The world needs artists and creatives. Unfortunately, being needed doesn’t often easily translate into financial stability. The struggle is real for so many incredibly talented artists and creatives and so we think it’s important to hear from creatives who have made it work – there is so much to learn from the folks we’ve featured below.

David Palmer

What I love about making a living as an artist is that it involves such a wide range of skills and activities. Creating the artwork itself, of course, is the core of it, and that never gets boring. I’m constantly learning and growing as I follow my curiosity, exploring new imagery and ways of creating it. But there’s also a business side to art, and a social aspect, and those are as important in making a living as the artwork itself. Read more>>

Jolene Mei

I feel so fortunate to be able to lead a life where the work that I do is so much fun. However, don’t let this fool you because, in my opinion, being a voice over artist requires dedication, consistency, a business mindset, self motivation, and self discipline. Also – I am only about 2 years into my entrepreneurial journey so I do want to normalize, that at this point – it is normal to have ups and downs being self employed. There is no perfect. Read more>>

 Joseph Buchoff

I decided one day I wouldn’t do the job thing. I had too much passion for creating art inside my soul, so I dropped out of Rutgers with 1 year left where I was studying Computer Science and travelled the world trying to build a graphic design business. My father was only paying my rent and bills to help me focus on school, so he understandably pulled his support. I ended up being homeless for 2 years, sleeping in my car, then on friends’ couches, and even 3 nights on the streets – two of them on the streets of Medellín, Colombia. Read more>>

Felise Waxman

I make a full time living doing what I love and am creative every day. I have always excelled in the creative/artistic areas of life and struggled in the math/science areas. When I finally started focusing on my strengths things clearly started to blossom. I visualized a successful family photography business and just put it out there into the world. I did a lot of family photos for free which was very helpful. I would share these photos on social media and so would these families, and it started to grow from there. Read more>>

Richard Lam

I’m very lucky and grateful to now be earning a full-time living from my creative work. For five years, I worked in marketing and did freelance photography and video jobs on the side in my free time. A little over two years ago, I decided to take the leap and go full-time doing creative work. I scaled back on my personal expenses, and the first year was just setting up the foundations and fundamentals of my business. It probably didn’t help that the world was still technically in a pandemic, so work was slow to come by at first. Read more>>

Jeremy Schreifels

As so many creatives begin their journies, I too started with dozens of jobs in the creative space. Through freelance drumming, educating, composing and arranging, as well as music production and songwriting. I had to piece together small opportunities and small wins, to transform them into networking opportunities, which then led to great opportunities. Read more>>

Zack Patrick

I’ve been fortunate enough to be full time from creative work since 2018. I was in college at West Virginia University studying for a degree in National Security and Intelligence when I first picked up a camera. While in college I partnered with a local media agency to get my feet wet in the business of videography by working with their extensive list of clients in the surrounding area. Read more>>

Gabriel Karagianis

Shortly after graduating from the American Academy of Art in Chicago, I started renting a studio in a, mostly abandoned, factory space in Harvard IL, a small town northwest of Chicago. About 3 months after moving in, I hosted an art show in the space featuring a group of my friends and my own work. I sold some paintings, and that was the beginning. I reinvested my earnings on new tools and supplies. Read more>>

Doug Meyer

I’ve been making my work professionally for about 14 years. I had previously been the lead foreman for an industrial furniture firm called Cleveland Art. The owner, Jason, showed me the ropes on the business end, such as how and where to market my work, what types of things sell well, and at what price points. I’d been making furniture long before meting Jason, and I think there was an understanding that I had to eventually move on and claim my own design destiny outside of Cleveland Art. Read more>>

Stephanie Crimmins

It’s hard to believe I make a living from pursuing my passion but I’m doing it! I started my business as a side hustle back in 2016 (formerly known as The Fussy Goose) and I slowly built notoriety and community by applying to any pop up, event and show in my area at the time. Through networking, and while still working full-time at an office job, I moved into my first (small) retail and workspace off main street Hyannis, MA. Read more>>

Madeleine Walton

Yes, and earning a full-time living as an artist can prove to be as futile as it is fulfilling, especially when your profesion is an expression of your soul. For starters, there is a business beyond the creative, one that goes hand in hand with driving my own success. With that being said, beyond the creative side I lend myself to being a bit more Type A, which allows me to plan, pull from past experiences, and pivot to prioritizing the investment in myself. In the beginning, aspiration drives a lot of the day to day, but shifting from concept to reality just does not equate. Read more>>

Lucas Smith

I’ve been shooting and editing videos since I was in 3rd grade. I started with photography and stop-motion videos and then got into VFX, compositing, and 3D modeling. It’s something I’ve always done for fun. I needed to shoot video to practice CGI work, so I shot short videos for fun with my friends. I eventually got better at shooting video and became interested in that. Read more>>

 Kat Powell

Yes, I have. I started working as an artist right after graduating college in 2010. I worked as a part-time freelance artist doing projects here and there. One of the first art jobs I had was doing a few medical illustrations for a local doctor. Early on in my career I would juggle several freelance/contract jobs while keeping a more stable job as an “art instructor” at Painting with a Twist. Read more>>

Cory Pierce

It certainly wasn’t over night. Earning a full time living with any career requires time. Time sharpening the craft. Time building relationships and trust. Time to experiment, fail, try again. I first picked up the guitar about 18 years ago, and while I’ve had various degrees of success along the way, it wasn’t until about 4 years ago that I could confidently say I was earning a full-time living with solely that. Read more>>

Feli From Germany

For me, making money from YouTube was never my goal. I only uploaded one video every few months at the time but a few months in, I had gathered enough views and subscribers to qualify for the YouTube partner program which allows you to run ads on your videos and get paid by Google Adsense. Once I signed up for that, I made around $100-$200 a month which felt like a nice little side income to me at the time. Read more>>

Kelsey Overstreet

Living in Italy after completing my undergraduate studies, I embarked on a journey that would prove to be transformative for my creative career. Initially studying Printmaking, I found myself facing financial challenges. In response, I began creating my own hand-printed textiles and clothing. To my delight, this endeavor blossomed into a full-time occupation, Read more>>

Mike Villines

Nashville is the center of the universe to anyone trying to make a career as a songwriter. But it is also one of the hardest places in the country to make a living as a performing musician. The competition is off the charts, and many performers are willing to play for free to get themselves heard. So you have to be very persistent and creative when it comes to finding work that pays. It’s a road town, and the farther from town you go the more you can make. But if you don’t want to travel all the time and want to play local you have your work cut out for you. So it is a challenge to be a working musician in Nashville. Read more>>

Warren Yeager

I have been a freelance cinematographer my entire professional life. As the industry evolved, I’ve moved into other endeavors. These days, one must be diverse and continuously looking for new opportunities. Read more>>

Stacy Kiehl

I’ve always ‘made stuff’ and have been a creative person I guess but maybe around 2015 I started painting and I loved it more than anything else. I had a couple small shows but always worked a part time job. Me being a full time painter really started with the Covid lock down . Obviously it was a horrible time for so many people but for me the bright side was that I was forced to work on my craft with little distractions. Read more>>

Angelica Pascua

Yes! I’m so lucky to be able to be a full-time 3D artist. Getting here was not at all smooth or easy. In the beginning, around the middle of my high school years, I would occasionally take illustration commissions from people online. It was often never more than a few times a year, but I had one loyal client who believed in me enough to continue commissioning my art. Read more>>

Rowdy Domstead

I graduated college almost assuming I’d be able to drum up enough work to live off of, but I ended up getting a job for a record label and music publisher when it quickly became clear that would not be the case. I ended up working there for 5 years, eventually earning the title of Art Director, all the while building my contacts in the industry and around Nashville. Read more>>

Will Woodrow

For me personally, it became a necessity. I spent a good 25 + years working a regular job, while also moonlighting as an artist. I worked a lot of construction jobs, which ultimately led to spine surgeries, which inadvertently forced the decision to taking the leap of faith in my art career. I just decided I wasn’t going back to the paycheck life. It’s too short, and there’s nothing else I truly ever wanted to do. Read more>>

Dallen Stanford

Working in the sport of rugby is a very niche career in the United States and I’m extremely fortunate to be one of the few full-time rugby commentators in this country. My parents inspired me to pursue what I loved, while also instilling valuable life lessons, role modeling ethics, working hard, kindness and passion. I would credit having a positive attitude, doing the best you can in all situations, being friendly and saying yes to opportunities, together with having fun in your chosen industry as some of the tools for success. Read more>>

Thomas Latané and Catherine (Kitty) Latané N/A

Thomas Latané When I was young, I did not dislike school, but my day always started when school let out. I gave a report in elementary school on using the woodworking tools my father had. A fellow student was critical of the fact that I did not look at my notes while presenting to the class. While in Junior high I worked on projects in my parents’ basement after school and in high school I built a small log cabin with some friends every day after school in some woods owned by the county. I set up a forge in my back yard while still in high school. Read more>>

Nikole Morrow-Pettus

I have always been interested in fashion and beauty since I was a young child I would earmark catalogs to save “My style.” Initially I thought I would pursue my career in fashion marketing and continue as a buyer. But one incident at a photography company where the makeup artist got very sick and couldn’t stay on set allowed me to step in and help with makeup. It all came together that moment, and I was transformed into the most passionate and determined artist you see today. That was 33yrs ago! I have risen to mind-blowing hights since. Read more>>

Peilin Li

Yes, I am now a full-time freelance illustrator in China. My work involves editorial illustrations, children’s books, and advertising illustrations. I started working on some illustration projects in my junior year, such as children’s books and editorial illustrations, which gradually allowed me to accumulate some illustration work experience. In my senior year, my works won some awards, Read more>>

Feda Zidan

It’s the dream no doubt to be able to earn a full-time living from my creative work, but for me I’m still hesitant to cross the line between being a hobby and enjoying what I do without the stress of maintaining a business and build my business. It is not easy to take this step I’m so afraid it will take from the creative process specially that I’m an emotional person and stress can affect my creative process. Read more>>

Jeremy Adam

I was advised during undergrad to stay as a theater major because I needed to learn how to perform to be able to be a well rounded singer and entertainer. That advice, and the resilience that comes along with being a theater performer has helped me navigate the gig world and maintain steady work as a children’s music educator during the day and a performer in various venues at night! Read more>>

Sean Kochel

I worked part-time for several years be for making the leap to full-time. I was working at a furniture restoration shop at the time when my boss convinced me to take the leap. He told me even though he loved having me around, I would be happier and better off if I spent the time I needed to take care of my business and my clients properly than I would be working part-time. I saved up enough money to get me through for a couple of months and didn’t go in that next Monday. Read more>>

Phil Blattenberger

When I founded Lost Galleon Films with my business partner, Dan Black, we were both career bartenders who’d decided to venture into film. I’d written a screenplay set during the Vietnam War during my senior year of my master’s program and during my last semester we decided to spend the summer producing it. Read more>>

Gui Ferreira

Before actually starting to work with art, I began studying Architecture and Urbanism, already in search of a profession that involved drawing. I managed to get a full scholarship for university, but I took up a job as a bartender to cover the costs of materials and other expenses. Read more>>

Jesse Vargas

First I’d like to say thank you for taking the time to reach out to me for this piece! Earning a full-time living from my creative work is something that’s taken years to reach. And unfortunately, it doesn’t take as long to lose. Read more>>

Denise Vasquez

Yes, I am proud to say I am a registered, licensed, and insured photographer. It has taken me a lifetime of many lessons to get to here, but I did it! Earning a full-time living from my creative work, and being self employed is a huge accomplishment, but it has not been an easy path. There are many things that you need to have besides talent & passion in order to be successful. Read more>>

Mallory Brown

About seven years ago, I was an intern at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario, Canada, where my main task was to write press releases. Being a naturally creative person, I had my fair share of hobbies on the side, including making silly YouTube videos featuring myself and my friends. Back then, the theatre had a pretty weak presence on social media and lacked original content. Read more>>

Allana Southerland

You go to your parents and say Mom, Dad, I want to be a musician. The look on their face would probably be like…why right? There are astronauts, chemists, brain surgeons, architects, and many other jobs that we think of to provide a great financial future. I am different. I followed my passion, my heart, and my love to create, play, and record music. My extended family is very musical and they play instruments in church. My immediate family plays no instruments at all. Read more>>

Curtis Speer

I always thought I needed a full time job outside of my creative work as that is how we are taught growing up. I tried my hand working in several different retail and corporate environments all to find out I was not cut out for those places long term. However, the experience I gained, from a business perspective, proved to be wildly beneficial when it came to making a full time living as an artist and gallery owner. Read more>>

Justin Johnson

I knew that I wanted to tattoo when I was a teenager. I grew up around a bunch of heavily tattooed bikers, which sparked my curiosity young. I knew then I wanted to be tattooed. I started drawing at a young age, mimicking tattoos I saw in magazines. I then jumped straight into a street shop in Columbia, SC as soon as I could. Wanting to get into the industry I started by cleaning and doing chores for the tattooers working in the shop. After 7-8 months I got to start learning the process of tattooing and eventually did my first tattoo on a friend. The rest is history. Read more>>

Brian Tong

I’ve been able to successfully live off my creative work full time in two different creative careers! A career in dance and a career in film making.  I’ll summarize, it’s a beautiful story. 1. The Bank I worked at a bank, I wanted to study to be a CFA because it was stable. I found myself being called on as a go go dancer and animator gigs for galas, soirees or clubs time to time. That burnt me out during my day job to little to no sleep. I developed a strong networking skills which led me to connecting with many festival producers. Read more>>

Ty Osborne

I have been extremely fortunate in my journey through voice acting to be at the point where I can make a full-time living from my work. Every journey in a creative work is vastly different from another and it’s extremely rare to share a similar path as another creative, especially in this line of work. My journey did start as most do with me starting out on casting call club working on unpaid projects to build up a resume of experience to be able to move up into paid work. Read more>>

Nobuo Wellington Yuko Makuuchi

Yuko and I launched WM Craftworks in 2014. Our company is a very small business that creates handcrafted ceramic and wood home goods. In 2019 we transitioned from WM being our side hustle to it being my full time gig. A lot of what I discuss in this interview is how going from side hustle to main gig changed our relationship to our craft and how we’ve been dealing with some of the issues we’ve encountered along the way. Read more>>

William (Bubba) Flint

All of my early jobs involved art in one way or another. My first Summertime job during my high school years, I designed flyers for Sears. It was a fun learning experience, I learned how a drawing went from paper to an ad. For my next two jobs, I worked for sign companies designing logos and signs, I had the opportunity to work around some pretty talented artists. All the time that I was working at these daytime jobs, I was coming home and creating at night. I drew cartoons for several publications, Read more>>