Looking Back on 5 Years as a Full-Time Artist!

- A letter to anyone dreaming of taking the leap

It hasn’t always been easy but wow, has it been rewarding.

Five years ago, like many others, I was made redundant during the height of COVID. I was faced with a choice: start job hunting or finally back myself and give full-time art a proper go. I chose the latter and I’ve never looked back!

Almost instantly, things began to shift.

A few days after I lost my corporate job, I received a call from the local council offering me a free exhibition space for a week. “Umm… yes please!” I said, thinking the timing couldn’t be more perfect. That week I made just over $900 in sales from the exhibition alone, gained a bunch of new followers, and received a few commission requests. It was the little spark I needed to think, “Okay… I might actually be able to do this.”

But I won’t sugarcoat it, those early days were rough. With all art fairs and markets shut, my website getting little to no traffic, and no real online presence to speak of, sales were slow and sporadic. I relied heavily on custom commissions and pet portraits, which thankfully kept some income coming in.

With a deep breath and some serious courage, I approached a local gift store in Newport to stock my prints. That became my first print stockist (and I remain best friends with the owner today).



When markets finally opened again, I was at the Manly Markets every weekend selling my work face to face. Around that time, I made the best investment, enrolling in a course with the incredibly talented Cass Deller, an artist I had admired for a while, and getting her mentorship. Game changer.

I saw potential in every small opportunity. An empty local retail space? I turned it into a pop-up studio and styled it with my artworks. I organised a photoshoot during lockdown and shared the behind-the-scenes online. It grew my audience and generated sales. That kind of creative thinking led to my first proper exhibition at Careel Bay in Avalon the following year, plus a few licensing agreements. Things were finally moving.

I said yes to almost everything. I undercharged, overworked, made loads of mistakes… but I learned so much. I had no plan B, only determination. I had no clue what I was doing business-wise, but I kept showing up.

One thing that has always helped? I love connecting with people. Whether at markets, events, or online, I’ve found that genuine connections are everything. Networking, building relationships, and collaborating with other creatives helped shape not only my business but also my art style and direction. It taught me what I loved doing, and what I didn’t.

Now, five years on, I’m so grateful I backed myself.

If you're a budding artist or thinking of taking your side-hustle full time, here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way:

My Top Tips for Making the Leap into Full-Time Art

1. Uncover your unique style.
The sooner you find your style, the better. Let your work become recognisable. Something that reflects who you are and what you stand for. That’s what people connect with.

2. Start before you’re ready.
You don’t need a polished website, a perfect studio, or a five-year business plan. I started painting after hours, selling prints one by one, saying yes to opportunities and entering art prizes. Momentum comes from showing up, not from waiting for perfection.

3. Build your community.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up—other artists, business owners, supporters, friends. Some of my biggest turning points came through relationships and collaborations. Connection truly is currency.

4. Keep coming back to your ‘why’.
There have been many moments when it all felt too hard, when I wanted to give up. But reconnecting with the reason I started in the first place always pulled me through. Your ‘why’ is your anchor.

5. Outsource what drains you.
Being an artist is only part of the job. There’s also marketing, admin, pricing, emails, packaging, photography, accounting… the list goes on. Trying to do it all will burn you out. Whether it’s bookkeeping, updating your website, or hiring someone to photograph your work. Getting help is not a weakness. It's a smart, sustainable way to grow.

Being a full-time artist isn’t the easiest path...

But it’s the most fulfilling one I could have chosen.

If you’re dreaming of making your art your career, I hope this post is the nudge you need to take one small step closer. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Just start. Back yourself. And trust that opportunities have a way of meeting you halfway when you do.

Here’s to five years and to many more.