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.

Alyssa Messamore

I do earn a full-time living from my creative work! It’s amazing that I’m finally at this point in my life because of all the hard work I’ve done to actually get here, and getting paid for something that I have such a passion doing is unfathomable to me! I feel so fortunate to live this life I have built for myself, but it definitely came with its challenges. Before I actually knew I wanted to be a cosmetologist full-time, I went to college for psychology. Of course, the things I learned definitely did not go to waste, but I can’t help thinking to myself sometimes how many years I could have put in behind the chair if I hadn’t done that. I had to figure out what I wanted for myself in life, and I am so thankful I took time to do so. I took a few years after that to “find myself” and was working in the hospitality industry before I took a leap of faith for myself. Read more>>

Eileen Seitz

My artistic life began when I was 8 years old. At 13 years old, I won a first place award for an oil painting in a New York City street art festival. At 16 years old I sold my first oil painting to an interior design couple in Manhattan N.Y. The oil painting was of 2 gardners planting daffodils on a rainy spring day. They wore yellow rain slickers with matching hats planting yellow daffodils. I saw the painting unfolding in my minds eye and came home and painted it. Read more>>

Rika Wildlee

Unfortunately Have Not Yet Been Able To Make A Full Time Living With Pro Wrestling But That Is The Goal. I Push Myself Daily On All Types Of Social Media Putting Eyes On My Work & Weekly Traveling The Country Performing In Front Of Thousands Of People A Month So That It Will Eventually Help Me Succeed In Making This Dream I’ve Been Chasing For Years A Full Time Finacial Success & Reality. Read more>>