Discuss: Artist stereotype #1: Artists are not interested in making money.

Like everyone, we have to eat. We have to pay bills.

I've never heard that stereotype though!

Thought-provoking as usual, Brian. The myth exists, and popped up somewhere around when Romanticism had taken firm hold, so it is at least a century old.

It is part of The Greater Myth Of The (Male) Artist, where another prominent feature is that an artist has to be mad to be truly creative.

I know about an artist who was asked to leave a very fancy group of artists because said artist was "too commercial" -- meaning people bought the artists works.

I run into it ever so often, too, when arranging an exhibition. Some people say "it must be such a big thing for you to see your paintings displayed on this wall". And, "I see you made some sales, but what must be more important for you is that people like your paintings".

Note their use of the words "you must"... I think it indicates two things: a) they're not buying and are justifying that, and b) they want confirmation of the myth in their heads.

And if there would be any professionals involved in the art world who used that as an excuse for not having to pay an artist for the artist's work... I'm not saying there are people like that, but just imagine *if*. Then that would be taking advantage of the artist and it'd be unethical.

A troublesome myth, indeed.

Thankfully, at least in my experience, most people seem to like the artist also being a business person, and they really love it when 'their' artist is successful.

Hey Brian, How come you never publish my comments? No dirty words, few politacal references,,,nothing but opinions? RonG

Yes Brain, oops, Brian, I've sent five or six comments, all unpublished. With so many rejections I'm feeling like an author.

Brian Sherwin has just offered an opinion on the personality of {real} artists and whether artists are in it for the money I have been a working artist for 67 years; as a navy artist, a salaried art director, owner of a successful Los Angeles Design Studio, a painter showing in fine galleries on the west coast, owner of a small but successful art gallery, CEO and creative art director of an award winning, successful AAAA advertising agency in Monterey CA.. and an oil painter for the last 27 years.

I'm almost certain that I've known as many if not more artists than Mr. Sherwin and I must completely disagree with his opinion of the "erroneous stereotyped image" of the average (?) artist. They all usually have several of the traits Sherwin considers negative but usually these are defenses necessary to cope; they are loners, they are by nature obsessive creators, hopeless romantics, worshiping their renown predecessors, clasping their dreams ahead of the ordinary task of just making money-they are artists-a rare breed of humans fearlessly honing their undeveloped potential.

The professional artist that I have known, all possess one common characteristic, courage. They all have the courage to face an uninterested population who consider art a hobby and artists unemployed. The men or women who dedicate their lives to becoming artists have the courage of Daniel in the den of Lions.

Unless these artists are from extremely well educated, cultured, families they probably faced opposition and/or scorn for their decision to not follow the planned footsteps of the family.

It takes great courage, even after years of schooling, to for the first-time, offer your talent and your ego on the table of commerce at the mercy of the den of critics waiting to pounce. It's no wonder these artists don't fit the mold of other typical working souls, they are not typical. Artists possess an unrelenting determination to succeed in a field that, on average, gives scant financial reward yet offer the possibility of leading life on a level of joyous creativity essentially unknown to others.

I know this for a fact.

Dear Jana, We must also define the term artist a little more finely than you suggest. Is a"professional" making money or MAKING MONEY...like big bucks...six figure bucks? As Jackie said earlier, we all must eat, but making enuf to eat and pay the rent does not a professional make. One doesn't learn to make big bucks reading FASO...one must become a great artist first

My knowledge of professional artists leads me to believe there is a moral consideration that comes between being a professional artist and just being an artist.

A used car salesman may be a professional but the commonly held belief is that he is not an artist. He will dicker with a price and sometimes change trades that are known by him to be not really, truly honest.

The pro-artists I that know will not bend their artistic principals to make more money. I, personally, have in the past told art directors that I would not make changes to my work simply because of an AD'S whimsical like or dislike. I considered myself a professional. I've never lost a client or assignment in my 57 years as a professional artist.

This moral belief has been held over into my 34 year fine art career. I have never changed a painting for a fee or commission from a collector. I change'em constantly while I'm working at it. When it's done I either keep it or sell it. No more changes....unless years later, I think, maybe if I just tweak that light a little more...

My argument in this matter has nothing to do with the need of we artists to be able to survive as artists. The major point is that the majority of the REALLY GREAT professionals did not get into the art world to get rich, as did bankers, stock brokers or realtors (the highest earners in that infamous top 2 percent).

Really great artists came into our profession because they loved doing artwork, they loved being creative, they wanted, above all else, to be artists. And if they ended up being great, they made a lot of money...but only if they were great.