Dear Bill,
I wanted to be an artist since I was 10 years old. My father told me I couldn’t make a living at it, so I studied Graphic Design and minored in art. It may seem my dad was a dream crusher, but the truth is, it IS hard to make a living creating art. By majoring in Graphic Design in Mass Communications, I was able to easily get a job and do my art on the side.
So, I had a regular paycheck and enjoyed creating whatever I wanted.
I loved that I had a formal art education. I use some of what I was taught nearly every time I paint!
Honestly, at one point I lost my heart for Graphic Design. I went years without doing it. I turned to fine art, but couldn’t make a decent living at it.
So, I’m doing graphic design again. Only now I love it. So I think that is life. When anything becomes hard work and is someone else’s vision, it’s hard to feel as content as creating what we want to create.
Just find a balance. Keep art at least as a minor. And you could consider teaching (teaching art), graphic design (artistic on most days), or even business and corporate life, but having an art website.
Good luck!