Is the independent artist dead or a dinosaur? Must we all sell our souls to the media?

Question

If we don't find a way to harness our talents in a commercial way like graphic design or advertising, are we fools?

Is the time of the painter who paints on canvas and sells his/her stuff in shows over?

Is it time we all sold our souls to the machine?

Answer 1

No do not sell your soul to the machine.  Your talent is enhanced by other creative outlets.  Take your art and make other creations out of it.  I understand how you are feeling.  Everyone can be an artist, but it takes a unique person to remain with his/her talent to mature in their art over time.  Your art will get noticed even if you do commissioned work.  Being artists we have to find ways of thinking out of the box to please the masses.  We have hard times trying to represent ourselves so we have to find someone who can promote our work.

You are not the fool you think you could be.  Here is the real fool.  

We begin with the Fool (0), a card of beginnings. The Fool stands for each of us as we begin our journey of life. He is a fool because only a simple soul has the innocent faith to undertake such a journey with all its hazards and pain.

[picture of Card 0] At the start of his trip, the Fool is a newborn - fresh, open and spontaneous. The figure on Card 0 has his arms flung wide, and his head held high. He is ready to embrace whatever comes his way, but he is also oblivious to the cliff edge he is about to cross. The Fool is unaware of the hardships he will face as he ventures out to learn the lessons of the world.

The Fool stands somewhat outside the rest of the major arcana. Zero is an unusual number. It rests in the exact middle of the number system - poised between the positive and negative. At birth, the Fool is set in the middle of his own individual universe. He is strangely empty (as is zero), but imbued with a desire to go forth and learn. This undertaking would seem to be folly, but is it?

Peace.