Artists and Money

On the whole, money does artists much more good than harm. The idea that one benefits from cold water, crusts and debt collectors is now almost extinct, like belief in the reformatory power of flogging.
 

Song of Loss by William Blake

The idea that money, patronage and trade automatically corrupts the wells of imagination is a pious fiction, believed by some utopian lefties and a few people of genius such as (William) Blake but flatly contradicted by history itself.

-quote from Robert Hughes

Thanks to Artquotes.net. See link above for more. 

I should add that I couldn't agree more. I'm sure most artists who find themselves wrestling with debt collectors and bills and eating crusts would enjoy not having to worry about money. Who, really, wouldn't? The point surely is that the anxiety that comes along with seeking it and the time required to make it thwarts them from the very thing it is they wish to sink their energies into—the making of art. Call it romantic or anarchic or lazy or a stupid waste of time but the truth is there are many in this world saddled with the desire to make profound objects and cannot survive if the pursuit of money does not jive with the pursuit of their dreams. Being truly creative means finding a way to do this. The solution will be different with each and every individual and will not always be noble. I personally like the idea of not feeling ashamed by the approach I choose. I want to be look money in the eye, not be tying its shoe laces. Is that utopian?