We were lucky to catch up with Patricia Shih recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Patricia, 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?

I have been a creative all my life, starting at age 4 when I won my first art award. I began my professional music career at age 15 when I signed my first recording and managerial contract with Unicorn Records. It is then that I realized one could make a living making art. I was a pro musician for several years until the visual art world called me back and I studied at the San Francisco Academy of Art, where I developed and taught cold glass art immediately after graduation. Teaching helped me supplement my income enabling me to make a living in art.

Over the years I decided to stay in the arts professionally, even if it meant on the periphery by working in live theatre and dance departments for short periods, as it is in the arts where my heart and purpose lay. I made my living in visual art for about 10 years on both the east and west coasts, finally settling on Long Island, NY.

Over the past 40 years I’ve made my living primarily as a singer, songwriter and performer for all ages. Even though I have worked with managers and booking agents, the most successful I have been is by learning how to manage and book myself. I have recently semi-retired but continue to make art, music and videos whenever a client finds me (I no longer strive or market my work) or when the spirit moves me.

How I made it happen: by being “stubborn” (I prefer “steadfast/persistent”) and not deviating from my goal of pursuing the arts.  During the times of not supporting myself DIRECTLY through making art myself, when searching for jobs I made a point of looking for other kinds of work within an arts environment: theatre, dance, music, visual art, etc. so that I could stay close to other artists in other disciplines, learning more about a new arts area, and continuing to fulfill my curiosity and interest in all art forms.  It also positioned me to accept paying work in that discipline when an opportunity opened.  Only once, for one year only in my entire life, did I work in a non-arts position for a “straight” business doing absolutely nothing even remotely related to the arts and even then it was only part-time and I tried to make it FUN.

Also (and this is highly important, IMHO) I learned at a very young age how to live on little.  My mother was always very frugal, being the eldest of 10 children growing up in San Francisco’s Chinatown, and she taught me through example.  Money to me has always been the tool to an end, not an end in itself.  So in lean times I have been happy and content living on little income.  In “fat” times it’s been glorious and then I’ve been able to save a nice nest egg.  I would say a VERY CRUCIAL factor in my life in the arts is learning effective time and money management and the business end of art.  Plus I’ve learned to strive always for the highest quality in my work and life, no matter what the circumstances.  People recognize quality and so are willing to hire, book and support what I do.

Patricia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I found my heart and life’s purpose at a very young age (4 years old) when I won my first art award, which gave me encouragement and validation. My drawing was simple, just a clown holding balloons in front of a circus tent, done in crayon.  I was proud of it and my preschool teacher praised it, but not my mom, who crumbled it up and threw it away.  There’s a larger story to that.  Then much later the big “folk music scare” and The Beatles occurred when I was around 13; it was then that I discovered my love for music and so my life’s goals were set. Along with a friend we formed a folk duo, singing, writing and performing songs, and were soon signed with Unicorn Records at age 15. The record and managerial company groomed us very green musicians to become professionals, on stage, radio and TV. We recorded a 45 single which was marketed here and abroad.  We were still in school and so could only work professionally part time.  After our contract expired we left Unicorn Records to go on our own, sometimes working with a different booking agency who sent us on tour once we graduated; but then the art world called me again and I moved to San Francisco to study painting and stained glass at the SF Academy of Art.

After graduating from art school I became a prop artist for the largest repertory theatre in the US and also learned a bit about fundraising there. I also taught stained and sandblasted glass at the Academy, originating and developing the glass department there. So I’ve managed to stay in the arts and make a full-time living through them by sheer stubbornness and also by being flexible. I’ve had to learn arts management and now in semi-retirement I occasionally consult for others and teach art, arts management and performance through workshops. I think unfortunately most artists and musicians either hate the business part or feel incompetent. It’s a necessity unless you have someone else working for you doing the business end.  Even then, It is far too easy and sadly common to get ripped off by unscrupulous or incompetent managers and agents if you don’t learn, understand and closely monitor the business end of your life.

So what has set me apart from others in the past and most of my creative friends now is that I am good at marketing, promotion and all the other yucky business things creatives usually hate to do. I have also ventured into managing and repping other musicians and artists in the past but I too don’t like that part and only did it to help my talented friends, so I stopped even though those artists did very well, quadrupling their work/bookings and income through their music. I did toy with the idea of starting an arts company for others but I think I wouldn’t enjoy it.  However, I did put my decades of experience in the music industry into a book I wrote long ago, “Gigging: A Practical Guide for Musicians” (Sky Horse Publishers, available through Amazon and myself) which was written and published before social media. so some of the content is a bit obsolete.  Still very useful.

I am most proud that I have, through sheer cussedness – and a modicum of talent – managed to live a very full and happy life in the arts. I’ve stayed flexible while keeping a focus on what makes my life fulfilled. Juggling the business end with the creativity is not easy; luckily I’m also good at time and money management (as I said, those are two other ESSENTIAL skills to learn, in any field) and have lots of high energy. It’s also important to be clear about your goals and dreams and then focus like a laser on them; refuse to get distracted or knocked off-goal. I’m proud and very very lucky and grateful that others have recognized the quality and value in what I do and have been willing to hire me my whole life long.

The only “distraction” I’ve had is internal, in that I’ve always been torn between art and music.  I like to “follow the muse” wherever it leads me, no matter what; music, art, writing books, making a documentary, etc.  I’ve been lucky in that, although it might slow my “success” (best to define that for yourself) in one field, it broadens and deepens me and improves the work in other fields.  And I think depth is what matters in the end.

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

For me, the greatest reward is in the creating of art, music or whatever art form inspires me. It’s icing on the cake if the end result is something that I and others deem “very good to excellent”.  I love being able to express something in me that resonates well and then hopefully resonates with someone else. So the ULTIMATE REWARD is to SHARE what I’ve created – the end “product” if you will – because my highest goal is to be able to touch as many hearts and minds of all ages. If ONE person is moved by what I’ve done then I feel that effort was successful. There is far too much ugliness, sadness, pain and hate in the world, and I believe what I’ve been put on earth to do is to try to counter all that with as much beauty, hope, laughter and love I can muster in whatever it is that I do. There is no greater feeling than to learn that someone has been uplifted by something that I’ve made and shared, and hopefully put a smile on their face, a new thought in their head and a light in their heart.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think creative people do what they do because they MUST. It’s MORE than something they DO; it’s who they ARE. Even if you don’t get to do what you love for a living, do your art anyway because you HAVE TO and because you love it and it makes you fulfilled and happy. But doing something else robs you of your time and energy for what you really should be doing. I realize not everyone CAN make a living full-time in the arts; and honestly, it doesn’t have to be in the arts. Do what makes you feel alive and what benefits and enriches the world, not just yourself. You can be creative sweeping streets or building widgets!!!! Think about how to do whatever you love in the very best way you can; I believe in following your bliss and the money will follow. Honestly, it also helps to have a lower level of necessity!!! Do you REALLY need a hot expensive car, a big house, etc.? I was perfectly happy being a starving art student and learned how to be frugal and “need” less. I learned the difference of “need” and “want.”

Know yourself, and if it’s not yet, have fun exploring yourself. Don’t let anyone tear down your dreams and hopes and desires. Keep your sense of humor and humility. Be generous and others will give back to you. In whatever you do and whatever you can be, BE KIND.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.patriciashih.com for music. www.patriciashihart.com for art, under construction. www.undocumenteddoc.com for film.