A good friend of mine, and a fellow artist-turned-professional, tipped me off to a website: http://www.finearttips.com/2011/02/10-reasons-why-you-should-date-an-artist/
Her thoughts, which I echoed, is that these reasons (10 Reasons Why You Should Date an Artist) are quite easy to refute. Since my good friend TB and I have dated a few between us, I thought I would compose a little response to these reasons.
1. "They're Passionate!" (but not necessarily smart!) Ah, the passion. This would be the initial reason that you are lured in by the Artist. They spend hours on their art, they labor over beauty, and they seem somehow transfixed by the subtleties of the green flecks in your eyes. Don't, however, mistake the passion for intellect. Their passion is fleeting, just like emotions, and riding their emotional roller coaster can give you some serious whiplash.
2. "They're Smart!" Um, yeah - not all of them. Unfortunately, their discipline (if they possess it) is probably completely centered around their artwork, so aside from knowing a lot about different types of glazes for oil paint, they may have forgotten to pay their rent on time.
3. "You'll Inspire Them..." Yeah, that's not always a good thing. While you may enjoy a brief period as their muse, more likely you'll end up the brunt of their disenfranchisement. As a wise friend Melanie said, "Never date an artist, because after you break up they'll make bad art about you." Hahha. Indeed.
4. "They Make Their Own Hours." Yes, this is true. And their "very important work" will happen during your mother's visit or when you need a ride to the airport. They'll decide they're done working at 3 a.m., and not wake up until noon the next day. And when you find them on your couch eating cereal and watching The Real Housewives on a Wednesday afternoon, they'll inform you that they don't "feel inspired." You'll be yearning for a nice boring accountant who has money and time to take you to dinner and a movie.
5. "They Have Great Stories.." yep. About Themselves. And their Band. Nuff said.
6. "They Make Great Pictionary Partners." Don't encourage them. They'll probably make an entire solo exhibition with those tiny drawings from the game and dedicate it to Marcel Duchamp. You don't want to be around when they write that artist's statement.
7. "You Might Get to See The World..." in a flea-ridden hostel. Or in a crappy van with their band. And by " the World," I mean some dumb road trip across Kansas.
8. "Their Creativity Extends Beyond the Canvas..." and beyond your bedroom. No, I mean watch out for those wandering eyes. Their "passion" is probably noticing the subtleties in someone else's green eyes...
9. "They've Got Mad Skills..." and no job. If by "Mad Skills" you mean they write with a fourth grade spelling level and possess the ability to turn every subject back on themselves and their art or music, then yes, I concur.
10. "Artist's Rock." The real ones do.*
* Hey, I love you artists! This only goes out to the posers and the hipsters...
