Definition
Dearest Cool Friends,
In case you were wondering... there is one thing I want you to remember:
“Starving” as in seen in STARVING ARTIST does not – I repeat – Does NOT originate from a STAR!
In fact, it is the present participle of the verb “to starve”. And here is the definition of this verb:
starve
/stɑːv/
verb
gerund or present participle: starving
1. suffer or die or cause to suffer or die from hunger.
synonyms: dying of hunger, dying from lack of food, faint from lack of food, deprived of food, undernourished, malnourished, starved, half-starved, unfed;
More: very hungry, ravenous, famished, empty, hollow;
2. Archaic dialect: be freezing cold.
Obviously in all of the above cases it has to do much more with slow tragic death than with stars.
The closest relation of a STARVING ARTIST to a star are high chances for their soul to magically transform into a twinkling light on the sky dome once it leaves their earthly body due to starvation – should you believe this romantic fable of the origin of stars.
So, put in simple words:
NO, being a starving artist is NOT cool!
Now, I can hear this little voice in the back of your mind, asking you:
Why, don’t all artists starve?
Isn’t this the price you pay in order to practise the craft you love?
And the answer is:
NO. You don’t need to starve in order to call yourself an artist.
It is just one of the many stereotypes about creatives that have been out there for ages, and which an incredible number of people still believe to be universal!
The Journey
Let me tell you a story.
I have been drawing ever since I was able to hold a pencil and I’ve officially been in the art and design field since 2001. I know, right?
As a freelancer I have experienced some ups and downs, and this is normal. Things are not always smooth for us, plus we have different passions, and in summer 2015 I qualified for a Personal Trainer in fitness and nutrition. However, shortly after doing so, my art and design was back on track and I put all of my focus and energy into it.
It was last year (2016), right after my solo exhibition when I was testing my related designer’s line. Things were still vague, when my family asked me:
“Meg, are you serious about this art and design thing?... You know, it is all very risky, very competitive... Plus, how many successful artists do you know?”
I replied with an ironic smirk:
“Well, if I have to be honest, I do know a few quite successful artists.”
And right away, there came the Oh-so-predictable reaction!
“Then they were just lucky!”
These words were followed by a really concerned and heartfelt persuasion of how most artists were broke, struggling, alcoholic, or they were really aggressive if successful (and I am a quiet character); how I should practise art and design just as a hobby, while earning my living as a respectable personal trainer (which admittedly I loved),...
And yet, there was this frustration and uprising sense of rightful justice within, right in the core of my being, that was hyper-sonically screaming words my conscious mind was still unable to articulate,... Until I saw them written black on white:
Real Artists Don’t Starve.
It was the new book by Jeff Goins. I read the title out loud once more, word by word, leaving the statement resonate and absorb in my brain to the fullest.
Real. Artists. Don’t. Starve.
Brilliant!
He formulated it all in one sentence, subtracting the essence of my core beliefs as a creative professional.
And here's the thing:
It all begins with a mindset.
- Real artists are confident.
- Real artists acknowledge they have put the time and effort in perfecting their skills.
- Real artists value their work, and they know they deserve to be paid for it.
- Real artists are ready to go in front of the world and having their name heard.
- Real artists define themselves as professionals, not as wanna-be-s.
- Real artists learn from the Masters and copy them.
- Real artists don’t starve, they STAR.
Throughout his book Jeff speaks real artists are Thriving, not Starving, and he explains the difference between starving and thriving artists.
I would paraphrase his statement a little.
Real artists are STARRING, not STARVING.
By going through the transformational process of a starving to a starring author, you unleash the glorious light of the STAR hiding within the STARving.
Jeff’s principle does not lie in “Fake it till you make it”, but in “Believe it till you achieve it”. And this makes the whole difference.
If you are currently struggling, you should know that every starving artist can unlock their STAR potential,... But... You will have to do the work.
And it IS going to take some tangible effort if you want to make the transition from starving to starring.
So if you are willing to do the work, I have some MORE good news for you!
Real Artists Don't Starve is finally available on Amazon!
So go grab your copy and take the next step on your exciting journey!
And by the way: “Starving” as in seen in "Starving artist" eventually CAN find its origins in a STAR... You will only have to do the work.
Oh, and one last thing - just in case you didn’t know:
We are all stardust.
But that’s another story.
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