It is half-way professionalism. I have too little jobs to survive, but enough jobs to keep on painting and working on the side. I work one day per week as a creative youth worker and one day per week I work at a bicycle-workshop, repairing and building bicycles. Those jobs are real fun, but I know they are a nescessary "evil" to overcome this time.
I would love to go full professional, but it takes quite some money in Belgium to start a decent business, i.e. the laws, rules and taxes are not pro-newbies. To have a start with a small workshop will cost me, without any client whatsoever, at least 40 to 50 thousand euro's. That's what the banks demand. That's before government comes barging in and taking money before you have even earned a dime. So, there, it is tough to stay afloat as artist.
My goals are not really entrepreneuring, as you can understand from what I've written above, I strive for the museums. Crazy enough it is an end-goal for many, but I see it as this: your value rises after that, it takes way less work to earn the same and the jobs are getting better, more challenging. So, my first rest-stop is the museum. :-)
Well you do great work, both professionally as a painter and personally...as a nice human being. Art is all about sharing and often that is the reward. I have to think that working with the kids is really rewarding though. Not many people make the effort for them...and I'm quite sure they admire you for that!
Thank you, that makes me smile. :-) The kids are happy to get a chance to do things where they are placed by society in the first place: outside of the box. That's my realm and not being "classically" trained as educator or helper, in combination with my personal skills, gives them a silly, but very big toolbox to experiment with. Most of the kids have never drawn or have ever been in the vicinity of an artist. Most of them are from very problematic families and live in institutes, very sad youngsters. They are being "trained" to become boxed-up, grey citizens, preferrably with not too much expressionist talents developed. They are the rebel I was in my young years (I have a lot of similar history in my life).
The kids that really have no feeling with drawing have other talents, technical, organisational, social and I use those talents specifically on the workshops we have. I started with an uninterested group of three really rowdy youngsters, now I have seven already. And they listen, are quiet when spoken to and call me "mister Martin", they refuse to just use my first name. And I give them the opportunity to discover that realm they are in: with all the bumpy roads, obstacles and angers. I hope that coming schoolyear the class hasn't grown, because it is important to give them as much personal assistance as possible. I told my boss about that and he agreed. So we will split them up into two or three small classes. The end-goal: making a team of muralists, that can handle a job from scratch to the end, without any adult supervision. And I know they can and want. :-)
You are awesome.
THANK YOU...Sometimes I lose perspective, you don't. A small victory I suppose, to see there are still nice people out there, that care and do something about how they feel.
Do you think I never lose perspective? A few square meters of canvasses have had flying lessons over the past months. And the evenings talking to myself, anticipating on problems that might arise, but never will. Or those times I was so locked up by bureaucracy that I had no other option than comply, eventhough there were plenty of other possiibilities, but ruled out by that same bureaucracy. Yeah, I lose perspective sometimes, but I know it is part of life. Many people have problems, because they set their goals way too narrow. It is better to start all open and see what bubbles up, all the while adjusting and adapting to society. It looks like a life of being unlucky, but it is more a life of good and poor choices.
Actually, how does one lose perspective? Because it is a personal view and experience, you can never lose it. It's in you.
Being nice is what brings happiness. It is the hardest, but most comfortable way of surviving. It is hard, because people. It is nice, because people. ;-)
Well, clearly you have never been in my house while I'm discussing competition. Or, to be more exact, give theatrical monologues, not free of a grand variety of cusswords and self-proclaimed glorification of my brushstrokes and can-control. Then humility is not found in quite a large area. That's where the other jobs kick in, to take a distance, fire up (and train) a completely different set of neurons. It adds, but also relaxes. ;-)
Join the Discussion
Is this a hobby for you or a living.
It is half-way professionalism. I have too little jobs to survive, but enough jobs to keep on painting and working on the side. I work one day per week as a creative youth worker and one day per week I work at a bicycle-workshop, repairing and building bicycles. Those jobs are real fun, but I know they are a nescessary "evil" to overcome this time.
I would love to go full professional, but it takes quite some money in Belgium to start a decent business, i.e. the laws, rules and taxes are not pro-newbies. To have a start with a small workshop will cost me, without any client whatsoever, at least 40 to 50 thousand euro's. That's what the banks demand. That's before government comes barging in and taking money before you have even earned a dime. So, there, it is tough to stay afloat as artist.
My goals are not really entrepreneuring, as you can understand from what I've written above, I strive for the museums. Crazy enough it is an end-goal for many, but I see it as this: your value rises after that, it takes way less work to earn the same and the jobs are getting better, more challenging. So, my first rest-stop is the museum. :-)
Well you do great work, both professionally as a painter and personally...as a nice human being. Art is all about sharing and often that is the reward. I have to think that working with the kids is really rewarding though. Not many people make the effort for them...and I'm quite sure they admire you for that!
Thank you, that makes me smile. :-) The kids are happy to get a chance to do things where they are placed by society in the first place: outside of the box. That's my realm and not being "classically" trained as educator or helper, in combination with my personal skills, gives them a silly, but very big toolbox to experiment with. Most of the kids have never drawn or have ever been in the vicinity of an artist. Most of them are from very problematic families and live in institutes, very sad youngsters. They are being "trained" to become boxed-up, grey citizens, preferrably with not too much expressionist talents developed. They are the rebel I was in my young years (I have a lot of similar history in my life).
The kids that really have no feeling with drawing have other talents, technical, organisational, social and I use those talents specifically on the workshops we have. I started with an uninterested group of three really rowdy youngsters, now I have seven already. And they listen, are quiet when spoken to and call me "mister Martin", they refuse to just use my first name. And I give them the opportunity to discover that realm they are in: with all the bumpy roads, obstacles and angers. I hope that coming schoolyear the class hasn't grown, because it is important to give them as much personal assistance as possible. I told my boss about that and he agreed. So we will split them up into two or three small classes. The end-goal: making a team of muralists, that can handle a job from scratch to the end, without any adult supervision. And I know they can and want. :-)
You are awesome. THANK YOU...Sometimes I lose perspective, you don't. A small victory I suppose, to see there are still nice people out there, that care and do something about how they feel.
Do you think I never lose perspective? A few square meters of canvasses have had flying lessons over the past months. And the evenings talking to myself, anticipating on problems that might arise, but never will. Or those times I was so locked up by bureaucracy that I had no other option than comply, eventhough there were plenty of other possiibilities, but ruled out by that same bureaucracy. Yeah, I lose perspective sometimes, but I know it is part of life. Many people have problems, because they set their goals way too narrow. It is better to start all open and see what bubbles up, all the while adjusting and adapting to society. It looks like a life of being unlucky, but it is more a life of good and poor choices.
Actually, how does one lose perspective? Because it is a personal view and experience, you can never lose it. It's in you.
Being nice is what brings happiness. It is the hardest, but most comfortable way of surviving. It is hard, because people. It is nice, because people. ;-)
Yes, you are a warrior, and you conquer what most of us never have, our own fears.
Hahaha, no I am not a warrior. Except in Command & Conquer. Then I reign supreme! :-)
The thing I fear most is myself. Nothing else, actually, because when you go, you go. Without being reckless, that is. :-)
And you are humble. True leadership qualities.
Well, clearly you have never been in my house while I'm discussing competition. Or, to be more exact, give theatrical monologues, not free of a grand variety of cusswords and self-proclaimed glorification of my brushstrokes and can-control. Then humility is not found in quite a large area. That's where the other jobs kick in, to take a distance, fire up (and train) a completely different set of neurons. It adds, but also relaxes. ;-)