part of the ‘job’ is doing things like gallery openings where your work is displayed (over my left shoulder) and showing up on behalf of people you do art for or who promote your art … you meet, you greet, you chat, shake hands, talk about what inspired you to draw a renault 4 driving across a sand coloured backscape … (you might actually have to make up that answer cause it was just something in your head at the time.)

“what are those shapes?” “They look like fish” “Flags …” “if you look at the whole thing it looks like a reclining nude …”
the answer to which is “that’s the thing, it’s abstract, it can be what you want it to be … I call it rainbow; it kinda came to me one morning, in my head, fully formed, pretty much as you see it now.” which is a very ‘artsy’ thing to say and when you say it out loud to someone it sounds even artsy-er.

they invariably answer “ah!” and go and look for free wine.

anyhow, i said to an artist once, your job’s not painting, painting’s what you get to do as the treat for your work; your work is selling your art … and that work can be a lot of fun, the people you meet, the conversations you have, the joy of meeting people who really like your work (the ones that don’t rarely walk up to you and say ‘dooood that’s absolute crap!’) …

work harder!