 |
wave #2
2-3/4" x 6 " x 1/4"
oil on palm sheath and masonite
© 2014 by julie susanne |
"Am I a professional painter?" Have you ever asked yourself that question? How do you know you are a professional painter? Are you a professional painter because you have a degree in fine arts, because you were in this show or that show? Or are you a painter because of your commitment and drive? Do you paint when it is inconvenient? It's too damn hot, you're still painting. It's too cold, you're still painting. Your body hurts from holding the same position, you're still painting. The bugs are tormenting you, you're still painting. When painting in public, people are critiquing, commenting, quipping, and basically tormenting you as well, you're still painting. You're tired and hungry, you're still painting. When you think about painting you are thinking about how to enhance your development, how to push it further how to get better. Your focus is on making better art. You rarely think in terms of what is selling right now in order to paint that. When you do think about painting what is popular, you can't bear the thought of it. Instead, you paint what you are driven to paint. You paint because you have to. When you are not painting, you are unhappy, maybe even depressed. You wonder how little you could live on to survive and paint full-time. You sell your stuff to buy more paint or a brush. You know that if you price your work for what the market will bear that you are making about half of minimum wage, and you paint anyway. So how do
I know I am a professional painter...I just know.
