It’s so funny, every time I’m able to tell someone that I’m an artist for a living, they assume I get to paint every day! I wish! But the rest of the job is such a joy for me, too.
Most days I spend answering emails, ordering prints and shipping supplies that are out of stock, setting up custom invoices and designing custom size orders, planning out social media posts, and updating the website.
I spend at least one whole day a month just laying out what my emails and posts will contain for the month, and another creating the new page for the new Saint I’ll be releasing. Several days are also spent preparing for and giving presentations, jumping on meeting calls, and discussing future presentation opportunities!
I also spend the first day of each new month reviewing finances from the last month (so that things aren’t as hectic at tax time - a real nightmare for anyone you know who has a small business!).
Other projects I spend my time on are semi- or unrelated graphic design or fine art projects for clients, keeping website info up to date, brainstorming ideas for new icons, creating content around icons I have already finished, searching for wood pieces, responding to dms and comments, photographing prints and stickers for social content, listing items for sale on Etsy, Facebook, and my site, and of course, fulfilling all orders myself every Monday!
I also spend a large amount of time in my art community, working in my studio at @400westrich; being open for Franklinton Fridays and other events, and attending meetings and gatherings.
For enrichment, I spend time reading books and watching content about icons and the saints, scour around for other new favorite artists!
Some of the biggest challenges are keeping organized (between checks and payments, contact info, deadlines, etc), trying to predict how much of each thing to order based on what might sell, trying to keep up with social media algorithms, technology issues, and networking.
I never struggle with motivation, though - even if it’s a slow day working on what I planned, I am always so excited to jump to the next thing that I’ve never once lost interest.
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