I’d be just as happy being a plumber, electrician, auto mechanic, or a carpenter, but unfortunately, I’ve already gone too far with this whole painting thing and I don’t believe I have the aptitude to be a skilled plumber, electrician, auto mechanic, or carpenter. Yes, I look at painting as a trade, but unfortunately, the elitists of this world have turned painting into something all together different churning out people that create art for the sake of seeking praise instead of seeking feedback to perfect their craft and to pay their bills, and this truly makes it difficult for those of us that are in it for the long hall. Believe it or not, there used to be a time when painting was a trade and nothing more. Long before cameras or any other sort of tech existed, skilled painters were paid to portray people and places and nothing more. But along came the snobbery of man to twist it into something else.
Of course there is nothing wrong with the human condition of needing to be appreciated from time to time. Even other tradesmen like plumbers and auto mechanics like to know that their work is appreciated, but as artists, the minute we take out that paint brush to create something with the end intent of solely seeking praise, we really should not consider ourselves a tradesman. Truly, there are many of us that only seek to create paintings to make a humble living and so that those that wish to hang some color on their walls have the means to do so and in a world now infected with prompt images (aka AI art), many of us are hoping that traditional art will begin to hold more value again – and I mean value as in something that is appreciated and not idolized. Painting as a hobby is completely fine and it is actually quite therapeutic but once you post it online in order to seek praise for it, it is no longer therapeutic, but instead becomes noxious. We have to ask ourselves, as artists, why do we create anything?
I suppose I needed to write this article in order to express my intentions for posting my art online. I need my viewers to know that I do it to try to build my online presence and to better my SEO standing with Google. I am sincerely trying to create a business, albeit small and humble, to pay a few bills. I enjoy painting and I love Florida, but I also have bills to pay and I found myself no longer wanting to submit myself to the drudgery of call center and office positions, so I took up painting in my forties, trying to desperately find a way out. I then went to school in my early fifties to obtain a BFA in Graphic Design but quickly found out that this field, even in and especially in, the Christian churches and organizations, is full up with ageism and looksism, so obtaining a career in this area is no less difficult than trying to obtain a modeling position with Vogue magazine in my fifties, even though it should not be this way. We truly have a long way to go before we can consider our society an enlightened one, but this is a topic for another article at another time.
So I continue to paint and I try to get in some painting every day to build up my skill level. I am doing this to sell paintings that others may enjoy hanging on their walls to bring joy and color into their homes. To me this is a trade and nothing more. I’m not seeking praise and I’m not needing anyone’s affirmations. If anything, I welcome true and honest feedback so that I may continue to improve upon my skills, just as a plumber, electrician, auto mechanic, or carpenter would want to improve in their skill sets. I’m seeking to pay bills and I have prayed to God asking Him to grant me the ability to do something that I enjoy, for a change, in order to pay those bills and I believe he is directing me this way, so this way I go. 
If you’re wanting to add some color to your life, come check out my wall art (originals and prints) at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/tina-burris/shop
If you are a fellow Florida scenic artist and are searching for a little inspiration, for just $7 per month you can become a member and gain complete access to all of my high resolution Florida photography at https://www.patreon.com/c/oldfloridaartist/shop