Perhaps some artists will recognize themselves in this account.
Like many, the need to earn a living takes precedence over artistic creation for most of one's working life. We often forget ourselves for the sake of our family and to preserve our constrained lifestyle.
This was the case for me, but I still managed to study visual arts part-time at Cégep and earn a minor in animation at university. Live-model workshops and a few symposiums and group exhibitions temporarily alleviated my desire to go "all in" as an artist.
I'm fortunate to have understood the virtues of frugality and the art of sober living, which has enabled me to take a break from the job market for nearly four years now. I have to admit, though, that this well-paid job has enabled me to build up a little nest-egg that now gives me a certain freedom.
It's necessary, at a certain point, to be totally available, to create the "winning conditions" and leave plenty of room for imagination and creation.
An artist is defined by his or her ability and desire to create better and better, to move forward at every moment, and to develop his or her own unique signature, avoiding stagnation by remaining in constant mutation while remaining recognizable.
Style, the famous style, imposes itself on the artist, not the other way round. Inspiration makes its way through work, approach and experimentation. you have to abandon yourself to your art, and in those moments of grace, little miracles happen.
Before artificial intelligence A.I. we only had A.E. - Albert Einstein said;
"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."
No doubt about my choice.
I'll leave you with something inspired by a visit to L'Île-aux -Grues last year.
from photo to sketch to a 8x10 inches painting,
Have a good end of January
Benoît