How to Make Money as an Artist and Build a Career

How to Make Money as an Artist and Build a Career CHRISTINE LASHLEY Can you really make money as an artist and build a career from your artwork? Absolutely. But it probably doesn’t happen in quite the way you imagine. 20 years ago, I didn’t know what a professional art career looked like either. Today, my income comes from several parts of my work as an artist, including painting and selling artwork through galleries and my studio, teaching, online courses, demonstrations, and plein air events. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Can You Really Make Money as an Artist? 00:26 How I Make Money as a Professional Artist 01:38 Where My Art Income Comes From 02:04 How Much Do Artists Actually Make? 03:48 How I Started Building My Art Career 06:30 Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Art Career 08:23 Making Money Through Plein Air Painting Events 11:50 How Your Art Style Develops Over Time 12:15 My Best Advice for Building a Successful Art Career In this video, I’m talking openly about what it actually takes to make money with art and build a sustainable career. I share some of the realities behind artwork sales, the time and material investment that goes into each painting, and why being a full-time artist is much more than simply making paintings and waiting for someone to buy them. I also look at some statistics about artists working in the United States, including artist income, employment, and self-employment, and talk about what those numbers can and cannot tell us about making a living as an artist. A big part of my own career came from getting involved in local galleries, co-op galleries, arts organizations, teaching, and plein air painting events. I share how outdoor painting competitions helped me develop my work, meet people in the art world, gain gallery representation, reach new audiences, and make art sales. I also talk honestly about the costs, competition, rejection, travel, equipment, and uncertainty that come with these opportunities. Building an art business takes time. Early in your career, experimentation, developing your own artistic voice, saying yes to opportunities, and continuing to improve your painting can open doors. As you gain experience, learning to ask for fair pay, understanding the business side of art, keeping good records, and choosing opportunities that fit your life become just as important. I also share why I think it is worth looking back at your older paintings from time to time. Your style changes as you work, and sometimes the best way to see your progress is to put your early work beside what you are creating today. If you’re an aspiring artist, an upcoming artist, or already working toward becoming a full-time artist, I hope this gives you a realistic look at how artists can make money, build relationships, find opportunities, and gradually create a career around their artwork. Thanks for being here and supporting my channel. If there’s another part of the art business or professional artist life you’d like me to talk about, leave a comment below. Happy painting! ------------------------ ABOUT CHRISTINE LASHLEY Christine Lashley is an award-winning American artist renowned for her vibrant plein air oil paintings, which are inspired by nature. Trained at Washington University, the Sorbonne, and Parsons Paris, she blends light, color, and emotion to capture fleeting moments in the landscape. Her work has earned top honors at major plein air events, and she continues to inspire artists worldwide through her teaching and exhibitions. Christine Lashley An American Artist Art Courses: https://www.lashleyartclass.com/ KEYWORDS: how to make money as an artist full time artist how to make money with art how to be an artist how to start making money as an artist make money with art art business making money as an artist how to make money with my art make money as an artist making a living as an artist finance tips for artists over 30 ways you can make money as an artist how to make money as an upcoming artist how to actually make money as an artist professional artist professional artists #professionalartist #artisttips #artistlife