Is being an artist a real job or a real risk?

YOUR TITLE MATTERS

Being an artist is a real job. And, it’s truly not any more risky than any other job. Let me tell you why.

Last week I got laid off from my job at the newspaper.

For the past three years, I’ve hidden behind the “safe” title of Copy Editor. It sounded impressive at parties, in professional settings, and when someone asked, “What do you do?” I felt comfortable giving my answer. 

I felt justified knowing that I spent my days reading, writing and designing in a job that aligned with my college degree — English — as if my previous choices needed justification.

But while I spent time proving the worthiness of my past choices and appeasing the imaginary people in my life who care about me being in a “socially acceptable” career, I wasted time not doing what I was meant to do. 

I was meant to be an artist and an illustrator. I was meant to give ideas a physical and visual form, creating life for things that are hard to express any other way. I was meant to help others free themselves of their “safe” titles and make another that fits them better: painter, maker, crafter, designer, artistpreneur. 

I’m glad that I lost my job last week. 

It made me realize that just because it’s corporate, professional, or “impressive” doesn’t mean that it’s safe. You could lose your job any day. 

So why are you avoiding being a career artist because it’s risky?

Every career is a risk. At least when you’re your own boss, you can call the shots. You’ll decide your business model, make sure things are taken care of properly and give yourself fair warning before you call it quits. 

That’s why, from now on, when people ask “What do you do?” I’ll say, I’m an illustrator and educator. An artistpreneur. And I will say it with pride.

What will you say?

DOING NOTHING IS SCARIER

It’s okay if you’re afraid to say you’re an artist. 

It comes with responses like, “Oh that’s nice I guess,” or questions like, “Okay well what does your husband do?” as if being an artist isn’t an actual career.

And for a long time, western culture really didn’t consider it one, unless you were a lucky member of a rich family or a famous dead person.

But times have changed. 

Free platforms online give anyone the opportunity to get their work seen and sold. Spaces aren’t limited to the square feet of galleries in New York or LA. You can take up infinite space online. Being an artist is more accessible than ever.

And that’s why I would argue that these days it’s scarier to NOT say you’re an artist. To not call yourself an artist is to not pursue being one. If no one is aware that you make art, how will they know to look for it? How will you gain an audience or following? How will you know who to sell your work to? How will you make money and become a full-time painter?

You won’t.

Not only that, but just speaking your title out loud to others or in writing online has a profound impact on your mindset and sharing your artwork. The way you view yourself can give you confidence and power or it can strip it away. 

Give yourself the title you want. Don’t wait for someone else to label you.

Because what if they never do? What if you keep calling yourself a customer service representative, babysitter, construction worker, and no one corrects you?

Isn’t that more terrifying?

BEING AN ARTIST IS JUST AS SIMPLE AS OTHER CAREERS

Baby steps are still steps. Correcting your title is the first step to correcting your life. It’s small, yet powerful. Pursuing your dream will be filled with actions like these and that only means you’re on the right track. In this way, being an artist and pursing an art career is pretty similar in stability to a traditional career. 

It’s also pretty much the same when it comes to the structure of pursuing that dream. You make it known what you want to be. You get some education on how to do it. You gain experience, starting small and working your way up. 

You won’t start at the top, no matter how talented you are. I didn’t. Nobody does. Like a resume, experience matters more than talent. But if you’re too scared to start at the beginning, you’ll never start at all. I didn’t get my Copy Editor position right off rip. I decided I liked reading and writing, went to college for it, worked small (and unpaid) gigs, freelanced, and eventually got my shiny corporate job. 

As an artist, I knew I was creative; I began painting, practiced, and showed it off. I learned from a friend how to get into art shows and watched YouTube tutorials to hone in on my style. I gained experience by working for free until I was good enough to get paid doing commissions, murals, and selling my own creations. 

The art world is the same, except the map has many alternate routes and not a set path picked for you. But every path gets you to the top of the mountain if you follow it long enough. Don’t waste your time on a path that leads you to a mountaintop where you don’t like the view. 

Baby steps are still steps. Take one, or two, or three until you get where you’re going. It’s not as scary a road as you might think.

BEING YOUR OWN BOSS IS RAD AND LESS RISK

The riskiest part of a traditional job is that your boss might suck. It could be the coolest job ever, but if your boss is a drag, your day is a drag — every day. 

As an artistpreneur, you don’t have to worry about that. You are your own boss. You only listen to yourself and the market (and of course you can choose which market you want to serve.) 

What could be less risky than being an artist? You will always have your own back. You’ll always do what’s best for your business and family, unlike a boss would. 

On top of not having a boss, there are many other perks to managing your own career. You pick your own flexible hours. You don’t have to consult a beaureaucratic board before you take action. You can choose who to take advice from and who to ignore. You can create your own marketing campaigns and make them authentic to you instead of stuffy and gross. You can decide your own projects — a series or a mural instead? You are in control of your own money, your own happiness, your own life.

The choice is YOURS. Not your assigned boss’. 

How rad is that?

BECOME AN ARTIST

Take the leap — or the baby steps — whichever works for you. But move forward on this. The path is not as risky as people tell you it is. If anything, it’s LESS risky! And I can tell you from experience that it’s ultimately more rewarding. You won’t regret it. 

What action will you take today toward being an artist?