In celebration of the tenth anniversary of my blog (yesterday), I am republishing the very first post from July 15, 2012. Q: What does it take to be an artist, especially one living and working in New York?
Barbara’s Studio (in 2012) with works in progress.
A: The three Big P’s – Patience, Persistence, and Passion. Without all three you will not have the stamina to work tirelessly for very little external reward. You can expect help from no one.
There are so many obstacles to art-making and countless reasons to just give up. When you really think about it, it’s amazing that great art gets made at all. So why do we do it? Above all it’s about making our time on earth matter, about devotion to our innate gifts and love of our hard-fought creative process.
And, my God, it even gets harder as we get older! So what do we do? We dig in that much deeper. It’s a most noble and sacred calling – you know when you have it – and that’s what separates those of us who are in it for the long haul from the wimps, fakers, and hangers-on. I say to my fellow artists who continue to work despite the endless challenges, we are all true heroes!
These words still ring true and it’s good, even for me, to occasionally be reminded.
Most importantly, THANK YOU to my 85,500+ subscribers for taking this journey with me!
Comments are welcome!
Posted on July 16, 2022, in 2022, An Artist's Life, Art in general, Art Works in Progress, Black Paintings, Creative Process, Inspiration, New York, NY, Painting in General, Pastel Painting, Photography, Quotes, Studio, The West Village, Working methods and tagged amazing, anniversaries, art-making, artists, calling, celebration, challenges, continue, countless, creative, day, devotion, endless, expect, external, fakers, fellow, hangers-on, hard-fought, innate, journey, July 15 2012, making, matter, obstacles, occassionally, older, passion, pastel paintings, pastels, patience, persistence, postcards, process, progress, reasons, reminded, republishing, reward, separates, stamina, Studio, subscribers, tirelessly, yesterday. Bookmark the permalink. 20 Comments.
barbararachkoscoloreddust.com 
Wonderful Barbara!
Thanks, Molly.
Barbara, I really enjoyed reading this interview. I fine and concise combination of personal story, art “exhibit”, and pep-talk- we all need it! Congratulations on getting this done and out there. Best, Cora
Thanks, Cora. Circumstances have forced me into being my own coach and best friend and I am always happy to share what I’ve learned.
Barbara
Your words on pastel work which I also have a deep love for in addition to my painting practice resonated with me as I also love being one with the medium and being able to move the color around and layer them directly using my bare hands for which I am yet to find a satisfying replacement and doubt ther is…..as for your words on being an artist in NYC (and I think they would apply to any location) ….truly inspirational and validating.
Jacqueline Rada
Jacqueline, thank you very much. You’re right. It’s tough being an artist regardless of where you live. And between you and me, pastel is simply the best!
Hi Barbara,
Love the Q&A format. I work in pastels as well, and there is something better about using your hands, partly to do with the “grease” from your fingers I think! I find that Wallis paper is slightly kinder, while still taking lots of layers (plus wet media).
Kari Feuer
Thank you, Kari. Yes, the grease from our fingers! That must be it. I’ll have to check out that paper.
Congrats Barbara on this. It looks great and definitely reflects your vision and persona. I am really curious to see what emerges from the Bali trip.
Thanks, Julie. I can’t say yet how Bali might affect my work.
Reblogged this on The Gallery Goddess and commented:
The inspirational, talented Barbara Rachko on being a living, working artist in NYC, USA.
Vicki, thanks very much!
You are very welcome. I love your blog. It’s so you!
Strong, good advice Barbara! Yes, as we get older, it gets harder. But maybe it gets less scary to let superfluous things out of our lives so we end up budgeting more energy to artmaking. You call it persistence. I call it stubbornness. Let them shake their heads and shrug!
Patience, Persistence, and Passion – So true
Thank you, Pat.
Wow. I know how you feel! The world pouresses inward to squeeze the creativity out of you and you must push back twice as hard to continue on your (my) Creative Journey! Glad you started your blog five years ago…Congratulations!
Thank you very much!
Happy birthday, Barbara’s blog! Wishing you many more years to come.
Thanks very much!