Making Art Versus Having a Life: The Struggling Artist

Finding the Time to Make Art

I used to feel sorry for my friends in NYC who didn't have what you might call real paying jobs and had to scramble and scrape every day.

These were the people who failed to take Richard Serra's advice to learn a well paying trade. He warned against working as a waiter or taxi driver and trying to make art. Those jobs devour your time, pay poorly, and leave you exhausted rather than inspired. Yet, they persevere, staying up late painting or writing. His suggestion was to be an independent skilled craftsman: a carpenter, electrician, plumber, or tile setter. The pay is very good and lets you "buy back" your time for the real work you have to do.

Yet, somehow, those friends struggled on and made what art they could, working barely at minimum wage, and keeping their dream alive: to live in New York City and have the identity of "artist".

They scramble and struggle.

Many spend more time writing grant applications than writing or painting or dancing. Still, for them it is worth it. It looks tough, because it is.
It is a hard life. For some the struggle is the core of the experience, living the life of the Struggling Artist.

It ain't easy being green, unless you were lucky enough to be born with a silver-plated spoon in your mouth.


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