Interview from art professional talking about how the art industry and how difficult it is.
Meet Jonas Gerard.
Art is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form. Every artist has their own technique and style that separates them from others. The art world is an incredibly competitive field, especially for students and artists as they try entering it for the first time. Fifteen percent of artists make between $22,500 and $29,499 a year as seen from the chart below. This leaves artists forced to find other jobs in order to sustain their passion for art.
Although the art industry is competitive, artists are still able to do what they love. Some can make a living out of it or just pursue it as a hobby. For others, they get both at the same time. Success can be found in the most unusual ways and for one artist, he says it was all luck.
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Percentage of Artists Salaries in the Unites States
This is a story about how an artist found his path to success in the competitive art industry. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, there are over two million artists working in the United States. This story follows one man in his journey and we also get advice from an art professor who guides perspective students before going into the industry.
Map Of All The Places Gerard Has Been
Gerard and his family moved to the United States when he was 14 years old. He grew up in New York City where he worked multiple jobs. He would paint on the city’s streets because it was his passion.
Gerard painted all different things from landscapes to magazine covers. He began selling his paintings and making money. As more people bought his work, he increased the prices of them.
Gerard never expected painting to turn into his career. He painted on the streets of New York for over 52 years before looking for a place to live. That is when he found Asheville.
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Gerard started working in one studio in Asheville. Today he has two studios full of his art. He has a whole team that works for him so he is able to focus on his passion, painting. Currently, his paintings live all all around the world in people’s homes, business and lives.
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Gerard dedicated the painting to President Gerald Ford on behalf of the American people. Upon dedicating the painting, Gerard said, “It is my deep hope that this painting will inspire each person who gazes upon it to strive to realize the essential Freedom, Peace, and Unity which already exists in every human heart. The future of our country rests in the hope that each of us will strive for this noble ideal. To me, this is the ultimate meaning of the Bicentennial celebration and of True Patriotism.”
Gerard has created a career doing what he loves. “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to have been given the gift of painting,” Gerard said.
Years into Gerard’s career, he was diagnosed with throat cancer which affected his voice. He said it was a “wake up call” for him to live his true life.
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“Art is not about success, art is about being truthful to yourself.”
- Jonas Gerard
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In 1975, Gerard received the opportunity for his painting, originally called “We The People,” to be considered the United States’ Bicentennial portrait. It now has a permanent home in the Smithsonian Institute’s collection. (Click the button to the left to see)
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Gerard said he never had any guidance or instruction when it came to painting and he is thankful he didn't. He would just try new things and do whatever made him happy. Gerard would paint whatever he wanted and never cared what people thought. Luckily for him, people loved his art which led to his career.
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