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

Hi Matt, thanks for joining 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?

In short, no. Not yet. Eventually I hope I can earn a living as a full-time artist. Until now, my art has always been kind of a side-hustle as I work a full-time job to pay the bills.

In the early days, the biggest step that I took as a professional artist was doing art shows and festivals. The majority of my art sales have always come from shows. Nothing can really beat seeing my paintings in person. Plus you get to interact with the public and answer questions about a piece that has piqued their interest. And the camaraderie with and wealth of knowledge from fellow artist is priceless. I look forward to hanging out with my fellow artists as much as making sales!

The second major step in my art journey has been investing in a professional website. I always had a portfolio type of website, but about five years ago I made the investment in a website that allows me to sell directly from it. For anyone that cannot make it to an art show, they can pull up my website and order my art from wherever they are. And the marketing possibilities that have come along with it have broadened my audience even further.

The third major step my my art journey has been getting work into galleries. For a while I struggled and was rejected a lot. But when I finally got to show my work in a gallery, it was a big deal to me. Once I got my foot in the door, it got easier and I was able to show more often and at other galleries. The fees galleries charge are often lamented and complained about, but a good gallery knows the pulse of the local art community and can get your work in front of prospective buyers that you may never run across.

Over the years that I’ve been a professional artist I have gained a lot of knowledge about being an artist. It’s hard to say if knowing what I know now would have got me onto the path of working as a full-time artist faster. It’s certainly possible. But all I can do is apply that knowledge toward my future endeavors.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a professional artist working primarily as an acrylic painter. I work mostly in realism and surrealism, with a little bit of abstract thrown in as well. Sometimes I even mix two styles in one painting. My inspiration comes from the ocean—from waves to surfing to sealife to beautiful beaches. My paintings are recognizable by well-defined subjects and smooth blends. When I see someone connect with my art, it’s a rush that never gets old.

Aside from painting, I’m also a photographer and graphic designer. I like to say I’m a “triple threat”! My photography is also inspired by the ocean with surfing being my main subject. When my schedule allows, I’m usually at the beach when the waves are good. My wife and I also have a small portrait photography business, which I’ve learned a lot from over the last few years. Graphic design is my day job and what I do full-time. My main interests as a designer is magazine and editorial work.

Something that I’m proud of as a creative is being recognized for my work. At an art show last year, a customer told me that he had walked the entire show and was drawn back to my booth because he felt that I had the best work in the show. Another person told me once that they were not interested in going to an art show if I wasn’t going to be there. A surfer told me that she thought my photos were the most artistic of any local photographer. These are just opinions of course. But a lot of us toil in the shadows, so to speak. So when those efforts are recognized, I think it lets you know that you’re on the right path.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Pay artists! To my knowledge, there is no other industry or field that is regularly asked to work for next to nothing—or worse, for “exposure.” Every creative I know has a story, often multiple stories, of being asked to do something for exposure or for very little money. It is practically an expectation that an artist’s prices are flexible and open to negotiation. Nearly every art show I’ve been to I’ve been asked by at least one person if I’ll go lower on the price of something. I don’t know how it got to be this way for creatives, but could you imagine trying to get a microwave by telling the retailer that you’ll give his store lots of exposure? We love what we do, but that shouldn’t be a penalty in getting proper compensation for our work.

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

Having someone connect personally to something you created. It goes beyond “that would look good in our living room,” you know? I’ve had people buy paintings because they reminded them of a place they had been, something they had experienced or a cherished memory. That’s extremely rewarding to me. Sure it’s great to sell a piece if only because it’ll look good in the living room. But that personal connection really ties you to the buyer and assures that they will hang on to your art for years to come.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.haddawayart.com
• Instagram: @haddawayart and @matthaddaway
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaddawayArt