As an artist, how do you measure success?

Since the show at the library is coming up September 6, 2007, I
thought this will be a good questions to ask artists in general.

Today I was talking to my friends and inviting them to the library
show reception. As they were leaving, they said, "We will see
you there and we hope the show is a success." And that is when all
this questioning that I am going to share with you came about.

So how do you measure success for a show?
Do you measure success by how many people come to a show?
Do you measure success by how many people bought or sold artwork?
Do you measure success by how many people participated in the show?
Do you measure success by how the show was arranged?
Do you measure success by the food that was served at the reception?
Do you measure success by the type of people that came to the show?
Do you measure success by what someone told you about the show?
Do you measure success by having the best picture in the show?
Do you measure success by having an article written in a magazine or
newspaper?
Do you measure success by reviews?
Do you measure success by just being part of the show and enjoying the
entire event?
Do you measure success by how many people you met and how you network
on a show?

Now. Wouldn't all these questions also apply to your art by itself? How
will you measure success as an artist? Do you measure it by setting
goals and achieving them or by seeing your name somewhere? Or perhaps
making a living as an artist?

We are accustomed to measure things in this world by meter,
centimeter, failures, success, happiness, sadness and so on. And we
even have levels for them: first place, second place, etc. Not
everyone measure the same things the same way that each of us do
because we are all different and we all come from different
background. So what for one person will be a success, for another
person will be an okay and for another person will be a failure. It
is in the eyes of the beholder that the levels of measuring truly
stands. And if that is the case, wouldn't be easier to measure things
if we could understand what are we measuring with (meter, gallons,
level of success, etc) before we try to understand how others measure
our art or shows?

So may be we should be prepared because some day you might find
yourself answering the question of how was your show or how are you
doing as an artist? And you will say...

Best
VM