We think the world needs more artists, more creatives and more folks unwilling to spend their days as a cog in a giant corporate machine. We don’t necessarily dislike cogs or machines but we think the world clearly needs more artists and creatives and so we wanted to try to figure out how more artists can make it work financially since this is one of the major obstacles blocking so many artists and creatives from pursuing their art full time. So, we asked folks who have been able to make a full time living through their creative work, how they did it.

Agostina Zampieri

I’ve been lucky (or smart) enough to make a living selling my art. This process was fairly quick, but didn’t happen from one day to another. During winter of 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, I shyly posted a few of my drawings on Facebook marketplace. I have never sold my art before and It was super surprised of the good feedback. I sold 20 pieces in one week and landed an interview with the local newspaper. This was a huge push into my confidence, I realized that I could peruse a career as an artist. Read more>>

Aj Oishi

The first 10 years of my painting career, my main priority was as a stay at home mom to my three daughters. Although I always had the goal of earning more each year than I had the previous year, I was still not full-time. I saw huge potential for growth. It wasn’t until about 7 years ago that I shifted my point of view. The previous 10 years taught me a lot of about the art world, my process, my business, my interaction with my clients and galleries, and my passion to continue doing what I love.  Read more>>

Aleigha Storm

As of July 2024, I’m proud to mark one year as a full-time entrepreneur. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to earn a full-time income by pursuing my passions. The journey hasn’t been easy. I’ve worked many different jobs, but my longest stint was with a major coffee company, where I was employed from 2015 to 2023. While the job offered benefits like a 401(k) and health insurance, the work environment was toxic and took a toll on my mental health. Read more>>

Alejandro Cortes

Unless I’m on a TV show or a feature film, I never quite know what the next month will look like, or where I will be working. Each year is different, and work comes in waves. This means I rely on my professional reputation to stay financially afloat. My clients come mostly through word of mouth- an email or a text from someone who saw my website or cinematography reel or simply heard about me from another client. Read more>>

Alex Dos Diaz

I have been able to make full-time living from being an independent artist, business owner and freelance illustrator for the past 5-6 years. To be honest, it was a very slow process during which I worked a number of part time jobs such as server, bartender, landscaper and even assistant maintenance at an apartment complex. I would take as many freelance “gigs” as I could while working my day or night time jobs. Most did not pay well at all, but I took every opportunity I could. Even when I did not have gigs I tried my best to continue creating and building some sort of portfolio in hopes that someone would see the work and would want to hire me because of it. Read more>>

Allen C. Paul

My journey to full-time living from creative work is proof that there is no one-size fits all model to this lifestyle. I started my creative life as a musician, but that quickly became a side hustle to my full-time work as a elementary school teacher and then a full-time minister of music. In fact, you could say that while both of my full-time jobs involved music, I gave up the idea of creating for myself because I just didn’t think I had the time or energy. Read more>>

Benny Villanueva

KNOW UR VALUE: My journey earning as an artist began when I played folk music around Flagstaff, Arizona. Some sort of troubadour dressed like Cash and smoking like Dylan when I was approached by the event coordinator for NAU’s multi-cultural event. They paid me $2,000.00 for two hours work and ever since that day as a musician I valued myself at $1000.00 an hour. Till this day I will not perform music if it is below that rate and it is my goal to raise that rate eventually. Read more>>

Bianca Brandon

Honestly through the grace of God, I have been able to earn a full time living from being a professional dancer since I graduated from college. After I graduated in 2016 I worked for Disney Cruise Line for a nine month contract then came back to Pittsburgh where I realized I really wanted to get more involved with teaching dance and judging for dance competitions. I dived right into the work that needed to be done and made it happen after a few months of moving back. While judging for competitions on weekends, I also started working for Abby Lee Dance Company and also became a creative arts teacher at public schools in Pittsburgh. Read more>>

Daniel Gilad

My journey hasn’t been easy, and earning people’s trust in my work took time. I graduated from Audio Engineering school in 2012 and quickly secured a regular 9-to-5 job, which marked the beginning of my professional path and gave me valuable experience. Even though I had a stable job in sound and recording, I knew I wanted more. On my days off and during free time, I sought out additional opportunities, some of which were unpaid, and others that paid modestly. Read more>>

David Newman

I am currently doing so! I am a full-time sound editor at a post house here in LA working on TV. It was very much not like that from day 1. When I first moved to LA, I didn’t have a job. I got an (unpaid) internship one day a week at Private Island Audio, a small audio house. While I was there, an office manager position opened up and I took that opportunity. I made sure they knew I wanted to sound edit, did some practice work using their facilities that they were kind enough to let me practice on, and eventually got the chance to work on full projects for them on a freelance basis. Read more>>

Del Shearrow

Well, like most artists, it is mostly feast and famine. In the twenty-three years since beginning this creative journey I have usually, not always, but usually had a more reliable steady income with a full-time job or owned my own business to help provide for my family. There have been years where our business was slow and the sales of my artwork saved the day. And, I was blessed that there were many months in a row, over several different years, that I did make a living working full-time on my artwork. Read more>>

Devin Reilly

I have been working as a full-time composer and arranger in LA for about three years now. After graduating college in Seattle, I was lucky to work full-time in musical theatre almost immediately. When I moved to LA, I had to start over. I had a series of survival jobs — barista, host at a ramen bar, guitar store clerk, etc — and I took composing and arranging projects on top of that. I also happened to move here six months before the pandemic. Read more>>

Farrah Walz

Yes I have been able to earn a full-time living from my work and I feel incredibly blessed. That’s not to say I didn’t put in a lot of hard work and very long hours to get here. I knew from the beginning it was going to take a lot of sacrifice and time. But the driving force in me knew it was going to pay off. In my industry the more experience you have the better stylist you become. I knew I needed to put in the time. So I started as a stylist assistant. Read more>>

Gene Taylor

I have been able to make a living being a full-time musician in NYC. I’ve always been musically inclined and it has illuminated my path since I was very young. My first solo I sang I was probably in first grade and music has been my compass ever since. In my high school years I had my small rock band and I knew even then I’d like to make a living doing live music. In my early twenties I was the music director at my local church, a piano player at a liquor store and I’d also travel around the tri state area playing shows and events. Read more>>

Ilaria Serantoni

I won’t deny that making a living in the artistic field can be challenging at times. However, it’s also incredibly stimulating and deeply rewarding when you succeed. Working in the arts is one of the most fulfilling experiences, and working with lights and cameras elevates it even further, as it allows you to create extraordinary visions, turning abstract ideas into something tangible and real. In this industry, it’s essential to know how to market yourself effectively and build the client’s trust, so they have confidence in your abilities. Read more>>

Jackie Wyers

Yes, I have been able to earn a full-time living from creating YouTube videos for almost 10 years! My focus is on beauty tutorials, including re-creating iconic pop culture looks, exploring vintage beauty, and showcasing current trends. When I first became interested in becoming a beauty content creator in 2012, I was fortunate to have role models like Michelle Phan and Bethany Mota who had already paved the way. I kept a journal filled with content ideas, and I invested time in learning how to film and perfect my makeup and hair skills by attending a makeup and design school. Eventually, a management team came on board, helping to turn my hobby into a career. Read more>>

Jacquelyn Trezzo

I’ve mostly been able to earn a living as a full-time creative, the path of an artist/entrepreneur is windy, to say the least. My carareer as a photographer began with a focus on fine art film photography. I showcased my work through self-produced exhibitions and galleries, and my pieces sold quickly, which made me believe this would be my continuous path as an artist. Read more>>

Kae Pea

Yes. I am so happy to say that I earn my living from my creative work. Though I will be honest — it has not been an easy or fast path. I believe that persistence, showing up on a daily basis, and support from my husband and daughter have made all the difference. My journey has been full of twists and turns, but from childhood, I never imagined doing anything else besides being in the arts in one form or another. Since I can remember, I always loved to doodle, draw and color. And though I always thought I would have a creative path, it did not begin that way and I held a series of jobs including, but not limited to; licensed nail technician, waitress, and a private in the US Army! Read more>>

Larry Levin

It is all about one’s personal network. I worked at an association’s magazine as its photo editor. A change in leadership and the magazine was eliminated. Taking the buyout, I went back to school to get an MFA in film. Through my network of friends, work associates and professional associations, many opportunities arose: Internship in LA for The West Wing TV series, photo management assignment with a photo agency, photo assignments with associations through recommendation from colleagues, continued working with the charity Best Buddies and since earning my MFA, teaching at several colleges. Read more>>

Malina Simone Bacon

I graduated from Ball State in 2004. I was pretty sure I was going to move away from Indiana. My friends were moving. Temara was probably going to New York to be an artist. Staci was going to New York or Austin to be in the entertainment industry. Kisha was probably going to Chicago to be in the arts and entertainment industry. Everyone was going to what seemed like a bigger city to do the things that Indiana didn’t provide. I can’t be an artist in Indy, they talked about. I can’t be a model, I can’t act, there’s nothing here for me as a creative. Read more>>

Mary Beth Mcandrews

As a journalist, it is really difficult to find steady work and/or a staff job that can pay the bills. I was a freelance film critic and entertainment journalist for five years before my current position at Dread Central. The freelance writer hustle is not an easy one and you need to be patient, persistent, and, above all, ready to get creative when it comes to taking assignments/contracts that offer decent pay per article, which I definitely wish I knew before getting started. Read more>>

Morgan Wood

In 2020, mid-pandemic, while I was hosting digital drag shows from home in Berlin, Germany where I was living at the time, I decided I wanted to do drag full time. It was a decision that didn’t really make sense given the circumstances, and having only been doing drag casually for 2 years at the time it was perhaps difficult to convince others I could make it work. The important thing about the decision was I had convinced myself I could make it happen. Read more>>

Raj Patel

When I first started in the fashion industry, earning a full-time living from my creative work was far from immediate, and the path was particularly challenging due to my family’s expectations. As an only child, my parents wanted me to become an engineer and eventually take over the family business. They had a clear vision for my future, which did not include fashion. When I chose to pursue my passion instead, it was incredibly hard for me because they disowned me. This emotional and financial separation made the journey even more difficult and fueled my determination to succeed on my terms. Read more>>

Richard Greene

I was naturally rebellious as a child as I think a lot of creative types are. So I ran the other direction when confronted with the reality of having a full time job where I went to the same place during the same hours during the same days every week, month, and year. I was highly motivated to achieve a career that provided travel and the opportunity to be creative at work. So I settled in on becoming a lighting designer before I was even ten years old. The fact I have basically stuck with this line of work is probably the main reason why I have found some level of success. Read more>>

Rill Spill

Certainly, here is the revised version of the text: I have been a full-time national performing poet since the pandemic in 2020. My professional career began in the marketing field, where I was introduced to traveling and learning about new places. The job was commission/incentive-based, which instilled in me the mindset that if you don’t move your feet, you don’t eat. After traveling to 38 states, I decided to return to Texas, my home state, and settled in Dallas. I was working in sales and making great money when the pandemic hit. Finding work in sales was challenging during the pandemic, so I began organizing smaller poetry shows around the DFW area and then expanded to national locations operating at 60% capacity. Read more>>

Shabby Penini

My journey kicked off before I even had a clue it was happening. Picture this: a super creative mom with a camcorder or camera practically glued to her hand, capturing every moment. Little did I know, that habit was about to become mine too. Before I knew it, I was snapping photos, filming videos, and loving every minute of it. I even had a whole make-believe radio show on my computer back in the early 2000s—complete with me pretending to be a newscaster on camera. Read more>>

Shannon Durazo

Are you thinking of turning your creative passion into a full-time career? Creating a full time business out of your creative passion can be an exciting but daunting task. There are going to be highs and lows along the way, and I think mentally preparing for them is one of the best ways to break through the difficult planning to execution phase. Let’s begin with 3 hard truths- Putting your work out for the world to see on a larger scale is scary. If you are like me- and most budding creative entrepreneurs, taking that step from showing your work in safe spaces with people who care about your feelings to putting it out to the masses is a gigantic step.  Read more>>

Shawn Thwaites

My journey started with me falling in love with the steel drums at the age of 9. Becoming a professional musician on steel drums and being the first to study the instrument as my principal instrument at Berklee College of Music. The moment I heard the beautiful sound of the instrument, I knew we were inseparable. Read more>>

Tehillah Alphonso

When I was asked to do this interview for CanvasRebel, I went back to read my last interview with VoyageLA back in August 2020. There are definitely pieces of me that I see in that interview that have stayed the same over the last four years, but there’s even more about me that has changed (hopefully for the better). That girl had just graduated from college into the pandemic and was struggling to make a living in LA where her entire industry had come to a screeching halt; she was definitely scared but put on a brave face and tried to be optimistic. Fast forward four years, and she’s had some career highs and some personal lows. But she would be so proud of the person she’s becoming. Read more>>