Whether to stay working as a part-time retail person and a full-time artist or take the plunge and go full-time as a retail person and a part-time artist.
This is a hefty decision, and for me, it comes down to one thing: security of a paycheck.
I swore to stay true to my heart and try this full-time artist thing for a year, to see if I could make it work. And, it has worked. But, not without sacrifices. Showing at festivals takes cash – for hotels, for gas, for booth fees and for meals. You can quickly go through hundreds just for the chance to show your work, and pray for good weather and nice crowds, crowds of people that can appreciate your work and want to purchase it. Part-time work allows for the payment of necessary bills, while the added cash from art sales pays for the next show.
Now I'm faced with the opportunity – and make no mistake, it is an opportunity – to work 40 hours a week as a manager, and gain more cash...but less time to be an artist.
My heart says not to give up on my dream. My heart says not to make the jump to something that is not intrinsic to who I am or what I do. My head says I've been living on the good graces of others, and that I should start carrying my weight and to do the right thing.
But, I have this need to create my work, this need to be an artist, to show my work and to have people like it enough to purchase it. I'm afraid that what time I have to myself to create work will become less and less, while the bank account gets a little fatter. Who knows how much time I have left on this earth? Money doesn't buy you time to enjoy the sunlight of the day, or the time to sit and sketch or create art. More money would be an opportunity to do more traveling, but would I have the time to travel? My relationship with my partner suffers enough now. What would happen if all my spare moments were absorbed in creating my art?
It's a ponderous situation. It's evil vs. good, cookies vs. carrots, money vs. time. At the very time when my sisters and friends have retired, and there is more time to spend with them, I will be going back to work, with no time to enjoy those relationships. But, money would allow an easier time of it financially. It might even allow for health insurance and new tires for the truck.
It requires much thought.
2 comments:
yikes! I'm reading this almost 2 weeks after the fact. What did you decide?
What a tough decision...i guess you can try living the civilian life. if it doesn't work out, you can always fall back on the artist's life!
You need to let me help you with your Etsy site, and then you can QUIT your job- seriously! You are too talented for full time retail! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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