{"id":23493,"date":"2015-04-19T11:43:41","date_gmt":"2015-04-19T18:43:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=23493"},"modified":"2015-04-19T11:43:41","modified_gmt":"2015-04-19T18:43:41","slug":"how-to-succeed-and-survive-as-a-photographer-and-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/04\/19\/how-to-succeed-and-survive-as-a-photographer-and-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Succeed and Survive as a Photographer and Artist"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Istanbul,
Istanbul, 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I am currently reading: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Akademie x Lessons in Art + Life<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, which is probably one of the most inspirational art\/life books I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve picked up as of late. It is a beautifully printed and bound book, folding open like a school instructional manual.<\/p>\n

I personally never went to art school. I entered college as a Biology major (to become a doctor like a good Asian kid), but upon going into school (and realizing I hated science and math), I switched to the exact opposite: sociology.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Studying sociology really helped me in my life. Sociology taught me to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153unlearn\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a lot of the social constructs and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153rules\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in life. It was probably the most practical major out there, and taught me how to better interact with society, people, and groups.<\/p>\n

Switch gears to the book: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Akademie x Lessons in Art + Life<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. The book is a compilation of ideas, lessons, and assignments from some of the best leading artists and educators from all over the world. Many of the ideas in the book are quite stirring and inspirational.<\/p>\n

One of the concepts I came across was from Sanford Biggers, currently an assistant professor of visual arts at Columbia. Below in his essay titled: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is a marathon, not a sprint\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, he writes the importance of perseverance and work ethic in being an artist:<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153To succeed and survive as an artist, one must develop serious perseverance, strength of character, an unshakable work ethic and confidence<\/strong>. Artistic trends, attitudes, and appreciation change frequently, so you must be able to see beyond the successes and failures you may experience.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Being an artist is one of the most difficult occupations you can choose in your life. But then again remember, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to be a full-time artist to call yourself an artist. You can be a lawyer, a banker, or a school-teacher, and simply do your art after-hours.<\/p>\n

The 3 Traits of a great artist<\/h2>\n

Better-yet, treat your lifestyle as being an artist (and your job as something that just pays the bills). I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think that making a living directly off your art makes you somehow a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153better\u00e2\u20ac\u009d artist or more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153successful\u00e2\u20ac\u009d artist. The quality of your work is what matters the most at the end of the day, not how much money you make, how may awards you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve won, or how many exhibitions you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve hosted.<\/p>\n

I want to explore some of the treats of a great artist in-detail below:<\/p>\n

1. Perseverance<\/h3>\n

If we treat art (and life) as a marathon, not a sprint\u00e2\u20ac\u201c we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going for distance and longevity, not just a short burst.<\/p>\n

I think being an artist is like being an athlete. You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t expect to just work out once a month and expect to stay physically sharp and in-shape. You need to train everyday, always be mindful of what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re putting into your body, and make training a part of your lifestyle (rather than something you simply do on the side).<\/p>\n

As an artist you need to find perseverance as well (just like an athlete). You need to train your visual muscles everyday, whether that means practicing your art, looking at other artists\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 work for inspiration, or being mindful of what kind of art you are consuming. You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t expect to just be really artistic one day, and hope that you will stay strong and sharp as an artist. Rather, you should treat your art as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153daily practice\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, and focus on small increments of progress.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you can also think about the life of an artist as nutrition. You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t expect to simply do a one-week \u00e2\u20ac\u0153diet\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and stay healthy and fit for the rest of your life. Rather, you need to find out some sort of nutritional system and lifestyle that you can stick to for a lifetime.<\/p>\n

As photographers, how can you persevere as an artist? How can you put in a small \u00e2\u20ac\u0153daily practice\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to stay sharp creatively?<\/p>\n

Some ideas:<\/p>\n