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

Marc, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?

I am an award-winning artist and professional fulfillment Coach. I have for the last 13 years made my living as a freelancer, most of those years on my art and art skills, now with my Coaching. Over the last 13 years I have taught, mentored, and Coached hundreds of artists, a good number of whom went on to create successful businesses around their art.

I’ll tell you how I did it, but first I’m going to tell you the truth.

I love making art, and I made my art my work.

Which is why this may surprise you.

The first thing I want you to know is, it’s ok to not want that. And it’s ok if your life circumstances mean you do other things to support your art-making.

The second thing I want you to know is, you can absolutely have the fulfilled life you want and do what you love. It may not be art. That’s where your creativity sets you apart.

FIRST: WHEN YOU MAKE ART YOUR WORK, IT’S ONLY A SMALL PART OF THE WORK

Making a living from your art as a solo entrepreneur is only partially actually making art, maybe a small part. The rest is hustle and skill building in the areas of communication, marketing, social media, branding, sales, bookkeeping, maybe even manufacturing, layout, software, web design, and more.

That one job is really about 10-15 different skill sets, things that you have to actually do and do well for it to work.

It is absolutely doable. The question is do you want to?

I loved learning about all these different facets of running a business. When I really got going in 2009, I got excited about learning new tools and insights about how to reach my audience, how to negotiate sales, and how to develop a resilient mindset to go for the long haul, how to set up a business, create invoices, set up online shops. I built a gallery in 2014 using my tech and communication skills and was able to support other artists growing their business. I built online courses and communities, gave talks and workshops.

That same work can also be soul-crushing, more than an office-job. It’s possible to do all those things, do them well, do them right, and still not be whiling the hours away happily painting. Successful on the outside can feel like defeat. And when you are doing the art, you may be consumed with worry about some part of the machine breaking down, which stresses your creative freedom.

That doesn’t even touch the aspect of the work that is client-facing. When art is your work, there’s someone on the other end who has to like and buy it. Again, this is absolutely doable and I’ve Coached many, many artists who do just that. Still, the gig economy and the unpredictable nature of the work and income is very stressful, it may grind at your passion and in some cases your mental health.

This truth is that this isn’t for everyone, and it’s ok if it’s not for you.

This reality shouldn’t scare you, it’s just reality. And there’s always a choice somewhere. As I said, many artists do this and do it well enough to support themselves, their families, and live a comfortable and mentally sound existence. I’ve done it, and I’ll share how.

But first I want to pull the curtain back, even more.

LIVED EXPERIENCE MATTERS

I want to acknowledge, we don’t all have the same circumstances or lived experiences. I can tell you how I did something, you may or may not be able to do the same and it’s not always just a matter of mindset. Making my way was made much, much easier thanks to my privilege and support systems. I’m a white cis-gendered male, which means I can connect to my creative flow while not also dealing with a society and institutions that are openly hostile to me. I have no debt, coming from a family that paid for my education through undergrad. I paid for art school, in part with the money I made from the nice tech jobs I got because of that same gift of education from my parents. My wife works, so when (not if) things got thin there was a safety net. The list doesn’t end there. And it made me more willing and able to take risks.

I’m not saying give up if you don’t have the same privilege. I’m just telling the truth, and if your eyes are open it’s easier to see what’s ahead and find your own way. At the very least, you can be emotionally prepared to do the work so that you can do the work you love.

SECOND: FOCUS ON FULFILLMENT

Now that I’ve fully painted the bleak view, let’s look at what we can create as we navigate our way to an artist’s life.

As I said, there are absolutely ways to make and sell art for a living. I have as have many others. Though, if you’re living to the fullest, and you focus on that life from a wider perspective, unexpected paths may appear as you pull the camera out.

The artists who successfully sell their work and focus exclusively on making and selling their creative output, almost all of them had stable work as they slowly transitioned to full time. They had a job, they created art in their off hours. Then they got more freelance work and either cut down or changed jobs to make more room for their growing art business. Finally, they cut the cord and went full time. Many do this with support systems like mine, many others do not.

In their off-hours they learned all they could about the business they wanted to create, how to set it up, get clients, file taxes, bill, chase down payments (all too common), spot fraud or phishing attempts, and more.

I got my start while still in school, I had free time to spare and do the footwork. I emailed a tabletop gaming company and did 5 illustrations for $100 apiece for a popular trading card game. I love to show these pieces to my students because frankly, they are not great paintings and I got paid. So there’s hope!

Years later, while working at a video game company in New York, I worked on the side and built up a client base. I left that job when I began working for the online art school Smart School as the Teaching Assistant. I had my sole proprietorship set up (free online), and was going to shows, selling work, finding new clients, and most importantly making friends. All the while I was sharing what I knew with artists who were a step or two behind me. Making a living on my art, and teaching those business and art skills to others, I was living a dream. And truthfully, that could be the end of the story, it was possible to just keep doing that.

I had a lot of support, and there is another way: the path to fulfillment. For the artist who isn’t making enough on the side, is just getting started on their art business education, is still developing their work, or doesn’t have a safety net I would recommend taking a breath and asking just a few powerful questions.

With my Coaching clients, we often ask, what would you get if you had the successful life you imagine? What is most joyful or important about the life you imagine? The answer, whether it’s money, acclaim, awards, enviable jobs, a sense of peace and ease, confidence, a deeper sense of well being and self-love, the answer always comes down to a version of a feeling of fulfillment.

The end of life question is a good measuring stick. Imagine yourself at the end of life, you lived well, happily, what will you say meant the most to you? Time in the studio may be part of it but what else?

When we shift our focus from the image of a successful artist to the image of a fulfilled life, we often find the things that truly bring us joy. Time to rest, time with friends, choice in our schedule, and more. When we let go of what we have told ourselves we must do to get there and focus on the there, these deeper and often more meaningful goals.

Here’s an example of how this can even support your path to making your life as an artist.

I have a client who I love working with. She is an artist, with plenty of wins under her belt. Still, the hustle and the expectations around what success is supposed to look like would not infrequently cause her to freeze up. Our work was very much inner work, and many of our sessions resulted in her noticing that she could slow down, she had room to breathe. And from that calm place, she found more freedom in her schedule and her work. Once she let go of what the world seems to expect, she was able to have what she wanted.

The key to remember is, what does all this work serve? If your only fulfilled place is in making art, and you’re struggling to make that your work, then make your work serve your art. If you’re only putting energy into your career, offer some of that fuel and imagination to the other areas of your life that can bring joy and meaning. Make your energy serve your life, all of it.

This is a mindset shift.

What if you shifted your mindset, and instead of focusing on what your life is not you focused on what it is? That same day job that you find boring could be a source of safety and security, the foundation and fuel upon which your art lives. This day job that pays your bills and yes takes up your time is there in service of your art. You work so that you can create. Not to say you can’t make a plan to move on, however, building that perspective and noticing what purpose that stability serves will make the day easier and leave you with the energy you need to create your best work.

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In conclusion, making a living as a full time artist requires a wide range of skills that are not traditionally considered creative. There are many ways to do this. If you are inspired and have the resources of time and risk-ability you should absolutely be relentless in learning everything you can.

And if it doesn’t go exactly as planned, remember you. are. creative. Take stock of what you really want, and all of the ways you get joy and ease in your life, and put energy into those things too. You may not rocket to art-stardom, but you’ll be rocketing to happiness.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am an award-winning artist and certified professional Coach.

In my art, I create conceptual figurative work in layers of epoxy resin. I discovered this work from a deep curiosity and ability to explore new materials and formats, coming from the world of illustration and video games before that.

In my Coaching, I co-create people’s vision for their future, and support them in making their best moves to a more fulfilled and successful life. I work with people who are ready to listen to themselves, and find that more fulfilling path.

What sets me apart in both worlds is my depth of experience. I have worked in, lead teams, and founded organizations as an artist, art director, creative director, curator, executive director, and I’m sure more roles I’ve forgotten. I bring everything I’ve learned to every project, and my clients reap the rewards.

I earned a degree in Computer Science from Harvard, one in illustration from The Academy of Art University, and am a certified coach through Erickson International.

You can see my art at https://www.marcscheff.com/

You can learn more about how I support people as a Coach at https://marcscheffcoaching.com/

And you can find the gallery I founded, supporting artists to sell affordable work every single day at https://everydayoriginal.com/

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Management and entrepreneurship is about a lot of things, but one thing bridges both: good habits. And there is no better book on this planet than Atomic Habits by James Clear. James takes all of the best research on habits, combined with his life experience, and offers a number of incredibly useful tools to develop good and better habits.

You can watch my interview with him after his book launch here:
https://www.crowdcast.io/e/makeyourartwork-podcast-jamesclear

Have you ever had to pivot?

I can think of a handful of times when life, let’s just say it presented challenges. Crisis of Purpose, or direction, or bank account.

Most recently, during COVID, I left an organization that I had sunk my heart and soul into. It was a heartbreaking decision, and I was left feeling empty. Since this was COVID times I was also needed at home with our two kids. While feeling clarity around being with my family, I lacked it in my career.

This may surprise you if you follow the endless summer of social media.

I could have gone back and done everything I was doing before. But I didn’t.

I took some time to get perspective. I looked at everything I’ve done in my life and asked, what brought me joy? What is my deeper Purpose? And how can I connect the two?

In everything I do, I use my experience and communication tools to lift others up, help them find fulfillment. When I looked at what that path might be, I did two things: applied to Arts Therapy programs and signed up for a Coaching education program. I’d done Coaching for years and wanted to learn more, and Arts Therapy seemed like a way to use my skills to help and heal.

I did get into the two top programs in the country, however, by that point I had also launched my Coaching practice and was feeling an incredible sense of fulfillment from the results.

I haven’t looked back once. I now create art for myself, Coach clients that inspire me, and I am a happier and better partner and parent because of these choices.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marcscheff.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcscheff
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcscheff
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcscheff/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcscheff
• Other: https://marcscheffcoaching.com/

Image Credits
Studio shot https://www.instagram.com/sammyyyamms/ Workshop shot http://www.amyjiaotattoo.com/