We’ve seen way too many talented creatives quit because they couldn’t make it work financially. No doubt, the financial challenges of pursuing a creative or artistic career are daunting, but we felt there wasn’t enough discussion around how to make it work. So, we connected with artists and creatives who’ve been able to earn a full time living from their creative work and asked them to share their stories with our readers.

Vyvy Thai

Yes, I’ve been fortunate enough to earn a full-time living from my creative work, but it wasn’t like that from the start—it’s been a journey filled with learning, persistence, and growth. When I first started freelancing in Atlanta at 21, I was just focused on getting experience wherever I could. I took on all kinds of gigs, from assisting on sets to operating cameras and eventually stepping into the role of Director of Photography (DP). Early on, I didn’t have the confidence to charge what my work was worth, so I often underpriced myself. But those experiences taught me the value of my skills and helped me build relationships in the industry. Read more>>

Claire Shadomy

Yes, I’ve been able to make a full-time living from my creative work, but it hasn’t been an easy journey—and honestly, it’s still a challenge sometimes. In the beginning, I juggled freelance gigs, part-time jobs (including nannying), and building my portfolio. Over time, I discovered my niche—bold, vibrant designs and illustration—and started focusing on projects that aligned with my style. Read more>>

Eileen Doster

Having a mentor in each of my creative areas has been extremely helpful. I have never earned a full-time living from my art sales but I do earn some money now which supplements my income. I earned my living teaching art. After several jobs that didn’t suit me, I felt at home among the art materials of a chaotic classroom. As a young child, I grew up without grandparents. An elderly neighbor who was a professional artist took an interest in me and some other children. I bonded with her. She generously taught us about portraiture, landscape, still life in painting, and drawing. We also learned how to use the potter’s wheel and all aspects of ceramics, including creating ceramic glazes from raw materials. This informed my studies in school. Instead of saying “Why do I have to learn Chemistry in High School,” I was excited by the relationship between science and art. Read more>>

Lana Daubermann

After making the move to becoming a full-time artist, I tried a variety of things to survive financially. I took a ‘reconnaissance’ year to work out what worked, what felt right and what didn’t. But before I get to that, even though it felt like I ‘took the plunge’ to become an artist full-time, it really was a slow plunge. I worked in the advertising industry for 15 years as an art director/copywriter, all the while painting on the side. I just quietly kept side-stepping towards a full-time art practice, dialling up my painting time, while slowly reducing my design work time. Art was really what I always wanted to do, but I’m glad I didn’t pursue it full-time from a young age. I think the corporate creative work history I’ve had has really helped me treasure the privilege of being a practising artist, but also, the skills I’ve learned along the way have been invaluable to getting to where I am now. Read more>>

Olivia Jane

Earning a full-time living as an artist has been a rollercoaster journey filled with risks, resilience, and a profound sense of purpose. It wasn’t like that from day one—far from it. After college, I actually stopped creating art for a time, feeling disconnected from my practice and uncertain that it was even possible to make a living as an artist. Traveling reignited my passion for art and I ended up diving ever deeper into my work and seeking out mentors. Eventually in 2017, I took the leap to leave my sales job and pursue art full-time. Read more>>

Milton Jones

Yes I have been able to meet and open shows for other artist Read more>>

Laura Harrison

Yes! It has been a journey but I think the number one thing that has solidified being able to make a living off of my creative ability is being disciplined with learning and executing skill. You can’t go when you have perfected your craft. This also means learning is never a one time thing it is constant. This has given me the ability to have infinite clientele Read more>>

Jennybelly

I started out cosplaying for fun in 2009. In 2010, I was invited to cosplay the character Yoko for the anime Gurren Lagan for a convention called Anime Expo. It was a big deal for me, and the first time I got to cosplay professionally. After that, I continued to cosplay as a hobby until I started a Patreon, which allowed to me to earn a living from my art. After moving to Texas, I was also able to venture into cosplay guesting for conventions and later hired by studios to cosplay their characters at events. Having that experience in 2010 really helped prepare me for cosplaying professionally. Read more>>

Tarini Sharma

I have been a full-time designer and collage artist since I graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2021. I started as a designer at the SoHo-based design studio, With Projects, Inc., and am currently a designer at Assouline Publishing. Collage, editorial design, and brand identity have been the primary focus of my creative journey. Analyzing cultural phenomena is the cornerstone of my creative practice and visual narrative. Read more>>

Michelle Roberts

No, it wasn’t like this from day one. My path to earning a full-time living from my creative work has been a journey of growth, exploration, and persistence, spanning multiple creative fields. The Early Years – Creativity in Branding and Photography My creative career began in branding, where I founded Novus Be Known and honed my skills in design and storytelling. Alongside branding, I offered photography and watercolor services, blending artistic expression with marketing strategy. These early experiences built the foundation for my growth as both a businesswoman and an artist. Read more>>

Caleb Jahr

It has always been a dream of mine to make a living to support my family, Laura, my wife, and our three kids. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and also a creative eye for video. Present day I shoot a wide range of videos. I own and lead Jahr Wedding Films, a small wedding videography business. I’m also the Director of Photography for the Joshua Glover film, Liberty at Stake. And I do a lot of cooperate and freelance projects with agencies and business like Green Clock Films, Walker Media Agency, Blueplate, Event Essentials, and Lasting Legacies, to name a few. Read more>>

Suzi Mellano

I started my career in the film, tv and digital media world as an on-air reporter. I did local tv and sideline sports reporting. As I continued in that direction I could feel my heart wasn’t in it the way I expected it to be. When you’re at a smaller market you have to run your own camera, write, shoot and edit your own content. I could tell I felt more drawn to the creative side of the industry and decided to make that shift. I now work as a shooter for NFL, NWSL. and full-time as a Senior Producer for UCLA Athletics. My focus is in documentary and feature work. Read more>>

Tracylyn Caprioni-sorensen

Yes, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work, but it was definitely a journey to get here. It wasn’t like this from day one, and I’ve had my fair share of pivots and lessons learned along the way. For a long time, I felt like I was always serving others—literally and figuratively. I worked as a server and bartender for years, and I also worked as an executive assistant for a Department of Defense contracting CEO and later a pharmaceutical CEO. While those roles taught me discipline and problem-solving, they didn’t feed my creativity, and I knew I wanted more. Read more>>

Sebastian Klinger

Yes, I am indeed working full-time as a freelance cinematographer and producer, and luckily I’m able to earn my living from my creative work exclusively. Back in 2017 I started my freelance career right after graduating from university. What certainly helped to make this step without ever having been employed at a company, is that I had already received occasional commercial assignments during my studies and even during college. This preliminary network based on personal recommendations and my general affinity for filmmaking since the age of 11 has given me enough confidence to become fully self-employed relatively quickly. Ever since, I always seem to have sufficient commercial work, which in turn has allowed me to dive deep into passion projects that don’t come with a regular paycheck. Funnily, as a Swiss citizen I’ve been trained to value financial stability. However, with the film industry being a risky line of work by default – especially when you are self-employed – I feel very lucky to not have been forced to switch to other types of income so far. Read more>>

Carlos Martinez

I’m very proud of the fact that I’m able to make my living off my art and creativity. It took a long time to get to this point. I know the thought of supporting yourself solely as a working artist can feel like a daunting hill to climb, but it’s very possible. If I can shed some light on how it can be done, and tell my journey as just one of many examples, I’m more than happy to do so. I want to highlight first and foremost that I am only able to live off my art thanks to my community. I’ve been doing art as a full time career since 2021 but I began creating and sharing my artwork in 2014. When first started out I was sharing a lot of progress photos and videos of my paintings as well as sharing a little about myself on social media. Through that a small audience slowly began to grow. I also started to participate in local art shows to get my name out there. By doing so I was able to make in person connections with other local artists and art enthusiasts. These artists soon became friends and colleagues and I was genuinely invested in their careers and supporting them by sharing their work and attending their shows. I never view anyone as competition, that would take so much fun out of being an artist and I like to think most of us feel the same way. Mutual and genuine love and support is the name of the game and through years of building and being a part of community, folks began to have a familiarity with me and an interest in my artwork began to grow. Read more>>

Hanna Kazeka

I believe studying motion design was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made because it has allowed me to make a full-time living doing something I genuinely love. Motion design is such a versatile field that almost every company or industry you can think of uses the skills we bring to the table. That said, I’ve realized that while motion design has incredible potential, getting those opportunities takes more than just skills. You need a strong portfolio that shows off your range and your ability to deliver real results, but you also need to be someone people want to work with. Being easy to collaborate with is just as important as being talented. Read more>>

Keighly Hart

I’m thrilled to say that today, my creative work provides me with a full-time income. This journey, though, didn’t happen overnight—it began back in 2015 and took nearly a decade to reach this level. My path to independence wasn’t exactly linear. In 2014, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in News Reporting from the University of Florida. Right out of college, I landed a job at a local news station in West Palm Beach, FL. But within a year, I realized the traditional newsroom environment wasn’t for me. It was a valuable revelation: I knew I wanted something different, something more aligned with my strengths and ambition. I craved a career where I could be my own boss. Read more>>

Jazzy Oliver

The most important thing to note is that acting doesn’t always have to be in big animated shows or video games. Most of my income from acting comes from my work over at the Murder Mystery Company, an immersion theater group that performs for private and public events. Whatever I’m not making from voiceover work, I make from them. Of course, you’re not going to be able to do full-time acting work from Day One and finding opportunities to be do so is a long and arduous process. I started off doing work in fields like retail, food service, security and even education. Read more>>

Matt Berman

For many years I dreamed of making a full time living from my music and acting. I started playing saxophone when I was six years old, and Ive been acting professionally since high school. It was really tough, and continues to be a journey to make a full time living in the creative world. I studied professionally in high school, and continued that into college. What I wish I learned sooner, was the importance in creating relationships. I believe making a full time living in the creative world has been a product of my hard work, and the relationships I’ve created along the way. It’s extremely important to note, creating relationships does NOT mean shallow networking or “using” people for “who they know”. It’s the ability to create genuine connections with people on a human level; which I continue to develop, and it doesn’t work with everyone. You don’t always jive with every personality, and thats Ok. I believe it always starts with the ability to be personable, authentic, understanding, and empathetic to your client or team. A little goes a long way- be on time, be prepared, be flexible/accommodate client’s requests (within reason), and remember.. you get to do this creative art form for a living.. how cool is that? Read more>>