Making It

You just graduated and have a killer portfolio. The world is your oyster, and you're aiming for the mother of all pearls. You're going to turn the world on its ear and scream into it, "I am an Artist, hear me Roar!" But just as you were about to let out your war cry, you hear off in the distance someone else screaming... that exact same thing! A few seconds later, you hear it again! ...and yet again! You realize you are not alone. Not by a long shot.

As fools, an artist is born every second. Now this is not to say that all artists are fools - but some are. Anyone who picks up a brush, or a camera, or even aspires to create art, is, by definition, an artist. Anyone that creates anything - can be considered an artist. So you can just imagine the millions of artists in the world. True, not all of them want to make a living from it. True, not all of them are as serious about their craft as you are. But I'm sure, once during your career as an artist, you've picked up something and said grudgingly, "That's garbage - how in the world did anyone think that [insert rolling eyes here] was good?"

No matter what you think, there will always be someone better than you - but at least, there will always be someone worse than you. Small comfort, I know; but you should take some comfort in that fact nonetheless. What I'm sure surprises you, however, is not how often people who you consider better than you make it, but those of who you consider worse than you - make it. Sometimes - making it very big. Life just doesn't seem fair sometimes, does it?

Yes, I'll admit some people are just plain lucky. They constantly fall backwards into luck. Everything always seems to go their way. Now, there's nothing you can do about that. So let's move on - we'll just hope that the powers that be even things out a little one day. But how did the others make it? More often than not - with work. Hard work. Now, don't start cursing this article with grumblings of, "Well I'm sure I work harder than half those artist-wanna-be's out there." Hear me out.

Being an artist these days with great artistic skills is not enough. Similar to how a car with a great engine is pretty useless without a driver. Someone has got to drive it around to make it worth something. In the real world, an artist has to wear many hats; spokesperson, salesman, market analyst, writer, PR specialist, oh right, artist, too. To do all this requires work. It means holding exhibitions, getting the press to interview you, it means selling work just a bit lower than your principles are OK with. It means a lot of sweat, long days, and almost no appreciation. Perhaps being an accountant was a good idea, huh? Oh right, you have to be an accountant, too.

What many people don't realize, is that making it as an artist, not only requires you to be good at what you do, it means you have to be able to market yourself and make sure your work is seen. It requires that you put your rubbing elbows on and start schmoozing with people in high places. Anyone that tells you that this is "selling out" is either the aforementioned "lucky" type, or the type of artist that still has all their work at home collecting dust. Either way, don't listen to them.

It's the artist with the guts to get out there and show off his work that makes it. It's the artist with the thick skin who can take constructive criticism to improve his craft that gets discovered. It isn't easy. Unlike a lot of other professions - being an artist doesn't always mean a steady paycheck. So make sure that you truly want to make it, and that you'll do anything to make a living out of the one thing that keeps you going, the one thing that makes you feel alive. If you believe deep deep down in what you're doing, and keep that nose to the grindstone - you'll make it. Not only will you be screaming into the world's ear, you'll be giving it a good reason to listen.

Originally appeared on www.imagemontreal.com, August 19, 2004.

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