First of all you need to abandon all sense of 'what's expected of you', whilst raising a middle digit and saying "fuck it!" to the restraints of society. If you're anything like me, you may see the cracks appearing within 'the system' and you have no other choice but to express your despair through the medium of 'art'.
Yes, you'll hit rock bottom, and most likely have to scrape together what pennies you have in order to survive. It isn't easy... being true to yourself. So much burden and 'responsibilty' is put upon us by politics, the media, religion... the system. But we have to survive the system in order to then raise our voices in protest. As an artist, you may think this way too.
This may come as a surprise (or not) but you can actually live on very little. Once you've paid your rent and bills, you can cut down on the crap you eat and the crap you buy. Instead, listen to yourself and your creativity. It's most likely bursting to get out. Your voice is what's important. As so many 'decisions' are made for us, we've collectively lost the ability to 'critically think'. What do YOU think?? What do YOU want to say?
What do YOU want to give back?
After all, art is about making a statement and making something beautiful... it can be controversial, it can be organic. It can be anything and everything. 'Limit' is not a word that exists in the artists mind.
Absorb science, philosophy, politics, religion... then say what you think about it. Challenge it. At the end of the day, we have short lives. In the greater scheme of things we are here for a moments breathe then we're gone. Why sit back, stress out and work all your life in a job you hate in order to buy shit you don't need? To me, this is the very definition of crazy.
So, make up your own mind. Take on board what I've said (or not)... it's up to you. Don't go out to make your fortune as an artist. Go out and exist as an artist... just enough to sustain your life choices. Less is indeed more.
Create works that inspire and move people... that challenges the way we think. Make works that emit beauty. Aesthetics is the key. Exhibit and sell your work. Get talked about. Do just enough to make a living, so you can quit that office job that you really can't stand anyway.
Free yourself from the constraints of modern society.
