Blog

Should Artists Have Jobs?

Even renowned artists sometimes need help paying the bills. Composer Philip Glass moonlighted as a plumber, poet T.S. Elliot was a bank clerk at Lloyds Bank, and Franz Kafka worked for an insurance company.

Contemporary artist David Salle says that a young painter in the 1970s could hardly support himself with art. When someone was able to make a living from their creative effort, it was kind of miracle.

Does having a day job feed your creativity or kill it? New York Times reporter Katy Waldman investigated the question and interviewed people who successfully combine artistic careers with conventional employment, such as the author of this illustration, Albanian prime minister and professional artist Edi Rama.

Check out Waldman’s story and see what conclusion she arrives at.

admin

Recent Posts

From Picasso to AI: How Art Movements Have Always Been Disruptive

Every major artistic revolution has been met with resistance, skepticism, and even outrage. From the…

3 days ago

Pop Meets Persia: The Mythic Art of Sarira Merikhi

Sarira Merikhi (sarira.art) is a bold, digital artist combining Iranian lithography with pop art. .ART's Head…

1 week ago

World Art Day 2025: Celebrate with a Global Community

Each year on April 15—Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday—the world pauses to recognize something timeless: art’s…

1 week ago

Entries now open for Digital Innovation in Arts & Culture (DIAC) Award 2025

For the past seven years, the .ART Registry has had the immense honor of hosting…

2 weeks ago

Why Art Branding Matters: How a Domain Name Can Elevate Your Career

In today’s competitive art world, branding isn’t just for businesses—it’s essential for artists, too. Whether…

3 weeks ago

Banksy: Art or Prank? April Fools in Contemporary Art

When it comes to the intersection of art and pranks, no one has blurred the…

4 weeks ago