Its been a struggle over the years to both make money and be an artist. At first when I graduated from college with an art degree it was hard to find work. I was under a lot of pressure to try to make money however I could. Not only to pay my living expenses, but also my student loan debt. With many twists and turns along the way, I became a marketer. I didn’t go to school for it. I sort of fell into it through modeling on the side, but  that’s a different story.

Marketing is a great field to work in while also working on your own personal creative projects. While working full-time as a Stoli Diplomat for Momentum Worldwide, I was also able to work with an amazing team to write and receive a grant. We funded and execute a large-scale art project at Burning Man. While working part-time as a Brand Ambassador for Amazon Beverage,s I was able to intern as a part of the art department on film crews. Currently, as a full time Regional Brand Manager with Neuro Beverages, I have been redoing my website, prepping a painting and designing my next large-scale art project.

I think marketing works better for me than other jobs have because the culture around marketing generally encourages and supports artists. Working on creative marketing projects keeps my creative mind going and gives me new ideas to pursue in my own projects. With flexible schedules I am able to find time to fit in my art. With a stable income I don’t have to stress about not being able to pay rent or student loans and I still feel creatively challenged.

If you are working in marketing and also trying to pursue your own creative projects simultaneously here are a few ways things I have tried that have helped me to be more successful:

• Make a to-do list for both work and home. I love lists. If I write things down I know I will eventually get to them It helps keep me going and on task all the time, whether I’m at home or at work. I keep one list for work and one list for home. Once I am finished working for the day, I switch to my list for home. There are items on that list I work on every week .  A few of those are each of my art projects. I don’t necessarily get to them on the same day or at the same time every week, but I do get to them and work on them for a solid amount of time. This keeps me feeling like I am progressing, but also like I am not overwhelmed.
• Always Make Art A Priority When Not Working:  I always make art a priority when I am not working. For me this is evidenced where I put it in my list. I must have balance. So the other things I have near the top of my list are: Exercise, Meditation, Cleaning, Learning and Focus on my Relationships.
• Set Achievable, but Challenging Goals: It’s not easy to be an artist while also having a full-time job. At times I have been discouraged because I thought I couldn’t create anything meaningful while also working. At other times I have set goals and deadlines for myself that when coupled with my full time job have pushed the limits of my health. The goal is balance, but it is not easy. It is absolutely possible to create meaningful art projects and develop a community around them while also pursuing a career in Marketing. Set a goal. Make it a big one.
• Anything is Possible: Ask yourself the question: “What is my highest potential?” And think about what that looks like. Then think about what you need to get there. The one thing you have less of while also working a full-time job is time. So give yourself more time to get there. Be patient with yourself. Another way to get around the time issue is teamwork. Maybe you can find some other people who are looking to build meaning outside of their day jobs who would like to work with you.

Good luck with all of your art and marketing endeavors! Thanks for reading.