"Is Cre8tivity Enough"....?
Is creativity enough to make a living?
Many would immediately say, “sure, lots of people do it everyday.” From artists, and marketers to illustrators, and freelancers, these jobs cover many mediums. For this particular purpose, I will lump them all together as the creatives.
For some, years of honing their craft has brought recognition and stability, but for many others, the creative path has been uncertain. The landscape for creatives is always shifting. Changes in technology, trends, and economic realities constantly reshape what it takes to succeed. But what is success when it comes to your art?
I fell in love with art and drawing at an early age. I pursued art in high school and college. I even chased the dream two states away. Somewhere in that pursuit to create a life of artistic endeavor and financial freedom I took a detour. I packed up my charcoal pencils, my inks, my paints and brushes, my colored pencils and soft pastels. I became content in a life of routine. A life of family, mowing the lawn and punching a clock. Now that my work life is coming to a close, my children are older and retirement is ahead, I find myself wondering,....What did I miss by not taking the creative path?
Even though I packed up my art supplies, I never disposed of them. I’d pull them out from time to time and draw a picture. I’d create a birthday card from scratch. I acquired new skills and taught myself Photoshop and Illustrator. I serve as my church’s graphic designer, creating their social media posts and graphics. I had spurts of freelance jobs doing everything from logos to custom obituaries. I spent most of that time living with one foot in the door of a world I desperately wanted to walk through. I would often sit and think, had I been born during this time of technology, social media, and all the knowledge the internet has available at one’s fingertips, what would I be doing? Would I have pursued that life of constant creation? Or was my detour designed for me?
I HAVE A GOAL….
What happens if you want to exercise your creativity AND create a sustainable income, BUT!…you're on the other side of 50?
No, I’m not trying to break into the creative industry as an intern or an entry level employee. I don’t want another job. What I do want to do is supplement my current earnings and be assured that I have side hustle income flowing well into my retirement years.
I want to explore what I missed from the detour. I don’t know if my journey as a full time artist meant being a graphic designer, an illustrator, a painter or an author. Maybe I could have been a teacher, sculptor, animator or photographer? Or maybe one of today’s new artist job trends is something I am better suited for.
I have a lot of artistic interests. I want to explore those interests. I want to learn how to balance my passion and find ways to adapt my artistry to keep it both fulfilling and financially viable. This means,...I’m doing art projects! I’m trying my hand at old favorites and new efforts.
There will be failures and successes. Any masterpieces that come from this will likely be offered for sale in my store, remember,...I AM trying to create a side hustle.
I expect it to be hard…
I expect I will learn a lot about myself even after 50 plus years…
I expect I will want to give up and quit…
I also expect there could be a moment of triumph. A moment in which all this makes sense.
If you’ve read this far, thank you. I hope you stay and follow along on my journey. I have no time frame for when to do stuff or what to do, except to do it now. I’m strictly making this up as I go along. Besides, I don’t have anything to lose, but I just might achieve a life-long dream. .
