When Art Becomes the Business—and the Healing

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how many of us step into art not to sell it—but to survive. We make because it keeps us breathing. And at some point, some of us look up from our canvas or iPad or sketchbook and wonder…

 Could this be more than a release? Could this actually support me?

That moment. That turning point. That’s what I keep circling back to after this last conversation.

I had the chance to sit down with an artist who didn’t go to art school. No MFA. No gallery representation. She just started painting one day in 2015. Not with a plan. Not with a business model. Just for herself. And that became the seed of an entire business.

Here’s what stayed with me.

You Don’t Have to Be the “Starving Artist”

She said something that hit me hard:

“People kept asking, are you going to go full-time? And I kept saying no. I liked it as the thing on the side.”

That resonated. Because for a lot of us, the creative thing starts as a whisper. We don’t leap—we linger. And there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, there’s something really powerful about doing it slow and steady.

She worked full-time in finance while building her art practice on the side. When she did finally leave her job years later, it wasn’t on a hope and prayer. It was after she gave herself a financial runway, tracked her numbers, and made a plan.

She treated her art like it mattered.

And that, to me, is the real shift. Not the full-time status. Not the sales. The moment you stop treating your work like a fluke or a side hobby, and start showing up like it deserves the be center stage..

Pricing Without Panic

We talked a lot about the guilt that comes up when people buy our art.

If you’ve ever done a little happy dance and then immediately felt weird or guilty—yeah, you’re not alone. That moment is real. And it’s weird.

But she said something simple that I loved: she removes the emotion from pricing by using a formula. Per square inch. Everything goes into a spreadsheet. It’s consistent. It’s professional. And it frees her up to focus on making instead of second-guessing.

So if you’re someone who feels paralyzed every time you have to name a price, maybe try that. Make a system. Let the numbers do the talking. Then raise them when you need to.

Visibility Is the Work

Here's the part artists don’t want to hear, but need to:

If no one sees your work, it doesn’t matter how good it is.

She reminded me that social media—love it or hate it—is a free tool. And it can be incredibly powerful if you use it well.

She didn’t wait for permission. She set up Facebook Lives from her studio. She painted live in boutiques. She posted process videos even when it felt awkward.

And now, years later, those seeds are still blooming. Some connections she made in 2019 are still bringing in opportunities today.

This is the reminder I needed: sometimes, sharing your art feels like shouting into a void. But the people who are meant to find you? They need that shout. They need you to show up. Even if it’s messy.

You Don’t Have to Do Everything

We talked about TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube… all the platforms. But the answer that stuck with me was this:

“Do less. But do it better.”

I can’t tell you how much I needed to hear that.

It’s easy to feel like you have to be everywhere. But the truth is: your energy is sacred. Choose one or two platforms. Show up there with intention. Let the rest go.

That advice alone saved me hours of stress this week.

Business Doesn’t Make You Less of an Artist

Maybe this is the biggest takeaway of all.

There’s this lie that still floats around in the art world—this idea that once you start thinking about money, you’re not a “real” artist anymore.

But that’s such a tired myth.

Building structure around your work doesn’t kill your creativity—it protects it.

When you know your monthly numbers, when your business is supporting your life, when you have a cushion in your savings—that’s what allows you to breathe. To create without panic. To make what you actually want to make.

And if you want to be generous, if you want to give and serve and build community—guess what? That’s a lot easier when your rent is paid and your fridge is full.

One Last Note

I’m learning this too.

Every time I dig deeper into the structure behind my art, I don’t feel boxed in—I feel clear. I feel focused. I feel like I can finally exhale.

So if you’ve been waiting for permission to start treating your art like a real business—this is it.

You don’t need to go full-time tomorrow. You don’t need 10k followers or a fancy website or a gallery to approve you.

You just need to believe that your art deserves to be seen, respected, and paid for. And then build the systems that back that up.

I’m doing it with you.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation?
Listen to the full episode of Her Ink Empire with Jessica to hear her story, her strategies, and how she built her art business from the ground up—without burning out.

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