a 'successful' artist

[joethelion]

Ok -

So, as I'm finishing up my MFA program in Glasgow... amongst all of my duties relating to professional practice, arranging (and participating in) multiple shows, making new work and you know... eating & sleeping.

I also have to write a (rather lengthy) dissertation.

For this project - I've decided to produce something sort of in line with the KLF's "The Manual (How to Have a Number One the Easy Way)" ... but instead of having it be about making a 'one hit wonder' - it's going to be about how to be a 'successful artist' so like...

...it's definitely going to be (slightly) tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time, I am going to be giving some actual good information and tips (so like... what forms / agreements need to be made, etiquette dealing with galleries and other artists, stuff like - how to apply for grants, and so on... and so on...)

Basically, I've been scanning through multiple artist biographies (trying to find correlations between different artists), professional practice books like "Art/Work" [which btw, it a worthwhile read]

So... given all of that - you might be asking why I'm giving all this information

Well, part of the project is - I'd like to know how you guys define a 'successful artist' (and... if you've got a bit of time, mmmmmaybe what you think you have to do in order to reach that point)***. Like, one section of it will be about the definition of a 'successful artist' and I'd like to include input from a wide variety of people (like I'm including quotes from my tutors, presentations, interviews with artists, and so on and so forth)

I'd be much appreciated if anyone could give their input about what they think about being a 'successful artist'


***for example - during my critique over the presentation for my project -> some people said 'oh you have to make a beautiful work' 'it's about making money' 'you can't define success, someone who dies penniless in obscurity is as successful as Jeff Koons' 'you have to be rich & white' 'a successful artist is someone who can support themselves with their work' 'a person who creates a work that touches someone' 'You win the Turner Prize (which coincidentally is impossible unless you're British) etc etc etc