The archetype of the “starving artist” is often glorified, yet it can be both overrated and insulting to many creatives.
Why should the dedication of artists be romanticized as a noble suffering?
The ability to label oneself as an artist isn’t contingent upon the number of hours spent on a craft or the income derived from it.
In Houston, many successful artists balance day jobs alongside their creative pursuits, incorporating valuable skills learned in other industries into their artistic careers.
For instance, Angelique, a prominent mononymic pop star, emphasizes the importance of her day job in sustaining her music career.
She states, “So much of my day job has supplemented my music career, and I’m comfortable.
I couldn’t do my art if I was a starving artist.
I’m not built for it, and so I couldn’t have one without the other.”
Angelique doesn’t just sing; she also runs her family’s entertainment company, AmericaStar Entertainment, performs in the band Nowhere But Up, and works as a paralegal.
She relishes this blend of roles and points out that wealthy individuals often maintain multiple income streams.
Why should artists not employ the same financial strategy?
Angelique’s diverse résumé includes roles beyond her musical career—she has been a nanny, tax preparer, and home health worker.
Currently, she works for a lawyer who understands the dual demands of being professional and artistic, allowing her a certain flexibility in her job.
Every skill and connection acquired from her day jobs directly enhances her work in the music industry.
“I’ve definitely gotten in front of people who I wouldn’t have been in front of before if I didn’t have the day jobs that I’ve had,” she explains.
“I would say it makes me a more knowledgeable musician and business owner.”
Her experience in tax work has helped her effectively manage contractors at AmericaStar, while her legal and business knowledge has taught her sustainable operational practices.
Aspiring to attend law school, with a focus on real estate and probate, she envisions continuing her passions as a musician and business owner alongside a legal career.
This multi-faceted approach mirrors the career of Philip Weigand, a watercolorist represented by Mont Art House in Sixth Ward.
Weigand works in the business sector of the oil and gas industry and holds an MBA in energy finance from the University of Houston.
Since 2010, he has garnered experience in various fields including mergers and acquisitions, midstream operations, commercial finance, and business development.
In his spare time, Weigand creates tiny stylized portraits of cattle as well as larger, detailed depictions of missions and offshore operations.
His artwork is so intricate that new elements emerge with each viewing.
Growing up with an architect father, Weigand attributes his artistic inclinations to the fusion of art, design, and engineering he witnessed in his upbringing.
“I caught the [art] bug early on.
Took some classes in my formative years, then did some as electives in undergrad, and just always enjoyed it,” he recalls.
His work, such as the piece Yellow Platform, depicts a rig in the Gulf of Mexico, showcasing both artistic creativity and technical accuracy.
Understanding the construction intricacies allows him to blend precise details with his unique aesthetic.
Weigand, who is married with children, appreciates the stability that his oil and gas career provides—not just for himself, but for his family.
He acknowledges the risk of transitioning to full-time painting, necessitating that his art generates sufficient income.
“I know the whole starving artist concept, but I do like the work that I do in oil and gas currently, and it’s a nice balance that I have right now,” Weigand states.
For author Dan Perez, writing is still a secondary pursuit to his primary career as a hypnotist.
With over three decades of experience and 11 years running his private practice, Perez finds deep satisfaction in helping clients overcome various challenges, from anxiety to healthy living.
Despite the common perception that hypnosis is only for entertainment, he notes its effectiveness as a complementary therapeutic approach.
He explains the gratifying nature of assisting clients in achieving their emotional and psychological goals, gleaned from his own life experiences with hypnosis.
“Helping people get where they want to be emotionally and psychologically is extremely rewarding,” Perez remarks.
While royalties from his writing contribute modestly to his income, he finds joy in blending his hypnotism practice with his literary ambitions.
He often writes in coffee shops, utilizing down time from his client sessions.
“If my client load ends at 3 pm I’ll just grab my [writing] stuff,” he adds.
The ambiance of local cafés like Tim Hortons, Panera, Empire Café, or Mod Coffee House allows him to dedicate time to his writing projects.
Currently, he has published nonfiction and four novels while actively working on additional projects, including a vampire novel and a book on extraordinary living.
Hypnosis bolsters his writing focus and productivity, allowing him to craft stories woven with elements of his therapeutic background.
For instance, his novel Gum features characters who employ neurolinguistic programming—a technique from hypnosis—to manage stress in tense situations.
Despite the unpredictability of pursuing an artistic career, as evidenced by struggles with clients who undervalue creative work, local artists demonstrate that day jobs can significantly enrich their artistic endeavors.
These intersections between disciplines show that pursuing multiple careers need not diminish one’s creative practice but can instead enhance it.
Angelique articulates this philosophy succinctly: “Even when I make it big, I don’t want to stop working in law.
I enjoy both of my jobs so much, and I want to have several businesses always.”
She insists that holding a day job does not signify failure but rather denotes success—pushing against the conventional narrative of the starving artist.
Ultimately, Houston’s artists illustrate that the path to creative fulfillment is multifaceted, allowing for a blend of stability and passion.
image source from：houstoniamag
