You may be new to selling and wonder how long it takes to make a solid living from art.

Or, you may have been trying to sell for years and you are wondering if this is normal and how long you should continue.

This is the topic I am covering in this post:

  • How long it took me to make a living
  • How you define what making a living means
  • Do you have to supplement your income with teaching?
  • Why overnight success doesn’t last
  • How to transition from one job to standing on your own two feet
The question… 

My mind swirls everytime I hear this question. There are so many things I want to talk about. When I think of when I set up United Artspace, I knew that selling my own art wasn’t enough. I loved creating and being in my studio, I just had this feeling that I needed to help people. It wasn’t from a need of making more money, it was for a want of helping people. 

My journey 

United Artspace was my calling and what I needed to do! I was selling my work but it just wasn’t enough and it always felt like something was missing. Going back to that question about needing to teach. I wasn’t even doing it to teach, I just felt compelled to create a community. It was at this point where United Artspace began.

So, I remember getting some advice from other people in the very early stages, and I remember at that time them saying, if you want to pursue all these things, community and setting up studios, you will have to put your own art down the bottom of the pile. It will not succeed. You cannot do both. 

I’ll never forget Karen from E Street Arts, giving me that advice. Karen sacrificed her own art to pursue setting up studios for artists. I made that decision too. For me then, the whole time frame of making a living, not from my art per se, but from my creativity, it took a long time.

Lessons learnt 

Thinking back now, if someone had told me at the beginning it would take me four years to actually make a living from my dream of setting up United ArtSpace, I’m not sure if I would’ve carried on with it. However, I am so glad I went on that journey. It’s been difficult and I’ve had some really scary financial moments, but I have learnt so much. 

Looking at art 

At United Artspace, we teach people how to use their art and creativity to make a living and create a life they love. I have worked with so many artists over the years and I can hand on heart say, there is no time scale. Every single journey is different. 

I have seen some people join our Hub (our paid membership), who have got stuck into the content and boom, within 12 months they are making a living from their art. Others take 2,3,4 years or maybe longer. 

Another factor to think about is, your meaning of making a living. Everybody has different financial circumstances so everyone’s view on this will be different. Having a clear figure in mind that you need to hit to make it feasible to make art your living is one of the first steps. 

If doesn’t happen overnight 

There were many times where I thought I can’t carry on like this. But that is what it’s like when you’re starting up any kind of business, in any industry. It takes a long time to build your customer base and build your reputation and learn what the heck it is you’re doing. So it’s very rare for someone to just decide they wanna set up a business and then within three months they’re making a living. It doesn’t happen like that. It takes time. 

Enjoy the journey 

Enjoy the journey of discovering how to make money from your art and your creativity. Know it is possible. I’ve worked with so many artists who are now living their dream. There is no set time frame, it is different for everyone. It takes work but it is 100% possible! 

Take care, 

Michelle x 

P.S. If you are a United ArtSpace Hub member, head to the lessons inside The Hub that help you map out a sales plan and work out what you need to sell and how to sell it.  

Go into the Hub and search for the following lessons:

  • MANAGING YOUR FINANCES
  • SELLING YOUR ART WITH CONFIDENCE

If you are not a member and you want to learn more and join the waitlist, click here >> https://members.unitedartspace.org