Any full time artist will tell you that their art is a passion, not a pastime. They will also tell you that it is a compulsion, not a career. True artists do not work just to fill in hours of leisure.

Artists do not get perks, medical or drug plans, expense accounts or retirement packages... which is good, because they often don't do well working for others and they don't want to retire... They never want to stop, actually they can't stop this illogical, impractical living on the edge of life, because they are consumed by something they love.

Creating is what they are, not what they do. The best artists I know are very humble people. But they do recognize their gift.

They recognize that only hard work will use the gift properly.

They recognize that they are as good as the next piece they create, and they don't always know what that next piece is.

They recognize that a highly developed talent results in shortcomings in other parts of their lives.

The sacrifice is worth it.

Copyright © 2008 Hilary Clark Cole