These days I’ve been spending a lot of time with family and relatives that I can’t help but notice some important observations on how most people outside artist circles view those inside.
I’m often surprised how my family is often unsure on how to talk to me about what it is I’m doing. This isn’t the case though with other members of the family, mostly of whom are in the medical field. As a result of choices I made it recent years, I seem to have emerged as the only professional “artist” in the family. I myself are still finding my way through this life and what I’m seeing is the surprising lack of support I get outside the artist circles I’m a part of. This isn’t the case among cousins and other members of the family who have chosen a medical career. Not only are these careers celibrated in our family, achievements therein are very easy to communicate, and there is almost zero mystery as to what they are. Support then in terms of moral and financial resources is easier to get. Filipino families could crowdsource funds to get someone through Nursing or Med School, but I’m not sure they’ll do the same for someone who wants to take up Creative Writing.
So I guess I am here to make the case that if art aims to be embedded in society not just to exist for the sake of existing, part of the work of the artist is communicate the worth both of their work and their own self and to educate those around them of the worth of what they’re doing. In other words, the artist should create in the morning and sell in the afternoon/evening. The artist is both creator and salesperson.