What is it really like to make a living as a professional artist?
In this episode of Time We Discuss, Dan talks with artist Jess Leigh about what it takes to turn creativity into a career. Jess shares her experience building a business around painting, finding customers, selling original artwork, creating prints, and navigating the unpredictable income that comes with being a professional artist.
Jess primarily works with acrylic paint because it fits her lifestyle and allows her to work in short periods of time. She explains how she has used Threads to build an audience, how commissions can turn a customer’s personal story into a unique piece of artwork, and why creating prints can give artists another way to generate income from work they have already created.
We also talk about whether you need an art degree to become a professional artist, the importance of practicing even when the result is not perfect, and some of the other opportunities available to artists, including pet portraits, teaching private lessons, group classes, and selling artwork online.
But being an artist is not all creativity and freedom. Jess discusses the challenges of marketing yourself, dealing with inconsistent income, finding enough time to create, and putting your work out there for other people to see and judge.
We also look at artist salary information and career outlook data discussed in the episode, including the wide range of earnings among craft and fine artists.
If you have ever wondered what it is actually like to make money from your art, this conversation offers an honest look at both the rewards and challenges of building a career around creativity.
About Time We Discuss
What is it really like to work in an unusual career?
Time We Discuss explores modern, unconventional, and sometimes overlooked careers by talking directly with the people who actually do them. We look beyond job descriptions and explore what the work is really like, how people get started, what they earn, what they love, and what makes their careers challenging.
If you're exploring your career options, thinking about changing careers, or simply curious about jobs you never knew existed, subscribe to Time We Discuss for more real world career conversations.
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Timestamp:
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Typical Day as a Professional Artist
2:01 - Painting: Picking the Right Medium and Canvas Size
3:38 - Promoting Your Art, Best Platforms
5:35 - From Art Prospect to Paying Customer
6:34 - One-of-a-Kind Paintings
6:59 - How to Sell Your Art
8:05 - Platforms to Sell Your Art
9:18 - Getting Started as an Artist
10:27 - Advice for Artists
12:27 - Opportunities for Professional Artists
13:28 - Why Professional Artist is the BEST Job
14:29 - Why Professional Artists have the WORST Job
15:36 - Perks for Professional Acrylic Painters
16:35 - Which Art Sells the Best?
17:36 - Jess Leigh, Acrylic and Watercolor Artist
18:42 - Highlights
21:08 - Salary: How Much Do Artists Make?
22:09 - Outro
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Guest Information:
Jess Leigh
Also Mentioned Directly or Indirectly in This Episode:
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Original Music: Original Music furnished by Dan Swift
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