An Artist's Life

Recently, I have been thinking about what it means to be an artist and to live an artist’s life, which was sparked by personal events that made it necessary for me to clarify my priorities and values.

For me, the fundamental difference between being an artist, and living an artist's life, hinges on two basic elements: intention and focus. I am of the opinion that anyone who creates art is an artist. However, when an artist decides to give special priority to their own creativity, as much as their life reasonably allows, they are choosing to live an artist’s life.

As an artist, as much as I am able, I organize my life and my time around my artistic pursuits. The amount of time I am able to allocate to my art will change depending on life circumstances, which is where the element of focus comes in. If something is important, we will make time for it, often at the expense of letting go of something else. Focus is required in order to make the most of the allotted time.

To me, living an artist’s life is not about whether or not you make a living from your art (I certainly do not, although I would like to), but about how you see yourself, how you present yourself, and how you organize your time. It is not about how much money you make from your work, but in making, and maintaining, a firm, wholehearted commitment to your craft.

So, those are a few of my thoughts about what it means to live an artist’s life, at least for myself. Though unwelcome in the moment, reaching a crossroads can often be useful, providing an opportunity for re-evaluation and re-examination. As the Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said, “No mud, no lotus.”