Of course you know that the tile of this domain is ArtistsWhoTHRIVE and the subtitle, “a community of entrepreneurial creatives.”  Yes.  We are talking about capitalism for creatives.

So if you are an artist who thinks that there’s any virtue in poverty, then you’re in the wrong place.  This all too common and twisted belief is simply just a cop out that too many artists can lean on.  And it feeds a negative and disrespectful cultural sterotype of the “starving artist”.

I say take responsibility for building your success and then you’ll thrive and be in a better position to be your brother’s keeper.

A lot of people, I’m not just picking on a few artists, have highly charged negative and fearful emotions around money and commerce.  They equate money with dishonesty, control, and power.  Money is neutral, it’s just a tool.  Like a hammer you can build something with it or knock someone in the head.

I don’t have the patience, or a license, to council ever-suffering or bitter artists.  And that’s not why I founded ArtistsWhoTHRIVE.  Note the word THRIVE in all caps.  And this is why I maintain a no whining policy.  If you think you must suffer, have at it.  Just please don’t bore me or this community with it because I won’t feed the negative energy or post your comments.

If you have something constructive to say or a real question, then please, do tell.

Now I don’t want to give the impression that I have no compassion because I have suffered in my lifetime. And I’ve helped others who are genuinely suffering when I worked at a shelter for abused women and children and for disaster relief.

The point is, there’s good news!  We are in the midst of a cultural and economic revolution.  The scarcity model of artist representation is dissolving before our eyes with the power of the Internet fueling it.  We see this clearly in the music industry.  American Idol celebrates the old scarcity model that represents only a tiny fraction of formulaic talent.  But the Internet has given us the freedom to fully express ourselves and to reach those who are like us and who want to buy from us.

Do you want to get paid well for doing what you love?  Then you’re going to have to learn, just like I’ve had to. And those who whine less get more done. And in my case, drink more good wine.