What are You Looking For?

Module by: Mark Maxey

Summary: Knowing how involved you desire to be with your art is important. After all it is your art. We don't have to be like anyone else, we just have to do what is our own personal calling. Whether it is to do our art full time, part time, or as a hobby. Only you can determine what this is. This module helps us examine this aspect.

Each artist is different with their goals, determination and their ambition. Again there are no right or wrong plan or answers here. As the artist it is your personal decision how far and to what level you take your dream.

Figure 1: Austin has worked with the author on several musical projects. Though his focus has changed, Austin still works to develop his dream with mentorship from the author.

Austin Reed with author

There are artists I know who make their only living by their art. I have also known artists to use their vacation time to develop further. While others are happy with moving towards their goals year by year.

Personally, for my own reasons, I like having a stable job with benefits. I make time for my art during the evenings and weekends. This works best for me, and at the same time allows me to live the life I choose. It is not that I am afraid of doing my art full time, it just is not my desire right now.

I do know some personal friends who struggle with the balance of paying bills and doing their art. While others simply quit their jobs and focus totally upon their art as their sole means of existence. Again, no one is right or wrong, simply, it is a personal choice as to what you want for your art. There is nothing wrong with living totally upon the creation and sale of your art. Nor is there anything wrong with having an 8-5 job and doing your art on the side. The choice is yours.

This section is a chance for you to vocalize what you would be happy with. When you decide what the balance of work and art will be will only help define your steps. If you simply dabble here and there, you will become frustrated as an artist. This frustration can lead to diminishing your dreams. You don’t want to do this.

You can find the balance you need to see your dream come true. But until you figure out what that balance is, your dreams of producing meaningful art dangles in the balance. So in this exercise, probe your soul and honestly write out your answers to this question. Once you do, you will find making the choices for your game plan to be more formalized.

Good luck and enjoy finding the balance you seek with your art.

Question: What would you be satisfied with in regards to your life and what you want to achieve in art?

Question: How can you devise a plan to develop art (ultimate goal) and move it into a form of stability (making a living)?

Question: Are any of these statements/goals unusual expectations?

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This work is licensed by Mark Maxey under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 2.0).

Last edited by Mark Maxey on Jan 25, 2006 3:10 pm US/Central.