Art as a hobby
There are many successful artists who start their career as a hobby and over time it progresses into a real profession. Generally speaking we call a hobby a pass time activity that we have an affinity for and which brings us joy, such as painting, dancing, card making or singing in a choir just to name a few.
There are several reasons why someone would take painting as a hobby: they have the talent and they want to experiment to see where it may take them; they studied arts but pursued a different career; they enjoy creating art just for the beauty of it; they seek a fulfilling activity after retirement, being active in the arts community locally.
From hobby to profession
Many hobbyists treat their interest in art just like that: a hobby. Yet there are other artists who, after experimenting and creating a body of work, they want to take it to the next level.
Here are some statements from some Art2Arts artist about how it all started for them:
“I enjoyed art as a child but really only started seriously about 14 years ago. I initially began painting and selling my work during a year off from my career as an office manager to raise money for charity.” (Jo Slater-Thomas)
“I graduated from university with a degree in “Engineering Design.” After I got married and gave birth to my daughter, because I had to stop work for some time, I started painting more seriously and exhibiting my art in various galleries. That’s when painting became my permanent job.” (Maia Nikolov)
“I have always enjoyed drawing and painting ever since I was young. (…) As I got older I perused something that I enjoyed and felt that I was reasonable good at. It wasn’t really until my mid thirties that I started exhibiting some of my work at small art shows and the feedback I had gave me the confidence to continue with my passion.” (Philip Wilson)
Being a professional artist involves not just painting and enjoying the process, but also taking part in exhibitions, being noticed by galleries and art critics, as well as attracting collectors who are interested in the art they create and they want to invest in it either for their own pleasure or for a future return.
Collecting art
When it comes to collecting art, whether we call it hobby, an intellectual pursuit or investment, the enjoyment of acquiring something beautiful is great. Some people buy art to decorate their house while other people are interested in the arts and have the resources to support artists they like. There are many artists that become collectors too; they not only appreciate first hand all the effort that goes into creating a piece of art, but they want to support other artists too.
Whether we treat it as a hobby or as a profession, art will always find a way to bring enjoyment to creators and collectors alike through unique images that travel afar, from the artist’s studio to the collector’s home.
