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.

Nick Weber

I first started painting in college, and when I graduated, I had to supplement my income from painting sales with jobs as a chef in Palo Alto CA and then eventually as a landscaper when I moved out to the Hamptons… as my portrait commissions became more plentiful, I was able to switch to painting full-time. I don’t think it’s a process that I could’ve really sped up, because it took time to hone my craft to the point where I was able to deliver a portrait commission that people would be excited about, and then it was through word-of-mouth and connections that my clients found me, and in retrospect that all actually happened fairly quickly Read More>>

Shelbi Alexandria

As an adult, I’ve been fortunate to explore my career in music from a multitude of angles. I am a vocalist first —singing is what I was born to do. It’s my calling. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to a variety of projects that have allowed me to vocal arrange, produce, and collaborate on studio projects both for my own work and for others. But, nothing compares to performing live. Read More>>

Ashwini Sangam

Yes, teaching Bharatanatyam, choreographing, and nurturing a beautiful dance community. But no, it wasn’t like that from day one.

My journey began in a very organic way. I started teaching my daughter when she was just three, and soon a few friends asked me to teach their kids too. What began with just four children slowly grew as more parents saw the value of what I was offering, not just dance training, but a connection to culture, discipline, and expression. Read More>>