Teaching is infinitely more important to me than art.  If art was more important to me than I would not have pursued a teaching degree.  It would not be fare to the students for me to teach just to support my art.  I enjoy working with students and watching them learn and grow as people.

I think that it is important to know your content to be an art teacher.  I don't believe that you need to be showing your work in galleries and taking commissions to be an art teacher.  I think that would be very difficult to devote enough time to your teaching if you were pursuing your art outside of class.