I left my 9-5... Here's how the first month really went

One month into my leap from 9–5 to full-time artist — here’s exactly how it went, sales orders and stats included.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Making It As An Artist — my first proper monthly recap since leaving my 9–5. It’s been a whirlwind: my first art market, a big painting sale, getting selected for Landscape Artist of the Year, and… a few moments of doubt. I’m breaking down the wins, challenges, and growth stats from my first 6 weeks since leaving my marketing career:

In this video, I’m sharing:


🎨 My biggest wins (and a few wobbles) from Month One


🏆 Being selected for Landscape Artist of the Year (Series 11!)


💰 Financials — did I need to dip into savings yet?


📊 A transparent look at my growth numbers — Instagram, YouTube, website & sales


📈 Social media growth (Instagram spike + YouTube Shorts results)


🛒 What sold, what didn’t — and how I’m approaching commissions


🖌️ Why I’m shifting focus from “make more” to “make better”


🎯 My August goals — from big canvases to Christmas markets If you’re curious about what it really looks like to go all in on your art, this is for you. This is part of my Making it as an Artist series — documenting the real ups and downs of building a sustainable creative life from scratch.

Head over to my YouTube Channel and subscribe for monthly updates on what it really looks like to build a sustainable creative life — the wins, the wobbles, and everything in between.
 Thank you for being part of it ❤️

Short on time?

Chapters:

Introduction: 00:00-2:02

This Month’s Wins: 2:02 - 4:17

This Month’s Challenges: 4:17-8:05

Finances: 8:05-8:25

The Numbers: 8:25-10:00

Instagram: 10:00-13:00

Website: 13:01-14:10

Linkedin: 14:10-15:39

Email Marketing: 15:39-17:24

August Goals: 17:24-19:04

Final Thoughts: 19:04-21:53

For more information on originals, art prints or commissions visit:

Website - www.amandamulquineybirbeck.com

Instagram - @amandamulquineyart