Soar! A Monthly Ejournal

By Renée Phillips, The Artrepreneur Coach

The title Soar! was inspired by Helen Keller's empowering quote: "One cannot consent to creep when one has an impulse to soar."

August 2008

Artists Turn Creativity Into Cash Without Selling Out

(An excerpt from Renée's book Success Now! For Artists)


Now more than ever, artists are bring tested to build a financial cushion while they pursue their passion to make art. Jobs outside the art field are one route: We know that Kandinsky taught law; Gauguin was a stockbroker; Alex Katz painted houses; and Julian Schnabel drove a cab. When I was a practicing artist in my early years I gave private art lessons and sold art supplies, and I designed a line of hand-painted apparel which I sold through several boutiques.

There are many artists you’ll be pleased to know have turned creativity into cash without selling their souls. I applaud them all for their ingenuity!

Susan, a graphic designer and painter, helps other artists with the designing of their promotional materials. Her part-time service brings in a few thousand dollars each month.

Raúl, a printmaker, disliked paying an artist to print his etchings. When an affordable etching press became available he borrowed money from his father, provided printmaking services to fellow artists and in less than six months he paid back the loan and increased the profits on his own work.

Lee has a degree in Art History and enjoys escorting her non-artist friends to museums and galleries. Upon a friend’s suggestion she contacted the continuing education department of a nearby college and offered a lecture tour for neophyte art lovers. It caught on and in a short time she developed a loyal following and a big supplementary income.

Joan is a painter known for her expressive use of color. With a degree in psychology she fused her knowledge of art with the psychology of color and transformed it into cash by becoming a color consultant and lecturer. Known as a color expert she now commands more money for her paintings.

Vassilios, an artist and owner of an SUV knows that shipping art can be expensive and risky for artists so he started a part-time, lucrative transporting business that involves packing the work and delivering it to the exhibition.

Gerda has an educational background in fine art and web site design. She volunteered to design the web site for her art organization. When each member wanted their own individual web site they hired her. Her business has blossomed and she now has a graphic design student to assist her, which affords her more time to create her fine art.

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dana has created hundreds of drawings inspired by quotes of famous people over the ages. While browsing in a bookstore an idea came to her to create a series of books using her images accompanied by the quotations. She started a self-publishing company using digital printing on demand. She autographs, numbers and sells limited edition books in fairs and on the Internet.

Ben found it easier and more fun to sell the work of fellow members of his cooperative gallery than to sell his own. He charges an hourly fee to sit in the gallery plus a small sales commission. The artists gladly pay him to converse with the visitors, sell the work and keep detailed records.

Sonja quit her secretarial job to devote more time to creating art. To augment her income she became an agent for hire. She provides administrative services for artists who have a disdain for the tedium of business.