The craziness that is the business of making art and not making it.

Sometimes I wonder, why am I doing this?

This is crazy.

First, the artist (me) creates work. There's time, materials and energy involved.

Then, the artist has to submit works to shows.
There is an application fee. So, now the artist has spent money on materials, money on time spent creating, and, money to submit works to a show.

Then, if the artist gets into the show, there is the 60-40 split with the gallery if the piece sells.

The gallery makes money in the following ways:
1. from all the artists submitting works to get into the show. (and they make a hefty profit, say there is only wall space for 40 works and 300 artists all apply, there is a lot of money earned by the gallery for all the works not accepted into the show.)
2. by any sales, the gallery gets a cut of the sale price.

So, why bother making work?
It's certainly not profitable. Unless one starts making it in the art world, it's just a very expensive habit. And I have to make a living. I have bills to pay. And, it's getting to the point where I just have only so much energy. So, if/when I do get a full time job, that's going to be it... the end of making art.

Unless, I can figure out a way to make a living off of/with/from my creativity and talent.....