The Painting Is Only the Beginning: Truths About Being an Artist

One of the questions I am often asked is, “What’s it like being an artist?” Usually the question is accompanied by a certain image of what an artist’s life might be. A quiet studio. A paintbrush in hand. Inspiration arriving like a lightning bolt. Days spent creating without a care in the world, are these truths about being an Artist?

I understand where these ideas come from. For centuries artists have been romanticized as dreamers, rebels, and free spirits. While there is some truth in those descriptions, they only tell part of the story. The reality of being a professional artist is far more complex and, in my opinion, far more interesting.

It Starts with a Love of Making Things

Like many artists, I began drawing as a child. Long before exhibitions, publications, collectors, or commissions entered the picture, there was simply the joy of creating. Hours disappeared while I sat in my bedroom drawing, painting, and imagining. Looking back, I realize that those early years were not about becoming an artist. They were about discovering a way of seeing the world.

That sense of curiosity remains at the heart of my practice today.

Inspiration Is Wonderful, But Discipline Matters More

People often imagine that artists wait for inspiration before they begin working. The truth is that most professional artists show up whether they feel inspired or not.

There are certainly moments of excitement and discovery in the studio. There are days when a painting seems to unfold effortlessly. But there are also days filled with problem-solving, revision, and persistence. Painting is not simply an act of expression. It is a practice.

The longer I have worked as an artist, the more I have come to appreciate discipline. Inspiration may light the spark, but discipline keeps the fire burning.

Artists Wear Many Hats

What surprises people most is how much of an artist’s life takes place away from the easel. There are exhibitions to organize, paintings to photograph, websites to update, newsletters to write, inventory to maintain, shipping to arrange, applications to complete, and relationships to nurture.

Being a professional artist requires creativity, but it also requires entrepreneurship. The painting may be what people see, but behind every finished work is a great deal of planning, administration, and effort.

Truths About Being an Artist: Success Rarely Happens Overnight

From the outside, it can appear as though artists suddenly emerge into public view. What is often invisible are the years spent learning, experimenting, making mistakes, and continuing despite setbacks. Most artists spend decades developing their voice. Every exhibition, publication, residency, and opportunity is built upon countless hours of work that nobody sees. Art is a long game. It asks for patience, resilience, and faith in a vision that may take years to fully emerge.

Artists Are Observers

Perhaps the biggest misconception is that artists simply make pictures. What artists really do is observe. We pay attention to details, symbols, stories, and moments that others may pass by. We gather fragments of experience and transform them into something visual. My own work is rooted in exploring Canada, its landscapes, popular culture, and collective identity. Through painting, I seek to tell stories about who we are and how we see ourselves.

The canvas becomes a place where observation and imagination meet.

The Real Gift of Being an Artist

After nearly two decades as a professional artist, I have come to understand that being an artist is not simply a career.

It is a way of moving through the world. It is a commitment to curiosity. A willingness to keep learning. A desire to look closely and find meaning in everyday life. The paintings hanging on gallery walls represent only a small part of that journey. Behind each one are years of observation, travel, reflection, experimentation, and hard work.

The painting is never just a painting. It is the visible result of a life spent paying attention. And despite all the challenges, uncertainties, and misconceptions that come with this profession, I cannot imagine doing anything else.

If you would like to explore my paintings and follow my ongoing journey across Canada through art, I invite you to visit the galleries and stories featured throughout this website.