The concept of a ‘struggling artist’ - does it still exist? | Carli Adby
Is the question of making money from your art an uncomfortable one?
Is it the money that defines the success for you or is it the money that makes it a commercial endeavor?
How do you feel about yourself as an ‘artist?’
I’ve always wondered what defines that word for each of us as I’m reckoning it's a state of mind more than anything else.
A background narrative of a struggling artist has long occupied us since the days of Van Gogh.
We may no longer imagine a grubby chap in work overalls with disheveled hair & a cigarette hanging from his mouth, but the East London vibe has been known to creep in, and like the gentrified hipster; I recognise the stereotype that has for hundreds of years embodied an ‘Artist’. Put simply, this translates to the assumption that someone who chooses to live in some form of destitution to follow their dreams, or to try and nurture their true calling is making a noble decision that means denying a need or want for material possessions. Hmmm.
Well, I quite like the whimsical joy of an overpriced cocktail now and then and more importantly, to be able to pay my mortgage, BUT I'd still like to be an artist.
I do not consider myself noble for choosing to turn down a commercial project because it doesn't serve my ‘higher’ purpose, nor do I think myself pompous because I took on a project based on cash flow that month. It doesn't mean that sometimes the struggle to make a choice isn't there though. It's a balance isn't it, a tough one to find or navigate but a balance.
While we might not be able to have it all, there is a questioning of this storyline now. Am i really destined to be poor if i choose to claim myself as an Artist or more so, focus on creating, making and taking something typically thought an unreasonable career choice, in exactly that direction? Is this long standing narrative of a somehow deprived life teamed with insufficient wealth or respect still influencing the decisions of those considering it?
Firstly let’s look at where this has come from.
Henri Merger may well be responsible when he made a film about artists after living with a group of them in France, romanticizing the creative and carving the model for how we now imagine the world of one. The film illustrated the artist as a bohemian embodiment of virtue and, somehow, made it trendy to be ‘poor’ but creative. It was considered rather vogue by the wealthy to ‘adopt’ a Bohemian as some sort of project; as if the artist were to be pitied, ridiculed and acclaimed all at the same time.
While this was some time ago, the concern I do believe for some, still remains.
I am part of a few creative groups and without doubt, there is a constant conversation about this concept, this balance. About how we feel as artists and having the courage to call ourselves one. How we require some sort of validation, how it seems both an impossible accolade to aspire to, but equally an admittance of either laying around doing nothing all day or not contributing to society in an expected way through a recognised, social class led system.
Even the Art world itself offers us a reminder of the choice we have made to follow a career path that, well, is unsteady and unreliable and that is full of snobbery & expectation. It's a very odd dichotomy.
Speaking from personal experience, I recently made a conscious decision to call myself an Artist first and foremost rather than a commercial photographer. I did this to help switch my mentality so that I could ensure my focus was on creating or accepting projects that all led to the same goal. Regardless of if the stepping stone there was a creative or a financial one, I needed to re-frame my thinking to that of ‘does it serve me now and does it serve my eventual goal.’
Oddly though, as I am learning this shift I have somehow accepted that it will ultimately result in me having less money. While immediately that is true because I am likely to be turning down certain commissions, it's not definite. What about other ways of making money, what about the results that could occur if i keep feeding what i’d really like to grow and more so, what about the goal not even being about money. What about re-defining success as something that is about happiness, about independence, about learning, growth and promoting change in the areas you want to.
That requires a BIG shift in the way we are educated and the things we learn about acceptable career choices.
What would happen if we were encouraged to choose different paths as kids, ones which promote creativity in all of its forms. Which admired and supported writing, poetry, drama, painting, music etc, as perfectly feasible possibilities as a career choice and something that was as worthy as a science professor, a lawyer or a ‘safe’ vocation which involved no need to “have something to fall back on.”
We are still recognizing success as something that hangs on money, on perceived levels of intelligence and something which we believe to be reliable. So as an artist it is hard not to judge oneself on the same merit.
Today however, we have a world of opportunity. We have access to a range of platforms in which to create art, in which to make, construct, develop, craft and be an artist.
We have multiple courses in pre and post grad colleges or universities, workshops, community groups, mentorship services and bodies; we have Instagram and Tik Tok and the internet! Digital media in particular has become so saturated with content creators that it's rare a day goes past. I don't see an advert telling me how I can make a million pounds by doing some sort of online photography course in 2 weeks or becoming an influencer on YouTube. I mean ‘photographers’ are everywhere!
Art no longer needs to be physical. It is no longer limited to painting. It exists in the pixels on your computer screen, in the worlds of the most intelligent technology systems, in the trees and the nature we see outside our windows and in the clothes we wear.
Clearly, linguistics plays a huge part, just like it plays a huge part in everything.
Now this blog post is not a thesis and I am sure we could delve deep into various uses of our language and the way this might weigh our decisions or beliefs one way or the other, but it's worth noting the importance of it. Because it seems apparent that the term artist is more open to a variety of interpretations and understandings than ever before. That the terms artist and entrepreneur do not have to exist in separate worlds. That creating something that speaks to your heart doesn't have to mean sacrificing everything or inevitable and that making money doing this equally, isn't some sort of sleazy sales type affair.
I’m not saying we should expect to have it all, I'm not suggesting somewhere along the line compromises don’t have to be made but isn't that just life? Can we not learn from the mistakes (preferred word here, opportunities) an artist is permitted to make as part of the process but, deserve to be paid, have worth and exist within both a commercial and creative confidence that nurtures both equally and without pretentarraogance? (Note, i refer to both sides of the coin here, artists or the art world is certainly not exempt from harsh forms of discrimination whichever way you choose to approach it from)
Perhaps it is not ‘what isn't possible’ when becoming an artist or choosing to be one, but what is?
What can we do as artists? How can we applaud and reassure our children (and ourselves) that regardless of whether you hold a paintbrush or a stethoscope, both can be as fruitful as one another in an assortment of ways. It is about changing the way we think about asking what we want the term ‘Artist’ to mean for us.
It is about talking about it. Talking about art and money, with honesty, openness and kindness.
And if that makes you uncomfortable, me too. I don’t think we can escape just yet the hangovers of past endeavors or fairy tales, call it what you will. But we can try and, as artists, we can certainly endorse and lift one another up in the process.
Carli Adby
@carliadbyphoto
www.carliadby.co.uk
I am a visual photographic artist and commercial photographer working largely with people and, always, with a view to create an environment which promotes collaboration, honesty and provokes thought provoking discussion.
Commercially, I offer honest and uplifting visuals within a marketing context for brands that are looking for an enthusiastic and holistic approach, including creative direction and consultation alongside photography.
My desire to work with others eager to promote inclusivity or tell a story and share our experiences in order to empower, is something that is stronger than ever this year and I enjoy projects which allow me to execute this with the opportunity for inclusion, reflection and curiosity. I adore concept building, group discussion and genuine enthusiasm for connection.
Much of my personal practice interrogates relationships; those we have with ourselves and others. My current projects ‘Dear Womb’ and ‘The Fabric of me’ each interrogate our inherent understanding of woman as body. Questioning our expressions, expectations and what womanhood, motherhood and a sense of ourselves within that landscape, looks like today.
I hope that I may continue strengthening my practice so that it spans both environments and either way, tells real stories of real people that can encourage and positively and truly, enable a catalyst for change.