Being a Creative Freelancer in a Creatively Challenged World - it is OK to Be Different

The art world is full of colorful and interesting people who defy the 9-5 corporate lifestyle. We tend to be looked at with curiosity by those who don't understand the artistic way of life. Being an artist myself, I am more conservative in many ways than many people I knew in art school. One of my best friends had blue tinted hair. Everyone expresses their creativity differently, it's all a personal choice. There is no right or wrong in the art world. Call it "artistic lisence."

Not all of us are starving artists, a term that makes many an artist cringe. We have good months and bad months, but how we spend our money determines whether or not we starve. Most of us never learned how to promote ourselves while in art school. It is helpful to have someone to handle the marketing of our art, if possible. If not, then it is the artists' responsibility to figure out how to market his or her artwork. It takes trial and error, and it helps to ask those who have been successful for tips on improving sales.

Freelancers know that being independent and self-supporting is spoiling but wonderful. We call the shots and have freedom others envy. But doing freelance work isn't always easy. Sometimes, it takes getting a "seed money" job, to pay bills while we pursue our art careers. Being creative comes in handy when figuring out what side job to have. How does someone like myself, who hates to sit anywhere continuously for forty hours a week, find a job? Nothing grates me more than having a boss in my face, telling me I did something wrong. Being a free spirit, and liking to have some control over my surroundings, my job of choice is being a home agent for a large corporation, taking calls and selling to customers from my home office, with my cat sleeping on my desk. Being different pays off for me, as my art studio runs itself online and my agent handles the original artwork sales. Through much experimentation, my sales rise each year. It took a lot of mistakes to get it to this level, though. My goal is to be able to work less, yet profit more from royalties. It is a puzzle for us all to figure out, in whatever type of medium we use, combined with our individual preferences.

If you are like me and knew from childhood that art is in your blood, never give up on your passion to create. Taking a side job isn't selling out, just a means to an end. It is your right to do whatever you want without apology. By using that individuality and passion given to you naturally, do your artwork the way you see fit. The world of art is a fascinating, varied place. Reach out to other creatives if you feel misunderstood by those who are more left-brained (analytically minded.) Us right-brainers are visual and frequently intuitive, that uniqueness helps us to be good at what we do. We don't have to fit into the corporate world if we don't want to. Dare to be different, and have fun at it. There is room in this world for all of us.