Art, Inc.

Art, Inc. Plot Summary

Introduction

Embarking on a creative career can feel both exhilarating and terrifying. Many artists find themselves caught between the passionate drive to create and the practical needs of making a living. This tension often manifests as doubt: "Can I really succeed as a professional artist?" or "Is there a viable path forward for my creative work?" The good news is that now, more than ever before, there are multiple pathways to building a sustainable art career. Throughout these pages, you'll discover that success as an artist isn't dictated by luck or connections alone, but through concrete actions, smart strategies, and a mindset shift from scarcity to abundance. Whether you're just discovering your artistic voice or you're ready to accelerate your existing career, the journey ahead requires both creative passion and entrepreneurial thinking. By embracing yourself as an artist and learning the business fundamentals that support creative work, you can transform your artistic talents into a thriving career that aligns with your values and vision.

Chapter 1: Embracing Your Identity as a Professional Artist

The first significant step toward building your art career is embracing yourself as an artist. This declaration—"I am an artist"—may seem simple, but it can be transformational. When you affirm yourself as an artist, the road ahead feels equally exciting and terrifying. It's thrilling to move toward fulfilling your dream and spending time doing something you truly love. Conversely, doubt can emerge, causing you to question whether this profession can pay the bills or if you're talented enough. Lisa Congdon's journey illustrates this path beautifully. At thirty-two, she picked up a paintbrush for the first time since sixth grade while working as a nonprofit project manager. After a relationship ended, she signed up for a painting class, brought blank canvases home, and began a journey she never imagined would lead to her current career. Without formal training, she developed her skills through curiosity, determination, and hard work. What felt different about art from her former pursuits was an intrinsic desire to create—a primal need to make art like breathing. By 2005, Lisa began sharing her work online through platforms like Flickr and Blogger. She connected with people who would eventually buy her work, offer her gallery shows, and become collaborators. As social media expanded, she used it strategically to build community, promote and sell her work, and develop a client base. Eventually, her persistence paid off, allowing her to make a steady full-time living as an artist. Many artists experience tension between wanting to make art their livelihood and believing it's possible. What separates successful artists from those who struggle is often mindset. The "starving artist myth"—part conventional belief that pursuing art leads to financial struggle and part romanticized notion that art is better when created in deprivation—is just that: a myth. Creating a flourishing art practice comes from passion, talent, and hard work. Promoting your work means people will know what you do, and selling your work supports your livelihood and allows you to make more art. To shift from a scarcity mindset to abundance thinking, start by noticing negative messages you tell yourself about what's possible. Write them down, then transform them into positive statements. Surround yourself with supportive people, including other artists who can inspire you. Most importantly, work to find your unique voice as an artist. Understanding and appreciating your distinctive perspective will contribute enormously to your motivation, work ethic, and sense of potential.

Chapter 2: Building Your Creative Business Foundation

Understanding how to run a small business is essential to making a living as an artist. The good news is that everyone possesses the ability to become a successful entrepreneur. With basic tools, knowledge, and practice, you can run your art business with confidence and even find tremendous satisfaction in the process. This foundation will set you firmly on the path to entrepreneurial success. Esther Pearl Watson's story exemplifies the importance of diversifying income streams. Growing up poor in Texas, drawing was her ticket out of poverty. After graduating from Art Center College of Design, she moved to New York with her husband Mark Todd to pursue illustration careers. She entered strategic competitions to get noticed and was soon hired by publications like the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and Details. Simultaneously, she pursued fine art, creating narrative paintings reflecting her eccentric childhood. Today, she makes her living through various means: book and editorial illustrations, original painting sales, selling zines and comics, and teaching. When asked about managing diverse income sources, Esther explains: "You are never bored! It's important to remember that when you have diverse income sources, your main source often changes. In the beginning, illustration paid my bills, then painting sales. Teaching provides a steady small paycheck for a few months each year." She notes that different aspects of her practice influence each other: "When I teach color theory, I notice it influencing my paintings. The personal fine art I make influences the illustration jobs I get." To build your own business foundation, start by exploring different income streams. As you embark on your journey, you'll have several options—selling original works and prints, illustration, licensing—but where to begin? Follow your heart and consider which paths align with your values and interests. Some artists make a full-time living focusing mainly on one income stream, but it's more common now to have multiple sources of revenue. Diversifying income keeps your artistic venture dynamic and ensures you won't rely on one source when another slows down. Setting clear goals is another critical tool for success. Begin by creating a vision map for where you'd like your art career to be in three to five years. These are your big overarching goals—your opportunity to dream big, abandon doubt, and think boldly about your future. Then articulate your values through statements like "I deserve to be paid well for my work" or "Some of my work should be affordable." This clarity will help you make decisions with purpose as your business grows. Finally, develop intermediate goals and small actionable tasks to bring yourself closer to achieving your vision. These intermediate goals should be concrete and accomplishable over a few weeks to months. Break these down into short-term tasks you can complete in a few hours, giving yourself a sense of accomplishment each day. This structured approach transforms big dreams into manageable steps forward.

Chapter 3: Promoting Your Work Strategically

Once you've built a body of work and are ready to begin getting it into the hands of customers, your job is to promote, promote, promote! Marketing may feel daunting if you've never done it before, but promoting your work can be just as creative and fulfilling as making artwork. There has never been a better time to get your work out into the world in a more cost-effective and engaging way. Claire Desjardins, a Montreal native, discovered painting during childhood summers in the countryside but chose to study business in college for stability. After working ten years in technology and marketing, she set up a home painting studio to reconnect with her creative side. She began selling enough work by 2011 to pursue art full-time. Her breakthrough came through social media: "I'd been painting for several years, and around the advent of Facebook, I started posting my work there. I had given a painting to a friend and then another friend of his saw it on Facebook and contacted me about whether I had anything else for sale. That was how it all started." Claire's gallery representation also came through social connections. After selling a painting to a Facebook fan, she learned the buyer lived near Muse Gallery in Toronto and had told them about her work. The gallery owner looked her up, liked what he saw, and reached out. Claire did her research on the gallery, called other artists they represented, and eventually signed an agreement. Her relationship with Anthropologie also developed unexpectedly when they emailed about featuring local artists in their new Montreal store. Today, she sells original work mainly online, with particular success through Saatchi Online. The internet has become the primary place for artists to share and promote their work. Creating a website that showcases your art is an essential foundation—it's often the first place potential customers, gallery owners, collectors, and art directors will encounter your work. Your site should feature clean design that doesn't compete with your art, a clear domain name, strategic selection of your best work, a compelling bio, contact information, and an easy way for people to purchase your work. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are all effective (and mostly free) ways to publicize your work. On Facebook, create a business fan page separate from your personal account where you can post updates, share new work, and interact with followers. Twitter allows you to post brief messages, follow and interact with fellow artists and potential clients, and join conversations using hashtags. Pinterest lets you curate visual collections and share your work with descriptions that include searchable keywords. Instagram is perfect for visual artists—you can share studio scenes, work in progress, and finished pieces. When using social media, start small with one or two platforms and be responsive to followers who show interest in your work. Keep your tone positive, share glimpses of your personality and process, and celebrate your successes. Remember to maintain balance—while social media is great for promotion, constant marketing posts can turn followers away. Mix in behind-the-scenes looks, inspiration, and interactions with other artists to build genuine community around your work.

Chapter 4: Selling Your Art Effectively

There is nothing like the feeling of selling your artwork to a passionate buyer. These days, working artists sell their work through gallery representation, online sales, exhibitions, or commissions—or, most commonly, a combination of all four. Understanding how to sell, price, pack, ship, and provide customer service will help increase sales and guarantee an enjoyable experience for your customers—and a profitable experience for you. Dolan Geiman's story shows how an artist can develop multiple sales channels. Growing up in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, he explored his surroundings, rummaged through abandoned houses, and collected artifacts that would influence his folk-meets-pop paintings and collages. After graduating from James Madison University, he set off for Chicago with just his car, artwork, supplies, and a fishing pole to raise his artistic profile nationally. Today, he produces original works and print reproductions, manages an Etsy shop, participates in juried art fairs, works with retailers that stock his original artwork, and licenses his art to companies like Anthropologie, Fossil, and Urban Outfitters. When asked about his philosophy on selling work, Dolan credits his mother's influence: "My mom is an artist and I had a weird 'carny' kid upbringing, traveling around doing art fairs. Making and selling art was part of my world from a very early age. She was good at promoting and selling her work, so I learned about the importance of connecting with people from her." He explains that while in art school, professors would say, "Don't worry about the money," which frustrated him because it didn't seem realistic. "I wanted to make things that I loved and make a living doing it. I realized one way to make money was to reproduce my work and sell it at a price the average person could afford." Selling print reproductions of your original art allows you to offer your work at a lower price point and get it out into the world. A digital print reproduction is made from a high-resolution scan or photograph of your original artwork. When planning prints, think about your market and which images will have broad appeal. Survey others for opinions and consider themes that work for specific places in the home. Choose the best size for each piece, keeping in mind that art with small details tends to look better when printed larger. Pricing your work effectively requires both research and strategy. For prints, start by doubling the cost of production (including paper, ink, and packaging) to reach a wholesale price, then double again for retail. For original works, understand the big picture of your art market by researching comparable artists. Start on the lower end of the going rate for similar work—this gets your art moving into the world and creates demand. Offer work at a variety of price points so people who like your work but can't afford larger pieces can still purchase something. As sales remain steady, consider raising prices by 10-25% annually. When taking commissions, establish clear communication with your client through a written agreement covering price structure, timeline, and art direction. Listen and respond to their concerns and requests while maintaining your unique creative voice. For all sales, maintain professional customer service by providing accurate descriptions, establishing clear policies, and communicating promptly with buyers.

Chapter 5: Exhibiting in Galleries and Shows

Exhibiting your art is one of the most exciting and important aspects of your career. There are many ways to exhibit your work—through gallery representation, in invitational group shows, by entering juried shows, and even by creating your own exhibition. Understanding exhibitions and the gallery world will help you effectively plan ahead for opportunities and make smart decisions. Jessica Silverman began her career studying studio art but quickly realized her interests lay more in organizing and connecting the work of other artists than making her own. During her final year in the curatorial practice program at California College of Arts, she opened Jessica Silverman Gallery. Today, her gallery has moved to a larger location in San Francisco, and works by her artists have been acquired by major museums worldwide including the Tate, MoMA, and SFMOMA. When considering new artists, Jessica explains: "I am looking for visually innovative and conceptually rigorous work. I am also looking for a practice. When I walk into an artist's studio, I ask myself: Do I see new materials? Do I see the artist pushing her practice and work in new and different directions? Are things moving?" She typically observes an artist's work for about a year before officially representing them, often including them in group shows first to see how they work together. She prefers full-time artists because "it means they have a level of seriousness about their practice." For artists seeking gallery representation, Jessica offers practical advice: "If you are in school, ask your teachers for art gallery and curator recommendations. There is a generosity among people in the art world. It's also a good idea to have a strong web presence and learn to edit the image selection of your work. Keep your artist statement brief and to the point. Go to gallery shows and introduce yourself to the gallery owner. Let them know you like what they do. Ask for a studio visit. Be part of the community. Go to lectures and talks. Curate your own shows." If you're not yet ready for major gallery representation, consider juried shows—excellent opportunities to build your résumé and allow emerging artists to enter the art world even as unknowns. In these shows, a jury of curators or fellow artists selects work based on factors like technical skill, medium, and conceptual creativity. Research the show's reputation, jurors, and requirements before entering to ensure it's a good fit for your work. You can also create your own exhibition in a café, restaurant, boutique, or even your own studio. Getting your work into a space and putting it up for sale helps you see which pieces are popular and which price points are effective. Decide whether to do a solo or group show, scout locations that previously hosted art shows you enjoyed, and determine a theme that creates a cohesive collection. Promote the show through postcards, social media, and personal invitations to generate attendance and buzz around your work. When preparing for any exhibition, create a professional portfolio with about twenty images showing cohesive work. Order them logically—either chronologically or by evolution if your work has changed over time. Have a current curriculum vitae (CV) listing your education, exhibitions, publications, collections, and awards. Write a concise artist statement explaining your work's meaning, materials, process, and inspiration in simple, accessible language.

Chapter 6: Creating Multiple Income Streams

As you move through your career as an artist, you'll discover multiple avenues for generating income from your creative talents. From illustration and licensing to teaching and residencies, diversifying your revenue sources provides both financial stability and creative variety. The key is finding the right combination that aligns with your strengths, interests, and artistic voice. Susie Ghahremani, a painter and illustrator, exemplifies this approach. "I work in almost every market, from editorial to stationery to publishing, and I have my own product line," she explains. "You have to be open to changing gears if you're going to be a full-time artist. When you can diversify what you do, you're more likely to have income streams that will keep you busy. And you will never get bored." Susie began her career while still a student at Rhode Island School of Design, selling her own artwork online when the craft scene was just starting. Art directors discovered her through her Internet presence, leading to editorial illustration jobs with BUST magazine and Martha Stewart Living. Since then, she's expanded into book illustration, including the children's picture book "What Will Hatch?", while maintaining her fine art practice and her stationery and gift line called Boygirlparty. Illustration provides a practical way to make income as an artist. Unlike fine art, illustration is commercial by definition—artists make art for paying clients to embellish something like a book, magazine story, journal cover, or website. The most common markets include personal clients (like wedding invitations or blog headers), book illustration (covers or interior pages), editorial illustration (magazines and newspapers), advertising, and retail products (greeting cards, journals, wallpaper). Related to illustration is licensing, when artists sell rights to a company to use their art on products. As licensing consultant Betsy Cordes explains, "It has been awesome part-time income. Here I was, not doing any of the labor, yet making money from my work." Companies contact artists to purchase rights to existing artwork, place it on their products, and pay royalties whenever that product sells. To increase your chances of licensing success, create themed collections of 4-5 pieces that companies can use across product lines, learn to create repeat patterns, and contact companies whose products align with your aesthetic. Teaching represents another valuable income stream. As you develop as an artist, your knowledge and techniques become valuable to others. Artist Flora Bowley discovered teaching as a creative outlet and income source after establishing herself as a studio artist. Her painting workshops, held worldwide and as e-courses, have become one of her greatest passions. "I teach a painting e-course that I run three times a year called 'Bloom True.' And I teach in-person workshops around the world," she shares. Initially teaching at established art retreats like Squam and the Makerie, she eventually began organizing her own workshops, finding it "more financially lucrative to do them on my own instead of being paid by the venue." Artist residencies offer another opportunity for growth and exposure. These programs provide dedicated time and space for creative work, sometimes with room and board included. Some residencies are highly competitive with specific prerequisites, while others accept applicants based on space availability. They vary in duration, location, and structure—from month-long countryside retreats to week-long urban experiences. While residencies typically don't provide income directly, they can lead to new work, connections, and opportunities that enhance your career and earning potential.

Chapter 7: Managing Success and Maintaining Balance

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of being a full-time working artist is the limitless potential for success. Once you shed the notion that an artist's life is made of struggle, you open yourself up to endless possibilities for exploration, innovation, and growth. The potential can be so great that many artists who originally thought they might struggle find themselves with more opportunities than they can comfortably handle. Paula Scher's journey illustrates how artists can evolve and expand their practice over time. In the early 1990s, while working as a principal at design firm Pentagram, Paula painted her first map artwork almost by accident. Asked to create a cover for an AIGA annual with no design fee but reimbursement for expenses, she decided to paint a map by hand: "I figured if I made everything by hand I could keep the expense money." The cover became popular, leading Paula to create more painted informational diagrams that evolved into her now-famous series of map paintings. Initially small and deliberately witty or political, Paula's maps grew larger and more complex over time: "When I started to paint them at large scale, I began to realize that I was manipulating information differently. They weren't my own editorializing. Of course, they were in that I controlled the information, but more was left to the viewer." Today, her intricate, colorful typographic maps hang in major museums worldwide, and collectors connect emotionally to representations of places that matter to them. When managing a busy workload, organization becomes essential. Many artists use spreadsheets or charts to track projects and deadlines. Flora Bowley emphasizes the importance of self-care: "I had a big realization that self-care, which for me is yoga, walks, and eating right, is not a luxury. It should be part of regular life because it's really important." She also advocates hiring help: "I am a strong believer in hiring people to do things that you are either not good at or don't enjoy. It's extremely important to have your housekeeping (financial and otherwise) in order so that when you are in front of the canvas you can be free and wild." Learning to say no is another critical skill for successful artists. When you're swimming in opportunity but overwhelmed by how to handle it all, develop criteria for saying yes. Consider factors like payment, time availability, exposure potential, and alignment with your aesthetic and values. Remember that saying no to one opportunity opens space to say yes to another—or to much-needed rest and rejuvenation. During slower periods, make the most of downtime by building your portfolio with personal work, volunteering in the arts community, or enhancing your marketing materials. Use this time to explore new techniques, apply for residencies, or develop online courses. These activities keep you engaged in your practice while positioning you for future growth when demand increases again. Achieving balance doesn't mean not working hard or avoiding multiple projects. Hardworking people can lead balanced lives by ensuring adequate time for relaxation—taking walks, spending time with family, meditating, exercising, eating well, socializing, and taking vacations. As artist Kelly Tunstall notes, "I value big chunks of work time like gold. But if I need to just take a break and recharge, I will. There's no use in burning out as an artist—or as a partner or parent."

Summary

The journey to success as a professional artist is neither mysterious nor predestined by talent alone. Throughout these pages, we've seen how artists at various stages have built thriving careers through a combination of creative passion, strategic thinking, and persistent action. As Lisa Congdon reminds us, "While there have certainly been a few inexplicable, magical moments in my career, most of what has gotten me to where I am today are more basic things like curiosity, patience, risk-taking, and hard work." Success as an artist means defining achievement on your own terms—whether that involves recognition, financial stability, creative fulfillment, or a balanced combination of all three. Your path will uniquely reflect your values, voice, and vision. The first step is embracing your identity as an artist, then building your business foundation through diversified income streams and clear goals. As you promote your work, sell strategically, exhibit widely, and manage both busy and slow periods, remember that finding equilibrium in the midst of your creative and entrepreneurial journey is truly your life's work. Today, take one concrete action toward your artistic goals—whether updating your portfolio, reaching out to a gallery, or simply scheduling dedicated studio time. Your success as an artist begins with this single step forward.

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Meg Mateo Ilasco

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