Have you ever known of someone who had had mad talent, but didn't realize HOW deep that talent really ran?

My friend Aaron. Amazing at drawing and painting and comics. That doesn’t pay the bills unless you are really lucky. Now he works in a retirement center wiping butts all day. He is content with this. He makes 30K a year and has time to pursue his artistic side.

I’m a director at a creative college — 33% of my students fall into this category. We are constantly pushing them.

Then there’s the third who are great, mature, and motivated; and the other third possessing no talent and even less work ethic.

@Dutchess_III: If you ever visit Massachusetts, I’ll take you to the Norman Rockwell Museum. Aside from a broad and amazing collection of his work, they have his actual studio on site (which they moved from the original location).

My brother has that mad talent and he refuses to showcase his skills on the internet…I don’t get why he would rather subject his wife and kids to a life of poverty instead of showing the world his God given talents.

Yes, I see one of those in the mirror every day.

For those who think that is pure ego, ask anybody who actually knows me; I still don’t see it myself, but I hear about it often enough that I have no choice but to assume they are correct just by sheer weight of evidence.

@jerv I know it’s not ego. I’m pretty sure it’s the truth, even without you having to say.

And I think my answer will be the same as you :)

@Cruiser and @jerv…what are the talents?

@Cruiser

Would that mad talent actually translate into money?

@Darth_Algar For an artist he has done just OK. He is famous world wide and IMO should be rock star rich but he isn’t.

@Cruiser

Ehh, that’s pretty much 95% of all artists though. Unfortunately the art world is finicky and pretentious and, with a few exceptions, most art isn’t valued until after the artist is dead. I have a friend who’s an absolutely gifted artist, but never could generate any interest in his art. He only started making money when he took up tattooing. Now he makes pretty good money as a tattooist and only occasionally gets a client to buy one of his oil works.

My brother tours the world giving demo’s but he never charges enough to cover more than his travel expense and his wife then is stuck at home with the kids for a week at a time while he is out yucking it up with his fans. I offered to pay to have his website redone that is over 10 years old but he won’t. He let’s his pride get in the way of promoting his art. He seems happy and loving the life he has and for many artist’s that is how they prefer it.