The Artist's Journey Through Their Art

Here's from discovery to death, the artist's journey through their art.

-Start to do something.
-Discover that you like doing it. It brings you joy.
-Do that thing again, in hopes of recreating that joy.
-Read and devour all information and knowledge that will help you become better at doing it.
-Continue to do it, while incorporating the new knowledge you have gained.
-Find someone who was amazing at doing it and begin to idolize them and copy their style. You make a concerted effort to make it your own, though.
-Realize you are just ripping off your idol.
-Experiment in new ways of doing your craft.
-Get defensive when you fail at being different.
-Pull back and begin to apply the "Less is More" motto.

-You get paid to do it and it gives you confidence in doing it more.
-Your life becomes consumed with creating more.
-People recognize your talent and give you more opportunities to showcase it.
-You experiment again, but fail.
-Pull back, realizing the mis-step and continue forward.
-Moderate success, leads to an opportunity to make it big.
-Opportunity comes, but you're to inexperienced to succeed.
-Pull back from disillusionment.

-Go back to doing it simply.
-Success leads to more success, but it is not overwhelming to you this time around.
-Random happenstance presents an opportunity for success.
-You knock it out of the park.
-Opportunities are abundant and everyone wants to talk to you.
-You sustain a living off doing it.
-You get married.
-You keep doing it in moderation, being happy with what you have.
-An opportunity close to the heart comes by and you take it.
-The opportunity brings nationwide (maybe even worldwide) exposure.
-You are lauded and praised for your achievement.
-You are given an award by your peers signifying your great accomplishment.
-You buy something you've never been able to afford. Maybe you buy two of them.

-You become wary of the next project and pick over everything carefully.
-You have a kid, occupying your time.
-Thinking about doing it again is always thought of in the context of "Would it be successful?"
-You do it again and it's a moderate success.
-Consumed by figures, you lose your drive.
-Talent begins to fade as you churn it out to pay the bills.
-You see the deterioration of yourself, but justify that it's how the world works.
-You go to far in selling yourself.
-You're mocked and made fun of on late night shows for being a has-been.
-You drink.
-You smoke.
-You cry.
-You get divorced.
-You can't even think about doing it any more.
-You hit rock bottom.

-You begin to do it again on a small scale.
-The shadow of your past success, begins to grow smaller.
-You build a small following.
-You get married again.
-Someone who reminds you of a younger you, offers an opportunity for almost no money.
-The opportunity is a huge success and people begin to see you differently.
-Offers begin to start coming in and you take everything, just happy to do it again.
-You do it to much, severing your relationship to your kid.
-People begin to do it better than you.
-You get jealous and get sloppy.
-You fail badly and in the public eye.
-You drink more.
-You smoke more.
-You don't cry.
-You get divorced.
-You fall into obscurity.

-You grow old, forgotten as the trailblazer of your time.
-You get married again.
-Younger people talk about you as an inspiration for what they do.
-You grow bitter.
-You get offered to do it again, only because of your fame, and you turn it down.
-You don't speak to your kid until you're on your death bed. They are an alien to you, but you love them, inexplicably.
-You apologize to everyone who matter to you.
-You die.
-Your wife is the only person who shows up at your funeral.
-Your representation begins to sell your stuff as "classic".

-You are forgotten.