The Mother of Invention

Artists for the most part for hundreds of years have been subject to behaviour by the public as though they were not to be taken seriously as professionals. Granted there are the chosen few not necessarily the most talented but the best connected or business savvy that can do very well financially. If you haven't been awake since birth you may not have noticed the trend that artists aren't to be paid in the same manner as most professionals if you don't believe me just take a browse through ninety per cent of the ads Craigslist and you will most certainly come across phrases such as "no compensation but we'll give you full credit within the brochure or whatever" "Great opportunity for young emerging artist get published" as far as I'm concerned this is insulting and degrading to the profession!

Conversely I have yet to see an ad that asks an electrician, plumber, doctor, lawyer, etc. to work for substandard wages or for free yes there are the probono legal eagles but for the most part they are doing pretty well financially but there are exceptions of course and I salute those of the legal profession that defend the poor etc. I think it's very noble to have a cause that you want to assist in some way, I've often done it myself. But why is it that every time there is a charity auction that needs donations one of the first groups they turn to are those that are involved in the arts most of whom are struggling to survive themselves, and why is it that we as artists feel obligated to give?

Take for instance a professional athlete look a the compensation these individuals receive. You may say yes but their careers are short, an artist's career may be long but the lifelong dedication to his or her craft seldom brings with it a comfortable or stable existence. At least the athlete has a nest egg if he or she invests intelligently to fall back on in later years.

Some of you out there may be saying well it was your decision to become an artist nobody forced you. That may be true but what bothers me the most as I stated earlier is the Gaul of people that offer jobs as if they are doing us a favour or it an honour to be asked to work for nothing, sometimes it is but not all the time. So the next time someone offers you a favour of your labour think long and hard about what you are doing to the profession you chose and what message you are sending out to the world about our worth, even if you only do it as a hobby and you enjoy doing it.

Art is in essence the mother of creativity which is the mother of imagination which is the mother of invention which keeps us viable as a species. If you think that this is a frivolous occupation you are brain dead.

Till next time .....