Working for a Living

My name is Erica Lee Martin and I am an artist. Specifically, I am a singer, an actress and a songwriter who is currently dabbling in watercolour painting. I have worked very hard to become the artist I am today; I have a master's degree in classical singing, and another in classical acting for the professional theatre. During my university years I supported myself financially by working at what we call a joe job. Although it was never my intention to become a store manager or a restauranteur, I did these jobs well and was loyal to the shops I worked in. These jobs are essential for budding artists because while you're learning it's near impossible to make enough money through your craft. Working for a living in your field is a rarity right after school as well, so most artists become some kind of variation on the actor/waiter stereotype. One of my teachers, who was 70 when she taught me, once commented, "Why do so many of my students have other jobs besides school? I never had to work when I was that age." I hate to break it to you lady, but that's what the world is like these days. Not only are there less jobs in the arts, there are more artists because our generation is more determined than previous ones to do work we actually enjoy. Crazy concept, I know. 

My good friend, a bit older than me and who has worked at his job for several years now, didn't know how to respond when I asked him what he wanted to do in life--what his passion was. he was a bit unfulfilled at his job, yet stayed because he didn't have a passion calling on him to bring his efforts elsewhere. He said he never knew what he wanted to be so chose a job that he found interesting and that he didn't overall dislike. While this sounds like a solution to me of a sort, I can't live that way. I have a nagging feeling in me every day that I don't sing or act. I feel I haven't done a full day's work even if I've spent 8 or 10 hours at my joe job. The most satisfying day to me is when I'm rehearsing or practicing or performing; I'm using the talents I haveI feel like I'm taking risks which is exhilarating, I'm communicating with others, I'm creating art and I'm being true to myself. 

I am very fortunate to have running water, a roof over my head, medical coverage, a family and friends who love and support me--I know my problem is one of the third world. However, I believe the first world is broken and fixing it would eventually save the third. Our culture's obsession with money is what makes many other countries poor. It's what makes people in our own countries poor.  It's what poisons our food, it makes us lazy. If every single one of us could live more simply, the world would have a lot more. But I digress. I don't want to be a millionaire; I want to work for a living. more specifically, I want to create for a living. If I had enough money every month just to cover bills without having to devote all my hours to a job that makes me hate my life, I would be the happiest person in the world.

 Working 45 hours a week doesn't leave me enough energy to work on my craft, which means I can't move forward as an artist, put myself out there to win jobs, or create my own work. I've decided, after working to get myself a little money after graduation, that I can no longer work at a joe job. I've worked too hard at school to throw it in the bin because I need money. For every artist you see on the tv,  there are 50 out there struggling. Buy Beyoncé's new album by all means, but if you can spare a couple more quid, give it to an artist who really needs the cash for rent money, for food, for art supplies. I keep such a tight budget I get excited when zucchinis are on sale; I can't imagine my happiness if I could actually do my work for a living. 

I used to ascribe the word "work" to my joe job: "I'm off to work"; "I have to work on the weekend' etc. During my last year of school I stopped using that word to mean I was going to spend time doing something that I disliked; I started using it to describe practicing, character work, rehearsing, creating.  It's made me realise that what I should be doing with my hours is creating. Constantly. I've never committed utterly and completely to a career in the arts because I was always either at school or working part-time or full-time at another job. Well, now is the time: I'm going to challenge myself, keep in shape, broaden my repertoire, market myself on the Internet and in real life, go to auditions; in short, COMMIT. But I need all my hours to it. I'm hoping through my efforts I will find patrons to help finance me, that I'll win jobs once I put myself out there and that I'll get noticed while creating public work with colleagues and friends. This is how I want to support myself financially. The world is constantly moving forward and hopefully the way artists are supported in the community will also start to change.