One Year as a Full-Time Artist: The Honest Reality
Twelve months ago, I walked away from a 12-year career in marketing to pursue something I'd dreamt about for years: becoming a full-time artist.
Looking back, it hasn't been a neat success story. There have been slow markets, moments of self-doubt, incredible opportunities, and more lessons than I could have imagined. In this video I share the highs and lows of my first year, from appearing on Landscape Artist of the Year and completing back-to-back commissions, to the financial reality of building a creative business and generating over £50,000 in sales. If you're an artist, creative entrepreneur, or simply curious about what it really takes to make a living doing something you love, I hope you'll find something useful - and perhaps a little reassuring - along the way.
Watch the video below.
Video Chapters
00:00 – Introduction
01:13 – The Lowlights
02:13 – The Slow Days
05:06 – The Occasional Rude Person
06:33 – Sussex Art Fair
07:10 – The Turning Point
07:40 – The Highlights
08:13 – Growing as an Artist
12:06 – The Financial Reality
13:13 – Learning to Say No
13:54 – Commissions & Lessons Learned
14:21 – Final Thoughts
14:36 – Outro
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The Truth About Sussex Art Fair – Are Art Fairs Really Worth It? https://youtu.be/BPIjWuJcGAo?si=Dqsz_XdTJ1dv_1P3
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