We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jen Wagner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jen, thanks for joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I have been earning a living full time as an artist for 22 years. I had a two year old when I began, and I felt it was important for her to see me pursue my dreams to the fullest. I told myself that I would at least try.
There was a lot of creative thinking. I owned galleries, created events and made up projects for myself. I worked every day on mosaics, slowly improving and landing commissions, giant public art projects and selling my work in galleries. Teaching regular classes transformed my philosophies and radically influenced my own art.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a mosaic artist who specializes in large scale public art projects, business and residential installations, and gallery work. I became an artist completely by accident. I never saw myself as artistic, writing was my skill. Then my grandmother died and several of her ceramic vases that I was hoping to collect broke. I decided I’d make one mosaic to immortalize these pieces of hers. From the first moment something clicked and I just kept going.
I am committed to the organic evolution of my work. I don’t strive to replicate another’s style, but to cultivate my own. My work has been the backdrop of a press conference with President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill, presented to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and viewed around the world in various exhibits.
Creating mosaics is the great joy of my life. I’m grateful for every day that o get to pursue my passion.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

The thing you have to remember about a job like this one is that you are going to be forced to choose it a million times over. I think people in “practical” fields get confused, because very little follows the general, accepted rules of business. There are times that have been so lean that I’d wonder if there was a future for my art. Through the struggles, I’ve come up with some of my best ideas. I’ve also stepped outside of my role as solely an artist to make things happen. I found the best folks I could and learned how to fundraise and plan and execute events and these skills have helped me greatly.
The one thing that folks in other businesses have a hard time understanding is that as an artist, I love the work. I’m not making money so that I can do other things with my time. My love and passion is the work itself.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

My entire life I was told that writers and artists don’t make enough money to survive. I was encouraged to “be practical” so that I could have stability, and buy a house and have a family. These are impactful words to a young person and I wish people would realize the harm that they do.
My mother is a nurse and my father an engineer, both from the post-Depression era. They tried to scare me with stories of my children not having enough to eat, trying to persuade me to choose a life more practical. In 2008, when the economy crashed, my marriage ended. I had two children under the age of 5, and was still figuring out how to make a living as an artist. People said things to me like,”That’s too bad, you were doing so well. You can always pick your art back up after your kids are grown.” I agonized over the “right” thing to do. But I knew that my kids were watching me, and that if I wanted them to pursue their dreams, I had to follow mine. It was terrifying, but I refused to fail. 2008 and 2009 were successful years for me, and I’m so glad I followed my passion and didn’t listen to the broken dreams of others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jenwagnermosaics.com/
• Instagram: jwmosaics
• Facebook: Jen Wagner Mosaics