"Art" as a "Job"

Originally Posted by smoothmoniker

There is a massively big difference between making a living as an artist, and making a living in a creative field. I don't make much money as an artist, but I do it because I love it. I make a fairly decent living as a professional musician, which is a very, very different thing.

Being a pro in a creative field means getting to work with people who are at the top of their game, all the time. For something like a recording session, it's like heroin. Once you've done it, you can't go back to being the one skilled guy playing with 3 hobby players. But you only get to do it if you're also at the top of your game, and being paid to be in the same room with those guys, doing what you do.

Maybe it would be different in a less collaborative creative field.

Speaking of which, I just got a call to play a record in August in one of the vibey-est rooms in LA - el dorado studios. I'm stoked!

(who says "stoked" any more? Seriously! I'm a nerd.)

My problem when I was acting professionally was that I was usually the only trained actor and was being told to "pull back". It was very frustrating and not fulfilling at all.

[TiddyBaby]

Im with, rkzenrage,
Once i was called by local radio station to waylay a gig to sit in with a traveling Pink Floyd copy band from Canada (Clear Light or something) so, I took night off to play at civic center to cover sax parts... Their manager got miffed cuz I didn't know "Money" note \per note... which pissed me off becuz i didn't play clone music; But could play 5/4, 7/8, or any rhythmic combination in between,... with melodic semblance. I told them the original sax solo was ok... but sucked and rambled.
(i didn't play on that song, ... and I didn't get paid for that song either)

[Rock Steady]

My wife is a classical pianist; accompanyist and teacher. She can enjoy it because she makes a little money but doesn't try to make a living out of it. I do the stressful making-a-living part. She doesn't take all the jobs that come her way; if she doesn't like the music she won't take the job. I'd rather have it this way then both of us caught up in money making.