Is Art a Phony Profession?

I recently heard about a successful businessman criticizing his son for being an artist. “Why don’t you get a real job?” he told his son. The clear implication: Art is not a meaningful profession. 

(Confession: While the father’s implication was terribly insensitive, I admit having privately questioned art as a profession. Credit this as momentary hypocrisy on my part, because I enjoy good art in all forms. But I can’t enjoy fine art and look down on the profession.)

Perhaps the father questioned the utilitarian value of art or its financial sustainability—not sure.  

Francis Schaeffer, in his book Art and the Bible, notes that God values earthly art. God specified that the Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle were to be built of gold, silver, fine cloth, precious gems and so forth. (Ex. 25-26) None of this decoration had utilitarian value.

Some would argue that God forbids art with the second commandment words proscribing graven images. Schaeffer counters that God did not forbid art but forbade worshipping it. (Deut. 5:8)

Others might clarify that God only countenances art which points to Him not earthly things. Schaeffer disagrees noting that God permitted Solomon to build the Temple’s with images of flowers and other representations of earthly beauty. (1 Kings 6:12. 

If God is the all-powerful creator of the universe, couldn’t He have made these artistic decorations? Of course, but he directed a human artist to do it. He values the earthly profession of art.