I was reading about Frans Hals the other day. He was a remarkable portrait painter from the 1600s who spent most of his life doing commissions for wealthy patrons. He was a successful and accomplished artist, but I get the feeling he was torn between money and passion.
On one hand, he needed to satisfy the sensitive needs of his patrons. That meant continuing to paint portraits in the realistic, finely rendered style he was known for.
On the other hand, he wanted to explore, test, create, and push the boundaries of painting. That’s what artists do. You could see him try and test the boundaries in his later work, which is fresher and less rendered. But there was only so far he could go without upsetting his patrons.
It’s not an awful problem to have. He made a living from painting and that alone is a remarkable achievement. But it came at a price. He was bound to his own success. To keep painting, he needed to keep doing portrait commissions in the same style.
This raises an interesting point about practicing art and the compromises it requires. As artists, we are always trying to balance competing interests. Time, money, passion, integrity, family, friends, fulfillment. We can’t have it all. Even if you were flush with money and fame, you would still have a daily battle against time.
It’s important to consider what you are willing to compromise and what you are iron-clad on.
Want to be a commercial success? Then your need to make sales and market yourself may come at the expense of your creative integrity. Much like Hals was bound to do portrait commissions to keep paying the bills.
Want to be an artist’s artist? Then your need to practice trumps all else. You may need to compromise your financial stability in the short term. Think of Vincent van Gogh. He stayed true to his vision through poverty and turmoil. Though I’m sure he would have preferred to experience the fruits of his eventual success.
Want to move from a demanding corporate job to work as an artist? Then you will need to steal time wherever you can find it. Mornings and nights before work, lunch breaks, and weekends will be for practice and learning. That’s what I did for a few years. It was hard but needed to be done.
Me? I only want to paint if I can paint how and what I like. If that means I sell fewer paintings, so be it. I couldn’t do what Hals did. But that’s just me.
There’s no single answer. It’s all based on your situation, preferences, and what you want to do with your life. But it’s worth thinking about.
On a separate note, I’m working on a new project: DPA Inner Circle. The idea is for this to be a merry group of artists looking to learn, practice, and enjoy the art life together. You can find more details and a link to a brief survey in this previous email.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
drawpaintacademy.com