I scheduled some community projects over summer 2023, so I've been doing a lot of public events with community engagement. During these events, the public is invited to set glass tiles into a design. Families are the most common participants and it's very interesting for me to watch how kids interact with the activity. Some kids come by and set tiles randomly throughout the mosaic, with no attention to placement. Occasionally, a kid actually starts dismantling the mosaic, removing pieces and putting them back into their respective containers - this is always a hard one to respond to. I would estimate one in 10 kids is a natural mosaic artist. I can tell because they focus in on the process. They look at the patterns that are already in progress, and they build on them. They don't want to leave, even if the rest of the family is ready to move on.
I have some great conversations with the kids, and also with their parents. I love when a parent is obviously beaming with pride that their child loves art. This parent will tell me all about the child's propensity for creativity, what mediums they are drawn to and what their favorite colors are. But I've had a common experience with parents who tell me about their child's creative proclivities with some trepidation. They will say that their child often says they want to be an artist when they grow up, but the parent advises them to pursue another skill; something more lucrative. I will gleefully tell children that art can be a job. I say, "This is my JOB!"
Very often, I see the parent looking uncomfortable. It's as if I suggested a career in pole dancing. They will say, "I like to encourage her to find another skill she could do for income, because she can always make art. She can make art for fun." And I, being naturally oblivious to social cues, will reiterate: OR you can be an artist like me! I'm an artist, and this is my job!
Here's the thing: As a young person, I knew I wanted to be an artist. But I NEVER thought it was a viable career choice. I was always trying to imagine what I could do for a living that would not drain me spiritually and emotionally. I thought maybe I could be an interior designer, a make-up artist, a fashion designer, a florist. In college, I was interested in cultural studies, so I thought I might pursue a graduate degree, become a professor, and make art my hobby. After my undergrad degree was finished, I couldn't afford to go back to school, so I went into social work, but I found that my energy was completely drained by it. I was too sensitive. I negotiated a 4-day work week so that I could spend some time unwinding with creative projects.
It wasn't until I was a new mom in my early 30s trying to find a way to be available for my toddler while earning enough to keep the bills paid that I started pursuing art as a business. I was desperate, and people wanted to buy the things I made. So, I finally put my energy and time into creating. The more I focused on making, the better I got at it, and it slowly turned into a real, sustainable enterprise. Two decades later, I am booked solid and my current challenge is how to slow my roll and not put excess stress on my body and my family.
What I've been thinking about lately is this: What if I had been encouraged to pursue a career in art from an early age? It's impossible to know for sure, but I might have identified and cultivated my skills at a much earlier age. Rather than struggling to find a job that I could tolerate in my twenties, I might have made a job in the arts a goal from the beginning, and found my calling much earlier. It might also be the case that my trajectory was exactly what it needed to be in order to get to the here and now. But I think there are some unfortunate misconceptions around the idea of making a living from artistic pursuits and people have extremely limited notions of what that can look like. One of my friends is so talented and versatile, she does interior design, web design, theater design, illustration, murals. She designs the labels for a Seattle distillery. She's also extremely busy and is working on scaling back to reduce her workload. Art is everywhere and we need artists to think outside the box and make life more fun and interesting. I have no fear of AI taking over my job because it will never be able to fabricate an exquisite stained glass mosaic or lead a community art project. So, don't be afraid to encourage your kids to develop their creativity, and let them know that "Artist" can be a great career choice. They just need to focus, work hard, and develop their skills.
What I've been thinking about lately is this: What if I had been encouraged to pursue a career in art from an early age? It's impossible to know for sure, but I might have identified and cultivated my skills at a much earlier age. Rather than struggling to find a job that I could tolerate in my twenties, I might have made a job in the arts a goal from the beginning, and found my calling much earlier. It might also be the case that my trajectory was exactly what it needed to be in order to get to the here and now. But I think there are some unfortunate misconceptions around the idea of making a living from artistic pursuits and people have extremely limited notions of what that can look like. One of my friends is so talented and versatile, she does interior design, web design, theater design, illustration, murals. She designs the labels for a Seattle distillery. She's also extremely busy and is working on scaling back to reduce her workload. Art is everywhere and we need artists to think outside the box and make life more fun and interesting. I have no fear of AI taking over my job because it will never be able to fabricate an exquisite stained glass mosaic or lead a community art project. So, don't be afraid to encourage your kids to develop their creativity, and let them know that "Artist" can be a great career choice. They just need to focus, work hard, and develop their skills.
