The fall season has arrived, and that means we are also approaching *holiday* season art shows and a general ramping up in the activity level of the *commercial* end of art.

I am always surprised at how many of my creative peers view themselves as "artists" or "musicians" or some other form of creative worker — and they consider their creative fields to be *their work* — but yet they don't actually approach what they are doing like it were a *job.* 

Which, of course, it ultimately *is.*

![AS-0020-InfinityStones.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmb234L2WQTExhv6rFvJGvG8YbVdsbvRnrxh8dyy8YZfNo/AS-0020-InfinityStones.JPG)
*I call these "Infinity Stones"*

## *Waaah.... But That's no FUN!*

As often as not, I spend *more* time managing schedules, events, doing accounting, managing social media and web sites, updating blogs, creating eBay and Etsy listings... as I actually do *creating.*

The *business* of art is often not all that much *fun,* but it still has to be taken care of... *at least* if you are serious about *"getting anywhere"* with your creative endeavors.

Because I also worked in the art gallery business for almost 20 years, I had the opportunity to meet hundreds of fellow artists, *and* to make note of those who seemed to be *going places,* and those who might have had great *talent* but still — often to their regret and frustration — felt stuck in a cycle of endless obscurity.

![AS-0020-SetOfFour.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTpeJCFpThDo6YUe5saSmeoDo4vkbyKEZEQ5bRoL1k5a7/AS-0020-SetOfFour.JPG)
"A matching set of four, for the four directions. VERY time consuming to create!*

## *It's Not About "Fortune and Fame!"*

The thing I find interesting and noteworthy is that most of my peers who have built commercial success are *NOT in it for the money.*

There is often a misperception among creative types that *"caring about the money"* is the equivalent of *"selling out."* But that doesn't really hold true for any of the successful artists I have known, and know. Their *objective* is basically to be at a point in life where their art is *self-supporting.* 

Meaning that they do *not* have to work as retail sales clerks or waiters at some diner, in order to fund the time needed to pursue their creativity. In fact, their art is *so important* to them that they *do the work* (that might not be so fun!) in order to stay with their creativity on a full-time basis.

![AS-0020-Amplification.JPG](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSPL5D3JbDJhZnJu71trs1TwyswNAzovRGbAm1obMuj2h/AS-0020-Amplification.JPG)
*A newer mandala style I have been working with...*

## *Finding Your Level of "Ambition"*

As you know, my *"gig"* is painting on beach stones. Whereas I have been doing it for a little more than a decade, I am by no means *commercially successful* at it. 

Now your first thought might be *"Yeah, but who can REALLY expect to making a living painting on ROCKS!?!?!"*

Well, actually... several of my peers (who started at about the same time as I) do precisely that. Not as a matter of *"luck"* or somehow *"being discovered"* by a wealthy patron... but through persistence, perseverance and hard work.

For example, these peers have 600,000 and 145,000 followers on their Facebook pages, respectively! You don't come to that simply as a result of sitting back and waiting for it. I happen to be acquainted with both, and what they have in common is precisely that they may be *Artists,* but they very earnestly treat their Art as *their work,* just like a neurosurgeon or accountant would.

Of course, not everyone is that ambitious... myself included... but I do find that their example offers a useful lesson in *what it takes.*

Thanks for reading!

***2019.09.26 AS-TXT-020***