This week on Honestly, Dear Listener, we’re talking about passion versus paycheck—and which one makes us a “real artist.” Join us as we question the glorification of “original” art, the discomfort of financial dependence on one's art, and the ultimate pursuit of joy and self-expression in creativity. Whether we’re working on our own art, teaching, or helping someone else on theirs, we believe nothing in creativity is wasted and every step—no matter how frustrating—matters.
References:
“40: How Do You Know You’ve ‘Made It?’ 07.05.24” - Honestly, Dear Listener podcast episode
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
0:32 - The dream of making a living doing art
1:47 - Our histories of making money helping with other people’s art
6:46 - The car analogy
11:12 - THE question
15:21 - Financial pressure on our art
23:33 - When commercial success sucks/are we living the dream now (before commercial success)?
28:05 - Doing the thing for joy and delight
32:40 - It’s bigger than binary thinking
35:22 - Making things is hard for everyone!