’t realize that it’s possible to make a living being an artist, or that it’s hard work and that running a successful art business takes just as much know-how and effort as running any other business. I blog pretty candidly about my goals and my frustrations and challenges, and having my friends discover my blog last year (I never told them about it because I thought they’d think it was boring because it’s about art) was such a blessing. All of the sudden they knew was I was doing, and what I was working toward, and what I struggled with! Overnight, they gained an understanding about what I do, and it’s made a huge difference in how they view what I do! So, yet another reason why having a blog is a good thing for an artist =)

By: Fiona Purdy

Fiona Purdy — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:15:39 +0000

I think that one thing we are all forgetting is that history has ingrained this way of thinking about the artist life! Struggling artist, paitings by dead artists are the only ones that make big money etc. are commonly held beliefs. So I think we should give the people who think this way some slack. They’ve grown up being taught this. However, I truly believe that this is going to change in the 21st century. Unlike in the past we are all now in control of our careers, not at the mercy of others. I also think that anyone who does take these kind of comments personally also has a problem coming to terms with their way of thinking about being an artist. Maybe subconsciously you beleive it too? I always find that if something upsets you, you should stop and deeply think why it affects you that way. You might find you surprise yourself with the real reason!