M
motojt
Guest
Let me set the stage by saying that I'm a software engineer by trade, but deep down, and only in private, I still consider myself an artist. I've been drawing and painting since I was a toddler, was an art major in college, and a designer for a while before I fell back on my math minor for the much more lucrative field I've held for a little over a decade.
Back in school, a teacher I had once said, "A designer is a practical artist." Meaning it's great to be creative and all, but eventually you have to pay the bills. Currently I work for "The Man," which affords me the opportunity to do what I enjoy (family time, making video games, jamming with the guys, etc.) on my own time, which is basically every day after 4pm, weekends, holidays, and paid time off. In other words, a lot of time. I honestly have no complaints and no regrets about my education and/or career choices.
On the other hand, I hear/read a lot about professional artists and all the sacrifices they have to make. All the time and work they put into it. When I was working as a designer, it started feeling like a "normal" job almost instantly so I figured, "Well shit, if this is how it is I may as well get paid better." From some of the accounts I hear and read about, a lot of other designers and musicians seem to feel the same. In a documentary Jimmy Page said how he quit his job as a session guitarist to join The Yardbirds because he felt stifled as an artist. He no longer enjoyed playing.
So the question for all is, would you rather be a "working musician" or an "artist with a day job?"
Back in school, a teacher I had once said, "A designer is a practical artist." Meaning it's great to be creative and all, but eventually you have to pay the bills. Currently I work for "The Man," which affords me the opportunity to do what I enjoy (family time, making video games, jamming with the guys, etc.) on my own time, which is basically every day after 4pm, weekends, holidays, and paid time off. In other words, a lot of time. I honestly have no complaints and no regrets about my education and/or career choices.
On the other hand, I hear/read a lot about professional artists and all the sacrifices they have to make. All the time and work they put into it. When I was working as a designer, it started feeling like a "normal" job almost instantly so I figured, "Well shit, if this is how it is I may as well get paid better." From some of the accounts I hear and read about, a lot of other designers and musicians seem to feel the same. In a documentary Jimmy Page said how he quit his job as a session guitarist to join The Yardbirds because he felt stifled as an artist. He no longer enjoyed playing.
So the question for all is, would you rather be a "working musician" or an "artist with a day job?"