Every so often I’ll get an email from someone who has stumbled across my work and would like some tips about how to ‘make it’ as a professional artist. I often feel like writing back, ‘If you find the answer to that one, please keep me posted!’ I don’t though, because I’ve felt the same frustrations for many years (and still continue to from time to time) and I still turn to people I look up to all the time for creative support. It feels great to have an opportunity to give back!
Modesty aside, I’ve got to admit I’ve developed a few tricks of creative trade over the last ten years or so in the creative field, so here’s a few I’ve just put together for a recent email query …
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It can be a tough road and there’s no sure-fire way to go to ‘become a professional artist’. In fact, I don’t quite know what defines one! It takes lots of hard work and commitment, laced with a good dose of serendipity. So, my advice is to:
… fake it til you make it …!
This means, don’t wait til you think you’re good enough. Feeling ‘good enough’ comes with experience and confidence and you’ve got to start somewhere! If it’s what you really want to do and you’ve often had people tell you that your work is good, then you know you’re onto something. Just keep practicing and creating and after a while, you’ll find a style that ‘fits’ with you. Or it’ll find you!
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes … The richest compost is full of discarded scraps! Some of my best artworks began as mistakes, which in turn took me in a new creative direction and helped me solve problems in a new creative way.
Use your creative thinking with the process of ‘emerging’ as an artist and don’t be afraid to make things up as you go along. Put your feelers out as much as possible and step outside of your comfort zone. If you stay with what you’re comfortable with, you’ll stay where you are!
Some techniques I used (and still do) when I was ‘emerging’ as an artist include:
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Volunteering with artists and creative organisations I admired, to get some experience and gain some confidence …
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Doing some study in the creative areas I was interested in to build up a portfolio of work …
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Approaching lots of cafes and small businesses to hang my art on their walls (with great success! It’s a win-win for you and the business) …
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Connecting with as many people and organisations as possible to build new networks and links which could lead anywhere! (Around 80% of my creative work and commissions have come through connections I’ve made and consequent word-of-mouth referrals) …
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I tried entering a few competitions at the start but found I got really discouraged and down on myself if I didn’t win anything. So I’ve left those aside and haven’t looked back!
Using these techniques meant that after only a few years I’d gotten a lot of experience, a large portfolio of work, been involved in both group and solo exhibitions and made friends in creative communities as a result.
… Not to mention, feeling fulfilled and thirsty for more!
Being a professional artist doesn’t have to be lonely work. In fact in my experience, it’s so much richer when shared with others.
I hope this is helpful! Have you got any tips you could share about your creative journey?!
Chrissy x
