All Artists Making a Living – Curtis Benzle
Three Part Plan to Financial Success as an Artist
The “Three Part Plan” is a realistic method of using the average artist’s knowledge base, skills and studio to generate income throughout their career. The three “Parts” are designed to be constantly changing in terms of emphasis depending on market conditions and individual artist preferences and abilities. It is impossible to predict the order at which the “Parts” will develop. It can be said with confidence that attention to all three parts will result in a financially successful career as a visual artist.
Part 1. Art Making
Purpose—–“Art Making” feeds your soul.
Income potential—Art Making has profit potential but that potential is challenged by severe competition and a very limited market for serious Art. The highest profit potential with Art Making comes as the artist ages. The other two “Parts” feed this long term income potential while addressing the short term need to generate immediate income.
Part 2. Production
Purpose—–“Production” addresses the price limitations in the “art market” and focuses on the Artist’s ability to think creatively within specific parameters. “Production” focuses on designing a product that is affordably priced, has popular appeal and can be produced without extraordinary capital startup costs.
Income potential—–Production has unlimited, short to medium term profit potential. Depending on volume, Production probably has the greatest income potential of all these “Parts”. Production also has the capacity to help build a client base for “Art Making”.
Part 3. Teaching
Purpose—-“Teaching” takes advantage of the value of the artist’s knowledge. Because Teaching is not object oriented, it provides security from being “knocked off”. Any well trained artist possesses countless skills that have real value to the large majority of the population who lack this training and knowledge.
Income potential—-“Teaching” has immediate income potential. Beyond the income generated from teaching classes, “Teaching” is the perfect vehicle to build a client base that will benefit both “Production” and “Art Making”.