It's Work, But Not a J.O.B.

Making a living doing art can be a severely paradoxical journey.  On one hand, it's an amazing opportunity, but on the other, it can be grueling.  I know I'm so fortunate to do what I do, but here's what I also know.  Artists are some of the most hard-working, courageous, humble, tenacious, intelligent, and fragile people I know.  Going to an art show is like walking thru the street and watching pieces of yourself split off in every direction and land in the form of another walking, talking human under the shelter of a big white tent... on a day like any other day... a day which feels as though it could make you or break you, but you've vowed to let it do neither.  Patrons will have the pleasure of seeing the person who created all these wonderfully inspiring works of art...happy, grateful, available.... but a fellow artist has the privilege of seeing a completely exhausted, sometimes fearful, often times deflated, always vulnerable, most times still grateful, bare-souled, uniquely beautiful, oddly relatable vessel of creativity.... still believing with every fiber of his or her being that this is purposeful work.  We are borderline delusional when our backs are against a wall... we melt down and stand frozen, and second guess every move we make as we watch our souls become a game ball in the world cup of price wars.  We know we are here for a reason, and we know we aren't asking too much, yet that which we have considered a priceless endeavor is scoffed at in regards to the tiny number in the top right corner.  And then, the inevitable....we are asked to sell ourselves short.  And sometimes we do it...while we wilt inside knowing we've just given a piece of our soul to someone who is clearly incapable of giving it the respect it deserves.  Then, with abandon,  we turn our focus to what we can do for the world.  Devising new ways to heal it.... trusting that this experience is part of that....no matter how uncomfortable it may seem..  And we go down the road with more hope than we came with.  So far.