The Artist's Dilemma

Like there's actually only one. 

As if the artist's dilemma isn't - more broadly - just the human dilemma.

The need to express yourself in a world that values conformity and social etiquette.

Managing time effectively in a world that rips our attention from one hyper-stimulating thing to the next.

The conflict between validation from society versus some kind of individual integrity.

Discovery and exploration pitted against the need to feel safe and stick to a formula that just works. 

Achieving a successful business vs. Authentic Passion

Confidence vs. humility. Discipline vs. fun. Work vs. rest- and striking a balance with it all.

As usual (always?) there's no quick fix or correct answer that one can simply just ride with and expect success and automatic happiness.

Life and especially the artist's life requires shifting gears all the time. Improving at knowing when to make those shifts is what brings a sense of satisfaction, building and moving forward. 

The easiest metaphor for this that most people will understand is shifting gears on a bicycle.

If you don't know to downshift when going up a hill, your legs will need to work a lot harder. 

If you can't upshift when going down the hill, your feet won't keep up with the pedals and maintaining speed at the bottom of the hill will require more force.

Life is manual until it becomes automatic. Then, if it gets too automatic, it becomes manual again. The ebb and flow.

There's a lot of wisdom in taking on the artistic path because your chosen medium is a microcosm for life in general- it builds your character, humbles you, drives you to learn a multitude of skills outside of the techniques of your medium- and yet it's pure insanity when viewed through the lens of stability, financial risk and comfort

The locus of choice lies in whether you can live with yourself not doing it. If you are ok with being like everyone else- going to school, working a sub-optimal job, retiring at 65 and living life on auto-pilot, then you can afford to go halfway or not start at all.

I'm convinced that inside of everyone there is an intentional creator dying to express itself. And a great path to meeting and understanding that creator is to, well-create!

Does this mean that you should sacrifice your well-being on the altar of expression? Not necessarily. And I don't recommend it to everyone. But it's worked out well for me. I'm not a great financial success just yet but I'm very happy with where I'm at.

I have a life that works for me. I can afford to keep learning and I'm not sacrificing all of my time to achieve the goals and ends of someone else's dream.  

I've skill-maxxed being a good painter (not the best, but pretty good) and having a unique voice with the images I create. With the modest life I've carved out for myself, I can learn how to improve at business, networking, and even at mind, body and spirit.

And this is the key that unlocks the artist's dilemma. Carving out enough time, mental space and emotional energy to keep learning. Keep growing.

There will be times where it's appropriate to prune. And there is no one-size-fits-all, well trodden path.

But all the dilemmas are worth it when you can look back at all the skills you've acquired along the way, all the friends you've made because you sent out that bat-signal of weird artistic expression and how you've developed as a person. 

Please keep that in mind when you're feeling overwhelmed. Think about how monotonous and hollow life would be without facing these dilemmas head-on because you chose the artist's path. Think of all the flow states you would have missed out on- the words left unsaid, the images left un-painted or the songs, un-sang. 

I'll keep doing my best to provide the world with my creations- and simply by being here and reading this you're helping me achieve that.

If you this content gave you value and you feel like giving more- I have a 15% off (your entire, in-store order) discount code for all my e-mail subscribers that you receive when you sign up.

Please use it if anything I create resonates enough to hang in your house. 

I'm also open for commissions, mural work and live gigs right now if you or someone you know is looking.

Thanks again for all your support!

-Andrew