We think the world needs more artists, more creatives and more folks unwilling to spend their days as a cog in a giant corporate machine. We don’t necessarily dislike cogs or machines but we think the world clearly needs more artists and creatives and so we wanted to try to figure out how more artists can make it work financially since this is one of the major obstacles blocking so many artists and creatives from pursuing their art full time. So, we asked folks who have been able to make a full time living through their creative work, how they did it.

Eeppi Ursin

MY INDUSTRY I’m a Singer-Songwriter, Jazz Vocalist, Composer, Arranger and Pianist. I have released five solo albums and I’m featured on numerous recordings as a guest vocalist, songwriter, musician or arranger. Read more>>

JJ Yosh

It has been quite a journey. I have been pursuing this path for quite some time, over 20 years now. I would identify myself as a storyteller first and foremost. Read more>>

Joel King

Earning a full-time living from my creative work was a hustle, to say the least. I have gone through times where I have lost much of what I owned, and there have been moments where my gains were tremendously great. Read more>>

Krush Audio

It’s something every creative pursues. After graduating college and receiving my Masters, the idea of making a living solely from my Artistic endeavors seemed next to impossible. Read more>>

Edward Bell

I became a full time comedian at the start of 2023 after getting laid off from my job in the mortgage world. I’ve been a stand up comedian since late 2016 or early 2017, but work started to really pick up for me in about 2021 after things were fully reopened after COVID. Read more>>

Rhonda Donovan

I supported myself for many years from my design work but but added teaching to augment my professional art practice income. Read more>>

Ava Leigh

Ava Leigh Stewart is a director, writer, producer, and artist. She cut her teeth at Turner Broadcasting, climbing the ranks of production, she has worked on projects for Warner Brothers, Read more>>

Ellen Jin

“Having been in the animation industry for almost three decades is nothing short of a miracle for me. I came to the States when I was 16 from Korea. Read more>>

Staci Mize

This is a tricky one, because I think it is always the goal but genuinely so rarely achieved. And I think what’s even more rare is hearing that it is perfectly okay to not achieve this one. Read more>>

ShaVonne Davis

I am a former classroom Theatre Teacher who turned my passion for the arts into a purpose to provide free theatre arts programs for youth through my family’s non-profit organization Maroon 9 Community Enrichment Organization (Maroon 9). Read more>>

AWZY

I started as a little kid looking up at the cool artists playing giant shows. My family was involved in Alice Cooper’s non-profit and I would see shows with Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Johnny Depp, Journey, throughout all of my pre teen years. Read more>>

Roman Gastelum

I have been able to get close to earning a living full time from creative work up to this point in my life – maybe about 75%. I have continued to get closer to 100% as time goes on, and although my goal is to earn what I consider equivalent to making a full time living with music, Read more>>

Jamison Chopp

Its been a long road, but I was able to get to a point where I am making a living with my full time creative work. Around 8 years ago I quit Wells Fargo to pursue being a full time bladesmith. Read more>>

Zoë Davis

I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work since 2018. In 2018 I left my career as a public school teacher, relocated to Texas from Mississippi, and focused fully on my goal as a national speaker and influential author. Read more>>

Terry Cooper

My day-to day work is that of a self-employed artist & illustrator. I usually work for a local publisher, creating covers and interior illustrations for a wide range of books. These can be children’s picture books, or novels. Read more>>

Anne and Paul Stolz

We do make a living from our ma and pa style full-time ceramic business! It’s been a wild ride and one that no one really can guide you through or prepare you for. Read more>>

Dean Miller

I’ve signed my life around, only doing what I love. As I get older, I am more and more grateful for the opportunity to make a living. Doing exactly what I wanna do. Read more>>

Joshua Morgan

I have prioritized sustaining myself through my creative work since the beginning. I didn’t and still don’t have space for distraction. I’ve never had a “normal job” and couldn’t see myself ever taking one on. Read more>>

Sarah Davis

I feel like I’ve led 100 different lives in my professional career, constantly evolving, adapting and switching gears, but always in something creative. Read more>>

Justin Isaac

Becoming a full-time commercial photographer has been a journey filled with challenges and growth. It wasn’t a straightforward path, but rather a gradual progression that required years of dedication and hard work. Read more>>

Ruben Carrazana

I lived in Dallas right out of college, and was thankfully able to pay my bills just by jumping from gig to gig. It wasn’t always easy though, and relying entirely on freelance work meant having to make certain sacrifices like getting rid of my car, Read more>>

Joshua Cardenas

Over a year ago, I was working as a freelance videographer while working full-time at a grocery store to make ends meet. Read more>>

Tao Hong

Currently, I have not yet been able to fully support myself through my art in the United States, but that is my goal and part of my “American Dream.” Read more>>

Roushanna Gray

Transitioning into full-time creative work at Veld and Sea has been a journey of passion, perseverance, and purpose. While it wasn’t an overnight success, I balanced my love for wild food exploration with saying yes to many other jobs in the early days. Read more>>

Blake Vaden

Being handy and creative has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. Creating has always put me at ease and was more or less encouraged by my family and friends. Read more>>

James Piorkowski

My oldest brother is a professional musician, and when I was five years old, he started teaching me the accordion. I played in my first recital at age six. Read more>>

Colt Seager

Yes, I’ve been blessed to make a full-time living from my art practice. I took the jump into painting full-time in November of 2019. Read more>>

Amy Roiland

It took me quite a while to transition into earning a full-time income from my creative work. I began this journey over a decade ago, tirelessly producing 2-3 blogs a day, each accompanied by 12-15 images. Read more>>

Stacy Pederson

Earning a living has been a slow steady process I started over thirty years ago. I discovered I was a, “Creative” by winning essays for local competitions as a child. Read more>>

Daniel Jimenez Afanador

Earning a living in the arts for me is about flexibility and work ethic. Over time I’ve built a repertoire of clients who call me for different things. Read more>>