They offer respite from the endless drudgery of crap that pervades modern existence

They recycle

They are usually the precursors to urban revival

They sometimes have pretty cool pads

They are interesting and colorful

They introduce interesting new ways to view the commonplace

Given what the world would be like without artists, their work is a huge bargain

They have no business sense whatsoever

Many of them are revolutionary

They practically invented the cool loft apartment

Their politics are peppered with visionary idealism

Typically they aren't afraid to mix in unsavory circles

They can find beauty in almost anything

They are intellectually demanding

They hardly ever engage in phone solicitation to sell their work.

They don't suffer fools

While lots of people appreciate nature, they appreciate nature in ways that other people would never imagine.

They make much better old people

Art galleries

Their work often does a better job of depicting our reality than photographs or journalism.

They can take their work with them, while stockbrokers, real estate agents and auto mechanics can't.

They tend to advocate free speech for all the right reasons.

They are probably best equipped to understand what other artists are trying to do.

More often than not, they have a healthy sense of irony.

Editor's Note: Click here to learn some bad things about artists.

(June 6, 2003)

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