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.

Kirill Raskolenko

I began my career with part-time orchestra and music ensemble jobs, but soon after graduating from the Academy of Music, I became a full-time orchestra violinist. That was my main focus back in 2005 and the core of my work at the time. Read More>>

Dean Dunakin

No one ever posed the question to me: “Why should someone pay for your work?”, or perhaps even more basic: made the distinction between making creative “works,” and doing creative “work.” I just made assumptions that people would pay for my artwork, because some artists do make a living so there had to be a system set up for it other than working side jobs forever. Read More>>

Jessie Horning

I consider myself very lucky to have been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t me who believed in this business first, it was everyone around me. For years my friends and family would encourage me to charge for my photography, to increase my pricing and to pour my heart into it. Read More>>

Iris Jarama

Yes, but only for a time. I graduated 3 ½ years ago in 2022 with a BFA in Sequential Art from SCAD. Read More>>

DAN FARROWliving as a creative artist in the music business for decades. It started after I was done with business school and just could not see myself doing that for the rest of my life. I started playing organ when I was 3 years old and later added piano to that. Read More>>

Gregory Kopp

My creative journey began during the dot com explosion and the widespread adoption of the world wide web and internet. My company created, copyrighted, and marketed a Human Resources Management Software system to clients worldwide. Due to our success, I was recruited by one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies. Read More>>

Kevin Craft

Yes, I have been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work, but it was definitely not like that from day one. I started by taking small freelance projects while building my skills and figuring out what kind of designer I wanted to be, and over time those projects turned into steady clients and referrals. Read More>>

Bill Barclay

We’re all unique in the arts. There are labels like ‘painter,’ ‘musician,’ and ‘actor,’ but those largely confuse the central premise: to be a successful artist is to successfully defy categories almost completely. When I was in my 20s and 30s, I had to force-fit my skillset into containers that came with dollars and sense, and so I did. It was never an easy fit. Read More>>

Elizabeth Cline

In some chapters of my life, yes—I’ve fully supported myself through my creative work. But it wasn’t a straight shot and it took many paths.

I actually started my creative career with a jewelry and clothing line in the early 2000s….it was tougher then, you still had to code a website and no amazing platforms like shopify and instagram. It was not profitable for me, i really didnt know what I was doing, but I got an A for effort. Read More>>

Alyssa Anne Austin

This is something I feel very strongly about! I encounter a lot of young artists who are dead-set on the idea that their artistic work should provide for them – that they can and should make a full-time living from their creative work, and that their identity as an artist is dependent on them being a “full time actor.” I believe this is an unrealistic and unhelpful mindset for all artists, especially young artists. Read More>>