14 Daily Struggles Arab Artists Can Definitely Relate To
By Alaa El Gohary
Being an artist is a job many admire, you get to express yourself freely and the best part about it is seeing all the hard work and effort you put finally pay off. However, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies. People see your work and wonder how interesting and creative you must be, but little do they know about the true struggle you go through every single day.
Here are some of the hard times you probably had to encounter as an artist:
What do you do for a living?
Most people never take “I’m an artist” as an answer. Art is often looked at as a hobby rather than a profession. So, you usually end up laughed at because, obviously, being an artist is not a “job” in the eyes of society; especially an Arab one.
You’re always almost broke
Art supplies are extremely expensive and hardly ever within budget. Add to that the urge to buy new art materials is a curse you can’t do anything about! You go to the crafts store with the intention of buying a pencil and end up buying an Old Holland Cerulean Light Blue paint tube that costs a fortune!
But the solution is easy, you just need to sell a kidney.
People constantly ask you to draw them a portrait
“Oh, you’re an artist? Can you please draw a picture of me!”
People ask to have one of your drawings
“Hey, can I have that painting when you’re done” “Sure! Would you like a topping on it?” That’s my baby we’re talking about here! How can I easily let go?!
Finding inspiration
It’s just as easy as finding a white cat in a snowstorm, right?
Finding the best quality, yet least expensive art supplies
It’s an equation that can never be balanced. Eventually, you’ll make the store’s staff cringe because you’re that weirdo who creeps around the store for hours touching every single piece of paper and staring at every color tube.
Losing connection with the outer world
You find yourself declining offers to hang out with your friends so you can stay in the studio to paint, and your social life goes down the drain.
Staying optimistic for a project
You have everything planned, every line, and every brush stroke for your next mesmerizing piece. However, your limited talent fails you. Big time!
The love-hate relationship you establish with your artwork
The feeling you get when you’re halfway through a painting and still can’t tell whether it’s an expressive contemporary masterpiece or just ugly. Nevertheless, you go on with it anyway; you do what you gotta do!
The fear of wasting art material
After getting your dream palette you feel like there is no project you have planned is worthy of such greatness.
The guilt of not being productive
You end up questioning your existence and value as a human being.
Drinking your paint
You are not considered a true artist unless you have had at least a sip of the coffee in which you accidentally dipped your brush in!
Having to bear the criticism
Because you basically establish a parental-like relationship with your artwork. Would you bear someone criticizing how your baby looks like? I know, right?
The other EYE!
The nightmare of drawing the other eye as identical as the first one. So, you think to yourself, how about side bangs??
