Image credit: ARTSTHREAD member Kate Awalt-Conley, graduate 2020 Studio Art from Wesleyan University, at work in her studio

Interested in a career as a visual artist? ARTS THREAD’s career education specialist and digital editor Jacqui Rudd has lots of advice and tips on how to become an artist as part of ARTSTHREAD’s Creative Career Guides Series.

The visual arts is limitless in its potential with various disciplines to be utilised in an artist's practice, including painting, drawing, printmaking, traditional craft skills, design, photography and film. When you become a professional artist you are also starting a business and will work with several stakeholders including galleries, clients and collaborators.

Career Options for Visual Artists

Artist
The majority of professional artists are self-employed and work in studios to create their work and may hire further artists assistants to support them. They sell their artwork independently to private collectors, galleries or museums as well as through their own online shop and pop-up events and can be stocked by independent retailers.

Teacher / Technician
Teaching is another possible career path for artists. Schools, colleges and universities often hire artists to teach classes, or as technicians, and some sculptors may be able to give private lessons. Additionally, some museums and galleries hire textile artists for workshops and demonstrations.

Artist Assistant
You could support more established sculptors with their business, by working as their artist assistant and helping with the creation of their work. This is a great way to develop your skills and understanding of how to shape a career as an artist.

What you need to become an Artist

Although qualifications aren’t essential to starting a career in visual art, and some sculptors can learn their skills on their own, formal education or training can be enormously helpful. Many artists will study degrees in areas such as Fine Art, Painting and Drawing, Digital Art, Art and Science or Interaction Design Art.

Studying art at an undergraduate or postgraduate level might help you hone practical skills, gain career support, network within the industry, and develop your practice. However, further education institutes also provide a variety of suitable courses to develop art skills.

Many forms of creative education, including art, can be achieved alongside part-time work as you develop towards your dream career.

Building a specialist portfolio in Visual Arts

Creating a portfolio is all about showcasing your best work, your skills, the techniques you use and what you can offer potential clients, customers, employers and collaborators. While training and developing your skills you will also create your own style as a weaver, what techniques you like to utilise and a collection of work will evolve. When you’re putting together a portfolio of your work, consider the context and purpose first.

Portfolio for Applications – for residencies or postgraduate study
Through your pieces and portfolio, tell a story of how you developed your collection, your influences and where your work will go next.

Online Portfolio – to sell pieces of work or attract commissions
Highlight pieces that showcase your best work, skills you are developing and what you can offer to customers and clients. This can be displayed on your own website or through an ARTSTHREAD member free profile.

Build a portfolio of work from:

• Projects you complete over your training and qualifications


• Experimenting in the studio and creating work for sale at markets and shops


• Participating in contests, awards and competitions


• Get pictures of your work on exhibition at galleries and trade fairs


• Taking on commissions from clients

Here are some brilliant examples of Visual Artists with ARTSTHREAD members portfolios: Global Design Graduate Show Winners 2020 Kate Awalt-Conley in Fine Art, Sian Fan in Digital Arts & Malin Ida Eriksson in Sculpture/Installation.

For postgraduate applications check out our other guide Preparing Your Portfolio For Postgraduate Application.

Tips for starting a career as an Artist

• Be innovative: Not just in your art practice but also in your potential income streams, consider what additional services you can offer to gain an income to help financially support your practice and lifestyle.


• Work Experience: Either during your degree and/or an internship after you graduate, gaining work experience can be a boost for your CV but also help you understand where you’ll want to take your career and add to your portfolio of work.


• Apply for awards and competitions: Winning or being shortlisted for relevant awards can really support building your brand and is great PR.


• Business training: Learn business, finance and marketing skills to support developing your business and consider additional income streams suited to your skill set.


• Network: This is a skill you have to master and use regularly is essential for finding new private clients, curators and galleries, uplevel your linkedin profile, visit events regularly and join groups within your target career path.


• Experiment: Allow yourself time to experiment with new techniques and materials and stay creative.
  Promote Yourself: Showcase your work online, on social media and include video into your content.


• Set Goals: Your career and development is in your hands, gain clarity on what direction you want to take and set yourself goals and days for reflection on your progress.


• Keep up with the industry: You need to keep your knowledge of the sector high which means visiting exhibitions, reading, upskilling and keeping your eyes open for changes in your industry, this will help inspire new ideas for pitches.

For an insider perspective on a career as an artist check out these interviews with Kate Awalt-Conley, Sian Fan, Malin Ida Eriksson, The Magolide Collective Adilson and Mzoxolo and Textiles Installation Artist Molly Kent