Bare Your Soul! - And Then Take Criticism!

I was reading a fellow blogger (Brittany's http://brittanyforsberg.blogspot.com/ ), and she had commented on how difficult it is to feel a sense a of confidence when sharing she is an art major because of the ridiculous remarks by others.  I agree, I am much older and have had to hear it from so many people about art - "oh I must plan to starve, or why don't you become something else and then dabble on the side with your little hobby".  THAT'S JUST IT.... it's not a hobby - it's a passion, a deep resonating in your soul of who you are and what you are meant to do here on this earth.  We not only create art, we bare our souls to the world and then have to politely take the criticisms with it.  The arts are so under appreciated and there are so many wonderfully talented artists out there that never get the opportunity to share his or her work.  A great deal of artists also not only create but feel their art deep down in their most intimate inner being.  Art is also an avenue to expose the wrongs put on society, or to create beauty where beauty is lacking.  Art is to stir up passion and create a dialogue to speak out on what is relevant or create a relevancy where there is none.  Art causes communities to sit up and take notice, art can be in your face, art is all things, art is the mechanism that stirs human emotion.  So to the critics that speak ill or think that art is an easy major, you try baring your soul and then have all the world stomp on it, it's not easy - it's honesty... so stick that in your pipe and smoke it!  To my fellow artists, I salute you and support your vision, go forward and be art!