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.

Sabin Filip

There is a story behind my first dollar earned and how someone’s opinion changed the perspective of earning from my creative work. And this is not about making money selling art, it is about earning recognition from a buyer who found my artwork interesting enough for them to buy. Read more>>

Sara Hopkins

My dear friend and fellow artist Penelope Barbalios convinced me to try selling my art at comic conventions and markets over a decade ago. I didn’t think I had enough artwork and was unsure that I would fit into the crowd since I don’t make “comic art”, but I was happily surprised to find a crowd of folks who love lowbrow, underground art who were very supportive of what I create. Read more>>

Reeve Washburn

My first dollar was intended to come from a dear friend who commissioned a triptych in the early months of the pandemic. I was honored to have someone believe in me enough to request a custom piece. Read more>>

Brandon Lee

My creative journey began with music: I started playing guitar when I was 9 or 10 and started playing in a band at 13. The band played its first shows that same year, and it was mostly just our friends and family that came to see us. Read more>>

Zach Hively

I’d just finished graduate school, moved to Colorado, and found a perfect place to live and write: my window opened onto the red-rock Animas River valley and let in the echoes of the historic train whistle before it climbed up the mountains every morning. Read more>>