It can be a bit scary to make the move to full time artist. The idea of generating all your income strictly from your art can be so hard to fathom. Art is often a passion and a true passion just keeps calling to you over and over again. For many the dream of being a full time artist is something that simply will not go away no matter how far out of reach it feels. Of course this applies to all passions. 
A few years back when I started this blog I never had the notion that it would ever be anything more than a hobby. It began as a simple information outlet for a webzine I was running at the time. That webzine is now moth balled but this blog remains. And the more I worked at the blog and the more I learned about everything relating to blogs and blogging the more I liked it. Out of that a passion for blogs, specifically Wordpress blogs, grew. I can understand how to many people the idea of having a passion for blogging is odd. Thankful passions are not something we need to justify.
Exactly a year ago I left the security of a full time job to pursue a life of writing. I know at my core I am a writer but I did not know exactly what that life would look like because writers come in many forms. And mind you this was just a week or two before the economic meltdown hit the news. I choose to leave my job, I was not laid off. At first it seemed like horrible timing because I was venturing out on my own during a historic recession. In hind sight though I am thankful that things played out the way they did. If I was at my job when the economy tanked I probably would have hung on to it out of fear of the poor economic climate and not begun the adventure that I’ve been on the past year.
I’ve kept myself and my family afloat this past year by being a wordslinger for hire. Using my skills and my pen to do what ever writing related work I could find. And I am thankful that for a year I have managed to survive. Even while having to endure unexpected auto repairs and very high medical bills the freelance adventure continues.
Through this year I’ve also been working on developing Art Palaver more. Because at the end of the day of all the projects and creative endeavors I have going this site is the one I care about the most. Recently I had a story come through my pen about chasing mountain tops. (Find it here.) That story helped me to gain a sharper focus and a stronger drive for Art Palaver.
I am writing this post today to tell you that I am going for it. I am going to pursue my passion of being a full time professional blogger right here at Art Palaver.
What does that mean?
Good question. Bottom line it means that I must generate income from this site. Before you say anything I want to tell you that does not mean Art Palaver is going to be full of ads. I like the clean and simple look of Art Palaver so I am not going to muck it up with ads hoping for nickels when people click on something. What it does mean is that I am going to start rolling out products and services of my own here on Art Palaver.
My passion for Art Palaver comes from my passion for creativity and my belief that creativity is very important, that it is what makes us human, and we would all be a lot better off if more people worked on their own creativity. It is because of that belief that I started to work with artists of all types in helping them sustain themselves through their craft. So far it has been mostly on the local level but through this site I will be able to help many more artists no matter where they are located.
Going full time with Art Palaver means there will be more posts. It means the site will evolve faster when it comes to design and function. It means I will be available more to answer your questions and reply to your emails. It means more podcasts and videos. It means it will get better and we will all learn a lot more. It means new adventures and new friends. It means a lot to me to be able to write this post to you. I am thankful to be in a place where I can go for it.
So please join me on this adventure that is Art Palaver. Together we can learn a lot, we can go to amazing places, and most of all live very creative lives.
Thank you,
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Yay! Bravo!! And good on ya, as they say in Oz. And … the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true, as they say in the other Oz. Clapping loudly from my couch. Can’t wait to see where this leads for you and all the people you will surely influence. Let me know how I can support you.
Congratulations! I’ve just started reading your blog and like it. I wish you the best success in this journey. I remember my own decision to turn pro three years ago. At the time I had already been an exhibiting artist for years but I always had this little voice in my head saying that I ought to be doing something else. Weird but it was only after a highly unsuccessful show did I finally break free and decided to really commit. It’s been a great journey so far even with all the ups and downs. When this recession hit, I thought, “well, not so bad, been through worse.’” I think it’s a great time for you to do so when so many need inspiration.