Making Money With Your Art as a Side Hustle

You know, a lot of artists have dreams about supplementing their income with their artwork, but few know how to take those first steps towards making this dream a reality. If this is you, please keep reading. I’m going to be sharing some practical things you can start doing now to turn your art hobby into a profitable and productive side-hustle.

Make Space

First of all, be sure you are intentionally making space in your life for both your day job and your art. If you’re like most folks working a full-time job, then Monday through Friday is probably dominated by work, commuting, and living life, and that’s entirely understandable. The challenge, then, is what you do with those other hours in your day, your weekend, and your free time?

Well, if you want to make your art work for you, especially as an income stream, then you have to be serious about making that work for you from a time, energy, and resource perspective.  So, sit down, look at your calendar, make sure you are giving intentional space every week to your art.

Be Realistic

Secondly, you have to be realistic about the time you have to invest in your art, but more importantly, you have to make that time count. Be consistent and faithful in the time you have to be inspired, practice techniques, and create pieces of art. Remember, you’re in this for the long haul.

Also, be realistic about how you are going to get your work out there to potential buyers.  You may want to consider quarterly shows, online sales, or even working with a local gallery that can market your art for you while you are still working a full-time job.  Remember there isn’t a one size fits all approach, the secret is finding what works best for you, your family, and your art during this season. And this brings us to my final point...

Be Clear

Be clear, I mean really, really clear about what you want, what you are willing to give up in order to get that, and where you want to go in this season of your life.  We call that vision, and the Bible is really clear on this topic. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” and that word perish there actually means to cast off restraint.  It means going here or there with no real direction in life, but VISION allows you to be clear about who you are, what you want, and where you are going in any given season of life.

All of us go through different seasons in life. Right now, my focus is on being a Husband to my wife, a Dad to my son, and a Father to artists. When new opportunities arise in my life, I take a moment to evaluate each open door in the light of the current season that I find myself in. If the option being offered doesn’t line up with the vision God has laid out for me during this season, then I don’t do it. It really is that simple to be clear when you have a vision for your life.

I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend.​
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Thanks for reading.