Why be a creative?
The life of an artist goes against the culture we find ourselves in.
Productivity and profitability are the rules of the game in the cut-throat world of business. Who you know outweighs what you know - most of the time - getting rich and famous quickly has led to a generation desperate for attention, looking for shortcuts in life to ‘make it’.
The creative looks within, perfectly content to not be noticed.
Social media apps and websites dictate what we see, read and hear; they have the power to silence political leaders, force governments to change policies and dupe millions of people to believe wild conspiracy theories, with no regulation or it seems accountability.
The creative only knows the truth inside them.
We now have a generation which has never experienced an internet-free world; where they get their news, sport and entertainment from is beamed into their lives via their phone or iPad, and through the Covid pandemic of 2020-21, their education too.
The creative finds themselves through their own lived experiences.
In the last two years we have seen whole countries shut down to contain the virus, with community as we know it reduced to tiny faces on tiny screens, a socially-distanced ‘hello’ when out on our allotted 30 minutes of daily exercise.
The creative lives, and thrives, on isolation.
For me a number of art workshops I had planned to lead were cancelled, art markets closed, galleries shut. I was fortunate enough to apply for the government’s Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, which gave me a grant based on my previous three years of business income. These payments were incredibly appreciated - many self-employed people, especially those who had only just started out - were ineligible for these. No work, no income, no support. It must have been overwhelming to not have any idea what the future might hold.
And that brings me to sitting on a train on my way to deliver a commission painting to a corporate client one cold December day. A commission through a website I am a member of which enables members of the public to commission bespoke works from a huge range of different artists in the UK. The client sent me a message asking for a painting to be created and delivered in less than a week. A painting one metre long. A painting with three different themes across the length of the canvas.…..and then they paid for my train ticket to London and back from Cambridge, and I was paid very quickly afterwards…..is this really what happens in real life as an artist? Or am I a rarity? Am I just very, very fortunate? Luck of the draw?
I don’t believe so.
I believe that if you put the work in, maintain standards, treat people with respect through your business with them then you will start to see rewards for your time and effort. And unlike in the world of big business and industry, you’re not working for the big promotion, the flashy car, the title. You’re not working for the bonus, and you’re not working for the big boss who earns four times more than you.
It’s just you.
And that means you get to set the goals, the targets, the outcomes. You’re not having to rely on Geoff in the office who never, ever gets his work finished on time, or Jane who strolls into the office late every single morning. Or the finance officer or the storekeeper or the administrator or any other role you’d expect to see in a business.
Because it’s all you.
And while that is awesome for taking your slice of the business income each month after expenses, what it really means is you are going to have to dedicate your life to doing this to make it work. I’m fortunate to have an amazing family who support me and help me out with various things, but as my wife works full time there’s only so much she can help me with.
So you will need to learn plenty of new skills in finance, administration, and juggling different things at different times to make this work.
And it will work - but you need to know why you’re doing this, for what purpose and for what outcome. If you discover who you are then you will discover the artist within.
Once you’ve discovered it, there’s no going back, and neither do you want to! This is the most exhilarating journey you’ll ever go on, so strap yourself in and get ready for the rollercoaster ride of your life!
‘Til next time
Keep painting!
Jamie