Painters, would you rather be poor but brilliant or talentless but rich?

Answer 1

Actually, I am a poor but brilliant artist. Really. Years ago I walked away from a well-paying job (with 60 hour work weeks) and security to devote more time to my painting. I don't have any money but I've created some pretty good art.

Your question is directed to artists: So here's an artist's reply. If an artist is good enough, creative enough, original enough hopefully someone will come along who will help the artist be not not so poor. Someone with enough vision (a gallery owner, patron, critic, etc.) to feel the artist should be recognized and championed as an original.

Sadly, most artists with creative visions are poor business people and not all that good at self-promotion. To make a decent enough living from your art most artists need to partner with someone who knows the selling end of the product you're creating. I'm still waiting for that partner.

This link is to some of my paintings from over the years. Click to enlarge the thumbnails it you're interested in seeing the art.

http://pics.livejournal.com/unmired/gallery/00002xgc

Answer 2

I am brilliant (ha ha!) but nearly poor... I just had to work in the art field, so I pretty much made my own jobs - running a gallery, selling art supplies, and framing. I get to talk about art all day long, have a great network within the artistic community, and paint as much as I can when I get some time off (and even paint at work sometimes!)

It sure beats the ratrace of graphic design that I left behind, running screaming, 15 years ago. I wouldn't trade back for all the money in the world.

Answer 3

Once again Dr W speaks the truth. Creatuve people tend to be introverts and not very good marketers. You need to be out there drumming up patrons...or someone doing that on your behalf. What I learned in business is when you have a great product but no demand for it, you won't be in business for long. But if you answer a demand, you'll have plenty of customers. Contrary to that, a true artist...someone who will use the current painting only to advance to the next, should not detract from the quest by producing what the public wants..answering a demand...but a man has to live, so you end up doing a bit of both...exploring and making art for sale. So, I'd rather be brilliant in painting than not brilliant. (talent connotes a technical ability...not necessarily a creative one)

Answer 4

you can't be talentless and rich from painting, being poor as an artist it mean that you wont sell your soul for money and to do things that doesn't fit with your ideas and passion... also we aren't still in the middle age, maybe an artist is not rich, but he can do something else for a living and follow the passion too ;) i do the same thing

Answer 5

Poor but brilliant! Of course, money would be nice! But some of the most brilliant artists in history died penniless & only achieved fame posthumously...whether it's painting, music or any other form of art there are "artists" who are commercially successful but have no real talent & there are countless extremely talented people who may never achieve financial success.

Answer 6

Many people ask me, why didn't you go to art major? I chose to study buisness because I love art!
I refuse to let others to tell me that to paint, so if I can make a living, I can paint whatever I want. I can be brillant and rich.
The thing with today's art world is that it is so filled with craps that no one respect artists anymore.
Artist used to be a respected profession, and many painters did became quite wealthy (we have to admit, they are brillant too, like Peter Paul Ruben, Elisabeth Vigee-LeBrun even became Marie Antoinette's good friend. They certainly have matchless talent.)

Answer 7

Its a yin and yang ingredient. once you're beautiful and undesirable you may marry a rich guy. beautiful to a woman is a commodity as a lot as money for a guy. Its a adventure made in heaven (or hell). and then... when you're rich, you need to purchase attractiveness - how do you do this? Did you ever see all those beauty reality exhibits on television? it truly is attainable, it truly is conceivable. the proper is to be beautiful and rich (no longer with the help of marriage) And what truly s*cs, is to be gruesome and undesirable!!! From my own adventure: i replaced into undesirable and beautiful and then i replaced into rich and beautiful and then I discovered that money can't continuously purchase love... and now i'm back to sq. one!!! Now, i imagine i do not ideas to be beautiful and in no way so rich - it would not be counted anymore, see you later as I have someone who truly adores me for all that i'm, no longer only for my visual attraction.

Answer 8

Since I paint for my own enjoyment, I'd have to say 'poor but brilliant.' I'd like it if I was better able to paint the images I have in my head, even if no one ever wanted to buy them.