[Groop] (off topic)

Tue Nov 11 14:47:17 PST 2008

Jason,

Thanks for sharing this with us. You¹ve certainly done a lot of soul
searching and you¹ve also worked hard to use your talents in a way that can
make a living. My training is in communication arts, both illustration and
graphic design. My heart is in drawing, but I realized long ago that it¹s a
hard field in which to make a living. I¹ve done a lot of work in
illustration, but the thing that has made my career has been design and art
direction. The illustration field was red hot when I started, but now it¹s
so hard to make a living at it, there are tons of really good illustrators
just hanging on. I wish I could be more encouraging, but even with your
level of talent, it¹s just really hard to make it. Add to that the fact that
you¹re trying to go in what is essentially a fine art direction, it¹s
extremely difficult. I hope that whatever job path you pursue, you will
continue to do your art. I know from what you¹ve shared that doing your art
really feeds your soul. I talked with Terry Gilliam once and he told me that
the best advice he could give me was to follow my passion. If you can¹t make
a living doing that, don¹t give up on following that passion anyway. Do your
art to feed yourself if no one else.

Chris

on 11/8/08 12:33 PM, jason nuttall at jasonnuttall at yahoo.com wrote:

> I wanted to let possible interested parties know that due to the lack of
> interest and finances, if I do not get more business between now and December
> 6, I will no longer be working as an artist.  I have obligations through
> December 5th that require I continue working, including the X-Cape Con 2 comic
> and sci-fi convention in Flint, Michigan November 22&23 where I'll be a guest.
> But in my efforts in the last ten years to advertise, solicit and basically
> aggravate to get interest in my services as a professional artist, I have
> become something I've never wanted to be, and that is a pest.  But now I am
> forced to be a quitter, which is what I have fought for ten years to avoid.  I
> always told myself that I would not be one of those artists who turns their
> back on their abilities because there's no money in it.  But I now have three
> children ages 2,4 and 6 and a wife whose already given up on herself as an
> artist and has become one of the people most aggravated by my "career", or
> lack thereof.  
>   I had a turning point last year when I met my lifelong heroes, Sergio
> Aragones and Stan Sakai.  They were enthusiastic when viewing my artwork and
> made me feel like I was somebody important.  My life had come full circle, as
> I met the man who inspired me to draw as a kid and shared thoughts and work.
>  Another turning point came this past summer, when my wife and I got free
> tickets into a Sammy Hagar concert in Lansing.  He has been another great
> inspiration to me in my life, and have done countless pieces of artwork for
> him and his band.  I've met them a few times over the years.  Anyway, during
> the concert (and this was after I quit my miserable job and was looking for
> work and doubting my path) Sammy, ever the storyteller, spoke of his song
> "Dreams" and the meaning behind it.  If you feel passionate about what you do
> and are good at what you do,don't give up, just keep your head up.  Keep
> reaching for that goal that seems so far away.  He went on, getting into
> greater detail, but for the first time in my life, I choked up at a concert as
> he spoke and went into "Dreams" acoustically.  I know it sounds cliche, but it
> was like he was speaking to me.  Everything he said and sang was ver batum how
> I've always felt about pursuing my art career.  But these are also words
> coming from a man who has been very successful for over half his life.  He
> doesn't ever have to choose between buying a $5 canvas or a box of diapers.
> And I have also come to realize that Sammy Hagar and his band and management
> are on the list of people I have come to aggravate over the years.  I feel
> like a dog nipping at the heel of anyone who gives me the slightest bit of
> attention, and am now probably an e-mail address that is blocked or spammed.
>    I have come to realize that even though there is a select few who do
> support my path, on a day to day basis I find more roadblocks and uninterested
> parties.  High praise and "good luck" pats on the back don't pay bills, and
> when I put my artwork out there with a price tag that's 1/3 of what it's
> worth, spending gas money I don't have to display work that people admire but
> don't purchase, I get the disappointed and "why do you bother" look from my
> wife as I walk through the door, that I also see when I look in the mirror.
>   If you want to take advantage of my services, do it soon.  Otherwise, I
> won't be bothering this group with my shameless plugs and links to my sites
> after December 6.  I will make comments where I feel like commenting, or if
> there's Sammy Hagar or Groo related topic I will post.
> Jason Nuttall
> www.nuttallart.blogspot.com <http://www.nuttallart.blogspot.com>
> www.myspace.com/nuttallart <http://www.myspace.com/nuttallart>
>  
> PS This is not an attempt at getting business.  This is not a pity thing.  I'm
> not looking for people to feel bad and hire me or buy something.
> 
> 
> 
> Check me out! <http://www.myspace.com/nuttallart>
> 

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