I recently just sold my first painting on an online art gallery. Can I now say I am professional ? Doesn't feel like I could lol
Thanks

Congratulations! From the looks of your gallery you're a very good artist, so I don't see why not call yourself a professional artist if you're ready to sell your work.

Congratulations on your first sale! How did it feel?

I believe a "professional" artist is someone who can support one's self through art as a primary source of income. I'm not sure of this, but it makes sense to me.

Professionals make their living from their craft/art/job. If you sell enough to give up your day job, you are a professional!

Professional artists are usually classed as individuals who have trained in art either through formal classes or other means, who have shown their art publicly through exhibitions and are recognized by their peers (other artists) as a practicing artist.

Sales don't really enter into the designation of artist. Its more your background, visibility and the recognition of other artists.

Sounds like your doing good to me! Congrats!

I prefer this definition of the word "professional".

"A professional is a member of a vocation founded upon specialised educational training.

The word professional traditionally means a person who has obtained a degree in a professional field. The term professional is used more generally to denote a white collar working person, or a person who performs commercially in a field typically reserved for hobbyists or amateurs.

In western nations, such as the United States, the term commonly describes highly educated, mostly salaried workers, who enjoy considerable work autonomy, a comfortable salary, and are commonly engaged in creative and intellectually challenging work. Less technically, it may also refer to a person having impressive competence in a particular activity.

Because of the personal and confidential nature of many professional services and thus the necessity to place a great deal of trust in them, most professionals are held up to strict ethical and moral regulations."

I'm sorry, but this is simply incorrect. The word professional specifically refers to a person who earns their livelihood through through a skilled vocation. The sales, therefore, are essential in differentiating a professional artist from an amateur one. Having said that, there is a tendency for people to disregard amateur as being inferior (possibly due to the colloquial use of the word amateur to mean subpar), which is frankly silly. I know plenty of amateur artists who are better than professional ones. The difference is simply whether they earn money from it or not; indeed, many artists are not interested in turning their art into a profession.

No, professional designation does not directly link to monies earned. Yes, the artist who becomes better known through galleries and sales will have a stronger public presence than one who has not and likely more to be termed as 'professional'. However, its more about the dedication to artistic activity, training and peer recognition than money.

Van Gogh for instance didn't sell a painting in his lifetime, but was still considered a professional artist.

In reality, if you act like a professional artist, you are a professional artist. If you act like an amateur, you are treated as such.

The Canada Council's definition of a professional artist, which is an artist who:

* has completed his or her basic training (university or college graduation or the equivalent in specialized training, such as two or three years of self-directed study or apprenticeships)
* is recognized as such by his or her peers
* is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if financially feasible.

To meet the above definition of a professional fine craft artist or curator, you must have:

* produced an independent body of work
* made at least three public presentations of work in a professional context over a three year period
* maintained an independent professional practice for at least three years
* critics must have at least three publications to their credit; curators must have produced at least three exhibitions or publications.

The Australia Council commissioned a series of surveys looking at professional issues relating to Australian artists in all art fields. The definition used for Don't Give Up Your Day Job, the most recent report in the series, looked at a number of factors relating to ˜professionalism?.

..this survey, like its predecessors, is concerned with serious, practising professional artists. The seriousness is judged in terms of a self-assessed commitment to artistic work as a major aspect of the artist's working life, even if arts-related work is not the main source of income. The practising aspect means that we confine our attention to artists currently working or seeking to work in their chosen occupation. The term professional is intended to indicate a degree of training, experience or talent and a manner of working that qualify artists to have their work judged against the highest professional standards of the relevant occupation.

The UK establishes what makes an artist professional in principle:
"While there are several interpretations of what constitutes a professional 'artist' a broad interpretation is any arts practitioner working in the arts ... be they creative or interpretative, who either makes or endeavours to make a living from their work. A professional artist will also be defined through peer recognition."

UNESCO

The definition adopted at the 1980 UNESCO international conference on the status of the artist is:

Any person who creates or gives expression to, or recreates works of art, who considers his artistic creation to be an essential part of his life, who contributes in this way to the development of art and culture and who is or asks to be recognised as an artist, whether or not he is bound by any relations of employment or association.

Conjure up as many dictionary definitions as you want (and frankly I think you're misinterpreting some of those, as some of them quite specifically state working or the intention to work, while the UNESCO one is totally irrelevant as it's the "status of the artist" and has nothing to do with professionalism), I'm talking about the practicality of the term and how it's used in real life. If someone applies for a job, and on their CV they need to list "professional experience" they can't just throw anything in there, it has to be previous actual work experience. If someone applied for a job at the studio I work at, and one of the requirements was previous professional experience, and they had never worked anywhere else, they wouldn't qualify. Simple as that.

If you're sitting around doing something purely for the pleasure of it and no financial incentive, even if you're qualified to do it, you're not a professional. Otherwise I'd be a professional cook, drummer, guitarist, internet surfer, photographer, gamer, etc.

I think this response sums it up perfectly.


I myself have sold some work, but made very little money. I don't make enough to support myself, and I don't have experience in a professional working environment so I personally would not consider myself pro. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with having a degree, because most pro sports players do not have a degree in their field, but they are still considered pro because they are making a living that way.

In fact, this is the first time I have ever encountered a discussion where the term professional was looked at subjectively....and it's in reference to art...go figure : )

I guess if you can make a living at it, your pretty professional! Ive been drawing and painting most of my life and I wouldnt dream of saying im a professional but I would say im a good artist!

I think there are levels of professionalism. But in my opinion if you want an example of a professional artist just study the life and work of Brenda Hoddinott .

I have not studied art like some of these people here ..I am self taught ..I have sold as of this last year a few drawings ..I do not draw for a living only when the spirit moves me ..I do not call myself a professional artist...I Do know alot about Nursing and can be very good at it to the point people without insurance will ask my advice and take it and in almost all cases I will be right ...but I have had no training so again not a professional there either ..I think its all about the name earned ..a professional painter or plumber...they do not have to make a living at what they do just be trained in doing it . I think its simple to understand but this subject always raises eyebrows
So Shadesofblue unless one has been trained in art I feel one can not call oneself a professional artist ...but a great artist you can be ..people like your work well enough to buy it that is awsome .

Onona,

I agree with you,[u] talking about the practicality of the term and how it's used in real life.