how do you supplement your income

[steponmebbbboom]

I thought this would be an interesting thread. I myself certainly couldnt make a living through my art, and I think anyone that can is privileged, but I wonder how many of you do actually have another career to pay the bills and what it is you do.

I work as a mechanic on aerial lift equipment and construction machinery, and use my skills regularly in my artmaking. Sometimes I can bring a piece in to work and spend time on it off the clock but really I need a studio for most of the stuff. I should be moved in by mid-month. I will have pictures by the end of the month, for another thread..

[Julianna]

I've actually been wondering the same thing myself!

Right now, I'm essentially doing data entry at an insurance company. It pays the bills, and if I can start to be more careful about my expenses, I'll be able to save some money for "a rainy day". I work a 7am-3pm shift, and still have enough hours in the day to go to my studio and not be worried about getting mugged/etc/etc when I leave it. And after eight hours working alongside so many women in that kind of environment, my mind is absolutely starved for an artistic outlet ;)

...And at this point in my artistic career, after all of the investments I put into art stuff, plus what I make from selling sculptures, stil I can't say that my art is supplementing my income from the day job!

[sculptor]

Hi Dave, your website's offline
as/re income----------what's that?

but, seriously:
In the past 5 years perhaps 80-90% of my income is from art.
But still:
I design and build things, chairs, benches, dressers, houses, landscapes, kind of whatever comes my way----work is work, and I like the problem solving aspects of any task, and bringing it to fruition has it's own rewards, and then there is the $.
I'd prefer to sell art and accept sculpting commissions, and will default to them even if it means making less of a wage, but, when I'm involved, I see little difference between creating sculptures for commissions or pure "art", and building houses or furniture or designing a landscape that favors nature and invites folks to wander. When I'm involved in the task(any task), I am totally, balls to the wall, involved and that's where I'm happiest. The old skill sets are maybe a tad easier than art and require less pacing and pondering.
In an average year, I'll spend 2000-3000 hrs on sculpting and the business of art, and maybe another 500 on designing and/or building--and maybe another 1000 working on my own house and studio---my normal workday is 12-14 hrs with a few coffee breaks, and a food break.

As an example of the "non art" work, here is a pix of one of a pair of red oak benches which I designed and built for the Iowa dance studio-------the arched back pieces are fit into the verticles with sliding dovetails and mortice and tenon joints to recapture some strength given up by chosing to make it as a visual composite of chairs, with the bench platform long enough for a nap at 6ft, and the arms large enough to balance a portable computer. The bench platform is carried on a pair of oak (2 1/2 x 3)s which are tenoned into the legs. Some of the design elements were inspired by the work of Tage Frid.
O.K. , so it's just a bench whereon may rest some dancers butts, and tolerates their farts. It cradels the balarena's bleeding feet, and offers a respit for the giggling wiggling chats, and accepts use without respect. But i liked building it and am not displeased. go figgure.

yours
rod(sculptor (http://sculpture.alturl.com))

[steponmebbbboom]

Yeah, I'm afraid my studio's website has been dormant for a couple months now, and so is their phone number. But we meet for a walk thru today at 6 pm, and theyre dividing the space on Wednesday. I picked out a pretty spot in the building.

I don't know how I'm going to afford the rent though, if I don't sell some more of my work.

[obseq]

Great thread idea, Stepon...

For now, I am assisting a local artist in new media applications for installations and am in the process of searching for a second job. Unfortunately, I can only continue my work when I have the money to do so--This is not one of those times... :mad:

I have to say that sculptors have it hard--Producing our work is far from affordable!

After the pleasure of completing a work then we must worry about storage and when applicable, freight costs.






It *is* worth it though! ;)

[Araich]

I used to make museum stands for antiques and 'primitive' artifacts, small fabricating and repair jobs. Then a stint as an assistant to a senior sculptor, which let me work 50/50 on my work and his, in his workshop.
Income wise, I have been full-time with sculpture for around 2 years. It is a struggle, with periods of near zero income. But I reason that to make the transition into mid-career/established artist, it is harder to have your time and attention split, than it is to eat cereal for dinner.

[anne (bxl)]

it is harder to have your time and attention split, than it is to eat cereal for dinner.
well said, bob.
after a first carreer as an architect, I sell my (nice) house and bought a (small) studio -to work and live- and an appartment. appartement renting is how I supplement my income. And I am happier eating cereal for dinner than having rich business lunches.

[steponmebbbboom]

I guess I'll have to wait until I get a mortgage paid off then... Right now I'm not even mortgaged yet and my assets are worth less than ten grand. But Id rather be doing what I'm doing than playing it safe and socking money in the bank while my hands lay idle.

[jwebb]

I "supplement my income" by occasionally selling a sculpture. Seriously. I've worked full time in a large Investment Casting house for 30 years, starting as a foundryman in 1973, while finishing up a BA in Fine Arts. With three sons to raise, I found I made more, and certainly more predictable, income doing that than any teaching or more Art related gig I could find, though I tried several. Basically I've never been able to afford to quit. Over the years I rose through technical to management positions, and then descended back down the curve to currently being a Process Engineer, looking to retire in about a year and a half. I've always made sculpture "part time", which to some people is synonymous with being a dilettante. That's not true, of course. In some ways, I think taking this road allowed me more real freedom to do my "own" work than trying to survive solely in the Art Market would have done. But it is not a road I'd recommend to anybody, either. There are many roads to the kingdom, and in the end the only race is with yourself.

[warren01]

I have a very easy day job being a service engineer. The job involves the service issues/concerns with automatic transmissions/transaxles for current and furture models for one of the big three. Now working up to 2008 model year transmissons. Though, working on future years always messys up knowing what year it is. When trying to write a check I always have to ask what year it is.
The day job gives me plenty of time to shop around for supplies and tools. Also lets me cruise the web to search information on the projects I am working on. Furthermore lets me learn from the experts out there on the forums.
I spend about 35 hours a week out working in the shop when I have commissions to do. Kind of burning the candles at both ends and gets pretty tiring. Loose the social life too because not time to do anything else. Spend the vacations and holidays from the day job doing my art work.
Looking to retire in a couple of years. Now investing heavily in 401K so I have something to fall back on in case I can not make enough from my art work. Money I make from the sculptures now goes back ito buying tools.
I would leave the day job if it wasn't for the benies, just got to have that health insurance.

Warren Townsend
http://www.geocities.com/copper1002000/photos.html
Trenton, MI 48183