I read a story once of a young aspiring filmmaker who was complaining to Werner Herzog about how HAAAAAARD it was to make worthwhile films anymore, how no one cared about real art, how the industry was only producing trash …
My guess is that Werner Herzog gave him a withering look before replying (and this I’m paraphrasing here):
“Quit your damn complaining. It’s not the world’s fault that you wanted to be an artist. It’s not the world’s job to enjoy the films you make, and it’s not the world’s obligation to pay your way while you chase your dreams. Nobody wants to hear it. So shut up. Steal a camera if you must, but stop whining and get back to work.”
In the end, you just gotta dig in and do the work.
And you can’t worry about what others think about it.
You sure as heck can’t sit around feeling sorry for yourself, playing the moody, under-appreciated artist, angry at the world.
Now, one of the great things about the advanced AWAKE Photoshop Mastery course is that it ultimately does delve into how to earn real money for your artwork — or at least how to position yourself to do so. (You still need to do the work. And you do need to put in the time to get good at what you do. That’s the other part of it obviously.) The last few months of the year-long course go into this subject in depth.
But that can wait for now, and it bears repeating: The world does not OWE you some kind of reward or some kind of income just because you’ve decided to hang out your shingle as an artist.
And honestly, I feel that selling your art should always be a secondary concern at best.
The real point of creating art is to create art.
The real point of creating art is to live a more exciting, imaginative, artistic life.
Which is why I feel so strongly that being an artist is really about tapping into that which is richest in your life, and through it becoming more alive — more AWAKE — than the sleepwalking multitudes.
That aliveness is what matters most. Whether you ever sell your art at all.
And yet …
I DO believe if you ever do decide to “go pro” and work to earn an income with your art, it IS possible. Contrary to the popular lament, people actually DO buy art.
* If it’s good.
* If it’s well produced and well marketed.
* And if you position your work (and yourself) in the right way.
But wherever you happen to be along the spectrum, from blissful amateur to aspiring pro, the one thing I want to encourage in you most is this:
Forget the money. And simply take to your work JOYFULLY.
If you catch yourself feeling grumpy about how no one gets you, no one understands your work, no one will ever buy anything from you, and all that other self-pitying nonsense …
Just stop it.
I mean, think for a moment about what all of your complaining is doing to your Muse.
How do you think she feels, all this grumbling about her picking up her half of the rent?
Every time you complain that being an artist is “Sooooo hard!” or lament that “No one buys art anymore!” or catch yourself grumping “I’ll never be good enough” — Just know that what you are really doing is scaring off your source of inspiration.
(I can almost hear your Muse, muttering under her breath as she takes her leave: “Fine. Being an artist is SO hard? Well, if it makes you SO unhappy, I’ve got other places I could be. Try NOT being an artist for a while. The world needs tax accountants too.”)
Instead of getting caught up in feeling sorry for yourself or railing against the ignorant Philistine hordes who would rather watch reality TV shows than read a book and prefer monster truck expos to art galleries . . .
What if instead you just shrugged, smiled, and got back to your work?
Forget the masses and what they do with their time and money. Forget what others might think about you or your art. Focus on the project in front of you and take delight in the act of creating something beautiful.
Just that.
Whether it’s a work of photo artistry, a painting, or a poem.
Forget about whether it will ever earn you anything. That’s for later.
Instead, simply immerse yourself. Grab your camera, grab your journal, open Photoshop. Create something for the simple joy the act of creation brings you.
Create art … because of what your art, in turn, creates in YOU.
And as I said, stop complaining that being an artist is so “hard.” As the great Jim Rohn so well put it: “Don’t wish that it were easier. Wish YOU were BETTER.”
Then get busy. BECOME better — by working harder.
The more you work, the more you create, the more you throw yourself into living an artistic life, the better you will become as an artist.
And here’s something kind of interesting:
The better you become, the more likely the world is going to eventually sit up and notice.
Pretty crazy, I know.
But whether the world does or doesn’t recognize your talents, that’s not your concern. Not right now.
Your job right now, this moment, is to immerse yourself in your craft. That’s it. Today, tomorrow, next week, and across all the months and years ahead.
And not for what it will earn you, either …
But rather for what it will MAKE of you.
~ Sebastian
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PS: If you really want to throw yourself into improving your skills, you may want to check out the advanced AWAKE: Photoshop Mastery group. Now and then truly life-changing programs come around. This is one of them.