Living as a Creative in a World Centered on Profit: The Pursuit of Passion Over Profit 

In a world that more and more seems to prioritize capitalism and cash, being a creative can be what feels like a physical, mental and spiritual struggle.  Prioritizing passion seems to be looked down on, somehow selfish and less than.  When sharing your art, how often do you hear the question “How much do you make?”  or “What would that sell for?” 
 
Many of us as artists have a huge sense of justice, and a sensibility that makes it necessary to live our passions and purpose.  It isn’t a preference, or a choice, it is a heart-essence that makes it impossible to do work that doesn’t feed our souls, minds and hearts.  And yet, sometimes it seems that as an artist it is difficult to dedicate ourselves to these pursuits. 
 
There are, after all, bills to pay.  We need food, places to live.  We often have others that depend on us to bring in an income in order to simply live, let alone thrive.  Being an artists costs time, money and can be a rabbit hole that drags us in and removes the presence of time in a way that few of us have the luxury of indulging. 
 
Gone are the days where patrons would finance an artist to create, and it wasn’t that common even when it was a practice.  So, how do we live in a balance that allows us to live in a world where money is the priority, and art to most is a luxury and indulgence? 

I believe that the answer is community.  There are so many of us artists, those living with a soul full of ideas and projects and joy.  From communities where folks share living expenses, studios and artistic passion in support, to groups that gather and promote each other, there are so many options for us to come together and lift up the artistic way of life. 
 
So the question is – what action can we take today to engage and embrace our communities? 

Gather. Collaborate. Share. Have a skill others don’t, need a skill others have? Let’s share, and lift each other up. And above all, if you’re comfortable, share your passions with the world. Let’s normalize being artists as a calling, not just an indulgence.