how often do we refer to someone who paints/sculpt/draw as a "hobby artist" vs a "pro artist"?
Frequently, but we use the term "commercial" instead of "pro". Commercial artists make art for specific purposes, to specification, and for money. Commercial photographers do the same. Artists and photographers may or may not be commercial at any given moment, nor does that necessarily mean they achieve worthwhile artistic accomplishments.
Ansel Adams described the differences as "assignments from without versus assignments from within". I think that sums it up. He did both, of course, and felt glad to get both when he was short of money.
Many commercial artists are held in some disdain by other artists, as if being an artist requires penury. It would be true with professional photographers, too, if we weren't always looking for some way to pay for all this expensive equipment!
I've done commercial photography, which involves doing the arithmetic of making sure that revenues exceed expenses. Much of what it takes to ensure positive cash flow have little to do with the artistic process, to be sure. When I was a professional musician (never more than a sideline), I played the music put before me by the guy paying the tab. That's what I mean by working to a specification.
Rick "who can also draw--badly" Denney
