Get Money.

If there's one thing about artists, it's that money is not (always) an issue with them. That's probably why most artists are perceived to be poor.

My father is an artist. Therefore, he is poor.

I am constantly conning my dad to give me his money. Therefore, I am poor.

***

I didn't get much support from my parents career-wise. I didn't have a stage-mom egging me to get good grades. In college, even though my father paid for my education, he never once asked to see my grades. I got the occasional, non-committal "so how's school" phone call, but that's about it.

In retrospect, it was nice to have had that kind of freedom. At the same time, words of support and encouragement are also alien to me.

Which is why today is a milestone.

For once, my father looked up from the book he was reading (which, this time, was a 400-page book on how best to play bridge - nothing special, except he doesn't and probably has never played bridge, ever) and told me the following:

"You are lucky to be an apprentice to a good photographer. You should consider yourself very fortunate, and do your best to learn everything you can. You are an assistant, a student. Learn."

Yes, but there is little money in this assistant business, so I don't think I'm going anywhere.

He looked at me, truly astonished.

"Since when do assistants or students get paid? You should NOT be paid AT ALL. Your education is payment enough."

And then he continues,

"True art, true beauty, and true form consumes absolutely. There is no time to think about money."

This was my response:

o_O (to self): WTF did he just say?

***

Due credit is to an artist what money is to a businessman.