Wow, really well said, and I am so inspired by your practice and how you describe it! This is by far my biggest struggle too, as an artist / illustrator. I really want to spread my art and make money too, feel it has a purpose and it can actually help my living, but more than once I have got stuck and I fear the expectations. When i became a mother I left everything behind of the "business" I had slowly build, and I stopped drawing all together for a while. Of course I missed it and now i am starting to start it all up again, but I am so aware to be gentle and have the right approach, though I haven't found the perfect road yet..
My inner Taoist wants to say that trying to find the road is the “perfect road”. But my very flawed, scared, frustrated human self just wants to throw a tantrum and have it all work out perfectly for me.
I guess this is the real challenge.
The other thought that struck me as I was reading your comment was that we can get these moments where we can see that our creativity has a purpose and can help us “earn a living”... but that we are restricted to a very narrow understanding of what “earning a living” may mean.
We always assume that it means income or money... but what if the meaning of “a living” meant something else, or had a broader interpretation? What if it nurtures something within us that somehow inspires us to go forth and do the mundane stuff like earn $ to pay bills etc? What if the act of creativity itself is as much an act of nourishment as eating food is, for example... without it we would die and fade away?
Thanks, you’ve gotten me thinking along a different thread which is turning into a contemplation and probably into something to write....
😊🙏🏽☯️
Very interesting point and very true! I am not in doubt that the deepest "purpose" of creativity is something like you describe!
And yes the journey is always more important than the destination. the destination is an illusion. :)