I chose to become an artist because I find so much enjoyment in being creative and I have been blessed with artistic ability: however, like many artists I don't have the self discipline to treat it like a business working regular hours cranking out "product" to sell. This is something aspiring artists need to think about. It is a completely different dynamic when you "get to" make art as opposed to "have to" make art. Another interesting aspect to being a professional artist that I did not anticipate was the impact on the creative process making pieces I thought would sell. In other words, putting more emphasis on what would likely sell rather than on what I was inspired to create. It killed my creativity. I still make art and love the creative process but rarely sell my art. I am more likely to give it away to someone who really loves a particular piece.
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I chose to become an artist because I find so much enjoyment in being creative and I have been blessed with artistic ability: however, like many artists I don't have the self discipline to treat it like a business working regular hours cranking out "product" to sell. This is something aspiring artists need to think about. It is a completely different dynamic when you "get to" make art as opposed to "have to" make art. Another interesting aspect to being a professional artist that I did not anticipate was the impact on the creative process making pieces I thought would sell. In other words, putting more emphasis on what would likely sell rather than on what I was inspired to create. It killed my creativity. I still make art and love the creative process but rarely sell my art. I am more likely to give it away to someone who really loves a particular piece.