The Artists Business Lounge
Art Business Coaching for Visual Artists
Can I Really Make a Living as an Artist?
Balancing Creativity with the Practical Stuff (Without Losing Your Soul)
If you’ve ever wondered whether you can truly make a living as an artist, you’re not alone. It’s a question many artists grapple with, especially when the business side of things feels like it’s pulling you away from what you actually love—creating the work itself.
The production of your art is already a hands-on, practical process, but the business aspects—selling, marketing, and managing finances—can sometimes feel overwhelming.
That said, let me be straight with you: Yes, you can make a living from your art. But it takes more than talent alone.
The key is finding the right balance between your creativity and the business activities we’d often rather avoid.
The good news is that many artists already have some of the basics in place. Whether you’re painting, sculpting, illustrating, or working digitally, you’ve likely defined your niche and have a strong sense of your artistic voice.
But let’s be honest: keeping up with the business side—selling your work, pricing it right, getting it seen—can feel like a chore, and it often gets pushed aside for the more enjoyable task of making art. It’s totally understandable!
But with a bit of strategy and a few tweaks, managing the business side doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, getting the right systems in place can actually free you to create more.
First Things First: Treat It Like a Business (But Keep It Simple)
I know, the last thing you probably want to hear is that you need to think of your art as a business. It sounds dry and uninspiring.
As a professional artist, you are already a business owner so you don’t need to change your language on this. You Do Not need to call yourself a business owner, or an entrepreneur or an ‘artreprenuer’ if you don’t want to. So relax. Claim the titles, or don’t, What matters is the activities, not the labels.
Here’s the thing—by making some small changes to how you manage your work, you can actually carve out more time to focus on creating. Think of it as setting up a system that works quietly in the background while you keep doing what you love.
Start with a few basics:
Know your audience. You’ve already got your style and voice down, so now it’s about understanding who is drawn to it. This doesn’t mean you need to change what you create, but it’s important to figure out where your work will connect best. Do you thrive in local galleries, art fairs, or perhaps online platforms? Knowing your audience means you can focus your efforts on places and opportunities that align with your art, rather than wasting time and energy on strategies that don’t work for you.
Set up a structure. Whether you’re selling through galleries, online platforms, or direct commissions, it’s helpful to have some sort of structure in place to keep things organised. This can be as simple as tracking where your pieces go, how much you charge, and what needs to happen next. You don’t need a fancy business plan—just a basic system that keeps you on track. If you’ve been “winging it” until now, think of this as a gentle nudge to start building a workflow that supports both your creative and financial goals.
Don’t Go It Alone: Leverage Your Community
In the art world, relationships are everything.
It’s not just about who you know, but also about staying connected with people who value your work. Networking doesn’t have to mean going to formal events or schmoozing at gallery openings. It can be as simple as staying in touch with fellow artists, collectors, or people who appreciate your work through social media or community groups. These connections often lead to opportunities you wouldn’t have found on your own.
Don’t hesitate to ask for advice or lean on others when you need support. Many artists have been exactly where you are and are more than happy to share what’s worked for them. And of course, professionals (like me!) can help you identify blind spots, tackle obstacles, and offer strategies to get you where you want to go.
The Pricing Dilemma: How Much is Enough?
Let’s face it: pricing your work can be tricky. You don’t want to undervalue yourself, but at the same time, overpricing can scare off potential buyers.
So how do you find that sweet spot? It helps to think about pricing from a practical perspective. Take into account the cost of your materials as well as the day-to-day costs of running your business, your time and output, and what’s happening in your market. Pricing isn’t about “selling out”—it’s about valuing your time and talent appropriately.
Stop Procrastinating: Small, Consistent Steps
We’ve all been there—looking at a long to-do list of business tasks, feeling totally overwhelmed. So what do we do? We procrastinate and get back to creating instead. It’s natural, but here’s the thing: a little bit of business work done regularly can save you a lot of headaches down the road. It’s just like maintaining your brushes or organising your studio. If you chip away at it in small steps, it becomes manageable.
You don’t need to overhaul everything at once, but by regularly attending to these tasks, you’ll build a system that keeps things running smoothly, leaving you more time to create.
Diversify to Keep Things Stable
Relying on a single project or sale or even a single gallery for your income can be risky, especially in the unpredictable art market. A smart way to add stability to your career is to explore multiple streams of income while staying true to your core artistic practice.
Take on commissioned work.
Build relationships with more than one gallery
Explore licensing your artwork for specific projects.
Offer workshops or teach online classes (many people love learning directly from working artists!).
None of these need to take you away from your primary creative work, but having these options in place can help cushion your income during slower times. Plus, these opportunities can expand your reach and help you connect with new audiences.
Don’t Forget to Acknowledge and Celebrate Your Wins
It’s easy to get caught up in everything that needs doing and forget to take stock of what you’ve already accomplished. So, take a moment every now and then to reflect on the progress you’ve made. Whether it’s selling a piece, making a valuable connection, or simply sticking to your weekly business routine, these are all wins worth celebrating! They build momentum and remind you that you’re on the right path, even when things feel tough.
Wrapping Up: You Can Do This
Yes, you can make a living as an artist. It’s not about sacrificing your creativity for the sake of business, but rather about blending the two in a way that works for you. By setting up some simple systems, taking small, consistent steps, and seeking support when you need it, you can manage the business side of things without losing the joy of creating.
Remember, you don’t have to be a “business expert” to thrive as an artist. You already have the creativity and the foundation—now it’s just about finding the right approach to make everything work together.
Whether it’s pricing your work, building connections, or getting strategic about your next steps, you’re more than capable of succeeding.
And if you need a nudge or some guidance along the way, that’s where I come in!
