U.S. Government's Advice for Arists. It's all Good.

Clarity from the U.S. Government on "How to Become an Artist." U.S. Employment for craft and fine artists is 56,900 (2010), 12,480 of these are painters and sculptors. Projected growth is 5% in 10 years. The map locates where the painters and sculptors actually reside - interesting in itself.  Advice for artists: live in the dark green zones.

According to the Department of Labor, "Artists create objects that are beautiful or thought-provoking. They often strive to communicate ideas or feelings through their art." Nice.

Training:" Long-Term on the Job...Formal schooling is rarely required for craft and fine artists. However, it is difficult to gain adequate artistic skills without some formal education in the fine arts." Quite.

There are now over 2 million people employed in the Arts and Entertainment sector of the U.S. Economy, including 66,500 Multimedia/Animation Artists, 66,500 Photographers, 176,200 musicians and singers, 279,000 Graphic Designers, and for comparison, 342,000 Sales Managers, 754,000 Attorneys, and 2.5 Million People in Prison. There are only 3,100 Mathematicians. And a mere 754,000 in Agricultural Labor, which is truly amazing, considering that 120 years, ago, that's what 90 percent of people in America did.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/craft-and-fine-artists.htm