O, the Shame

First: anyone reading this should probably be listening to John Russo’s Up Next podcast, which explores the challenges, processes, and lives of artists who are “up next” as they/we build our careers. You’ll note in my episode that I mention the shame I feel about having a “day job,” despite my love of and pride for the business I’ve built, a business that frees me as an artist every day.

I’m not sure what to write about this phenomenon, but I know it needs addressing. In a way not dissimilar to the blurring of Good and Popular, I think we too often blur, when measuring artists, Good and Making Lots of Money. We blur when measuring each other, evaluating opportunities, and  assessing ourselves. Making Good art is a core goal, yes, but Making Lots of Money is entirely worthy, too. Just don't blur the two or their metrics.

To continue honing my practice of blogging briefly, I’ll stick with this: as an artist, you need to build a life in which you can provide for yourself financially as you see fit. You also need to make your art (or you're hardly being an artist). So long as the total money coming in and the total art “going out” are working for you, care a lot less about what comes from where. And: keep that wisdom even as the art starts to make real money; don’t let that morph into believing that a creative project that pays more is always better than one that pays less. 

And speaking of John Russo, here's a picture I took last Tuesday evening while walking along the Hudson river and talking shop with John and fellow Up Next alum David Ingber.