Earning that first dollar is incredibly special and a moment many never forget. We asked some very talented creatives from the community to tell us the story of the first dollar they earned from their creative works.
Luner Eugene
I had just released my first film, “Loving Till It Hurts,” via Amazon and Tubi in July 2019. Little did I know that the short film which I was inspired to write would become my sole source of income in the following year of 2020, marked by the Covid-19 shutdown. Read more>>
Isabel Brinck
The exhilarating moment of my journey as an artist arrived with my inaugural exhibit in Chile back in 2002. An unexpected touch of sentimentality swept over me — the first patrons to buy my work were none other than my own parents. Amidst the buzz of the opening night, the gallerist approached me with a gleam in their eye, sharing the heartwarming news. It felt like the universe was offering a resounding nod of approval, affirming that I was unquestionably on the right artistic path. Read more>>
Sarah McCullough
During my last two years of college, I was touring with the Virginia Repertory Dance Company (VRDC). VRDC is the preprofessional dance company of my alma mater, James Madison University. As a senior, I was invited to work with my professor, Shane O’Hara, to create a solo. Shane was heavily influenced by American modern dance legend, Daniel Nagrin. Read more>>
Marie Alvizo
I actually still have the first dollar I earned as a creative. I was so proud of myself for actually selling a piece of my work that I couldn’t bring myself to spend it. I made the money in July, 2017, between my 9th and 10th grade years.I was only fifteen at the time and even though I was young, I already had such a passion for creating art. Read more>>
William Wood
Like most people in my industry, I started out taking photos for fun and just to explore. I would mainly shoot with my iPhone and I remember being asked to take product photos and showing up for a shoot with an iPhone and I’m sure I looked like an idiot. I think my first paid gig was $50 second shooting a wedding in someone’s backyard and I don’t even know if any of those photos were usable. Read more>>
Angie Petty
The very first dollar I made as a musician was at an amusement park in Utah called Lagoon. I was ecstatic when I auditioned and made the cut for the parks nightly entertainment. My brothers also made the cut and we performed in a rock band 6 days a week for 3 months straight. Read more>>
George Mcconnell
It wasn’t actually a dollar, or any amount of money. The first payment I received for creative work was in High School when I was asked by my acting teacher to come to an English class she also taught and perform my version of the Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. I had memorized it and acted it out. She paid me a sweatshirt and a bag of peanut M&Ms. So I guess literally working for peanuts. Read more>>
Brody (Brodeezy) Flanagin
The first time I ever performed live on a stage, I won 1st place and $100 for winning best performance of the night. That was a huge confidence builder, it gave me the courage to perform on any stage no matter how many people are in the crowd, and made me realize that I could turn this dream into reality. That night also opened a lot of doors for me as I have been booked at over 15 different venues in the Tampa area since then. Read more>>