That whole ‘starving artist’ stereotype is such a drag.
It’s the reason that people associate artists with being broke and unsuccessful.
It’s also the reason why the moment you tell someone you’re an artist you hear things like,
“Oh that’s great, but what’s your real job?” or “What a cool hobby!”
Ouch, that hurts.
But it’s no wonder why that stereotype has persisted… there are so many creatives out there that just don’t understand the business side of things and who are struggling to get by (I know because I used to be one of them).
You spend the majority of your time and energy creating beautiful art… because that’s what you’re good at and what you love to do.
Unfortunately, it takes more than just talent to survive as a handmade artist if you also want to flourish financially… remember, there’s that whole ‘marketing and sales’ side of things you can’t exactly ignore.
That side of your business usually ends up getting pushed to the side and your art ends up on marketplace websites like Etsy, or worse Instagram, where you will always be limited in anything you do.
Although you might think the outlook for artists and crafters everywhere may look bleak for eternity, it actually doesn’t need to be this way.
A few years back, I was teaching weekly printmaking classes from my San Francisco art studio. I was constantly speaking and connecting with talented crafters who absolutely loved to make and create, yet most of them were working at a day job that didn’t fulfill them at all.
I frequently heard stories about how they gave up completely on their dream of becoming a paid artist, just because one person told them that it was impossible, or worse…that they themselves didn’t think it was possible.
Personally, as a kid, I was EXTREMELY fortunate to not only grow up in an environment where creativity was valued, but with a family that always made sure I had stacks on stacks of colored construction paper, markers, glitter (so much glitter!!), and anything I could possibly need to make whatever weird craft project I could dream up.
Because I grew up in such a creatively supportive environment, it helped to shape my mindset to where I believed that art was really important and I could pursue it as a future career if I wanted to (even though I didn’t know what that looked like yet).
So hearing these artists talk about how ‘there was no way they could become a paid artist’ hit me hard.
To me, that was an unnecessary tragedy, and I knew firsthand that that mentality was completely false.
I started my business over a decade ago with a similar belief, but I also knew that if I didn’t at least try, I’d regret it forever.
As a result, over the past 10 years, I’ve been able to not only work with major brands like Anthropologie, Airbnb, and Facebook, but I’ve also taught thousands of students my printmaking process, sold my work in shops like West Elm, and been featured in the infamous DailyCandy.
I’ve also been fortunate to work with some amazing interior designers to create custom fabrics for their design projects, and now I’m helping other artists to create their own dream craft business, just like I did.
My mission now is to help creatives who have the drive, but maybe not the knowledge or the steps turn their ‘impossible’ dream of running a successful craft business, into a reality.
From here on out, I want you to start doing things differently and make sure that YOU get to live your best craft business life and stomp out any future regrets!
On February 17th, I’m going to be doing a free live workshop about the 3 things you need to build a sustainable and scalable online craft business, without relying on Etsy or social media…so you can build a life and business that you love.
If you want to create and inspire others with your art, create your own schedule, make a part-time or full-time income, and build a craft business that works for you and around your lifestyle…you need to be at this workshop!
P.S. Did I mention it’s free?
This training is for artists and crafters of all levels… whether you’re not sure what you want to sell yet, or you already have an existing craft business of some kind.
I’m going to be sharing information that will benefit any creative that wants to sell their art or services online.
During the workshop, you’re going to learn the difference between a maker and a business owner (and why it matters), plus why social media and Etsy are a risky way to build your craft business (and what to do instead).
You’ll also learn the best way to grow your online following, and what you’ll need to build into your business so that you can spend less time spamming products on social media, and spend more time on your art.
If that sounds valuable to you, I’d love to see you on the 17th! Click here to register for free and get all the details sent to your inbox.
Thoughts or questions on what your next step might be? Message me at dani@recoverie.com.
