They say art is a way of life, but can you live it?

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   Skydwellerposted 14 years ago

   People say that art is a way of life. There are many people who have spent their lifetime for the sake of art gaining very less for themselves. What do you think?

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      sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think the artist rarely ever gains financial but is influential.
      
      Passion, flair, brush strokes, the way they deliver a message, their composure, the ideas about life...
      
      They only become rich after words because it takes a while for people to figure it out and when they do, they are like omg, I would give you a billion dollars for the rights to that because so and so influenced the entire era of such and such...
      
      or so I think.

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      Bard of Elyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I am an artist in many ways as a writer, singer and songwriter, poet, writer, photographer and I can see my life as an artform because it inspires others to write about it and me and I inspire artists to make paintings and drawings of me.
      
      I make a very small amount for my efforts and have lived mainly as a struggling artist and writer so I think I can honestly say I fit your description.

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      dutchman1951posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think it is very possible, people have, are and do live it.
      Interesting life I would think.

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      Rod Marsdenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think you can live for art because you need to live for something. I also believe you need that other job while you pray your art takes off.
      
      

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      bojanglesk8posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You can live it but it's a hard life.

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   Pearldiverposted 14 years ago

   I think that perhaps the value of our hubs will increase ten fold after our deaths. In the interim, is that not what most of us do as we explore the art of writing?

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      Mikel G Robertsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      plus, once your dead you tend to spend a whole lot less, so the ten fold will go a lot further...   

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      Hauntyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That's what Google and Hubpages count on.

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   SCLposted 14 years ago

   Thre are plenty of artists in history who died poor - their work now sells for millions. A sad fact you are right!
   
   I am not too sure if that happens so much these days? The likes of Banksy and other contemporary artists are raking it in. But are they really living their lives for art? or just using creativity to tap into a trend to make loads of money? Does it go back to that eternal question- what is art?

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      manlypoetrymanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Ouch...that's what I've always been afraid of...!

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   Sidney Rayneposted 14 years ago

   I think art is essentially an output from one or many facets of your creativity....how those outputs are delivered depends effectively on the individual.
   
   Not quite sure how to answer your question in regards to art being an actual way of life.
   
   If you are asking about an actual lifestyle...I conjure myself to be a creative person of sorts and perhaps with that I carry myself accordingly in the world.
   
   If you are asking about earning a living...you can make money if you can find a niche for your work but it is extremely difficult to earn a consistent income from art...at least in my experience.

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      AnythingArtzyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think art is also an attitude, one that I live, I'm very creative and tend to even dress artsy. I've had many people come up to me and ask if I was an artist and when askey why they ask that they simply say you look like one lol lol . My reply, yes a starving one lol lol  As much as I'd like to make a living from my photography and painting I have yet to do so but I do get so much enjoyment out of it that it makes it all ok.

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   Skydwellerposted 14 years ago

   Yeah guys... you are right!

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   Leta Sposted 14 years ago

   Incorrect.  Hitler was a FAILED artist.  That should say something, .

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   Amanda Severnposted 14 years ago

   I wish I could sell more of my work. We need the space!
   
   Seriously though, I know a lot of extremely good artists who find it hard to sell their work, even at really competitive prices. In days gone by art was appreciated far more because it wasn't so easy to reproduce, and photography wasn't around.

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      sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I met a woman who I traded art for on craigslist.  She does pretty well I think selling her work on the internet with her own web site.
      
      She painted the first one at the bottom for me.
      
      http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=61 … amp;page=2

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         Amanda Severnposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the link Sandra. I generally rely on a couple of local exhibitions plus the occassional commission to sell my work, but this looks like a good way to promote.

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   pamela12posted 14 years ago

   well art is art and its da creativity in you... one shouldn't stop working on its creativity just be because it doesn't pay you out!

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   Leta Sposted 14 years ago

   Um, right.  I just looked at his actual work for two seconds online here,   I'd call it trite and loaded with sentiment like a cheap greeting card....or Nazi era social realism. hahaha...
   
   Anyway, obviously your definition of what a 'failed artist' is...is very unclear when used in the proper sense.

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      Tadeusz598posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hitler wasn't a filed artist- he did quite well, even to the extent of being able to emply another man to act as his salesman.

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    sleepyhallow2009posted 14 years ago

    well..i believe we all can. I suppose it depends on how well you let it become part of your life. I always have a writing pad and a pen and when I see or hear or smell something that inspires me I write it down. But strangley in my quest it devoures me. so yes we can live with art in our lifes. we all should.

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    SweetiePieposted 14 years ago

    I had never been compelled to look at Hitler's art work before today, and I must say it looks a little creepy

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       Madame Xposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Artists don't say to themselves, "I'm going to live like an artist" - they just follow an inner muse and that is their life. They may have to do other things to feed themselves but their attitude is usually - "so be it".

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    goodfriendiamposted 14 years ago

    I believe a true artist doesn't do it for the money, but the need to express, his view, his life, his  surroundings, his thoughts, his passions and so on, And more times then not, their works go unrecognized, till someone sees substance, depth in what he has portrayed. But hey if someone wants to pay me for my art work, I'll take it, I got to eat some how....LOL

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       SweetiePieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I agree with that.  Do art for yourself first, and not in hopes of a large paycheck.

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    CEN7777posted 14 years ago

    Ya it may be true. but I believe that evry thing is art except life and life is science

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       Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I believe art is spirituality, and spirituality is life.

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          Castlepalomaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Good thought, it,s aspiritual lifestyle for me . Who gets to love their work for most of their waking life.

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    rcisophieposted 14 years ago

    'Art is a way of live' - is it art a way of being in life? And if so... can you live acordingly to it?
    I believe this is not about how much money you can get from art - essencially because the monetary value of it is a subsidiary thing. What lies behind this question is probably the motivation to art and the act of creating new things, looking the world in different ways.
    To make art a way of living is probably twist things a bit - maybe plenty of artist make art their way of living as subsistence, but in a much more fine sense... do they really live art? hum...
    
    By the way...
    CEN7777 wrote:
    I believe that evry thing is art except life and life is scienc
    
    did you already thought that maybe art only exists because there is life, human life? Its the human eye that recognizes something as art, that thinks and wonders about it... and he has the hability of recognizing it in almost everything (what is a big problem for Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics). But I get... life itself is not art is what you do, the way you  choose to live, right?

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    L.A. Screenwriterposted 14 years ago

    i live it.  i live it every day of the week.  every night too.  do i make any money from this way of life? no...at least not yet.  but i'm ok with that.  after all, i'm following a dream...and there's something to be said for that.

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    tiginbanposted 14 years ago

    I think a great place for artists (disillusioned, broke, rich, productive, writers-blocked, successful or guilt-ridden) is to visit
    http://www.awakeningartistry.com/
    I read Tama's book - 'This Time I Dance' and found it funny, encouraging and life-changing. It'll bring out the true creator in you.

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    believeinhimposted 14 years ago

    I wish I could make a living with my art; poetry, pics and paintings. I'm working on it. Wish me luck!
    God bless always,
    believeinhim

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    spiritactorposted 14 years ago

    Like many, I've been an artist in many forms for many years: acting, visual arts, writing, directing-- and always learning. Art is a journey that happens congruently with life.  If you're not living your life too, the art becomes stunted.
    I keep faithful to a technique I was taught in drawing and painting: "Always keep cycling throughout your work." That is, don't get stuck for long in the details. Money is a necessity in our capitalistic society-- but IS a detail in the long term.
    I'd say just stay prolific, true to yourself, keep learning, live your life to its fullest-- keep painting like no one's watching!  Toot your horn and let your light shine. Put it out there as often as possible. The word "no" is just one word, one person's opinion. There are as many opinions out there as there are people.
    Your journey is YOUR journey. Step back from the journey occasionally to view your steps as a whole-- see if it's the direction you feel is right for you. Cycle out to travel within the circles that are productive and/or inspiring for you-- which can include people with money and influence. And never lose sight of your own great value!

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    Cris Aposted 14 years ago

    I think doing and living art for the money more often than not leads to frustration. On the other hand, doing and living art because its a passion - the gratification is beyond compare.

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    scheinandrasposted 14 years ago

    that is a 100% yes:) I see art as the only way of living life:) at least for me:)

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    marcel285posted 14 years ago

    I think it is absolutely possible to make art a way of life, but not easy for most people. For the amount of time and effort that is spent on good art, it has to sell for a big price to justify living it.
    
    My step granddad makes green stone fruit bowls. It is an art, and he is the only person on the planet who does it. These bowls take him about 40 hours each to make, not to mention going to the river to get the green stone and lugging large portions of it. It is very heavy, and there are many rules about green stone... One of them is that for starters, you have to have a license to get it. Unless your distant relatives belong to and ancient maori tribe in NZ, you're shit outta luck.. The other relevant rule is that you are not allowed to use tools to get it, you may only what you can carry.
    
    So my step grand dad goes to all this effort, and he get's about $800 - $900 per bowl. Which is not enough to justify doing his hobby as a full time job.

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    marcel285posted 14 years ago

    btw i think the people that do live art, and make a good fortune from it, have qualities that other artists don't. Determination, passion, consistantcey, and originality, among other things.
    
    I am beginning to try making a career of art, the things i mentioned above are what i keep strongly in mind.

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    Flightkeeperposted 14 years ago

    Who said art is a way of life?  I don't think it is for most people.  I think Art is an extension of self but living it sounds so artificial.

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       Art 4 Lifeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I think that art cannot be lived....the same as the gift of song cannot be lived...I wish I could make a living painting...but I dont ever see that happening...I paint when I am bored...otherwise, I have better things to do....if my art was really good, and in demand,  I could see devoting major time to it...but, life is way to short to spend all your time holding a paintbrush....

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    heart4thewordposted 14 years ago

    I have been one of these people.  I have lived in art for years, just haven't made much money at it.  Finding the right place to market the items, seems to be the key to success:) 
    
    Creating pieces of art, is a way of life for me.  Art is an expression of who I am.  Thankfully, a great opportunity finally opened up...all the pieces seems to being fitting together perfectly:)  Thanks for asking!

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    deborahmorrison1posted 9 years ago

    From my own personal perspective, the art of living is what art is really all about!  Sometimes your art lands on a canvas, and sometimes it's splashed all over the place, everywhere ... from each moment, then day to day, and even an entire lifetime!  The art of living takes artistic creativity to the next level!  Nevertheless, great works of art are also found in the dimensions between palette, brush, and canvas!

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    BritanyMossposted 9 years ago

    Their isn't any money in it, but it's a beautiful way to express yourself.
    Wonderful way to relax, and art is love. Expressing yourself, art is YOU,
    even the mis strokes, still you.

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