On behalf of amateurs everywhere, I’d like to offer a tremendous standing ovation for this incredible, fabulous article. Bravo Drew, and thank you so very much for writing it!
If one can earn a living creating your art great! In my case, however, I have not made a living off my art. Basically, I loose my sense of creative risk if I think others will be looking at it. I don’t have the courage to put myself out there without considering what others may want and I really don’t want their input. For me, its enough to give myself the time every day to play with my art which can be a challenge in itself.
Thanks Tammy I really appreciate your kind words :) I think that we (myself included) often get too wrapped up in these types of labels. We try so hard to define ourselves and our work that we sometimes lose sight of why we are doing it in the first place. It’s far too easy to fall into this trap and make ourselves completely miserable in the process, which is exactly why I have to remind myself (over, and over, and over) to focus on what’s really important.
Thanks for a thoughtful post. I’m sort of on both sides of the amateur/professional divide. I guess I would consider myself and amateur painter, but at the same time I do professional illustration work. The professional illustration work, while fun, has very strict parameters that I must adhere to, and a creative director telling me what to do at nearly every step of the process. My paintings, however, I just paint, and am free to experiment, make mistakes, and enjoy the process on my own terms.
I’d council artists with day jobs: don’t rush to become professional. Enjoy your amateur status and be proud of it. You’re learning. Eventually, if you want to “go pro,” it will happen, but the work will be harder than you ever dreamed and you might wish for the days of amateur status.
Cracker of a post mate. Being in small(ish) city and being a comic book creator in a country where not many ppl read comics (Australia) it is nice to read some positive messages about how it is ok to not be the next superstar. Thanks for taking the time to post ;)
Sensational post – thank you! I ended up with a great big goofy smile on my face when you mentioned that the root word for amateur is “amare” – love. I think the moment you start making your art for the sake of making money, or in order to be a professional, you may well have moved away from the whole reason you became an artist in the first place – to create and to feel inspiration. I don’t think anyone needs to be a poor struggling artist, but in the end it’s all about expressing yourself and trusting that if you’re flowing with what’s right for you, others will feel that connection too.
I like the sentiment imparted here but would argue that the weekend softball player will humbly and enthusiastically admit that they are galaxies away from a pro baseball player. The softballer plays for love, on their downtime, for fun. The hardballer practices or plays e-v-e-r-y day while in season. Pro painters, wracking up hours and hours of experience, will naturally be more proficient than the weekend painter who logs 20 hours per month while the pro is putting in that effort in one day occasionally. That says nothing of talent, or potential for that matter. “If only'”, is allowed to linger in the mind of the amateur where the pro doesn’t have to ponder that situation. They know they’ve given everything they have to offer to their art, lovingly. I think it’s a matter of dedication that is the real gulf separating professional artists from amateur artists.
We get so caught up in labels…yet we need them. I think you may have hit a nerve with the word amateur here and there because deep down…we all know we can kick it up a notch. Whether it be for financial gain or not…we can always improve, grow, and make better work. Honestly I think I am an amateur artist because it is truly for the love of the game but also professional because of my dedication to it. Not to say my goal isn’t to sell, but it’s not what compels me to create. I create because I must. But I have good work ethic because it’s what I’ve learned. Thanks for your honesty and great read!
You’re right Monica these labels are both somehow full of meaning and yet meaningless all at the same time. I think sometimes we get ourselves to wrapped up in defining ourselves and trying to figure out where exactly we fall both within our own definitions and other people’s definitions of these terms as well. When it comes down to it, however, the goal should be (at least from a happiness perspective) to create our art for the joy of doing it and not because we have to pay our cell phone bill this month. Then again, sometimes it’s that pressure to create or else that’s what we need in order to actually sit down and create something. Thanks again Monica for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us, I really appreciate you taking the time to do so :)