My youngest daughter graduated from university this week. She’s now the proud owner of a degree that certifies she has completed all the duties and commitments required for a Bachelor of Applied Science in Interior Architecture. We are so proud. Our eldest daughter is a Graduate Architect and also holds a Master’s in Yacht Design. Both of them have worked incredibly hard, completing years of study to gain their degrees, and are now confidently navigating their bright futures with their own business, Belbondesign.
Listening to the graduation speeches of encouragement, and watching the recipients walk across the stage in their academic regalia—gown and mortarboard—faces shining with excitement as they receive their degrees, got me thinking. It made me reflect on how we reward effort and acknowledge achievement in the arts sector. So many artists and creatives never get this "golden handshake" or the elusive piece of paper that declares them capable of working in their chosen field.
I want that for all of us.
As an artist, we almost never get an academic achievement in the name of fine art. Yes, we can study at university, as art is an actual degree. But the majority of people working as artists don’t hold a tertiary degree in the name of "Art." Instead, they learn on the job, through passion, hours of practice, discarded work, piles of sketchbooks, drawings, and doodles. Many artists just start making art one day, or take a workshop, get inspired by a friend, or shyly post their creations on Instagram.
Becoming “an artist” is often a slow and evolving process, unfolding over many years—or even decades.
I’ve worked as a professional artist for 15 years now. You can see my work here. I did go to art school for a year, just before starting my family, where I mostly enjoyed art history and the social life. Later, I learned to oil paint more proficiently over a five-year period of weekly lessons, followed by trial and tribulation, mentors, and workshops. It’s been a long and sometimes bittersweet journey, with no gown, hat, or handshake to announce my career.
According to NAVA (National Association for the Visual Arts), I’m already a Mid-Career Artist, having created and exhibited work for several years and earned recognition at a state and national level… though how much recognition is up for debate. Who knows? It also says that, at this stage of my creative career, I will not follow the typical upward trajectory. I do not qualify as an Established Artist because I have not yet achieved international acclaim or recognition.
All of this is a little depressing, to say the least, after 20 years of “learning” to be an artist.
So, with the thought that I’m already at mid-career—and apparently heading towards oblivion unless I pull off an international win or gain some kind of national recognition—I launch this new Substack.
May this be a place of encouragement and support as you navigate your own art journey. I’ve aptly titled this “Life at the End of a Paintbrush.” I promise to straighten your gown and mortarboard and support you throughout the lifelong journey and degree of being an ARTIST.
Thank you for being here.
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