We were lucky to catch up with Ryan Lee Schiller recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ryan Lee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
In order to be successful as an artist today, I believe it takes patience and drive. Al Pacino once said that “Talent is a dime a dozen, but drive is what it takes to make it!” Keeping up with trends and my ear to the streets, making connections and establishing a community with fellow Artists has been pivotal in my attempt to become a full-time artist in 2024. Currently there is pressure to record every aspect of the creative process, producing art now goes hand-in-hand with producing content for social media. As an artist social media can be a worst enemy or a best friend depending on how I choose to use the tools provided. I could spend hours doom scrolling, or I could spend those hours drawing and maybe 20 or 30 minutes editing then posting my completed originals. Not only on one platform but on multiple (website, storefront, social media reels and stories) it’s exhausting and tedious work. It may not be rewarding for a while; It’s so Easy to get burnt out. We All Do! Honestly, it could be months or years before you see an uptick in your audience…consistency is key! You never know when one clip may strike internet Gold! Try everything; why not? Each time we post, we learn something new. Every time I get a compliment on my work — it brightens my day, like a shot of dopamine which encourages me to make more fun, cool, interesting, and colorful paintings. Or, more Dark creepy skeleton drawings….I’ve learned that connecting with those individuals who I respect and look up to according to their drive, talent and editing skills has paid off! Thousands of artists are going through the same struggles and asking each other the same questions. We all must be mindful about who we follow and look up to online. I recently had a well-known artist discourage me immensely by refusing to share one of my works that I shared with him. He asked me why a 30 year vet would ever bother sharing another artists work who hasn’t put in the time that he has or busted his ass the way he has to make it big. He told me to never ask another artist to share my work and questioned my mental stability for even asking. At the same time, my friends and family who really love and support me we’re more than happy to share my post. They all encouraged me to continue to create. Just remember that, because somebody is “blue check verified” does not mean that they are an authority on making it in the Art world. Trust the process and your audience will find you. Especially if you continue to do your thing keep your paintbrush moving because it makes you feel better. Substitute Doom scrolling for Day Drawing. Use social media wisely! I’ll tell you the truth, I get more eyes (and sales!) when I set my table and chair up at the pier in Huntington Beach; Organically. I may gain two genuine new followers a day. These are people that I actually meet face-to-face and are infatuated with my work. I make the connection, and it results in a New Collector. Keep track of your collectors! Having a list of names, emails and PO boxes of people who love your Art is invaluable. I’m a firm believer that energy attracts energy the way brain cells reach out for new connections. When we are feeling grateful and abundant, other grateful and abundant souls will tap you on the shoulder, greet you, lift you up and let you know that you are on the right path! Stay driven stay motivated every day! Stay busy and remember Bob Ross said, “There are no mistakes, Just happy accidents.” These Accidents provide an opportunity to learn from, and build our strength and confidence through a higher power. Remember, You are Cherished! THANK YOU Canvas Rebel Magazine for Giving me the opportunity to be heard! Thank you for reading my idea of what it takes to be a successful full-time Artist in 2024!
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?
My name is Ryan Lee Schiller. I am an emerging and aspiring artist from Huntington Beach California. My brand is called Schiller Creative. I have always been an artist, however Art came second to surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, even washing dishes, busing tables, running food, and being a cashier grocery store. It wasn’t until 2023 that I decided I want to go headfirst into the art community. I knew it was possible to become a full-time artist because I saw others doing it. With the world at my fingertips, I started with a basic website. I posted my favorite works from my days in art school and I wrote a little bio about myself on there. I didn’t start selling my art until I signed up with Fine America, Bonfire.com and VIDA clothing. These companies provide the platform for artist to design clothing that they will manufacture and ship to your customers with nothing out of your pocket. Then give you a small percentage of the profits. Currently I am working with Fine Art America, which gives the collector an option to have my art on everything from coffee, mugs to shower curtains, and throw pillows. I have so much fun creating these products! Slowly people are catching on to how cool they are. My brand is called Schiller Creative.
My brand is about creativity in all its forms. I consider myself a Creative, because I draw and paint, I also tap dance, play music, surf, skateboard, love tattoos, travel, ride motorcycles, and do yoga on the beach! Life is very good in Orange County. I cherish my friends, family clients, my followers, fans and my all my collectors. I am blessed and thankful to call myself an Artist.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Riding motorcycles is a joyous and dangerous activity. I’ve had two motorcycles in my life and I loved them both dearly. When I decided to become a full-time artist, I realize that I had no materials to work with. No canvas nothing just paper, sketchbook pencils. I wanted to expand my horizons, so I fixed the motorcycle up to where it was actually presentable enough to sell. I flipped it for about $7000. I used that money to pay rent at my studio for three months out. I bought some giant canvas and about 150 different acrylic paint colors, a couple brushes, a pallet knife, some gesso and some varnish. I spent the next three months working on one giant painting. I submitted it to a gallery in LA. It was accepted and hung for an entire month with an $8000 price tag. It didn’t sell and by the end of the three months I was fresh out of Capital. That’s when the going got tough. I used my last $300 to order 10 prints of 10 designs. I sat on the pier in Huntington Beach and sold them face-to-face to locals and tourists alike. I gained some traction and continued to pump out content until my eyes watered from looking at the screen. I tried everything trending reels, audios and hashtags yet nothing seem to be working. It wasn’t until I connected with some like-minded artists that I gained some insight on how to acquire more attention to my work. That’s when the sales started coming in from all over the country. My first sale was in New Jersey. It was a coffee mug. The buyer showed it to her friends and her friends ordered one too. I only made two dollars off those sales but it was a start, now I’m figuring out ways to make things at home and ship them out myself while doing my best to stay relevant. I will have another motorcycle in no time!
How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.
I do have a portfolio website with wordpress.com. It was free and easy to make. I do not have Amazon, Etsy or any other of those store fronts. However, I am looking into starting an Etsy account because it is one of the safest ways to accept payment internationally. They seem to work exclusively with PayPal. Watch out: There are so many scammers out there. They are looking to pray on starving artists. They will tell you anything from “oh my God I love your work I want that big one! How much you want for it?? to OK I’ll send you a check!” You get the check via email and it’s $2450. The check is as fraudulent as anything you could see on ‘Catch me if you can’ with Leonardo DiCaprio. I had another NFT scam artist hit me up offering me $7700 for 10 paintings. My best advice is be careful when making sales online we all know that cash* is King. If the buyer is anywhere within your vicinity of say 50 or 100 miles, then offer to just drive the piece up to them and accept cash. Do not accept checks from people online and do not give your bank account information to anyone no matter how hard pressed they are to get your work. Selling artwork, organically face-to-face is by far the best way to do it. So any opportunity you have to set up a storefront at a fair marketplace or a swap meet that is going to be a better investment for you then dilly dallying with somebody trying to con you online. Swap meets and marketplaces cost money to participate usually about $100 so be prepared to drop the money and break even if you’re lucky. The reward is the exposure that you’re going to get and the experience of building a mini storefront. Fine Art America is an amazing platform. It is so easy to upload your artwork and customize several products from coffee mugs to shower curtains. I have had the most success selling coffee mugs on fine art America. The challenge lies in getting the viewer to click all the way through their shopping cart. Just remember that if somebody loves your work and they want to support you whether it’s a friend or a family member they will buy. With Trusted vendors like these, the quality and shipping time is unsurpassed. The only work I have to do is create the art and upload it. Everything else is done by the collector when they customize their product I highly recommend making a Fine Art America account to any artist who is looking to have their work on merchandise. Just know that seeing a return on investment from your artwork takes the patience of an oak tree and the drive of a Ferrari.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://schillercreative.wordpress.com/
- Instagram: @schillercreative.art
- Youtube: @schillercreative
- Other: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-ryan-schiller