Can you make a living with your art?
Because making a living as an artist is a pipe dream to so many people I thought I’d write a blog post on how I did it, and maybe give a few closet or budding artists a bit of encouragement.
I’ll admit I had a bit of an advantage…my mom was a professional commercial artist. No, she didn’t teach me art, far from it. But growing up with a studio in our house and a mom who spent much of her time working there was just part of life. Being an artist seemed a normal, everyday career possibility starting from the age of three.
I actually didn’t plan to be an artist-not a visual one, not a jewelry artist. No, my focus was on singing. That was my number one love for the majority of my teenage years. My mom encouraged me, going to some of my little gigs and buying me a beautiful lap dulcimer that I treasure and play to this day.
My Personal Opinion: Stay away from Psychiatry
As a child, I loved creating things. Songs, embroidery, sculpture, poems. I had a creative mind that was thankfully never threatened by one of the worst “gifted child killers” of our modern age; the psychiatrist and his medications.
(Side note: one of my passions is making sure parents are not lured into drugging their children by some misguided mental health care worker insisting (or suggesting) their child needs one of any number of seriously dangerous psychiatric drugs to “balance his brain chemicals.” For more information, check out Citizens Commission on Human Rights)
Making Jewelry vs. Making Music
Somewhere back in the confusion of my growth into womanhood, I decided that making an actual living as a musician was a pipe dream. In retrospect, rather silly of me since I could just as well have done that as make jewelry. But now I love what I do, and have no regrets. Besides, who says a 64 year old woman can’t get up on a stage and sing? And I occasionally do just that.
So how did I become a full-time artist? It came about because of a decision and a need. The decision was “I am an artist.” The need was a financial one. In 1983 my husband and I had 2 little ones. He was working for a non-profit, and I needed to contribute to our family income.
Just Do It!
I became relatively proficient at creating jewelry in polymer clay. Then I became relatively proficient at learning to sell my creations. This was before the internet, mind you. I made things then sold them door to door. Easy? Not so much. Worth it? Absolutely. I got my feet wet as an artist on my own terms, learned a ton about what people wanted to buy, then created those things.
And anyone who has a bit of faith in him/herself can do the same. First comes the decision, then comes the learning and practice to get good enough so that people will want to give you money for what you make. Learn well, and you will be on your way. Yes, you can make a living as an artist!
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