Thoughts on Being a Full Time Artist after quitting my job 3 Years ago

This has been part of my March Newsletter but I feel it is important enough to also post it on my blog :) I cannot believe I missed my 3 year mark last month  – In fact I totally forgot I was something else before until I talked on the phone with someone about how I became an artist and then I remembered. Strange ;)

It has been 3 years this February since I quit my job as a paralegal and become a full time artist. I wrote a blog post if it was worth quitting a well paid job to become an artist about two years ago. When I initially quit my job I told myself to try it for three years and see what happens. If I would not be able to  sustain, survive, be happy with it, I would go back and work as a paralegal again. Well…now after three years, I guess it is time to reflect on this :)

1. Making my life as an artist work is not the main goal

It had been quite a journey. Funny enough the obstacles were and are different from what I thought they would be. I have been extremely lucky that I have an amazing support team behind me. My husband, my friends, my family, my readers and students and my artist friends are the best support ever, cheering me on, listening, helping with advice,  I have no idea how I would have been able to get further in this journey without them.

I posted already about the money part of being a full time artist- nothing has changed here. You are not getting rich (yeah- you won’t believe how many people and companies are just assuming artists love to work for nothing and store products in their fridge) but getting rich has never been my goal either. Making an income that makes you feel you can sustain your work and yourself…that is a goal.

The challenges I faced and face is getting in a routine and balancing creative time with paper work, consulting, traveling, photo editing, working out classes, making samples, writing blog posts, answering emails  etc etc. I am still working on this  -I am getting better in putting away time each week for doing something creative just for myself – wether it be creating nonstop the whole day or going to MoMA. I learned for myself that I get very unhappy if I do not fuel my arting time and just try to make my life as an artist work …making my life as an artist work is part of the journey but not the main goal!


2. My former career was not useless

I have never been one to look back and regret things I did in my life. I loved studying law (ok that is a lie) and working in the law offices I worked at (that is true – I chose pro bono law offices and I had a great time there!). I do not regret this also for other reasons. I wouldn’t be who I am as an artist if it wasn’t for those experiences at the law office. A lot of my art journaling or my canvases are part  of this. On top knowing how to deal with stress, deadlines, grumpy emails, paperwork and taxes comes pretty much in handy.

3. I can do it – bring it on!
Becoming a full time artist and quitting my safe job has been the biggest and scariest decision in my life…until….I moved to the States.
I have had many sleepless nights and discussions with close friends before I quit my job – I have had many sleepless nights afterwards wondering if that was a good move too …mostly anytime something big and cool is about to happen falls through like a coin into the street gutter.  I tend to question all when this happens instead of counting the coins that are still remaining in my hand.
But I learned some other , often times even way better opportunities will open up and that the best thing about life is…that it goes on ;) And so I think that this helped me with being cool with the decision of moving to a foreign country. I can do it, I will work it out and I will enjoy the journey. So far I have. enjoyed this journey a lot.
Becoming a full time artist has made me more fearless in bigger life decisions.

4, Make Art …not war
I learned a lot about creating art itself the last three years. I learned that creating art is an argument with the attempt to work it out and not with the attempt to battle.
It is a state of mind how I like my work,  and enjoy the process It is not about “tackling” the canvas – it is about making the canvas my friend, introducing it to other art supplies aka  friends  and have them have a nice civilized discussion.

4. I have never been happier 
I truly can say this! Every time I get in the zone working on a big canvas, with cranked up music and into my elbows in paint. Every time I see my students being inspired by something I showed. Every time I see art work by other artist friends or in a museum and it touches my heart because I am the lucky one who can see this. Every time I see something on a stroll in the hood or hear something that inspires me and makes me want to run home to my studio and create. Every time I take my second cup of coffee into my studio seeing my supplies and itching to get started.
I have never been happier – I never want to quit being a full time artist!

So, I guess the verdict after the three years is…I will keep on being a full time artist – it was a good decision and rock on- that was the best decision ever ;) I will work on making it work even better in the next three years :) Time to finish this post and introduce a new canvas to some of my friends. See you soon!

huge hugs
Nat

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