We were lucky to catch up with Suki Berry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Suki, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Earning a full-time living as an artist in the Bay Area? I would describe it as delusional, risky, and full of obstacles. I would also describe it as rewarding, liberating, empowering, and the best risk I ever took. It’s never going to feel like an easy time to dedicate yourself to your art practice. It *is* crazy. But I’m crazier!
After a couple years of this, I’ve determined the nature of my work is very seasonal. Some months I’ll be struggling to make rent or buy supplies, and other months I’m on top of the world. I’ve known my whole life that being a full-time creative is the path for me. But I always held myself back by saying “I need to hold down another job, have a backup, or the economy isn’t good enough to sell art because its a luxury item” But the truth is in order to make a full time living, you never really clock out. You’re always thinking, plotting, planning, and making. It never stops, but I wouldn’t pick anything else.

I don’t have big tech connections. I don’t have a trust fund. I don’t even have a big online following. So how can I stay afloat? The best advise I could give to anyone seeking a full time art career is that you have to be an active part of your community. Community is the healing balm for an ever-growing wound called American individualism. We are not successful without each other. Lift others up and they’ll lift you up. Togetherness is how we thrive. Your art career is entirely dependent on your community’s ability to engage with you and your art. Invite others in.

Suki, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Suki. I’m a painter and a performance artist living in The Bay Area, CA. I’m primarily known for my large, vibrant abstract paintings. I tend to use “hot” indulgent colors that help communicate a sense of unbridled joy and spontaenous movement. I also make a different but equally successful name for myself as a drag performer. I’ve had the opportunity to write scripted shows, fundraise for major charities, embrace clowning, and help lead local initiatives in cultivating queer community. I think even though drag and painting are intrinsically different art forms…. the thing that connects them is their authentic dedication to joy as resistance. I guess that’s the brand!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I was a young kid who struggled with homelessness. I didn’t have a lot of family or resources or ways to get ahead. I lived in a Toyota Corolla for a while. I got into some of the best art schools in the country but couldn’t afford to go. I thought “certainly this is the end of any significant career, and I need to focus on survival”. My community tapped in to make sure I never lost hope. I was uplifted by people who I considered a support system. Even if I was holding down my desk job, they reminded me that I was never *not* an artist. The best way to pay those people back for their kindness and positivity is not to betray their trust in me. The best thing I can do is prove to them I was always worth it and live my dreams. That’s what they wanted for me, so that is simply what I must do!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Show up for each other, no matter how small. Not everyone’s show is going to be at the MOMA. Not everyone is gonna sell out a venue. We have to remember that art is valuable for art’s sake! Do it because it brings joy, even if it’s just painting your mailbox. That’s advise for everyday folks. On a global scale, I think cities should take note that the geographic places with the richest culture invest in their artists and it pays off. Artists shape a city’s unique identity and relationship to it’s people. Art in the coming years will be key in healing our collective humanity and processing the trauma of this incredibly tumultuous decade.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sukiberry.com
• Instagram: @sukiberryart