We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kathleen Hope a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kathleen , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Yes I earn a full-time living from my art. I have been supporting myself solely on my art for 20 years. It certainly was not from day one. I painted for 15 years prior to making a living. I made some money in those 15 years but wasn’t concerned about making money. There is no speeding up the process, you need to put in the time to produce good art and learn about the art business. I was never anxious to sell my art right away. I also knew if I wanted to make art full-time that I needed to move for more opportunities. I moved from Minnesota to Arizona and my income increased. My goal was to be a gallery artist and have my work collected by high end contemporary homes and hotels. I held on to that goal and decided not to apply to galleries until I was ready. I think sometimes beginner artists are too concerned about making money, my advise is know where you stand in the marketplace. Be critical and honest about your art and where you stand in regards to where you want to be. I think sometimes when we pursue a career too early when we are not ready, we get disappointed and rejections which can lead to quitting. Making it career takes time, I have found it is word of mouth. I have also participated in many contemporary art shows like affordable art NY, London, Austin. I have also showed in Art Miami. Many galleries and art consultants have found me there . Most my income is generated by art consultants and Interior designers

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Well I grew up in Duluth Minnesota, a very industrial town with not much to do culturally and because it was so cold.
I was lucky to have a artistic mother. She was a watercolor painter. She would always bring me to art fairs with her and that is where I found pottery.
Minnesota is really rooted in ceramics. As a child I was very fascinated with pottery and the organic esthetic of it.

Its a visual I held on to for a very long time and later it came out in my art. I never wanted to be a potter, always knew I was a painter. Collectors tell me my art looks like ceramics and encaustic.
For many years I worked in mixed media /collage, but was always searching for more texture and a unique look.

It wasn’t until I moved to Arizona that I found my medium, or shall I say my mate. When you find the right medium it is the perfect marriage of voice and expression. In art ,with so many choices of materials to work with, I sometimes think its a miracle that as artists we find it. I believe this is the secret ingredient to excelling and growing in your work.

Cement is also very challenging because of its’s cantankerous personality. It is not always cooperative and is sensitive to temperatures. It tricks you into thinking you can master its surface but it at times it rebels.
I always like a challenge so I guess it works with my personality. I think what sets me apart is my medium. Not many artist use cement in a painterly way like me.

My background as a Color Consultant has also really influenced my art. Prior to my art career, I worked with architects and builders. I had to know many industrial products in the construction field in order to advise on color selection.
This is where my interest in concrete began.

It’s interesting when people advise you on follow your passion to find your career. I sometimes believe its the little details in life/childhood that we need to pay attention to that can lead you on a journey that is unexpected. Pottery was my little detail.

I think what I am most proud of is never giving up on my goal of becoming a full-time artist even though at times it was very difficult financially. The other thing that I have gained is becoming a good business person . It is part of your art, I find that all of the artists that are financially successful are good sales and business people. To think that you can hand that off to someone else, especially in the beginning is idealistic. It is as important to learn about art marketing, sales, bookkeeping, taxes, shipping and just a basic skill set in business and investing.

I work with many interior designers and art consultants so embracing commissions is key to constant income stream. I love commissions and I always learn from them.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

It is not a job it is a career filled with joy everyday. I always want to paint and create, it keeps my young, happy and challenges me. It also has given me a beautiful creative art tribe. I have art friends all over the world.
I also love connecting and often becoming friends with my collectors

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Well I do use Instagram and post regularly but it is mostly for my already established collectors, galleries and art consultants. I use it to post quickly new work.
I am old school, I am not interested in showing video and how to reels to share. My collectors usually are not into finding art on social media platforms. They go to interior designers and art consultants.
I sell my art through many galleries as well. There are very few times that I have had sales through Instagram. I don’t have time to pursue a big presence on social media and I have found I get work through my channels that I have built and they can promote me through social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kathleenhope.com
• Instagram: fluent_in_cement kathleenhopeartist

Image Credits

Davin Lavikka photograher
House of loralei photograher