Today, i told my sister I was going to work and she asked me where I was working.
Funny thing is, that was a perfectly logical question. I had been working outside weeding, selling stuff on Ebay, and literally whatever else I could find to make money.
However, today was different.
Today I was painting: painting my first commission.
She said: “that’s not work”.
But, it was. this time I was getting paid. This time I was making something out of my hobby.
What a good day that was.
It has been quite a long time since I started up my Etsy business and started trying to sell my art.
It has been even longer since I began my artistic career.
As an artist, my hope has always been to make money off of my art: hoping that, by doing what I love, I’d also be able to make money.
That is any artists dream.
However, not all artists get that opportunity.
Every day I’m so thankful for this gift God has given me and every day I’m even more thankful for the ability to make money on it.
But what I had to realize was: I was just getting started. One commission, one order – that was it (for now).
Although it seemed like my dream had finally come true, I was only just getting started and I did only have one commission at the time.
It is a process: a long one at that. You have to be patient with the results.
Regardless: I felt quite good about myself that day when I finally Realized that people like what I make.
As a new artist, I’d like to share my ideas and tips with those who may be looking for avenues to start growing as an artist.
Here is some advice.
Once an artist, always an artist
Don’t think that just because you’re not active on your social media account or because you haven’t created anything in a while that you are suddenly “not an artist” anymore.
Truth is, you’re an artist because you simply love to create.
If that is true about you: you are an artist.
The reason why I’m making such a big deal about this is because I believe that what you think of yourself is the most important thing when trying to grow.
The only holding you back right now is your inability to believe that you’ve got what it takes.
If you believe that you are not a real artist or that you will never make it beyond the instagram, then that is what will happen.
If you believe in yourself as an artist, you will master the most important step: self support.
Self advertising is SOOOOOOO important because honestly, if you don’t support yourself, who will.
You need to present yourself as someone worth listening to worth paying attention to.
The Instagram algorithm is set up in such a way that it promotes content that it evaluates as most likely to grab someone’s attention. And what is most likely to grab someone’s attention is something that they see as useful or interesting.
Someone must believe that your content is worth seeing before they even consider clicking on it.
But in order to make content worth seeing, you must make content you believe is worth making and that you think is worth seeing.
In short: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
opportunities won’t find you
Going back to the point I made above: you need to advertise yourself.
The artistic world is not as competitive as Instagram makes it seem.
The reason why you aren’t getting commissions and orders is because the right people are not finding you.
However, that is not their job: that is your job.
You need to market yourself to the community in such a way as to reach your targeted audience.
Even the most obscure styles of art, are someone’s cup of tea. You just need to find that group of people who LOVES your art.
It isn’t that you’re not good enough, it’s just that your not visable enough.
Create and create some more until you have so much inventory and so much content that you’re flooding people’s FYPs.
Find that Niche. Find your style. And find those people who love it too.
Marketing is very important.
You won’t find opportunities if you’re not looking.
Ask, inquire, advertise and root for yourself.
Just cause someone may not like your work doesn’t mean no one will. FIND THAT PERSON WHO WILL.
don’t give up
This is an obvious point. But obvious though it may be, it seems to be the biggest problem in the world of artists.
Too many times I see great artists give up on their dreams.
Too many times I see great artists working at the local grocery store and abandoning their art altogether.
This is so sad to see.
It’s one thing if you’re trying hard to grow your art platform and not having much success.
It’s another thing to abandon it altogether.
Truth is, I believe every talent is a gift from God. I also believe every gift from God is intentional.
Instead of throwing away your talent because you’ve failed a few times, keep trying. DON’T GIVE UP.
be patient with yourself
It has taken me over 5 years to develop my little business and grow my skills into what they are now.
And truth is, I am still growing as an artist.
I am still not where I want to be as an artist.
The reality is: you almost never will reach the point of perfection.
Your business and your growth as an artist is only as great as you see it.
Your goals may be so high and lofty that you may never reach them.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
Life is always a journey. It is a work in progress: everything in life is.
Just as your faith continues to be molded and challenged and nurtured: so does your journey in your art career.
Be patient with yourself and don’t be too hard on yourself.
You got this!
