How do I pursue my career as an artist while earning a living?

ShiftDoctor answer

By John Williams on 1 November 2007 at 16:32

This is one of the trickier questions I get asked as a careers coach specialising in creative people. In many cases it is often easier than clients imagine to make a living out of the things you most enjoy doing but it must be recognised that art is one of the more challenging paths to turn into a source of income.

Before answering your question, I consulted my friend, Julian Bolt, who is a photographic artist and has a day job. His key point for someone like you (or himself) was that firstly, you are an artist. This isn't a choice you have to make. Your first in fine art puts you in a different position to someone who simply wants a creative outlet as a hobby. Being an artist is in your bones - it's something that happens when you have an inquisitive mind. So the question becomes what do you do in order to be able to create your art and make a living - even if the two things have to be separate at first?

Think about how you will manage the development of your art over time. This is not a question of "Should I be an artist?" but "How do I make this work for me?" Let go of the idea that the choice is either to be a full time artist or give up. Julian says that "I model myself on William Blake - who made a living as an etcher to support himself as an artist and poet". Julian's first exhibition was in his own flat and was a real delight. His second exhibition was in a West End gallery and his third was in a Parisian Gallery. Meanwhile Julian supports himself with his Photoshop skills as a retoucher.

Another photographer friend of mine supports the development of his art by working part-time in technical work at TV stations. So forget the romantic image of the starving artist - that's not a good path to take.

There are lots of ways to structure it. Go back to academia and teach. Or get a "good enough job" - one enjoyable enough to keep you engaged but which doesn't drain you or require long hours so you can have some time and energy for art. Or combine art with something else (eg become an art therapist) but beware if this is a compromise that prevents you creating your own work. Or you could just look for someone rich to marry! Finding the right path for you may take some years and taking a permanent job might be a supportive thing for your art rather than a defeat.

The kind of art you create is also a factor. If it's likely to have commercial appeal, that could obviously accelerate your progress. Most artists are not too good at promoting themselves so try to find an advocate such as a dealer or gallery owner.

Whichever way you go (and it usually takes some experimentation) it's very important to put your own mental health as your number one concern. For any artist a support network is not optional, it's a critical factor for success. And if you've had a breakdown in the past, it would also be good to have the support of an individual therapist.

As for the support work, I would be interested to know whether you are a natural supporter. Some people love to support other people's development, some like to concentrate on having their own ideas, some like to work with detail. For you to take a job that is both more rewarding yet will leave you enough energy to continue to develop your art, you must be doing what comes most naturally to you. Anything else will drain you.

The most important thing is to be creating your art. Even if this has to be in stolen moments of spare time right now. Find a person or a group that will hold you accountable to continue producing work and then get going.

John Williams helps people escape conventional full-time jobs to create "Freestyle Careers". A Freestyle Career is doing what you enjoy as much as possible, it engages your creativity and it pays you what you're worth.

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