What I already know about Art

Here is my next "Live as an Artist" Brain storm

What I already know about Art

Art changes every year.
Dare to do it differently.
Is Young
Can be discovered at any age.
Is Fickle
Takes Risks
You Don't always get Credit.
Art is related to status.
Art Booths are tiring.
Hard to keep going.
Starving Artist
Work with those around u.
There appear to be many different people living off partial incomes from art.
Have other careers and do art on side.
Don't hold grudges.
Many artists don't have health care.
Keep your integrity.
Don't spread rumors.
If you are cool, you may have more ease selling.
Use your connections.
Its hard for a new artist to sell large expensive work.
Color and abstract sells cause it matches couches.
Installations don't make much money.
Try, try, try again.
You never know when you'll get a show.
Be a life learner.
Get advice from your contacts.
Don't bother with vanity galleries or shows with exorbitant fees.
Peoples work value can escalate after they die.
An MFA just means you can teach college it doesn't mean you'll get a full time job.
Share your work with people around you.
Falling can be deafening and makes for a selfish, insecure, backstabbing artist.
Build Community.
Sometimes you just have to ask to start selling things or to make money.
Create your own events and openings.
You can be on top one day and on bottom the next.
It helps if you have something to sell.
Can be a fluke.
In a gallery you often receive 50% commission on a sold artwork.
Is what has not been done or has been remade in a smart way.
Successful designers were involved in multiple fields.
Can involve education.
Can have many different forms.
Art is an event attractor.
Many teachers give up.
Be enthusiastic.

Please post if you have any to add on!

I've spent almost one week sick. One week in which I have not been able to take off work because it has been Finals at the community college where I teach. My main strategy for the first couple of days was to take it easy during the evenings and skip my workouts. I tried to continue on with an optimistic mind over body attitude while trying to heal myself with Emergen-c, oranges, ginger tea, cough syrup, and sleep. I briefly thought I was getting better only to feel terrible; dehydrated, headachey and full of snot, on Saturday morning. I had a day full of activities planned. Cam convinced me to cancel all of them and just stay in and rest. The hardest thing for me about being sick is I don't have time to be sick! I felt guilt about all the activities I was missing, shows, workshops, working out.. Being sick on a Saturday is particularly hard as that is usually a fun day. Thank god for PBS which kept me engaged, as I graded, with its world documentaries on the disappeared in Argentina and Sudanese Refugees.

Today, I thankfully woke up feeling the best I've felt in days! Only the ground was covered in snow which essentially meant two days shut in my house. I started it out right by painting for a few hours. Then I got to hang out with Mina, my four year old friend, and we made Shrinky Dinks. I made a shrinky dink version of Cam and he was ostracized by a collection of unicorns toys only to be accepted by them at the end after he held a stellar birthday party for a unicorn.

Then off to the studio for a couple of hours to help the real Cam with set pieces for Marian Middle School's Christmas Play. Cam is visiting artist to the art club I am leading there after school. More pictures to follow of sets!