High Priestess as a reason not to become an artist/painter

[spinnachie]

Hi All

I just did the "too many choices" spread that I found on this forum
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=103553

and for my first column I asked about becoming a painter (in the painting pictures sense)...for 1b I pulled the High Priestess as a reason not to go with that choice.
I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on how HP would be a reason not to...

Normally she shows up for me when I do reasons about my spirituality or how I am as a reader etc...but I'm a little stumped with this one...

any help is appreciated!

xo
spin

 

[rwcarter]

Thanks for trying my spread!

Other than spirituality, the HP can point to that which is unknown or can't be known at this time. So as why not to choose becoming an artist, she could be saying that there's something you don't know about that option and that's why you shouldn't choose it.

Of course I don't know your circumstances, but it could be something like tapping into the source of your artistic talent might dredge up long buried things from your past or that you don't fully understand what the life of an artist is like or even that while art might be an interest, it shouldn't become a career because there's something else you should be doing but you're just not aware of it yet.

Rodney

 

[spinnachie]

Thanks for trying my spread!

Other than spirituality, the HP can point to that which is unknown or can't be known at this time. So as why not to choose becoming an artist, she could be saying that there's something you don't know about that option and that's why you shouldn't choose it.

Of course I don't know your circumstances, but it could be something like tapping into the source of your artistic talent might dredge up long buried things from your past or that you don't fully understand what the life of an artist is like or even that while art might be an interest, it shouldn't become a career because there's something else you should be doing but you're just not aware of it yet.

Rodney

Haha no! thank you for sharing this one!!! it's a really interesting spread

As for my HP...what you're saying does make some sense...I don't understand what the life of an artist is like...but there is also something else I could be doing...I will have to look at the other cards and see which one makes more sense...

Thanks Rodney!

xo
spin

 

[Thirteen]

Isolation and intense focus

The HPS is a solitary person. And artists/painters are in a solitary business. You work alone, and don't get to socialize. Unlike the Hermit, who isolates himself to investigate the world, the HPS isolates herself so she can focus on, and tap into her intuition, unconscious and, yes, creativity. Anything from the outside would distract her from this.

Maybe you like the idea of this, but you asked the cards why you should not be one, and they may be telling you that it's hard to be isolated with your thoughts and feelings and working alone all the time. And it's especially hard because you don't get much feedback on your work. In fact, others may not understand what you're doing or why. So all you can do, day after day, is focus on painting, believing in it above friends, family, society. So. Even if you have the money, time and inclination to do it, you may find this part of being an artist/painter difficult and unpleasant. Even great artists have gone a little crazy being so much by themselves with only their canvasses.

 

[Padma]

The HPS is a solitary person. And artists/painters are in a solitary business. You work alone, and don't get to socialize. Unlike the Hermit, who isolates himself to investigate the world, the HPS isolates herself so she can focus on, and tap into her intuition, unconscious and, yes, creativity. Anything from the outside would distract her from this.

Maybe you like the idea of this, but you asked the cards why you should not be one, and they may be telling you that it's hard to be isolated with your thoughts and feelings and working alone all the time. And it's especially hard because you don't get much feedback on your work. In fact, others may not understand what you're doing or why. So all you can do, day after day, is focus on painting, believing in it above friends, family, society. So. Even if you have the money, time and inclination to do it, you may find this part of being an artist/painter difficult and unpleasant. Even great artists have gone a little crazy being so much by themselves with only their canvasses.

As an artist (painter) myself, I would second every single word Thirteen said. It is, in addition, a very mysterious business to break into - seemingly not great artists break through and sell, while many very good artists remain untapped, unrecognised. And not for want of trying to break through. It really is a "right place at the right time with the right people" kind of job to succeed at.

It's also a career that is so hit and miss, with no pay in between commissions. So you can't actually "make a living" from painting, unless you hit that sweet spot with the right place, time and people that I mentioned. You'd really have to beat huge odds.

It can take many long years of training with successful masters in their studios, as well, after art studies in university. And that doesn't come cheap, and it's not paid for by anyone else but yourself.

I think what HP is saying here is that it is the kind of work you can do on the sidelines, alone, just like religion or praying in the temple, but not something you can make a career of, and get paid for while you learn to do it. After all, even in the most literal sense, being a High Priestess is a calling and a vocation, not a career or a job - much like being a painter. And as a High Priestess, one would be sustained by the abbey, and live in poverty. So I think that might also be what she is trying to point out here. The life of the lonely artist in the garret, living in poverty, overlooked by society, is a stereotype because it is TRUE.

If this is your highest calling (being a painter) be prepared to live in poverty, and be sustained with welfare checks by the society that supports you, until someone decides you are the ultimate Delphic oracle of Art, and becomes your patron. And I can only wish you luck with that. It is not a career to enter into lightly, and I think HP is telling you that, as well. It will cost you everything you have; you will have to give up everything fun and material, in order to purchase your supplies, discipline yourself to work long hours daily, alone, and lug your work around from gallery to gallery, hoping for a break. It *has* to be a calling and a vocation, or you will never survive the challenges/commitment it presents.

I hate to be a downer here, but I can tell you from my experience, and that of my friends, that it is a very, very very hard row to hoe, and you'd need all of the mysteries of the universe conspiring with you to find success - even just enough success to make a living from it (if you want to just use it (art talent) to put paint on canvasses with brushes, that is).

ETA to sum up, High Priestess in this position says: Sacrifice. Commitment. Vocation. Poverty. Relying on the mystery of the conspiring time/place/chance Universe to succeed.

ETA x 2- Since HP is in the position for why you shouldn't do that as a career, I can only assume the cards were telling you you would have to have the High Priestess level of vow to poverty, hardship, and commitment and vocation to follow through, which I think the cards were saying "that's not you, that won't feed you or nurture you, that is harsh, and that's no fun - so think very long and hard on this before making it your choice".

 

[Thirteen]

Artists "see" differently

What Padma said! The artistic life is most certainly not as romantically easy as novels and movies like to "paint" it. And it can be lonely and isolating in another way. Example: most people go to the beach to have fun with friends, or relax. They gaze at the sky and the waves and the birds, and just soak it all in. And if they think it's beautiful and want to remember it, they snap a picture. But an artist who paints the beach isn't trying to capture it like a picture (though, back before photos, they did do that).

An artist is trying to get the viewer to see the beach as they *experienced* it. They might want the viewer to feel the rolling motion of the waves; hear them crashing into the shore and experience the power and chaos of those waters, as the artist did when the artist heard them. This is why the artist won't paint those waves picture perfect. They paint them to get those across the deeper meanings of those waters. Very like the HPS, they pass on a sort of secret knowledge, something the person may not have felt or seen or grasped when they looked at the sea. But now, seeing the painting, they do.

The painter SEES what others do not. And that...that can be a very lonely thing. Your friends, family, society think, "What a lovely day at the beach." You think: "I'd used this blue paint and that one to capture that water, and make it feel eternal. I'd use this brush stroke and that to contrast water from sky...." etc. It's a little like a person who decides to become a stage magician. Once they know how the tricks work, they can't really enjoy magic shows the same way. Ditto with art. You lose the ability to see the world with the same innocent, easy joy as everyone else...lose it pretty much forever. A very good reason, I'd think, to "not" become an artist.

 

[spinnachie]

The HPS is a solitary person. And artists/painters are in a solitary business. You work alone, and don't get to socialize. Unlike the Hermit, who isolates himself to investigate the world, the HPS isolates herself so she can focus on, and tap into her intuition, unconscious and, yes, creativity. Anything from the outside would distract her from this.

Maybe you like the idea of this, but you asked the cards why you should not be one, and they may be telling you that it's hard to be isolated with your thoughts and feelings and working alone all the time. And it's especially hard because you don't get much feedback on your work. In fact, others may not understand what you're doing or why. So all you can do, day after day, is focus on painting, believing in it above friends, family, society. So. Even if you have the money, time and inclination to do it, you may find this part of being an artist/painter difficult and unpleasant. Even great artists have gone a little crazy being so much by themselves with only their canvasses.

I've never thought of it that way, I pretty much live in isolation already. I mean I do socialize but keep it to a minimum, I really love my alone time However, I would find it difficult to solely focus on the one thing because I like to have the freedom to jump around to different hobbies like coming on here

As an artist (painter) myself, I would second every single word Thirteen said. It is, in addition, a very mysterious business to break into - seemingly not great artists break through and sell, while many very good artists remain untapped, unrecognised. And not for want of trying to break through. It really is a "right place at the right time with the right people" kind of job to succeed at.

It's also a career that is so hit and miss, with no pay in between commissions. So you can't actually "make a living" from painting, unless you hit that sweet spot with the right place, time and people that I mentioned. You'd really have to beat huge odds.

It can take many long years of training with successful masters in their studios, as well, after art studies in university. And that doesn't come cheap, and it's not paid for by anyone else but yourself.

I think what HP is saying here is that it is the kind of work you can do on the sidelines, alone, just like religion or praying in the temple, but not something you can make a career of, and get paid for while you learn to do it. After all, even in the most literal sense, being a High Priestess is a calling and a vocation, not a career or a job - much like being a painter. And as a High Priestess, one would be sustained by the abbey, and live in poverty. So I think that might also be what she is trying to point out here. The life of the lonely artist in the garret, living in poverty, overlooked by society, is a stereotype because it is TRUE.

If this is your highest calling (being a painter) be prepared to live in poverty, and be sustained with welfare checks by the society that supports you, until someone decides you are the ultimate Delphic oracle of Art, and becomes your patron. And I can only wish you luck with that. It is not a career to enter into lightly, and I think HP is telling you that, as well. It will cost you everything you have; you will have to give up everything fun and material, in order to purchase your supplies, discipline yourself to work long hours daily, alone, and lug your work around from gallery to gallery, hoping for a break. It *has* to be a calling and a vocation, or you will never survive the challenges/commitment it presents.

I hate to be a downer here, but I can tell you from my experience, and that of my friends, that it is a very, very very hard row to hoe, and you'd need all of the mysteries of the universe conspiring with you to find success - even just enough success to make a living from it (if you want to just use it (art talent) to put paint on canvasses with brushes, that is).

ETA to sum up, High Priestess in this position says: Sacrifice. Commitment. Vocation. Poverty. Relying on the mystery of the conspiring time/place/chance Universe to succeed.

ETA x 2- Since HP is in the position for why you shouldn't do that as a career, I can only assume the cards were telling you you would have to have the High Priestess level of vow to poverty, hardship, and commitment and vocation to follow through, which I think the cards were saying "that's not you, that won't feed you or nurture you, that is harsh, and that's no fun - so think very long and hard on this before making it your choice".

Oh I hear what you're saying, I know it is a difficult field to get into, but realistically, and this could just be the way I see things because right now any field is difficult to get into, especially if its in the realm of self employment. You have to work hard and basically eat, breath and sleep your business. If I wanted to become a professional Tarot reader I would have to really dedicate myself to the Tarot and put in the same type of effort as you described above. The difference being that perhaps I wouldn't be "starving" because I could still keep my day job. I would imagine though that if painting was something I truly felt called to do I would most likely keep my day job as well and paint as much as I could on any free time I had...and I don't do that.
I do enjoy painting but I sort of already knew that it wasn't the path for me. I just wanted to add it to this spread because I really don't know what I want to do...I kind of just feel like I don't have any of these "strengths" that everyone keeps telling me to look out for.

Thanks for your input Padma and pointing out some things about the High Priestess that I didn't realize.

What Padma said! The artistic life is most certainly not as romantically easy as novels and movies like to "paint" it. And it can be lonely and isolating in another way. Example: most people go to the beach to have fun with friends, or relax. They gaze at the sky and the waves and the birds, and just soak it all in. And if they think it's beautiful and want to remember it, they snap a picture. But an artist who paints the beach isn't trying to capture it like a picture (though, back before photos, they did do that).

An artist is trying to get the viewer to see the beach as they *experienced* it. They might want the viewer to feel the rolling motion of the waves; hear them crashing into the shore and experience the power and chaos of those waters, as the artist did when the artist heard them. This is why the artist won't paint those waves picture perfect. They paint them to get those across the deeper meanings of those waters. Very like the HPS, they pass on a sort of secret knowledge, something the person may not have felt or seen or grasped when they looked at the sea. But now, seeing the painting, they do.

The painter SEES what others do not. And that...that can be a very lonely thing. Your friends, family, society think, "What a lovely day at the beach." You think: "I'd used this blue paint and that one to capture that water, and make it feel eternal. I'd use this brush stroke and that to contrast water from sky...." etc. It's a little like a person who decides to become a stage magician. Once they know how the tricks work, they can't really enjoy magic shows the same way. Ditto with art. You lose the ability to see the world with the same innocent, easy joy as everyone else...lose it pretty much forever. A very good reason, I'd think, to "not" become an artist.

Well I can tell you right now my paintings are definitely not those types of experiences I paint things that I like because I enjoy having them up on my walls, or giving something fun with a splash of "me" to friends and family. I definitely don't see what others do not, trust me if you saw my "art" you'd most likely raise your eyebrows and walk away from me slowly, yet as fast as possible lol As I've said they are just fun little pieces of work that I have fun doing. I just figured maybe it's a possibility to turn it into a career seeing as I do enjoy it, but at the same time I only enjoy doing it when I feel like it. I can see it getting irritating if that was all I had to focus on in order to earn a living.

Thanks for this insight and your previous one Thirteen
Your interpretation as well as Padma's has actually brought to light what rwcarter was saying above.

*sigh* back to the ol' drawing board for me

xo
spin

 

[Padma]

<snip>... As I've said they are just fun little pieces of work that I have fun doing. I just figured maybe it's a possibility to turn it into a career seeing as I do enjoy it, but at the same time I only enjoy doing it when I feel like it. I can see it getting irritating if that was all I had to focus on in order to earn a living.

Yes...that's the difficulty with trying to turn a fun hobby into a living - it rather sucks all the joy out of doing it, and turns it into a constant chore, because you have to keep at it, just like any other day job!

Glad I could help shed some light on it (as a career) for you.

 

[Thirteen]

Work does put an end to the fun unless it's a real calling

Yes...that's the difficulty with trying to turn a fun hobby into a living - it rather sucks all the joy out of doing it, and turns it into a constant chore, because you have to keep at it, just like any other day job!

Heh! Yep. My husband and I are writers. And when people get all "Oh, I would love to do that!" We reminds them of a few things. Like, most regular jobs include not only a regular paycheck, but going home at night and taking days off including vacations. Artists/writes work when they need to work/get work--and that may mean working late into the nights or no days off (I recently had to construct a 50,000 word piece over six weeks, and barely took a day or night off from start to finish).

And writing includes editing. Which is chore work. You don't write it and off it goes to be published. You go over it, editng words, paragraphs, moving around parts. Then you go over it again. And then the editor goes over it and back to you...again!

It's a lot of fun to write what you want to write when you want to write and share with friends as a blog or fan writing. But as a career...it's got to be a real passion, because the "work" part of it will put an end to all the fun unless it really is your calling. Pretty much, I imagine, like any other calling.

 

[Padma]

Thirteen, I so totally get that! It's like the painting and repainting and repainting and scraping off and finally getting that last little detail right on a canvas! Or, submitting the finished product to the client, and they are all - "um. Can you change this shade just slightly, to more match my sofa?"

You said it - it HAS to be a calling that drives you, or there is no way any sane person would willingly do it otherwise! (one rather wonders if the HP feels the same way...!)

ETA good luck with your word-crafting! That is an awesome calling!