Sometimes I get confused about whether the book is drawing an argument for people who make art in general, or specifically for those who do it professionally as a living. This chapter sounded more suitable for the former group, since it’s clear that, on a personal level, being an artist is a deeply personal process.
In that sense, I slightly disagree with the idea that (professional) artists don’t have a client. At least based on the ones I have met, artists often have to make the case that their art is relevant for collectors, institutions, funding committees and so on. The general advice for such is to find the right audience instead of trying to make the right art. Still, I think it is fair to assume that at least some of those external opinions, upon which artists depend to survive, will play a role in what type of art is made. In their case, it is totally understandable, and perhaps encouraged, that they care about acceptance and approval to a certain extent.