Turn Your Art into a Flourishing Career with an Abundance Mindset
In this post, I want to share how an abundance mindset changed my business, and how you can see success in your art business by shifting from a starving artist mentality to a mindset of abundance! In business, we’re often told that success comes from hustle. There’s no denying that hard work is necessary for growing a business, but at the end of the day, hustling can only get you so far. The moment that my business started to take off was when I started to think bigger and cultivate an abundance mindset.
So what does it mean to have an abundance mindset? It means knowing that there is enough success to go around and that no matter where you are on your journey there is always room to grow. It means knowing your worth, believing in the value of your work, and having the courage to seek growth opportunities day after day, year after year. For me, it has meant having an open mind and expanding my view of what I thought it meant to be a professional artist.
The opposite of an abundance mindset is operating out of scarcity. This is where that starving artist mentality comes in. To me, scarcity = fear. Fear that you’re not enough, fear that what you create isn’t worth anything, fear that the art industry is too saturated, fear that there will always be someone better than you so why even try. I don’t know about you, but these thoughts do not feel very empowering! Thinking this way can be enough to crush your dreams before you even get started.
If you’ve ever felt this way, know that you are not alone. I have felt it too, and I know so many artists experience the exact same thing. It’s a totally normal and valid feeling. That said, operating out of a scarcity mindset can really keep you stuck if your goal is to grow your business and share your artwork with the world. But the good news is that little by little, you can start to choose more empowering thoughts and grow your abundance mindset to grow your business.
Over the years, I’ve developed some tools that have helped me move out of the scarcity mindset and into feeling abundant!
Know that there is room for you
One of the biggest fears that holds new artists back is the feeling that the market is too saturated and that there isn’t room for them. I once heard this explained like this: We think that the art industry is one big metaphorical pie, and that any time anyone has success it means that they’re permanently taking away a piece of that pie.
We’re scared that any time we see a successful artist, it means there is one less part of the pie available for us. But the truth is, there is no pie! Or if there is, it’s not going to run out. Everyone can have a slice! Ok, this metaphor is getting a little out of hand. 😅 But the key takeaway is that one person’s success doesn’t mean that you are going to be any less successful. There truly is room for everyone. Your unique voice deserves to be heard, so get out there and grab your slice of the pie!
A great way to shift your perspective on this is that instead of turning to jealousy when you see someone who is doing what you want to do with their art career, celebrate their success! Think of their success as evidence that it’s possible for you too. Another benefit of celebrating other artists and fostering a spirit of community instead of competition is that you will start to form genuine connections with other people in the industry. I’m so grateful for all of the incredible artists who I am friends with. They have taught me, supported me, and encouraged me throughout the years and my art career would not be what it is today without them!
Believe in your work
In order for your dream clients and audience to value your work, you first have to value it yourself. If your internal monologue is full of thoughts like, “Why would anyone pay for this?” or “My work isn’t anything special” chances are, that’s how your potential buyers will feel about it. You are your best asset as an artist and business owner. You can’t wait around for external validation to start believing in your art. You need to believe in it before anyone else does. Your enthusiasm and joy will shine through and potential clients will start to feel that.
I know this can seem easier said than done, but here is a small step you can take to become your own best cheerleader and advocate. Get clear on the value that your work brings. For example, when I was first starting EttaVee I did a deep dive into branding work and asked a lot of questions about what I wanted my audience to feel when they experience my artwork. At the core of it, my mission is to make the world a more colorful place.
I believe in the power of joy, and I want to bring moments of joy to the lives of my audience and collectors with my artwork. Because my work is tied so strongly to my core values, I believe in what I’m putting out into the world!
Think through what this might be for you. Maybe you create serene and calming art pieces. The value you bring is a sense of calm in a chaotic world. No matter your style, your artwork brings value in some way, so do some digging to find out what that is!
When you believe in your work, no matter what criticism you get, you’ll be able to feel in your heart that what you create is intrinsically valuable. The point is not to seek external validation, though that can help you build up your confidence in your work as you go along. Celebrate every small compliment you get on your work big or small. This will help you recognize that others are finding your work valuable as well and will continue to build your belief in your value!
Value your time
I believe that artists should be paid well. Pricing your art and valuing your time can be difficult as an artist since the work is tied so closely to what you love. But just because you create art because you love it, does not mean that you should do it for free.
Even if art isn’t your full-time job (yet!), it can be helpful to think of it as a business. Businesses can’t survive, grow, or impact the people they serve without making money. Remember the previous exercise and the value that your art brings. The finished product of your artwork would not be the valuable piece it is without the time, dedication, and love that went into creating it.
Think Bigger
When you’re first starting out in your art career it can feel like there is only one path to success. But in reality, there are so many ways that artists have grown (and continue to grow!) their businesses.
Look for inspiration outside of the standard path to success in your field. Follow other artists and creators on Instagram and study what they’re doing. In my example, I never expected that I would have loved art education so much! I expected that I would start out selling prints, move into selling original artwork, and then grow into art licensing from there.
It didn’t occur to me that painting murals, teaching painting classes, or sharing business advice would ever be part of my business. But here we are! I am continuing to add new projects and collaborations every year, and I hope that I’ll continue to dream even bigger as the years go on!
Do the things that scare you
A few years ago, I was resistant to expanding my business from fine art and licensing into the education space. One of my friends suggested that I think about running online painting classes. I had considered it in the past, but I was scared about showing up on camera and hosting something live! I’m a total introvert, so the prospect of teaching made me feel nervous.
Instead of letting the nerves shut me down, I know that when I feel nervous about something, it usually means that it’s an opportunity for growth (more on that in this post about overcoming fear!). So I dove into teaching online in 2020 even though I was scared.
It turns out that it has become one of the most rewarding pieces of my business. I would never have expanded into this area if I had stayed in the mindset that there was only one path to success as an artist.
It’s like the quote by Susan Jeffers, “Feel the fear, and do it anyway.” It’s ok to feel fear when trying new things. Feel it, take a deep breath, and take confident action. There is magic waiting for you on the other side!
I hope that this post has helped expand your view of what’s possible as an artist. I feel so grateful to be operating my business from an abundance mindset. I believe it’s the greatest tool that we can have in our toolbox as professional artists!
xo, Jessi
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