I quit | Quitting my corporate job to be a full-time artist

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  • Опубліковано 4 лют 2025

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  • @dryan3261
    @dryan3261 11 місяців тому +142

    I was told I could never make it as an artist. I went into an interior design studio and showed them a few things that I had designed. I was hired on the spot. not because I was some great artist. every time I was asked "we need this, can you do it?" I always said yes I'm sure I can figure it out. (before the internet) I started doing murals, trompe-l oeil, and faux finishes. I went out on my own. made a great living. never had to advertise. day started when I dropped my kids off at school and ended when I picked them up. did this for 15 yr.s It was a Blessing from God! congrats! good luck!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +8

      Oh that is so cool that you were able to make a living as a muralist! And great to prove the naysayers wrong, good on you :) Thanks for sharing your story.

    • @te9591
      @te9591 7 місяців тому

      What city?

    • @Sketchbook9999
      @Sketchbook9999 5 місяців тому

      WELL DONE 😊

  • @jasantana
    @jasantana 10 місяців тому +64

    Congrats, I'm in the same boat and one day transition to a full-time writer. I'm reminded of a Joseph Campbell quote, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  10 місяців тому +5

      Thank you, and good luck to you! Great quote :)

  • @paulcorfield_artist
    @paulcorfield_artist 11 місяців тому +43

    Good luck with your career. March 2002 I left my job to become a full time artist. Best thing I ever did. After years of hard work I'm now earning over a 6 figure yearly income from my paintings. Consistency, effort and a belief that it'll always work out kept me going.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +1

      That is awesome and so inspiring to hear, congrats!!

    • @CheHojas
      @CheHojas 7 місяців тому +1

      Wow this is awesome! So inspiring

  • @SugarRushTimes2030-gs3qp
    @SugarRushTimes2030-gs3qp 11 місяців тому +21

    Congrats! Pursuing your dream is a scary, and courageous thing. I stayed at a good paying factory job for 35 years then retired, and one of my biggest regrets is not trying to pursue my dreams. Your story is inspiring, I wish UA-cam was around in the early 90s

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +3

      Thank you! Yeah honestly for me, seeing artist on youtube and instagram really expanded what I thought was possible. I'm very thankful for that. I hope that you can pursue your passions now in retirement though.

  • @cybertraveler5334
    @cybertraveler5334 11 місяців тому +9

    Wishing you the best! Pursuing dreams is (in part) what life is all about!
    Going for your dream is the right thing to do when your job is all consuming. Even if the art does not bring you full time economic sustainability, I believe that it will lead you on a path where you will connect with the income you need while making the art that you enjoy. I remember having a crappy job with crappy pay... I left it and freelanced... loved the work but the pay was still crap because there was not enough of it. But I was introduced to new skills that led me to work that paid decent and allowed me to have day job stability while pursuing my creativity.
    Having the doable day job allow me to do the creative work that I loved. I always had livable money coming in monthly not to mention good benefits. I hope that you have wonderful financial success with your art, but if not I hope that you can supplement your income with work that will allow you to live well and be creative.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Thank you! That's awesome that you have found a good balance with your day job and creative practice :)

  • @diegooland1261
    @diegooland1261 10 місяців тому +13

    As an aspiring artist I want to hear two things: 1) Where is the money coming from? No really, where is the rent, food, gas, bills money coming from? The Bay Area ain't cheep. 2) health insurance. As a self employed artist, where is your health insurance coming from? Again, it ain't cheep. So how are you managing this expense? We're all motivated to pursue our dream, we just don't have the cash, so we stay in our day job.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  10 місяців тому +19

      Great questions! For the past few months, I've been able to cover my expenses through a mix of original painting sales and commissions. It took me many years of painting and three years of selling my work consistently to get to this point. However, my art sales can fluctuate a lot, so I saved up money before quitting my day job in case of lean months. UA-cam is also a source of revenue for me, but it is a long term plan, and not close to paying my rent at the moment. And yeah, health insurance is expensive. I get mine from Covered California, but it's still a lot.
      The bay area is ridiculously expensive. But the flip side is that that there are a lot of wealthy people here who buy paintings for their homes, so there's a good market here as well.

    • @rltreasure
      @rltreasure Місяць тому

      Marketing for sales.

    • @dalainaheiberg
      @dalainaheiberg 27 днів тому +1

      @@christinakentart Appreciate your specific answer here :)

  • @raindr1583
    @raindr1583 2 місяці тому +13

    “Too tired after work on weekdays, not enough time on weekend” OH THIS IS SO TRUE 😭 i barely draw anything since back to 9-5…

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  2 місяці тому +1

      Seriously, I don’t know how people do it!!

  • @just1njello
    @just1njello 11 місяців тому +12

    I haven’t found a “journey to full time artist” story as similar to my own until I watched this vid . I work at my local health dept. it’s an extremely stable job, but my dream is to be an artist. Someday I will make the transition. I appreciate your in-depth explanation about the incremental increase of your time in the studio throughout the week. It really is a battle earning your time back. glad you won that battle :).

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +2

      I'm so glad it resonated with you! Best of luck on your path, it can feel slow sometimes but it is possible!

  • @douglasriddle6447
    @douglasriddle6447 11 місяців тому +9

    Congratulations on the move. The video should be an inspiration to everyone trying to go full time with their art.

  • @pepostudios
    @pepostudios 11 місяців тому +7

    Christina, I’m thanking whatever twists and turns in the UA-cam algorithm brought me to your channel! Our stories are SO similar. My background is in ecology/environmental science. I thought about pursuing a PhD for a long time, but ended up getting a masters degree. I’ve always been creative, but when I was in school I never took my art seriously or really gave it a chance. As soon as I graduated and didn’t have the confines of academia around me, I found that I couldn’t stop painting. I had three months of down time before my full time job started (also in consulting!), and those months were so instrumental in kickstarting this creative dream of mine. Right now, I’m still working full time in environmental consulting, but I’m looking ahead at following a similar path as you did (I.e., slowly going down to 80%, 50%, etc.). It’s so inspiring to hear your story, and I can’t wait to follow along on your journey 🙌🏼

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +1

      Ahh that's amazing! Good luck, you got this!!

    • @pepostudios
      @pepostudios 11 місяців тому

      @@christinakentart thank you!! You’re an inspiration!!

  • @emilybarton_paints
    @emilybarton_paints 11 місяців тому +3

    Thank you so much for sharing your story. I relate a lot to your wanting to make art full time and understand that “longing.” I’m in a day job that is not terrible by any means, but I’d rather be creating. Hoping to be in a financial position when I can someday make art my career.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +1

      I feel you. I hope you can make a career in art as well. It might take time, but it is possible! And in the meantime, kudos to you for holding down a day job while pursuing a creative practice. It's NOT easy, and you have my respect!!

  • @Hestabainano-ry3vn
    @Hestabainano-ry3vn 2 місяці тому +1

    This video is exactly what I need right now! Thank you very much for your motivation! I’m in the same boat, currently working for the government with an academic background in law trying to make the transition to being a full time painter. But I’m already 53 and have been painting since I could hold a pencil. So no more time to waste from now on. The crucial thing you mentioned that radically changed my vision was that you were struggling to have one full studio day while I’m lucky enough to be free every Monday but I am still complaining about not having enough free time. From now on my free Monday will be an entire studio day. Many thanks for your practical advice on how to transition slowly. Greetings from the Netherlands!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  2 місяці тому +1

      Thanks for sharing your story, and I’m so glad the video resonated with you. Enjoy your studio Mondays, and best of luck making the transition to painting full-time!!

  • @margaretluoart
    @margaretluoart 11 місяців тому +4

    Congrats Christina! So excited to hear that you’re pursuing art full-time! 🎉🎉 Thanks for sharing your journey and your thought processes; it’s so insightful to hear other people’s experiences

  • @CheHojas
    @CheHojas 7 місяців тому +7

    I can relate to this story so much. I was just finishing my THIRD college degree when the pandemic hit. I had been doing art whenever I could during college, but since I couldn’t find a job during the pandemic and I had lots of time I started painting even more. I started getting more followers, opened an Etsy shop, sold some paintings and prints, moved to New York City, kept growing, has a couple of art shows and some more painting sales, and then it became too hard, couldn’t keep living in such a hard city with so many roommates to keep the dream alive, moved to Florida, made some sales but not enough, did all kinds of odd/ stressful jobs that would allow me time to paint. Now I’m in North Carolina, still painting, making money with my own tattoo business, applying to shows, really wanting to make it as a painter.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  7 місяців тому +2

      Wow that sounds like a roller coaster! It sounds like most artist careers have lots of ups and downs. I hope you can keep growing your career as a painter and wish you the best of luck!

    • @CheHojas
      @CheHojas 7 місяців тому

      @@christinakentart it really has been! I hope too, I appreciate it, thank you so much

  • @MelMitchJackArt
    @MelMitchJackArt 10 місяців тому +3

    👋🏻 fellow corporate life quitter on the path of full time art here in the Bay Area with you! excited to see you grow!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  10 місяців тому

      Awesome, great to meet you! Best of luck to you!

  • @EricMoore790
    @EricMoore790 11 місяців тому +3

    She is beautiful and living her dream! I wish I could be an artist!

  • @lulabelle33
    @lulabelle33 7 місяців тому +1

    Another solution based and useful video!!! Your intelligence in approaching these topics that many of us face is evident, and your tips and revelations of your own journey are very appreciated

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  7 місяців тому

      Thank you, I'm so glad you found it helpful!

  • @devernepersonal3636
    @devernepersonal3636 11 місяців тому +1

    I think it is amazing how you were brave to craft your own life and take your craft your own journey. And I think you are only going to do more amazing things now that this IS your job 100 percent now. On the way to being a future artist in a museum. I need to take inspiration from this to fight my being tired and procrastination to create.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Thanks DeVerne! Good luck with your art practice! Have you read The War of Art? It's a great book about working with creative resistance.

  • @tofolis
    @tofolis 11 місяців тому +2

    Hi Christina, just passing by to leave a cute hug. I admire you girl. 😊

  • @adriennbaris
    @adriennbaris 11 місяців тому +1

    Congratulations! I can relate to this so much, I also went from science (also PhD) to art! Your steps were very well thought through and clever. I did not have this much patience to build up my art career before the big leap... It is very inspiring to see how many different paths exist in the creative field. 😊

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Ahh so cool! Congrats on making the leap as well! :)

  • @dalainaheiberg
    @dalainaheiberg 27 днів тому

    Congrats on making the shift, Christina! Helpful to see how you made it gradually. I can relate as I shifted from a PhD in political science to comedian and meditation coach :)

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  27 днів тому

      Ahh you know how it is. Congrats to you for making the switch too! 🙌😃

  • @Danijjay121
    @Danijjay121 7 місяців тому +5

    I can’t absolutely wait to be in this position full time because I also have a lot of ideas as well. I have a 9 to 5 job that I can’t leave yet. Someday I can

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  7 місяців тому +1

      I wish you the best of luck in getting there! Focusing on each small step towards my goal helped me a lot when I was working my 9 to 5.

    • @CheHojas
      @CheHojas 7 місяців тому +1

      Same

  • @kierrastanley3340
    @kierrastanley3340 8 місяців тому

    So inspiring Christina - celebrating your success!! I am an Oakland based artist currently in the situation you were in, with a full time job, knowing that I want to transition to being a full time artist, and gradually building/making the shift. It's definitely building my patience and every day I'm holding gratitude for the journey and where am I at this very moment, even if it's not quite where I want to be. Thank you for sharing your story. Looking forward to seeing your work in person!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  8 місяців тому

      Hi neighbor! I feel you. Patience is a superpower. Sometimes it felt like it would take forever for me to get to this point, but I kept focusing step by step, and finally made it. I wish you the best of luck! And hope to see you at some openings in the Bay in the future :)

  • @hillnick007
    @hillnick007 26 днів тому

    Thank you for making this video. I'm in a similar situation, and this was really inspirational!

  • @mauracarta.
    @mauracarta. 11 місяців тому +1

    So inspiring - I’m very excited for you!

  • @davidpascolla8460
    @davidpascolla8460 11 місяців тому

    Good on you. You are wise beyond your years. Lovely to watch it all unfold for you 👊🏻

  • @you_are_welcome97
    @you_are_welcome97 8 місяців тому

    I am so happpy I came across this video. It is just perfect you found a way to articulate something a lot of people can resonate with.

  • @carlkim2577
    @carlkim2577 11 місяців тому +1

    This is an interesting video since I'm an economist pursuing a study of Russian academic drawing. I'm pursuing this more as a retirement goal, but still fun to hear of your experiences.

  • @MsMaRo87
    @MsMaRo87 8 місяців тому

    Wow 🎉 this has been so encouraging. I’m a full time lawyer (and have been for over a decade now) and this has been the first time I’ve watched someone explain how to make that shift to art become a reality (in a pragmatic and detailed way). Thank you!

  • @ItsVesperArt
    @ItsVesperArt 8 місяців тому +4

    I can totally relate to this video. I was also super into art as a kid and even went to animation school when I finished highschool. Then with the very high barrier to entry for jobs in that field, I decided I was being "silly" and having dreams was for kids. It was time to be an adult - and so I went into computer science and became a developer. Last summer, I got laid off from my fancy government job (which I hated, anyway) and tried for months to find a new position, but sadly, the tech market was, and still is, soo bad. Every minute I spent studying and practicing building things, brushing up on new coding languages, practicing interview questions, just felt like a waste of time, and was killing my spirit. My heart wasn't in it. Although I enjoy the challenge and problem-solving of development, and watching ideas be built into real products, I realized that I didn't have the passion for this particular type of creation that I used to, and that it might actually be a blessing in disguise. Since I was in an .. okay.. place financially (I had enough savings to support myself for about a year) I decided to give opening my own small art business a go. To document my progress and help motivate myself, and hopefully others in the same position (there seem to be a lot of us these days) I decided to start on youtube as well. As I'm sure you know, since you've been doing it much longer than I have, it's a ton of work! But doesn't it feel SOO much more satisfying? It's amazing to be building something for myself now, instead of for someone else, and for the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful. Did you get that rush of excitement and satisfaction as well?🌷Anyway, great video, I'll definitely subscribe and follow your journey! Good luck on your path - it seems like you're doing something right! :)

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  8 місяців тому +1

      Thanks for sharing your story! So much of this resonated with me. Pursuing art full-time isn't easy, but I agree, it is way more satisfying and exciting! Wishing you the best of luck for your art career!

    • @ItsVesperArt
      @ItsVesperArt 8 місяців тому

      @@christinakentart thank you, you too, although you are brimming with talent so I’m positive you don’t need any luck! 🌸

  • @GiffordGribley
    @GiffordGribley 3 місяці тому

    Thanks for this. I'm 45 and have gone back and forth from full time artist to part time artist and even not working on art at all. My other work has been interesting and rewarding at times, but so so so much of full time work has felt like wasting time.

  • @socorrohernandez2025
    @socorrohernandez2025 6 місяців тому +2

    This is exactly how I have been feeling.

  • @jenniferscott708
    @jenniferscott708 11 місяців тому

    Yay!! Oh my goodness following your journey is so inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing it all here ❤️

  • @dmortelli1
    @dmortelli1 11 місяців тому

    Congratulations Christina!!
    I am so excited for you! I’ve been following you for a while now and I always find your story interesting. I think it’s because I believe in you. I like your artwork but I also think you are an intelligent and motivated person. I know you will do well!!
    I’m an architect/artist in my mid 50’s and I have realized that I want to paint full time but have just never made the full jump. I’m very excited to watch your career take off even further than it has!! 🎨🖌️🌎✌️

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +1

      Thank you! I appreciate the support. That's great to hear, I hope you can go full-time as well!

  • @justinpollard9706
    @justinpollard9706 7 місяців тому

    Amen! In this video, you are totally singing my song! Lol I am actually 1 week away from the same big transition. I've spent the last 2 years in the same planning, preparing and trying to develop my work 'phase'. After 15 years of teaching, I'm so thankful to finally be able to start focusing on my work and the business of it full-time. ^^ Wishing us both lots of luck as we pursue our dreams!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  7 місяців тому +1

      Oh that's awesome!! So excited for you. Best of luck with the transition!

  • @ottedave
    @ottedave 11 місяців тому

    Thanks!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +1

      Thanks so much, Dave!

    • @ottedave
      @ottedave 11 місяців тому

      @@christinakentart Your art and youtube content is exceptional. I chose animation and now i’m in big tech over a career in art… love seeing how you navigated towards your passion. Reading Design Your Life now! Thank you for your inspiration. 👍

  • @LearnGermanwithMarzipanfrau
    @LearnGermanwithMarzipanfrau 2 місяці тому

    Thank you for this inspiring video. I‘m soon trying to sell my first pieces of art. In the moment it‘s just a hobby, but I know the calming feeling of painting and love it. ❤

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  2 місяці тому

      Oh that’s so exciting!! Best of luck to you!

  • @PaperAmmo
    @PaperAmmo Місяць тому

    Thank you for quitting!! I appreciate the videos you put out. Very informative and inspiring!!! 🙏🏾

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  Місяць тому

      Thank you for the kind words, I’m glad you find the videos inspiring! 😃🙌

  • @SimonWrigley
    @SimonWrigley 9 місяців тому

    good on you Christina, go for it! Such a good video right from the heart, you can use all that analytical knowledge right into your painting career, it helps you choose colours and forms and work ethic, all the behind the scenes. It also helps you translate all the emotions and convey them. Artists are the best developers right at the forefront of new ideas, they combine many unrelated aspects and join them (on one canvas),they convey new ideas, ones being only slightly sensed by the scientific world, they put form on the future possibilities, having an analitical background is good navigation material, thanks for the video.

  • @TalaiRain
    @TalaiRain 11 місяців тому +1

    Congratulations! Your story is inspiring. ☀

  • @williammcgrady5078
    @williammcgrady5078 5 місяців тому

    Your story sounds so similar to mine. Its comforting to have a reminder that other people can and do experience some of the same things I do. I admire your dedication to self work and working with your feelings as guidance towards your life. High five 👋 to therapy lol (I've learned similar things in therapy).

  • @desertpotter1003
    @desertpotter1003 10 днів тому

    You are so lucky to have the craving to be an artist and also to have the talent. As a kid ( many years ago) the only thing I wanted to do was be an artist. I took a ton of art classes, but never really had the talent. I always wondered why that was that I wanted to be something that I really didn’t have the talent for. So As an older adult I discovered hand built pottery and am very happy with that, I guess you have to just find the medium that best suits you.😊

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  9 днів тому

      Thank you for sharing your story! It’s wonderful that you found pottery-it’s all about discovering the right medium that resonates with you. So glad you’ve found joy in it! :)

  • @EarthstarAndy
    @EarthstarAndy 11 місяців тому

    Been watching your videos for a while, congrats! Im a couple years behind of you, and this is encouraging

  • @bex82uk
    @bex82uk 5 місяців тому

    This was super inspiring thank you, and congrats to you! Have worked in the admin sector for over 10 years and feel like my genuine skills and talents as a creative person are going to waste. Now I'm in my 40s i think it is high time to take that leap of faith! All the best to you :)

  • @CedricWilliamsFineArt
    @CedricWilliamsFineArt 11 місяців тому +1

    Love your story!! I found encouragement

  • @nicolasb.henry294
    @nicolasb.henry294 8 місяців тому

    Congrats, I am in the same journey and did the same. It’s challenging as you are your own boss…but you have this freedom to do what you like when you decide to do it…In fact when you are an artist you have a lot of possibilities to make money but people don’t know. The fact you were in the corporate world helps you a lot too. I learn quickly how to sell and value my craft…former account manager here! 😊 I wish you the best.

  • @sam_samedi
    @sam_samedi 11 місяців тому

    Congrats, Christina! 🎉 This is also my dream to become a full time artist. Hopefully, I will be able to follow your path in a few years! Thank you for this very inspiring video 🫶

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Thank you, and keep going! It is possible!!

  • @dorisr6424
    @dorisr6424 2 місяці тому

    You must be very proud of yourself. I did a different thing in a similar way. Quit a full time low income job to go to university at 36, graduated at 40 and finally started getting higher paying jobs. Went through the same process as you, e.g., wondering can I do this, accepting the risk of leaving a full time job, and having faith in the potential outcome, etc. I just retired at 65 and am loving the freedom to paint without distraction. It just seems to call to you, right?! You also made very wise and responsible choices along the way that allowed you to take the leap.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  2 місяці тому

      I'm so happy to hear you're finally able to paint without distraction! It really does feel like a calling, doesn’t it? Thanks for sharing your experience ❤️

  • @artebello1799
    @artebello1799 5 місяців тому

    Thank you. I love this!❤ I'm going through this now

  • @starhuh
    @starhuh 11 місяців тому

    Congratulations! So exciting and inspiring!

  • @JohnHarrisonArtist
    @JohnHarrisonArtist 11 місяців тому

    Firstly, I wish you all the best. I had my own business years ago for about 4 years, totally unrelated to art, but I did well until my health meant I had to stop. People would say it was brave, etc, but I thought nothing of it. If it didn't work, I'd just go back to working for people. All the things like keeping jobs coming in, advertising, taxes etc was scary at first for sure. But if you dont do it, you'll never know if it could work for you, and that would be harder to take. You've shown you can do it, and long may it continue. Having a little money to fall back on is a major help in any ups and downs that any type of business may have, no matter how well it's run / done. I look forward to seeing your journey unfold, and I have no doubt you have what it takes to make it work. You have clearly thought it all through very well.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +1

      Thank you! I feel the same, I knew if I didn't try, I'd always wonder "what if". Better to try and risk failure than to not try at all.

  • @ScottHebertArt
    @ScottHebertArt 11 місяців тому

    congrats dude, happy for you! good luck

  • @angelmalvarezart
    @angelmalvarezart 8 місяців тому

    Love hearing these stories !!! ❤️❤️

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  8 місяців тому

      Glad you liked it! Best of luck with your art practice!

  • @KB-ty2gc
    @KB-ty2gc 11 місяців тому

    I can relate so much with this. I started painting two years ago, then I got an evening drawing class. I would often come from that class and start painting, also every evening doing a new painting usually after 10PM. Made 200 painting... If I could spent more time in the studio, I would. I have no plan to sell my works but it's really nice to follow your journey from the other side of the world.

    • @KB-ty2gc
      @KB-ty2gc 11 місяців тому

      I just love the gears, the texture of oil paint, the magic of lights and shadows that suddenly clicks when the value is right. The accidental beauty in a mistake that we can use...

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      That's awesome! Sounds like you have developed a great practice :)

  • @SerensJourney
    @SerensJourney 6 місяців тому

    Thanks for sharing your story❤ keep rocking

  • @dvgcreative2206
    @dvgcreative2206 11 місяців тому

    Best of luck! I enjoy your art and your videos!

  • @hidden13x
    @hidden13x 9 місяців тому

    Thanks for sharing your story. It's inspiring!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  9 місяців тому +1

      Glad you found it inspiring! Wishing you the best for your creative practice ❤️

  • @JanSoendermann
    @JanSoendermann 11 місяців тому

    Congratulations and best of luck!

  • @dogbark
    @dogbark 9 місяців тому

    that's amazing and so inspiring! :) good luck to you!

  • @Theimpromptulife
    @Theimpromptulife 8 місяців тому

    Thank you for sharing your journey

  • @philmecup
    @philmecup 2 місяці тому

    That was very nice….
    I was wondering how you were going to pull that off. I went to school on that!

  • @jahnome
    @jahnome 5 місяців тому

    So funny this came up after I gave a month notice to leave my job to be a full time screenwriter/filmmaker (leaving mid-September). Nearly had a nervous breakdown today considering that I have debt to pay off but I’m leaving. I have other assets and investments, but I don’t have a cushion like yours (im 28 though). As well, my work takes up so much of my day that I miss so many opportunities in the city for collaboration and networking. I’m
    Really taking a gamble but the universe/God is directing me and I have a great family support. Onwards and upwards (with a few slopes here and there) 🥂

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  5 місяців тому +1

      Congratulations on taking the leap, and best of luck!!

  • @c.s.102
    @c.s.102 10 місяців тому

    Congratulations🎉

  • @Ran_G
    @Ran_G 11 місяців тому

    Useful and inspiring. Thank you

  • @kitakittykat
    @kitakittykat 2 місяці тому

    Thank you for sharing you are freeing sooooooooooo many of us! 💕💕💕

  • @omgname
    @omgname 11 місяців тому

    Hi Christina, nice to see that you are doing what you love. You are in San Francisco and I am in Boston. I am in the same decision point you were in. I became an engineer because of the staving artist story you heard when you were young. Similarly, I dream about being a full time artist like you. But I have many worries that prevent me from doing what you did. For example, what am I going to do with health care coverage? I am not as good as you at business. I don’t have any connection with studio and collectors. I did recently put myself on the waitlist for a studio. But I plan to just set it up for painting, not so much for selling. I am also still working my day job. One day I want to quit my job and do art full time. But right now I can only fantasize.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      I feel you, the business side takes a lot of work and luck. I also had your same worries about health insurance and other aspects of the business. For me, it was really helpful to meet other full-time artists (whether in person or watching their youtube videos) and hear how they did it. Once you see how others did it, it becomes easier to do it yourself. I'll also be posting more videos about the business side of things that I hope will help demystify the process. Good luck!

    • @ichadc
      @ichadc 10 місяців тому

      "But I have many worries that prevent me from doing what you did" - you are not alone, and there is no shame in being conservative before taking a leap. I'm an extremely risk-averse person, and also a recluse of sorts. I live in the global south, with high unemployment(30%+), no social secuity and most importantly - an extremely small art 'middle-market'. Back in the 2000s I turned down an art scholarship, because of these reasons(this was before social media), and still today my biggest fear is...logistics. There is high-end market logistics i.e. 'white glove' but no single company that can reliably transport and insure middle-market art, especially the insurance is a pain(they only insure the value of the supplies not the value of the art itself), and you also need fumigation certificates if your canvas is on a wood stretcher. That being said, I am super proud of anybody who makes a living out of their art! And I hope that videos like these give more people courage to do so. My only real mission for the year is to actually post some(like 8 at least) finished painting to Instagram this year, and that would be enough for me. The most important thing for me about art is doing the art itself. I hope you find joy in making your art too!

  • @robertb3842
    @robertb3842 11 місяців тому +1

    Best of luck! Thanks for sharing your story and experience with burnout. I finished my econ phd, then joined the government (leaving my economics background behind) working on international development, and am now turning to an art career. It sounds like you’re so reflective and intentional about your path… we know you’ll succeed!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Oh hat's cool that you have an econ PhD background as well! When I was younger I imagined my career path to be very linear, but the more people I talk to, the more I realize this is often not the case. Thank you, and best of luck to you as well!

  • @joegiuffrida6779
    @joegiuffrida6779 4 місяці тому

    Congratulations on your transition to full time! Your story is phenomenal and very encouraging. I am wondering if you have a video on your Etsy shop experience. I notice that you don't have an Etsy shop link, so I'm thinking you transitioned out of that to your own website. I'm kind of stuck on using Etsy for both print sales and original painting sales, or to just move toward a separate shop or totally separate venue for originals. Anything you might share on this would be much appreciated!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  4 місяці тому +1

      Thank you! That's a great question, and one I thought about a lot before making the switch to my own website. In this video I share more about making the switch: ua-cam.com/video/iB5twDhCXdc/v-deo.html
      The short answer is I didn't find I was getting much of a benefit from Etsy, since I drive a lot of my own traffic, and having it on my website gave me more control over the branding and shopping experience.

    • @joegiuffrida6779
      @joegiuffrida6779 4 місяці тому

      @@christinakentart Thanks for responding Christina, I went over to your suggested video, very helpful. Makes a lot of sense to me to have the most control in general of the commerce part of things. I think I will move in that direction. Love your artwork, in particular the way you infuse emotion, feeling, into the scenes and subjects you paint. Wonderful work. Thanks for your help🙏🙏

  • @indigo_diary
    @indigo_diary 9 місяців тому

    So interesting! Subscribed !

  • @MartaHincaArt
    @MartaHincaArt 8 днів тому

    I like my job. I love painting though. I really hope that I will be able to become a full-time artist. I can paint only after work and on weekends. I'm exhausted but I don't want to and I can't give up my love for painting. I don't dream of millions. I dream of being able to survive on painting. I can live very modestly. Working in IT is killing me.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  4 дні тому

      Thanks for sharing your experience- this resonated a lot with me. I hope you can find a way to make more time for painting in your life ❤️

  • @princepython701
    @princepython701 11 місяців тому

    i wish you nothing but the best, I understand exactly why corporate world is soulless. I am honestly on the opposite journey you a taking. I am trying to get into the corporate job as a opposed to being an artist.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Thank you, and best of luck on your career path!

  • @Acryloil
    @Acryloil 11 місяців тому

    Good luck to you

  • @alokasiablackmagic3444
    @alokasiablackmagic3444 7 місяців тому

    I paused my job in a company to relax and slow down, but mainly to try to be a full time artist. I have a plan that will take about a year so I'm thinking whether to go back to work or not

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  7 місяців тому

      That's great that you can take a pause from work! I hope you enjoy this chance to be a full-time artist and get some clarity on what to do next.

  • @KellyMaia
    @KellyMaia 5 місяців тому

    omg tk for this video

  • @tashatrina9194
    @tashatrina9194 19 днів тому +1

    I wanna be a full time artist and quit my job but what if... my works won't sell 😮‍💨😿

    • @SeekAndYeShallFindGod
      @SeekAndYeShallFindGod 3 дні тому

      But what if they do? People always lean towards the negative what ifs never the positive ones. Never take advice from people who are not on the path you want to be on. Trust me my regrets is taking advice from non-artist who are happy being wage-slave let alone even owned a business.

  • @theresaRD
    @theresaRD 8 місяців тому

    Loved this video! So much of it resonated with me. What/who are some of the podcasts and artists that you follow?

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  8 місяців тому +1

      Glad you loved it! For podcasts, I like artist interviews like The Savvy Painter and John Dalton's Gently Does It podcast. And I follow so many artists, it is so hard to list them all! But one in particular is Nicolas Uribe, he also has a great youtube channel called Our Painted Lives. You can see more about the artists who inspire me in my sketchbook tour videos as well.

    • @theresaRD
      @theresaRD 8 місяців тому

      Thanks so much, I will check those out! new subscriber here 😊

  • @su_artsandcrafts
    @su_artsandcrafts 7 місяців тому +1

    HI! I'm a new subscriber! This was a very helpful and inspirational video! YOHOOO! congrats on pursuing your dream on being a full time artist! It is also my dream and hopefully soon I can do the same. So happy for you!

  • @ordo2dan
    @ordo2dan 11 місяців тому

    Thank you for sharing. I'm so glad you followed your heart. So often cultural expectations stifle the inner artist in us all. :) But for real thanks again. I picked up the book as soon as you suggested it. How has going full time effected the joy for making art for you. Has it turned into a "job" or is it still a passion. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep the artistic passion alive while also turning it into a job? I started creating art consecutively a year ago and I am trying my best to cultivate and care for that daily habit and I think a part of me is scared to turn it into a "job" or make money with it because it might effect my current output. Anyways. I hope that makes sense. Keep up the good work. And for real....wonderful art and videos!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Thank you! It's been great so far. Before going full-time, I had all of these ideas for painting and felt like I never had enough time to work on them. Now I have so much time in the studio and feel like I can actually develop my ideas. It doesn't feel like a job - I feel very grateful to be able to paint for hours each day.
      However it does seem risky to try to live off your art before it is ready. I have been careful to grow my career sustainably, working a day job for several years while my art gradually matured. It is a slower path to growth, but I think it is what has kept my passion alive. I talk more about it in the video here: ua-cam.com/video/G2SVGTKqPxg/v-deo.html

  • @mockingbirdex3450
    @mockingbirdex3450 9 місяців тому

    Thanks a lot for sharing.
    :0)
    (You´ve got yourself a new subs.)

  • @goat1408
    @goat1408 11 місяців тому +1

    Wish I could....I have to have clientele to do that.....If I could find my clientele I would be straight.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      I feel you. For me, finding my clientele happened gradually over time. I hope you find yours soon!

  • @alidalavezzari4103
    @alidalavezzari4103 7 місяців тому

    I am becoming a professional artist because I need money, if it wasn't for this reason I was keeping to do as my hobby, as my meditative tecnic: sacred geometry. I wanted to be a freelance translator and editor but to much competition, and I don't have a certification also if I am very good at it. so for this reason my art became my job. I am sure it happened to many before. have a nice life.

  • @SeleneMFLORES
    @SeleneMFLORES 7 місяців тому

    gracias por los consejos c:

  • @morellocherry8820
    @morellocherry8820 6 місяців тому +2

    Is UA-cam telling me to quit my job?
    I swear i had 3 video's like that on my feed

  • @annawozniak6807
    @annawozniak6807 11 місяців тому +2

    i don't like my job...but can't quit because i need to pay the bills....I would starve lol if i would relay on selling my art. You are lucky that you can do that. Hope it will be a very creative and succesfull path . Good luck

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +2

      Sorry to hear that. I know how it feels to be stuck in a job you don't like because you have to pay the bills. I also think it is very honorable to be your own art patron, to be able to keep a day job so that you can support your art. You have my respect!

  • @JimLongCO
    @JimLongCO 11 місяців тому

    You've totally got the talent and skill!! I know you'll be very successful. Just curious if you have an economist hero (e.g. Friedman, Keynes, etc..)

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Thanks James! I'd say my economics heroes are Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee. They revolutionized how we study economic policy and international development by using randomized controlled trials to study policy interventions. Because of them, we've gained a lot of insights on how to reduce poverty and improve wellbeing across the world, which is pretty awesome. Even though I don't want to do that kind of research, I still love reading about it!

  • @mattc825
    @mattc825 11 місяців тому

    Dang, that’s awesome. Nice move.

  • @kaicastle.
    @kaicastle. 11 місяців тому

    11:52 Hello, when you were started, did you do paid ads or boost posts as well? Thank you

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому +1

      I've tried boosting my posts on Instagram, but it doesn't seem to be very effective for me. I think what was more helpful was posting every day and posting both photos and reels regularly.

    • @kaicastle.
      @kaicastle. 11 місяців тому

      @@christinakentart I see, thanks for the info!

  • @Slumberprince
    @Slumberprince 6 місяців тому +1

    I left healthcare, crashed and burned as a full-time artist. I found out I needed a whole lifestyle change that required balance. I was homeless and found alternative lifestyles to be freeing.

  • @CJShopland_Art
    @CJShopland_Art 10 місяців тому

    How do you connect with people online where the byproduct of connections is sales, either from that person or from them spreading the message of the art ? :)
    The only thing I’m able to do for hours and which gives me energy and doesn’t make me stressed and sick is painting and running a business. Sold some in person but it’s been over a year since the last sale :)

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  10 місяців тому +1

      Great question, and I think there are a lot of ways to do it. My main way of connecting with people online has been through Instragram, although now I have this youtube channel and an email newsletter as well. But also when I was selling on Etsy, I think a lot of people found my work through the Etsy search function. I've also tried advertising on Etsy and Instagram, although that never seemed to work very well for whatever reason. To be fair though, it does take a lot of time and effort. I post pretty much every day to instagram and spend a lot of time answering comments and messages. But for me it is worth it to be able to sell my work!

    • @CJShopland_Art
      @CJShopland_Art 10 місяців тому

      @@christinakentart yes I probably need to comment on others work more, of course in a genuine way. After all that’s how I built the connections with the few who comment now :) most won’t become buyers but having the support, they tend to be my biggest cheerleaders and I’m genuinely interested in them and their lives. Really it’s all about connection but easy to have times where life takes over and forget to check on any friends, let alone online. It’s just making sure don’t have the motive of selling driving connections to come across disingenuous. I guess it’s remembering for the most part instagram and rest of online is real people . Would you say instagram still have community ? I’ve dabbled back into using DeviantArt which used to be very community based but this was way back in 2011.

  • @tinastratis1107
    @tinastratis1107 6 місяців тому

    What is your daily schedule like as a professional painter?

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  6 місяців тому

      Great question. It varies so much from day to day, some days I'm painting all day while other days I'm hanging an exhibition or managing the business side of things. I'll make a video soon with more details.

    • @tinastratis1107
      @tinastratis1107 6 місяців тому

      Thank you.

  • @mfrancisco_850
    @mfrancisco_850 25 днів тому

    this is the worst time to leave your job the job market is complete trash right now even if you do have 20 years of experience I would go back to your job please its horrible out here.

  • @sashanealand8315
    @sashanealand8315 5 місяців тому

    idk sounds very privlaged. Wish I had time like that I had to work at hard manual labor during the pandemic or I wouldn't have been able to eat or pay my rent. My boss at university forced us to work even if we were sick with covid and could barely breathe and we had no worker protections or unemployment insurance because we were considered graduate students not employees by the state constitution

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  5 місяців тому

      Yes that is an important point, I had probably the most privileged experience as a graduate student at Stanford. I was fully funded, and they pay graduate students twice as much as other universities. I would not have been able to do this if I was at another university. I try not to take that lightly, and am sorry to hear that your experience was so challenging. It sounds like that is unfortunately the norm for most graduate students.

  • @lesliemctavish4300
    @lesliemctavish4300 5 місяців тому

    The arts industry is a multi billion dollar industry. Something like 85 billion. Those people who say you can't make money with art are ignorant and I wonder why they say that
    Art is so undervalued. People are ignorant of its value.

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  5 місяців тому

      Yes, I agree it is possible and have met numerous artists who make a living doing it!

  • @NY_Mountain_Man
    @NY_Mountain_Man 11 місяців тому

    You seem very healthy and normal to me. That's foreign to me.
    Anyway, you seem like a nice person. Get to the art though. That's the good stuff. Show me that abstraction.

  • @Dino_Medici
    @Dino_Medici 11 місяців тому

    I’m reading this book called The Art Instinct by Dennis Dutton rn and thought of you.
    It’s an evolutionary psychology book on aesthetics and the first chapter is about how landscapes are the most universal form of visual art.
    Peep it if you shall!

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Oh cool, I haven't heard of that one! I'll take a look :)

    • @Dino_Medici
      @Dino_Medici 11 місяців тому

      @@christinakentart Hell yeah. Free sample on kindle includes the beginning of chapt 1 🕺🕺🕺

  • @elhamfq-qj7up
    @elhamfq-qj7up 11 місяців тому

    I really needed to see this video,thank U🤍

  • @Mario-zo1uj
    @Mario-zo1uj 6 місяців тому

    maybe we are different artists with different responsibilities. peace.

  • @ZaibiDesigner
    @ZaibiDesigner 11 місяців тому

    Hey Christina, I just watched your video and I must say that it was really informative and well-made. I was wondering if I could help you edit your highly engaging videos and thumbnails which will help your video to reach to a wider audience and increase your subscribers and viewers.

  • @clintattebery
    @clintattebery 11 місяців тому

    Love this video - well done! I also wanted to add a link to the TED talk version of "Designing Your Life". I have not read the book, but this talk was very helpful to me when I found it a couple of years ago. Happy painting! ua-cam.com/video/SemHh0n19LA/v-deo.htmlsi=C3Pvher4LVR44l2O

    • @christinakentart
      @christinakentart  11 місяців тому

      Oh that's awesome! Glad you found it helpful too. Thanks for the link :)

  • @Mario-zo1uj
    @Mario-zo1uj 6 місяців тому