Capitalism killed my pursuit of art

Back in highschool I had a strong interest in drawing. As I grew older I learned that being an artist really isn't a stable or dependable form of income. We have all heard the term "starving artist" and I really didn't want to become one of them. Eventually I settled on a cyber sec major in college and have substantially less time to sink into drawing. (If it wasn't art, it def would've been something technological if I was more educated in the subject at the time)

I feel like there was a lot of lost potential given my interest in it though. Animation looks fun but learning something new this late into college unrelated to your degree is kind of a mess. There's so may things in this world that fascinate me but limited time to pursue them.

I think it's pretty scuffed how a lot of the creative paths relating to art, music, acting are so unstable in terms of surviving in a capitalist driven economy :/

a reply to: golden23

Well, you're free to move to Venezuela or China to see if your artistic aspirations might be better supported by their economic systems.

originally posted by: golden23
Back in highschool I had a strong interest in drawing. As I grew older I learned that being an artist really isn't a stable or dependable form of income. We have all heard the term "starving artist" and I really didn't want to become one of them. Eventually I settled on a cyber sec major in college and have substantially less time to sink into drawing. (If it wasn't art, it def would've been something technological if I was more educated in the subject at the time)

I feel like there was a lot of lost potential given my interest in it though. Animation looks fun but learning something new this late into college unrelated to your degree is kind of a mess. There's so may things in this world that fascinate me but limited time to pursue them.

I think it's pretty scuffed how a lot of the creative paths relating to art, music, acting are so unstable in terms of surviving in a capitalist driven economy :/

Just because you think you are talented artistically doesn't mean everyone else does...

If you really think your art is valuable, keep doing it on the side and maybe you'll get discovered, maybe you won't.

The challenge with art is that the value is very much subjective. Often times it requires the right critic to bless your work and then people start flocking to your work. There just isn't a huge market for artist to make a ton of money but some manage to make a living full time. The vast majority do not.

A good friend of mine was a corporate executive. She had a hobby of making quilts. Lo and behold many people started liking her quilts she was doing on the side and now she is able to do it full time. Her stuff is in museums and even can count Oprah as a client now.

a reply to: golden23

What type of economy do artists thrive in? Not really any... other than capitalist societies where entertainment is widely attainable.

Art is a business like everything else.

a reply to: golden23

Art is both draftsmanship/execution and creativity.
Creativity is applicable in practically every chosen vocation.

a reply to: golden23

It's actually the opposite.
How many musicians would you know if not for them selling records?
Anyone can form a band and make music that nobody ever heard.

a reply to: golden23

You need to find an area that is on the verge of gentrification, and live that starving artist life and watch yourself grow with the area over time.
It's happened many, many times in cities that were once normal then turned into crime ridden dumps, and then city officials started to crack down and nothing but an empty shell was left by time all the riff raff were snuffed out, grew older, or just died from their own crimes.

In Toronto it happened all over the place, the hispters and artists move in, open up their studios and boutique shops and restaurants, attract the wealthy who want to be 'cultured' and they start buying up real estate, you profit along the way.

You might find this article interesting.

medium.com...@davidcreates/the-gentrification-of-west-queen-west-e89b40aa80a7

Don't listen to the idiots who think capitalism is the bees knees and would rather want you go live in an unstable society just because you question the many holes in a capitalist society. Artists fit right in, you just need to find the niche markets where you can fit. You can also have a lot of transferable skills as well. Ever think of architecture?

While I do agree about the importance, or lack of our society puts art, music, storytelling, there are options.
Even if you just start doing art, craft or other small venues on the weekends to get a feel for the market around you. And of course there is always the internet to get your stuff out there.

The drawings you've shown here are very good. Did you ever do the Jack sparrow one?

Yea in capitalism you have to take risks. Your weren’t willing to wager your skill vs success and you didn’t even try.

Your right. Your totally better suited being a commie.

a reply to: golden23

You aren't entitled to success.

Ive always been of the mind that it doesn't make one jot of difference whether a piece of art is good, bad or hideous.
Its all about the explanation that the artists gives about it. Le bullsh1t if you like.
Ive seen some absolute rubbish in galleries, yet the curator will come over and give you a 5 minute spiel about how it draws the viewer in and elevates one to a higher dimension or some such garbage.

My advice is get good at talking up your work even if its not valuable, its all about the spiel..

a reply to: golden23


Also you could move to Ireland where artists, writers, poets, sculptors, playwrights etc. get generous tax breaks. Musicians too. Anything to do with the arts.

We're the land of scholars and sinners after all..

a reply to: golden23
For a moment, I thought you were being serious. This is a joke, right?

A capitalist society is more conducive to earning a living as an artist than any other. If your art is desirable by others, your opportunities to market your work and profit from it is only limited by your imagination, leaving you more time to create more art. We make millionaires out of people who run up and down fields and courts chasing a ball FFS.

Hunter Biden does quite well with his art so I hear

I think it's pretty scuffed how a lot of the creative paths relating to art, music, acting are so unstable in terms of surviving in a capitalist driven economy :/

Art is luxury for the working class. Spend that money on a drawing or a new microwave or any other useful thing, it's going to be that one. Even having the time to appreciate, most do not. Not to say art is useless, by far not.

To fulfill your dream also means living with all the consequences, capitalist environment or not.

If you're blaming an economic system for your lack of pursuing the creation of art...then you were never really an artist to begin with.

1. People (at least ex-wives) always say "You are not your job". There are many many people that take jobs that they are good at, that they don't care for, in order to do the things they love. Do you really think the guy that drives one of those septic tank cleanout trucks said
"when I grow up I want to clean out septic tanks . . . god I love the smell of sewage in 100 degree heat"
Oh hell no. He drives that truck so he can go bass fishing on the week ends.
Don't be your job. There are a lot of hours in the day.
Make time.

2. Do you realize that the job you trained for in school is only designed to get your first job. From there, you are expected to mature, learn new things, get promoted, etc. When I got my degree, there were no personal computers or cell phones. And I got my degree in business. But over the years, I learned new skills and became an executive in IT. I even had one of those cyber security certificates on the wall among other things.

3. If art is indeed part of your "Self" as you grow thru employment and employers, your art is what will separate you and lead you into new fields and opportunities. I have no idea what that might be . . . because your perfect job has not even been created yet.
In fact, you may be the one to create it.

Keep on trucking
(This is the way a conservative and a capitalist approaches life - opportunities abound)

a reply to: golden23

The problem you have is not about Art. It's about connections, that's all that matters now IF (BIG IF) all that matters to you is money.



If it's not about money, nothing stops an Artist of any kind.

Anytime an artist makes a lot of cash, they lose a piece of their soul along the way.

Just my opinion.

originally posted by: golden23
Back in highschool I had a strong interest in drawing. As I grew older I learned that being an artist really isn't a stable or dependable form of income. We have all heard the term "starving artist" and I really didn't want to become one of them. Eventually I settled on a cyber sec major in college and have substantially less time to sink into drawing. (If it wasn't art, it def would've been something technological if I was more educated in the subject at the time)

I feel like there was a lot of lost potential given my interest in it though. Animation looks fun but learning something new this late into college unrelated to your degree is kind of a mess. There's so may things in this world that fascinate me but limited time to pursue them.

I think it's pretty scuffed how a lot of the creative paths relating to art, music, acting are so unstable in terms of surviving in a capitalist driven economy :/

Art and what it is worth is merely opinion.
Some may think a piece of art is awesome and worth this or that...while others dont.
Its in how you sell yourself too.
There are artists on Etsy making bank....and IMO, some of the art sucks ass....but obviously, others dont think so and are willing to shell out $$$. But then there is some incredibly amazing stuff on there too.

If you have some art - try selling it on Etsy. I buy so much from there as I prefer to support the small artist rather than the mass marketed stuff you find in stores! It is a great starting point and will help inspire you to create more in your spare time.

GOOD LUCK!!! Don't quit your day job, but also, don't quit your art!

originally posted by: golden23
Back in highschool I had a strong interest in drawing. As I grew older I learned that being an artist really isn't a stable or dependable form of income. We have all heard the term "starving artist" and I really didn't want to become one of them. Eventually I settled on a cyber sec major in college and have substantially less time to sink into drawing. (If it wasn't art, it def would've been something technological if I was more educated in the subject at the time)

I feel like there was a lot of lost potential given my interest in it though. Animation looks fun but learning something new this late into college unrelated to your degree is kind of a mess. There's so may things in this world that fascinate me but limited time to pursue them.

I think it's pretty scuffed how a lot of the creative paths relating to art, music, acting are so unstable in terms of surviving in a capitalist driven economy :/

I do artsy stuff as a hobby, but also make some moey with it to pay for my other hobbies, but here, behold, i give thee two ways of making more funzonedolladolla bills than a regular job, of course you need to put time and effort in, but you can do these things in the evenings/weekends while having an actual job too.

Option 1. Tattooing, check out their hourly wages, a friend does this for a living, and he makes an insane number each month.

Option 2. Bone carving, find a good dealer that has good raw materials for sale like permafrost mammoth tusk, get a dremel, and start grinding away, maybe combine this with metal work, like knives. there really is no limit at what can be achieved with this.

So there you have it, two options that are not that expensive to set up, and does not take all of your time.