Today is the first day of a new year, and I’m looking back to see my progress in order to look forward at making new plans. I’ve already gone through my first year as an artist. Wow! I still find that hard to believe.
Last December I decided to take the leap and rent a shared studio from a gallery. It was a step above keeping my easel and a few supplies at work (Creative Spirits). Suddenly I had lots of space and the ability to leave my artwork where it sat, rather than pack it away after each painting session. So much more convenient!
Renting that studio told the world, and more importantly myself, that I was taking my art seriously. I bought art business books, subscribed to a magazine, and started to research how to make an art career happen. I paid for a domain name and web hosting, then stumbled through building a website—which took all year, but hey, there’s a learning curve. And I got so many supplies: business cards and a sales tax license, a canopy and tables, a table banner and display easels, to name a few.
I even found the courage to apply to the South Dakota Arts Council for a grant. AND I GOT ONE. I’m still a little in disbelief that they awarded me the Artist Career Development Grant. Out of the many people who applied, they picked me! I must be doing something right. My sister brought up the grant as validation one day, too, when I told her my doubts. She said, “The whole state of South Dakota thinks you should keep painting.”
Well. Who am I to argue with that?
About four months after I first started renting studio space, I learned that the gallery would be shutting down soon. So I paid my half of the lease for the last two months, but I let my roommate have the whole of the space to herself. I had better options. Instead, I moved into a new two-bedroom apartment with my boyfriend, where I had one entire room all for me and my art. A whole room! (He really loves me, the cutie pie.)
Around the same time, I started doing local art fairs. And I started to see more money coming in. Still, a lot was heading out. I had booth fees to pay, shipping supplies to buy, and art supplies to drool over. I even started a mailing list and this blog, and I got my online store up and running. My artwork got scanned and turned into prints. All of those supply costs added up.
I’m proud to say that I broke even this year. I spent a lot, learned a lot, and even earned my money back. Next year, I hope to double my sales. I haven’t tried to get into galleries yet. That’s coming soon. I want to be in exhibitions and create lots of paintings, from my popular three inch minis to three-foot-wide landscapes.
I didn’t make as many artworks as I wanted to last year. A big stumbling block was my anxiety of the blank canvas, and that’s a problem that I’ll keep struggling with. When I look back, though, I realize that I had still produced more pieces than ever.
2019 is a new year. I’m excited for it and all the new possibilities. It’s time for me to get painting!