We were lucky to catch up with Min Ji Kim recently and have shared our conversation below.

Min Ji, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

I earned my first real dollar as a creative when I jumped into the artist alley scene in 2016. I went to a local event where I sold posters, shrinkydink charms, and buttons. I didn’t make a lot of money at that event. I didn’t have much money left after the vending costs and materials. However, it was an important moment for me because I found out that there was a market for my art, it was possible to make money through my art, and that I enjoyed earning money through selling my art. And that experience motivated me to work towards building my art career, which is going pretty well right now. I went from barely making any money at a con in 2016 to having my artwork be sold through hot topic. The first dollar earned as a creative can be a difficult hurdle, but when you get through the hurdle, you find a world full of opportunities.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi! My artist name is Hootles, and I primarily make meme art that make people laugh and cry. I got into being a creative through vending at conventions, and I still actively go to shows around the country. I sell a wide variety of products such as enamel pins, posters, bucket hats, keychains, jet tags, and stickers. I have a special niche in my field for creating witty artwork that make people feel all sorts of emotions. If my art makes you have a reaction, that’s what keeps me going. It’s not every day you see an artist whose entire artwork is dedicated to things like making fun of lactose intolerant people (I swear it’s not offensive though!) or having things like enamel pins depicting a buff capyBARA. I want my fans and clients to know that they’re going to have a good time groaning and laughing when they see most of my art. :)

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One negative part about making money through your art is that your artwork can become too commercial. I’ve been drawing for enjoyment for years before I started to sell my artwork, so I didn’t even know that it was possible for me to somewhat lose the joy that I felt when drawing. But once my livelihood started to depend on art, I realized that I was drawing things with the focus of making money rather than drawing things that I purely enjoy. That being said, I still think that it’s important to know your audience and draw things that your fans like, but they’re definitely has to be a balance between making work that you know will sell, and making work that you enjoy making. And it’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy drawing things that I drew with a commercial focus, but I also had to teach myself to draw without my audience in mind. So I had to unlearn always drawing with a commercial purpose, and have to relearn how to draw “purposeless” things that are purely for joy.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are several things that make being a creative rewarding. I enjoy the act of drawing on its own, and being able to put what I have in my mind onto my medium is a magical process. But I think one of the greatest joys I do get from being a creative though is when I see the reactions that people have to my art. I as a creative often times doubt whether my art is worth something (which is not a healthy mindset I know) but knowing that there are people who enjoy my art makes me feel more confident in the things that I create. I also enjoy it when I see how expressions of people change when they see my art! I like that I am able to make an impact with my art, even if it’s something as small as making people smile when they see it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hootlesart
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hootlesart
• Other: https://hootlesart.square.site/