Being an artist is a continuous process - one step always leads to another if you want to grow.  You can't simply produce art and leave it at that - whatever would you do with all of your paintings...  For me being an artist is wanting to share my art with collectors - for a few reasons.  Realistically you do need to support yourself and your craft...  secondly there is a feeling of achievement at having your art displayed on people's walls, where they see it every day...  because they have been touched by your creation...  the feeling that you have as an artist whenever you create a painting is passed on to the collector and gets to live on - to me that is why I am an artist - a growing artist.