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.

Anthony Richichi

At this point I’ve been earning a full-time living and was able to leave my day job 4 years ago. Up until then I’d dump 40 hours a week into the day job to pay the bills, then another 40 or so making art (comic books, paintings, film and theater festival illustrations, art for my band, concert posters, etc) from the minute I got home from work, until I fell asleep. It was like that for about 8 or 9 years until I met my publisher, Saratoga Springs Publishing. I was hired to illustrate a children’s book, JACK. It went super well and I finished it months sooner than anticipated and I was quickly offered 3 more book contracts, which I signed and completed. Read more>>

Christine Solomon

Yes, I have been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work but it has been a long and evolving journey. I started in the industry as a child which gave me early exposure but also meant I had to grow and adapt as the landscape of entertainment changed. It required relentless work, perseverance, patience, continuous education and hands-on experience to reach this point. Read more>>

Katey Hicks

Do you ever just find yourself waking up one day wondering “how did I get so lucky?”. As cliche as it sounds – that’s how I feel about where I am at in my career. I am, what I like to call myself, a one-woman-powerhouse! I own KT Social Media + Marketing, a small business that helps other small business have an online presence, in edition to being a full time content creator. Both of these accomplishments are recent for me! Read more>>

Jessica J. Johnston

About a year ago, I was going through dusty old notebooks that I’d kept in my youth– mainly from high school. In skimming through one of these notebooks, I happened upon a page aptly titled: “Dream Jobs.” I had to smile to find “Web Designer” listed there. Later, I relayed this to a friend, talking about how funny it was to have found that: proof that I’ve achieved at least one of my lifelong dreams. Read more>>

Edwin Kogi

Yes i have been able to earn a full time living from my work. I’m from Nairobi, Kenya. So It all started in 2019 when i was on my Public Relations Internship at a government office. On one slow afternoon, I realized that aside from Photography (Which was my passion at the time) i was also pretty good at graphic design. I have been self taught in all my skills, with graphic design being the one skill i have taught myself for the longest time. On that afternoon, i decided to open my Instagram Page; Blackwell Graphics. The name just came to me and i decided to flow with it. I slowly started posting my work there as well as researched on the best hashtags that were working best in the graphic design niche’. Read more>>

Yong Hong Zhong

Yes. I started working for the Disney Animation Studios right after collage. I was recruited by The Disney Animation Studio for an internship while in art collage and offered a job upon graduation. It was an amazing experience was with talented artists from all over the world at The Disney Animation Studios. I ended up working at the studio for fourteen years. The first film that I worked on was Pocahontas and my last film was Prince and the Frog. Read more>>

Qualin Harris

I’ve been fortunate to make a full-time living from content creation and social media management since 2021, but the journey wasn’t an overnight success—it took about three years to get there. When I first started, I worked full-time at two restaurants as a server and bartender. My days were carefully structured: I dedicated the hours before my shifts to creating memes and editing videos, and the evenings after work were spent shooting new content. Read more>>

Stanley Fletcher

I grew up in a church home. Meaning, my mom is a preacher at an apostolic church. When I say I went to church growing up I mean minimum 3 days a week and sometimes 5 days a week with going to church twice a day Sundays and if you know what apostolic churches do then you know how long a service is and you know what a church convention is. During a church convention you go to a city where the convention is held and all the other apostolic churches in the district and sometimes from another state come to congregate and praise God together. Read more>>

Santina Busalacchi

I’m super fortunate to say I make a full-time living as an experiential graphic designer and illustrator! Even though I consider myself an insanely hard worker who’s dedicated to her craft, it’s important to acknowledge that the creative industry as a whole can be a difficult space to break into, no matter how talented you may be. I owe a lot of where I’m at in my creative journey to the people I’ve met along the way. Their support, mentorship, and friendship have helped me define who I am as a designer and what I want to give back with my work.  Read more>>

Redens Desrosiers

Yes, I am currently earning a full-time living from my creative work. That journey was no easy one at all and was able to make all that happen through being consistent and being open to keep learning ways I can make this process work for me. It wasn’t like this from day and because off that, I’ve learned a lot along the way. One of my major milestones was being able to pay off my car from being an entrepreneur. Absolutely I could of sped up the process but that wasn’t my journey. Read more>>

Tyler Tuccillo

Yes, I’ve been fortunate enough to turn my creative work into a full-time living, but it definitely wasn’t like that from day one. My journey has been filled with experimentation, learning, and persistence.

I started as a freelancer, helping YouTubers come up with viral content ideas. Over time, I started understanding what grabs viewers’ attention and keeps them engaged. I’ve worked with channels in various niches—true crime, gaming, self-improvement, and more—and through those experiences, I’ve grown my skills in ideation, scripting, and strategy. Read more>>

Claudia Sauter

Yes, I’ve been able to make a full-time living from my art, but it required consistent effort and a strategic approach. From the start, I prioritized marketing as a core part of my work, ensuring my art reached the right audience. Selling original works, prints, and licensing my art provided diverse income streams, while platforms like Artmajeur helped me connect with collectors worldwide. Social media further expanded my reach, allowing me to build authentic connections and share my creative process. Read more>>