This year I became a full-time professional artist, and there are multiple reasons why now is the right time for me, but I also strongly believe there’s never been a better time to be an artist.
My journey to being an artist has not been a straightforward path. I graduated from university in 2008, when the global financial crash peaked. I left with student debt and had to forge my own career path as I didn’t have family wealth as a financial support. The vast majority of the design houses expected post-graduates to gain work experience by working for free, if lucky they’d cover your travel expenses. This was something I couldn’t possibly afford, or even make the time for, outside of my day job. I started working in coffee shops for just above minimum wage to make ends meet.
It felt unfair that regardless of the talent I had, the door was closed due to my circumstances. The gatekeepers of the design industry had made it impossible to explore my creative passion and forge a path to a design career. Ironically I chose design as a subject at university because I thought it would be an easier path to having a creative career, compared to being an artist.
Fast forward almost 16 years and I’ve created my own business within art, as a painter and co-leading an artist membership, Art Hub Community.
In 2024 the gatekeepers of the art world have much less power and authority. A big part of the shift is the impact of social media. Artists can now launch successful careers on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, as a public facing forum. People will seek out artists to follow, and art to buy on social media. And critically people want to connect directly with the artist, voyeurism into artists’ everyday lives, seeing their studio, their pets is fascinating to collectors. Previously the artist would be stuck waiting for a gallery to pluck you out of obscurity and land you centre stage in a gallery. Even then the artist would be kept at arm's length to the collector, with the gallery being the intermediary sales agent.
Gaining a connection online directly with collectors is easier than ever, sharing videos, work in progress, your story, it really fascinates people who want a glimpse into the alternative life of an artist.
Finally galleries are opening up to more diversity in their talent pool. Previously for so long it was restricted to wealthy, white, middle-class men. The statistics are depressing about the percentage of female made art and even more so in regards to ethnicity.
But there’s reason to believe that is changing. People are demanding change (a lot of which is expressed through social media) and people are thirsty for art that tells a story from a different perspective. The 2022 Venice Biennale was an all women show for the first time. And even infamous galleries showing retrospectives for previously undervalued female artists (e.g. Hilma af Klimt) signifies a change in the art landscape.
And of course, social media has created millions of connections between other artists, making it seamless to organise joint exhibitions, making connections all over the world, and finding others with your same niche type of art. Opportunities open up by keeping in touch with other artists, establishing links for artists shows, collectives, residencies, open calls, the possibilities are endless.
Living in a technological revolution, artists also have advantages. It’s never been easier to create your own website, set up a mailing list and create your own app. The other advantage is the amount of information available on the internet, to research and gather information instantly.
I also believe more than ever people are looking for more authentic connections and heart felt soulful personable art, as an antidote to technology, AI. Even finding a real person to help with customer service is a rare lucky find in our automated world where we are losing human interactions and being pushed more to interact with technology over people.
During the pandemic we saw a surge in art sales. People were at home, reflecting on their mortality, and it revealed some interesting human instincts. We were outraged (rightly so) by the inhumane killing of George Floyd, pressing for justice and change. And people realised the value of human connection, not being able to see their loved ones. It was like a rebirth, a revelation for people, about what’s really valuable and art played a central role to express these very human emotions.
It’s all too easy to think (as an artist) of all the reasons it won’t work, and label yourself as a dreamer for wanting to follow your passion as a career. Our economical system that’s driven by ‘hard work’, we are conditioned to believe as a working class adult the best we can hope for is enough money for a holiday once a year when we can finally relax and enjoy ourselves. You can however, choose to step out this paradigm like I have and follow a purpose driven by making the world a better place, through art.
I’m really passionate about inspiring and supporting other artists to unleash their creativity and believe it’s never been a better time to be an artist. I’m living proof, as a working class female, that it’s achievable and also necessary that our voices are heard more in the art world, as our experience yields important truths.
If you’re looking for a supportive and friendly art membership, where you can find inspiration, connect with other artists and build a creative practice authentic to you should check out my Art Hub Community.