A magazine that I subscribe to “Art Calendar” had lots of useful art marketing tips for artists. The lead article this month (by Jack White) poses the intriguing question: Are you an Astronaut or an Astronomer?
The idea behind the article is that there are two kinds of artists, Astronauts and Astronomers. “Astronauts actually believe that they can make it to the stars; Astronomers only dream of what it would be like.” In other words, it is your beliefs that determine if you will make it as an artist or not. If you believe in yourself, not one person, insiitution, government or structure can stop you.
Jack gives the following example:
“Too many people are grounded, like an elephant tied to a stake. The powerful elephant could easily yank up the stake and walk where he wants to go. However, he was trained as a baby by being chained to a stake he couldn’t pull up. Once trained, he never again tried to break free.
There is one artist we know who won’t pull up the stake. He has immense talent; he is one of the most brilliant people I know. But he is determined to remain an Astronomer and cannot get it into his thick head that he can become an Astronaut. The truth of the matter is, most of the Astronomers are smarter, and many are better educated, than the Astronauts. Yet it is the Astronaut who walks in space – the same space the Astronomer gazes at during the darkest nights.”
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