Hardly any trade has such a controversial reputation as the artist trade. We speak of “starving artists” and “dreamers”, but in reality, artists are just entrepreneurs who have chosen to fill their life with art. They are hardly different from the tech-experts in Silicon Valley. They might not develop crazy new technologies; instead, they create things that offer perspective, entertainment, or beauty. These might be less tangible things, but they can be just as important and have just as positive an impact.
Nevertheless becoming and being an artist is not always easy. That is definitely true and Maya and Yehuda Devir, creators of One of Those Days, know this well. Hundreds of times they were told that they would never be able to make a living out of being an artist, that they should give up their dream and get a real job working for someone else’s dream. Over and over they heard this “advice”, but they refused to listen. They were real pirates and said, screw it! Let’s try anyway! And good thing they did, or we wouldn’t have their amazing comics to enjoy today.
So they stuck to their dream and ended up proving everyone wrong: Dreams can come true if you work hard enough, and you don’t have to starve to be an artist. You can have success, fun, and enjoy your creativity at the same time. You just have to stop listening to the disbelief around you and in your head and start listening to the vision in your heart instead.
Maya and Yehuda have some real advice to offer if you are dreaming of becoming an artist:
- Follow your dreams: Find time everyday to follow your dream. If you don’t feel like you have any time to spare, make time. If you are not actually willing to do what it takes to realise your dream, it is probably not going to happen.
- Work like there is no tomorrow: Of course we all need rest, but imagine if you spent every minute you would have spent scrolling through your social media on bringing yourself closer to your dream instead. You would probably have reached it by now.
- Ignore people who don’t believe in you: Just because others cannot imagine your dream, doesn’t mean that it cannot be achieved – it just means that they are not going to achieve it.
- The hardest moments are the best teachers: Everyone goes through some tough times to achieve their dreams. It is unavoidable, but never ever let it hold you back. Instead make the best of it, learn as much from it as possible and know that those tough moments are bringing you another step closer to your dream.
- Be yourself: Whatever your dream is, it will be stronger, have more impact and be more inspirational if you are true to yourself. It will also be easier to achieve and enjoy, if you are being yourself. Be you, because only you can.
- Give something back: Once you have actually made it, give something back to those who made it possible, to those who might be struggling with their dreams now, and to those who really need it. Achieving our dreams is much easier in a community.
Every artist is an entrepreneur, and in a sense, every entrepreneur is an artist too. For only through innovation, imagination and inspiration can something new be created, so also for those who do not identify as artists, take Maya and Yehuda’s advice to heart and also watch their webinar where they share their experience of doing their own thing, of struggling with being partners in business and in life, and of getting their content stolen. Definitely check it out below!
About Maya & Yehuda Devir
For years, they have been turning everyday moments into charming and often hilarious webcomics. Maya and Yehuda Devir are a married couple, parents, Israeli comic artists, and the masterminds (and main characters) of one of the most popular webcomics in the world “One of Those Days”. You can follow their art on their Instagram (jude_devir maya_devir) accounts or visit their website.
