I preferred not to starve…

by

I have been a professional artist working in many modalities for over twenty years, and I am always amazed at the non-artists point-of-view of the art world. Everyone has some idea or opinion about how to produce artwork or what being an artist is all about. I have met several individuals in the art community who feel that creating commercial work, taking commissions, or painting for profit somehow taint the higher level of art, that a true artist’s work only lives and is sold through prestigious galleries. I am here to say that this is untrue, as I have proven this mindset invalid. I have been turned away from galleries for the tools I use (more on this later), my choices of subject, and how I paint.

Additionally, I have made a living from commercial and commissioned artwork. I have held several jobs, including retail, fast food, and silk screen printing, to keep food on the table and a roof over my head – while on the weekends and time off, I toiled away at learning my craft. I have also tried quitting my jobs to focus on my art with catastrophic results, and I assure you that worrying about how to pay rent or starving did nothing for my art. Finding a middle ground where I could earn most of my income as an airbrush artist painting t-shirts, car hoods, and custom work has worked best for me. When I was painting t-shirts on the weekends vs. flipping burgers or working retail, my art ideas, creativity, and skills improved.

Here are a few of the most prominent benefits I experienced from doing custom airbrush art for profit.

  1. It gave me time to use my equipment and work with my craft. This goes into those 10,000 hours needed to master any skill (If you don’t know the hours necessary to gain mastery, I suggest a quick internet search). I gained better hand and eye coordination doing my artwork, something that flipping burgers would never do.
  2. I learned to work with people… as an introvert, I needed to develop this skill.
  3. I earned a decent income to feed my family and buy supplies. As a side note, I could claim my supplies as a write-off on my income tax return since it was a business.
  4. I found the process fun and still paint t-shirts today because it brings me joy…
  5. Finally, my understanding of color theory dramatically improved because I had to produce new designs.

I got a few benefits from working in a related art field. Although you may have less time to work on your art, there is no shame in taking a job to feed yourself or your family. Like me, I hope you can find profitable work that helps your art grow.