Is doing something you love worth the risk of living a harsh life?

Question

My passion ever since i was a child has been art. Now i'm reaching that stage where i need to decide what to do with my life. I'm in my senior year of high school and everyone asks what i plan to do when i get out for a job ,but when i relate my love for art and my dream to do it for a living: I get blank stares and 'the talk' about being realistic.

I know most artists don't make it big- if they make it at all. So my question is, "Is doing something you love worth the risk of living a harsh life?"

I love art. But i love life.

Answer 1

Think long and hard before you decide. Like you, my lifelong passion has been art, but being a woman and a single mum, I had to get a job to support my child, so became a teacher of art, which, at the time was a good compromise. Helping young people to reach their own potential is immensely rewarding, plus you get the long school hols!  Now I've retired and thankfully, still in good health, I can fulfil myself by being creative as and when the mood takes me; also, I have the freedom to see the artistic works of others in galleries and museums, which is fantastic, and adds to my knowledge. From my own peer group, at college, some people made the choice of sacrificing financial security and even the chance of having a family, for their art, and in retrospect, many of those considered  it worth it. Others left art behind to do other things, for all sorts of reasons, and oddly enough, those are mainly happy too. Only you can decide- this is an extremely personal decision, a bit like marriage ! Speak to artists, find out about art- related careers to help you make up your mind. And good luck, whatever you do

Answer 2

It is completely up to you. You must decide what makes you happier. Art or money? From what I can tell, art is more important to you than anything else.

Answer 3

Depends on your intensity of desire for art. If you can die for it, go for arts if not and scared by other things like girlfriend,money etc.. choose the right job that gets that.

From what I have seen, once you give your life for what you love that will get you the rest..

Good luck.

Answer 4

Yes and No

You can choose to be an artist and find yourself living off the streets or from canvas to canvas---but in time---everyone needs money to start and to fall back on.

So instead of making your art something that goes against a good life---make it a part of your life. For example---become an art instructor---that way you have a job to bring in the income and at the same time you are doing what you love! Awesome thing is, you can have your own artwork on the side---if you start selling your art with the big bucks---you can slowly move away from teaching and make it your full time

If you are truly passionate about something ---you will find ways to incorporate it in your life---but dont sacrifice your comfort for it---luck can get you places but not everyone has that---and you dont want to ever feel like you failed yourself

Answer 5

If you really want to go with it then JUST DO IT(Nike Commerical HAHAH) but may I suggest somthing. Why not have a educated job and do art on the side. Where I live most artists have a weekday job and at night or on the weekends they create there art and sell it on markets and from there homes. I'm not saying that your art wont do good but maybe until you start making enough on your art to live on, u should have a weekday job. The Answer to your question, if you truly believe in somthing such as your art and want to risk living a harsh life becasue it makes you happy GO AHEAD. :) :) :) :)

PS I am thinking of going to bible school to be a pastor, when I tell people there gonna look at me the same way :) :) :)

Answer 6

...not if you love what you are doing it becomes your life...

Answer 7

You have to decide in two things:

1. Do you love art more or do you love an easy-life more?

2. If you do love art more, do you have the capability to make a living out of it. Even though there is very few job choice in art, but still there is. You have to be very good though. You can't just get an art degree and say "I love art". You have to do sth, to be responsible for your choice. Are you ready to go through the hardship to take the responsibility?  

Answer 8

Well, it's wonderful that you want to contribute to the fine arts, but I understand the people who talk about being realistic. You REALLY have to love what you do, and be extremely good at what you do. If I were you, I'd go for a job in art, but I'd also have a backup plan just in case that didn't work out.