Art isn't a "stable" career (but that's okay)

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As artists we're CONSTANTLY hearing how art isn't a "stable" career. But look at just about any industry and you'll see that their careers aren't stable either.
Don't let that stop you from pursuing your dreams. Focus on developing evergreen skills that can be widely applicable to a variety of positions and industries. As independent artists, we wear so many hats!
Artist, marketer, shipping and fulfillment expert, web designer, content creator, copywriter. Lean into that. Become so multifaceted and well connected that even if you fail at your own business, you'll be able to help someone else with theirs.
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[@KelseyRodriguez]

Get started with Aura today for free & the first 500 people to use my link will also get 25% off+ free trial to the Aura membership: www.aurahealth.io/kelseyrodriguez

[@MW-hn7wx]

I recently learned that some of my friends, who I really admire, aren’t saving for retirement either because they don’t think they will have the chance to enjoy it! It shocked me. We are in our mid 30s.

[@horriblypink]

....You don't save to enjoy it you save so you don't end up on the streets. I just started investing at 26 and it already feels too late.

[@mf--]

​@@horriblypink The best time to invest was before you were born, should have invested then.

[@DLC_-mw4mc]

Maybe art is not a stable career but it's so much fun that I don't want to do anything else!!

[@jenjoestar.]

Exactly!

[@laineykeleher2812]

You’re so spot on. We no longer live in the same world the older generations did. A degree is no longer a guarantee for a long, stable career that sets you up for security and comfort in retirement. Companies no longer value loyalty, and the cost of living makes it almost impossible to reach goals (home ownership anyone) on most wages. It seems entrepreneurship in many ways is the way forward, and I loved how you pointed out that even if you can’t make your own thing work, there are a multitude of valuable skills gained along the way that you can fall back on ❤

[@CaptainSoftboy501]

Unfortunately that's what a lot of us are realizing 😭 big companies are screwing us over so we gotta become our own boss or struggle forever.

[@inchxinchlifesasynch]

I just want to say as part of the 'older' generation that when I was in my 20's your comments mimick exactly what I was saying. So...the generations of which you speak are now nearly 90 years old.

[@edwardteach3080]

@inchxinchlifesasynch I really like the message this creator has laid out here. But you are correct, the new fears are the same fears us graybeards had in our youth. But here’s a little something to think about. The electric can opener and the ball point pen only became viable products in the mid 50’s. Life as we understand it is not even comparable to that experience.

[@inchxinchlifesasynch]

@@edwardteach3080 Well Edward the deeper truth is that 'things' like ball point pens are tools. That is all. The experience of life remains the same generation to generation. In some distant future when cars fly and AI does everything the 20 somethings will still be obsessed with how they look the 30 somethings will still fight like dogs for their home and hearth the 40 somethings will still be in their prime with a notion of wanting to 'give back', the 50 somethings will still be udjusting to getting old bodies the 60 somethings will still understand on such a level as to know true content... etc etc etc. Point being, things and advances in technology have no effect whatsoever on the experience of living.

[@SultriAccess]

Couldn't agree more

[@oldaccount90909]

In the time I've been working after school, I've noticed a variety of issues with the typical 9-5-- people underpaying workers, keeping them on temp for years to avoid paying benefits, lay offs unexpectedly or due to personal reasons if you offend your boss, piling extra duties on employees with no increase in pay, retirement and pension opportunities dwindling or being replaced, loyalty bonuses being eliminated, general toxic environments, the list goes on. You're right, no career is "stable" nowadays really-- it just depends on what kind of instability you're willing to take on. Starting a business is stressful and you might not have a lot in the beginning or be able to take vacations/pay for insurance. But if you get it running, no one can lay you off, no one can decide how much money you make.

[@zodelart]

You and Uncomfy Co have honestly inspired me to take a chance and start making art again. I am a little older than most college graduates and despite tireless job hunting it's been very hard for me to get any callbacks. All of my teachers steered us away from the artist lifestyle because they said it would be "much harder" but I'm giving it a try anyway because traditional methods simply don't work like they did for previous generations.

[@zofiajaneczek184]

As someone who’s older than you very likely. Many jobs are just that, jobs! They’re nothing but a way to only unhappily survive and not to thrive. Companies don’t value workers at all but use them and that’s it. Art can become a lifelong career if you choose to make it so. If you’re going to make the same amount of $ working a miserable job or working for yourself doing whatever you love, every single time, choose yourself. That job will still be there even if you’re not doing it because there are tons of lower paying horrible jobs with bad companies. Just choose yourself and best of luck to you!

[@HannahMorenDraws]

I'm just replying to say I love Uncomfy! I feel like Tammy, Mimimoo Illustration, and Kelsey are my "go to" for the art side of youtube.

[@tok_tj]

It's so interesting to see the age divide and their notions of what 'selling art' actually is too. An older person once tried to give me advice when I told her I was starting my art business (going to conventions, selling online, doing YT/tiktok/insta), and she replied with 'you should give your art to home opens for exposure'.... her reply made me realize she didn't have any idea how much the art-market has changed since 'ye-old days'. We have a global market at our finger-tips!

[@mileswashington9078]

Preach, girl, preach!! It's taken nearly my entire 20+ year career thus far to attain the realizations that Kelsey is mentioning here. It's always inspiring when I come across young people who get it.

[@angelacalvin5790]

Everything you said is RIGHT on in regards to the workforce, retirement, logevity in jobs, toxicity of job cultures , cost of living etc. my wife is in tech.. it is the truth. So yes, nothing it promised so we must make our way however we can. No matter what that looks like. Full time art, part time art and side job to support etc. Everyone is in a dif situation and can only do what's in their means. Financial security is tough when many have felt financially insecure. I totally recognize that. SO thank you for the video. it is a good reflection and affirmation.

[@JanetBullard]

I like the painting. For me, it says life is tough, but I still have deep roots and offering shade to any who needs a rest.

[@funnman1777]

You're content is like, the reason why I'm selling my artwork, thank you so much!!!!! ❤

[@I_am_Lauren]

The panel shapes you have been using lately are so pretty! 2024 is the year of unique shapes canvases!

[@nicolasb.henry294]

On Friday March 22 I was lay off from my "beloved" Tech company....they replace our department by AI. On the other side I am happy to be out of the corporate world and what I´ve learned help me now to develop my artistic business.

[@WildVoltorb]

I can only hope that won't be replaced with ai either

[@SultriAccess]

The way you said "beloved" . lol You knew it was time, time for a change! A chance to develop your own passions.

[@learnershq]

What a wonderful message Kelsey. I'm also a massive believer in the fact that you have to chase your dreams if you have a chance to do it. Sure, it might not "work out" exactly like you had hoped always. But you'll be kicking yourself if you didn't give it a shot. You got this.

[@kreepfaktory1133]

I admire and am so envious of the courage you have to do what you love and make money at it. I want to walk away from my government job and do what you do something creative for a living. I'm turning 50 this year. My job is what is killing me. Do what you do and love every minute.

[@zofiajaneczek184]

I’m close to 50 and in a miserable low paying job with no benefits and no hope of any future with this company. The last job I was in paid OK but it exhausted me physically to where I felt like I could die sometimes. That company went out of business. So I can continue down the path of horrible underpaying jobs until I become too sick to afford care or I can try to move in some other direction. The choice is really yours. Of course, if you have a pension, you might want to hold onto that job. However try to do something for yourself. I never had any support from family despite being creative and never support with going to the art college I wanted years ago. I have lots of regrets and most of them because I’ve done for others and completely neglected myself and my wants and needs! No more of that, unstable economy or not, I still can try to change my life so that I can be happy. You can too! It’s not too late.

[@inthemakingca]

This was awesome Kelsey 🎉 thank you for the encouragement to all of us out here

[@TerraCorvusEntertainment]

Thank you for this wonderful video. It always feels good to hear these kind of things🥰

[@thimganhayden115]

Fantastic painting, Kelsey!

[@kironblackwood3004]

Kelsey, I’ve been following your channel for a little over a month now (thought I was subscribed but saw I wasn’t lol I am now!) and you are killing it! This video in particular came at a great time because I’ve started my journey to become a full time freelance artist not too long ago. The limiting beliefs held me back for years but I’ve made the plunge and will continue to push through. I was made for this and there is a market for my art! All that to say, your videos have been so helpful and inspiring and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you’re doing for the art community!!! Keep going and I look forward to seeing just how much you’ll grow from this!!!

[@TriniRoyQuiReyes]

🎉🎉🎉sister Kelsey, again thank you for sharing this awesome video. It's a reminder to continue with this great pursuit of creating content. As in, thank you again.👍👍👍.

[@neyptune]

This is so true, and thank you for saying that out loud! ☺️ Topursue what we want to do even if that is not art we still have to fight and test out, and fail and eventually getting closer and closer to our goals ❤

[@KTblondie28]

Your videos are so helpful and inspiring! Appreciate you telling your story and encouring other artists ❤️

[@saliuarts]

i like these sort of videos. i cant just put it in the background and listen while I work and still assimilate what you're saying

[@jrpgandchill]

you’ve helped me so much in this chapter. thank you

[@ChantelleArts]

The editing is so satisfying to watch, I love it ☺☺

[@HarshitaEzil]

LOVE this video 💯 This video just made me feel worthy of me being an artist 🎨 Thank you so much for the honesty and encouragement you give to other artists; including me. It has made my day 💯

[@andysdestination8671]

Great painting of yours. Love it 😎😎😎🔥🔥🔥

[@Lisbif]

Thank you for sharing! I just started my KZbin era in my ✨cringe✨ era. Lol your videos have helped me sooo much!

[@joo2596]

It's reassuring to hear about other experiences. I'm trying to get somewhere as an artist. I'm feeling anxious about it and uncertainty/money also scare me. I originally trained as a programmer and sometimes I worry others might question my decision to switch to art with it being seen as less stable. The culture within tech wasn't very good for my mental health and I had difficulties sticking out jobs because of it. In that sense continuing felt like more of a risk than trying something completely different. Art is hard, but it challenges me in a way that builds skills and confidence, which is different to what I was dealing with before. Within programming opportunities to build confidence were taken away from me due to discrimination. I wish I'd done illustration all along, but I know I would have been talked out of it as a kid. I knew others that had been discouraged by career advisors and that factored into my decision at the time.

[@GoldenVulpes]

I took the jump into freelancing as a web and graphic designer, i also an artist last year. My first year kinda sucked but now into my second year im making as much as i did when i was working. It is possible :)

[@zofiajaneczek184]

Congratulations! It’s worth a try because these jobs out here are paying crap! If you can work for yourself, loving what you do, setting your own hours, etc., for the same amount of $ or better than you would at a crap job, you’ve already won! It’s because you’re free of that employer that needs to underpay you to keep you poor and dependent on their terrible terms to work. Working for others is the breadcrumbing lie that employers feed you so you give up on your dreams!

[@inkstructor]

You’re the best!

[@artzpops]

valuable insight..ty

[@jasmindesireeknauer1721]

Very pretty painting ❤

[@ashleyjenna8311]

I needed this! I literally just got lectured by a family member the other day about finding a different career that's more "stable"

[@lauritaerpg]

These artist diaries are really enjoyable to watch/listen to 🌱✨ now that you mention it I realized that we almost nevee take soft skills into consideration and think that only art god tier skills count to make it :'v btw unrelated question but does your arm hurt painting like that? (Asking as a digital artist who's hand and pen are always close to the tablet xD)

[@KelseyRodriguez]

Nope! Holding a long handled brush toward the end helps me keep marks a little looser and has never hurt my arm, helps me avoid getting too close to the painting!

[@omarcorrea4268]

Hermoso trabajo, tu voz, tu lugar de trabajo se nota tan confortable, y en verdad me gustaria ver ese cuadro del gato con la mirada "sospechosa" del fondo, tremenda skill de dibujo, aplausos desde Argentina.

[@lauritaerpg]

Oh and Kelsey I also wanted to ask if for these artist diaries do you plan to talk about how it has been learning art on your own without art school ! I feel most of us who are not formally trained tend to panik more when arting

[@Colordripd2217]

Beautiful Painting! You are so right about finding stable carrers...lol the world is definitely crazy.

[@cameronoday5424]

I totally agree that growth shouldnt feel comfortable. Stress, fear and frustration are a part of the costs to make it in anything. Ive felt this way workin for the man underpaid. Why not choose my own damn path.

[@SultriAccess]

right on!

[@leydarodriguez-candelaria8281]

Good morning!

[@gamerstudios69]

🐈‍⬛️🐾 Your cat is cute af

[@Aesha-td7km]

Hey whats that pallet scraper thing you used at 2:05

[@KelseyRodriguez]

a palette scraper! just a super cheap one

[@kelpums]

❤❤❤

[@HannahMorenDraws]

I know people say "nothing is stable these days" but I'm not sure if that's *entirely* accurate. I used to work as an English teacher in Seoul, I just quit this February. And there are ALWAYS english teaching jobs for native speakers in Korea. At the same time, is there growth to move up in the company? Is there salary growth? By and large, no, it taps out pretty soon at a lower position at a lower salary. But that's kind of the trade off. Stability + hobbies for instability and (constant?)scrabbling. I choose the latter (for now)

[@uncoolcat95]

It really is bad. Where did you get that awesome canvas?

[@KelseyRodriguez]

Custom made for me by www.barawoodshaping.com

[@uncoolcat95]

@@KelseyRodriguez oh neat :D

[@blakearius]

I literally have all the skills. I started with digital composition, I learnt graphic design, typography and print skills, Vector design, Page layout, 3D modelling, rigging and rendering in maya, I learnt actionscript, html and can build websites from scratch, I learnt digital illustration, I learnt sound design and mixing skills making music for 15 years. I've learnt animation for VFX, simluations and characters, I read the disney book, know all the principles but all I've ever done is basic ads and banners. The last few years I learnt coloured pencil drawing, realistic graphite drawing, designed custom Lego mocs and am currently working on miniatures, dioramas. I just can't stick with anything long enough to become an expert, I get almost there and switch tracks every time. I'll soon be the most overqualified person in the world with no money.

[@blakearius]

Well everything except inter-personal marketing skills.. which is probably the only skill that matters.

[@SultriAccess]

That's why we're artists. We're all over the place! We wanna provide art in any capacity.

[@ArtByEmilyHare]

Who said it WAS a stable career?

[@soarpurpose]

You're quite write that other careers aren't stable anymore. I guess from your style of content, you come across like a life/career coach. With bonus of watching some art being done.

[@williammclean6594]

It might not be a career at all in the future. It least with corporate art in the entertainment industry with AI. If you want to make a living as an artist in the future, it will probably have to be you making your own business. Either you making an indie game or selling paintings or doing shows. Because like the more AI is introduced and if there's no regulations it can do a lot of concept art incredibly fast so they won't need to hire as many illustrators or animators

[@MsCristina38]

That’s not true. Video game studios tend to shy away from AI art because it’s too dangerous. The studios don’t want to get sued for copyright infringement. The AI scrapes all images off the internet that are copyrighted. It’s true the AI mixes it up into new concoctions but there is always that risk.

[@williammclean6594]

@@MsCristina38 I already know that they banned using AI in games. As soon as they can use it they will. But for animation there's lots of studios that have adopted it. And alot of entry level positions are being replaced. It's pretty much expected most jobs that use a computer to be replaced by AI. In the future most everything will be automated

[@MsCristina38]

@@williammclean6594 Well I don’t think everything will be taken over by AI. People still like to have oil paintings that show the brushstrokes on their living room wall. How do they use the AI in animation? For the in-between-ing? They can’t use it for background design because then they run into copyright issues again.

[@williammclean6594]

@@MsCristina38 a lot of Netflix shows have already been using it but they have to credit it in the end credits. Mostly for in between and clean up stuff so they don't have to like hire as many people . I'm pretty sure like humans won't work in the future, though. They'll probably introduce something like UBI universal basic income. And it will probably be a future like the Disney movie. Wally where people just do whatever they want with their free time. Once. Robots are good enough. There won't even be any physical labor jobs anymore because it will probably be considered unsafe for humans to work when machines can just do it for cheaper and more safely.

[@MsCristina38]

@@williammclean6594 That sounds kind of good actually. Then I’ll have more time to do my paintings. How about you?