The Top 6 Blocks That Keep Artists From Making Money
When I started out as an artist trying to sell my work, I took on EVERY role that a normal business has: the CEO, the CFO, and the COO, R&D department, HR, marketing, sales, copy editor—and yes, maintenance and janitorial services. Yup, all me. And I've never been that alllllll that good at the janitorial role, FYI.
Deciding to "go pro" as a creative is a big decision. Newsflash, cupcake, if you want to sell your art, you are choosing the professional route, even if you haven't sold much work yet. So don't let imposter syndrome tell you that you're not ready, that you don't deserve a place at the table, or that the market is already too saturated.
If you are wondering if you have what it takes to be a professional artist, you do. Not because you somehow magically have the necessary skills, but because you are fully capable of learning what you need to do to be successful.
You just need to put as much creativity into designing your business as you put into designing your art.
Your business won’t build itself, but it doesn’t have to be a horrible process!
There is a myth that artists aren’t wired or skilled to be smart about money or business matters, like our poor adorable butterfly brains can’t possibly handle the strain of balancing a checkbook or saving a receipt. Some important ingredient was left out, and now we just have to float around making art and being broke.
But here’s the thing: If you’ve ever said “I’m bad with money,” or, “I don't understand marketing and business,” I urge you to reconsider that sentiment. If you want to attract abundance, you’ll need to define yourself in positive terms. For example, I’m bad with small engine repair, inept at speaking Mandarin, and I would be completely worthless at brain surgery, but that’s because I’ve never studied how to do those things.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, being a professional artist is one of the most psychological complex and vulnerable careers on the planet, and it's not for the faint of heart. But artists, far from being incapable of creative thought and brilliant ideas that can push their business forward, are wired for creativity. And they can apply this creativity to their business.
Why Most Artists Struggle With Sales
I heard an art coach say the following: "Artists who say they shouldn't have to do marketing to promote their work are entitled."
It was a confrontational opinion, but I get his point. Everyone who created anything, ever, has to tell people about it if they want it to impact the world in any measurable way. Yes, there are some galleries that can do that effectively for some artists, but guess what? In order to even get IN a gallery, you will need to market yourself.
Saying, “I should be able to just make the art,” is like saying, “I should be able to plant a garden and never water it.” Or maybe: “I should be able to open a store but never unlock the front door.”
The art might be excellent. The ideas might be world-changing. But if no one knows about it, it remains hidden. Marketing isn’t a betrayal of the creative process—it’s part of it. It’s how your work reaches the people it’s meant to reach.
You may have heard that quote from the old Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.” I love this quote, and I think it's helpful here—but I would like to add an addendum: “If you build it, and tell them about it, over and over and over again, they will come.”
This is one of the core concepts we cover in ARC (Art Revenue Coaching), a monthly membership where I help artists like you get real results in building a sustainable art business. I’ve seen firsthand how artists gain traction and confidence when they finally stop waiting to be discovered and start showing up like professionals.
There’s nothing passive about making a living as a creative. You already know that, because you know what it means to work hard as a creator. And you know that the work is fulfilling and satisfying. Becoming a self-sustaining creator is an incredible quality of life, and it’s very achievable.
What Is an Artrepreneur?
This is why becoming a creative entrepreneur—or “artrepreneur”—is a mindset you must embody.
There’s a key difference between the regular old entrepreneur and the very special class of artrepreneur.
An entrepreneur is someone who operates a business by listening to the market and supplying a product that answers a need. It’s not personal. It could be a widget, a gadget, a trend, a fad. It might be mass-produced, drop-shipped, and robotic.
But an artist listens to her heart. She creates a thing that’s intensely personal. In fact, it’s her unique individuality that makes the work so good.
So it presents a bit of a paradox. The artist entrepreneur must simultaneously look inward and outward. The artist must be true to herself—vulnerable and raw, internally dedicated, willing to take risks for personal expression… and at the same time be a crafty businessperson, coldly assessing the market, and willingly respond to feedback that comes in the form of attention and commerce.
The Six Biggest Roadblocks for Artist Entrepreneurs
1. Being Too Influenced by Others
If you focus your creativity only on what other people are doing, your artwork becomes derivative, weak, and generic. Copying and plagiarism become a big hazard. If you ONLY listen to the gurus who tell you how to find a path to success, you will become confused, overwhelmed and frazzled.
Solution: Come back to your heart. Listen. Allow time and space to generate personal expression. Bring your true self to the market. It's good to get feedback, training, and critique, but always know that you're the only person who is going to make the decisions, and live with the consequences. It's good to listen to people who are further on in the journey (ahem, someone like me perhaps), but I can only suggest possible paths that might work for you... But there are A LOT of paths, and many could be successful.
2. Being Too Sensitive to Rejection
Some artists let the market break their heart. When a few projects fall flat, they let disappointment put out their creative fire and just give up. An Instagram post bombs. A exhibition gets a bad review. A demanding art fair doesn't yield enough sales. Remember what I said earlier about the artist path being extremely vulnerable? THIS is what I'm talking about.
Solution: Know that the stuff that happens in your journey is not personal. Though your work is an intimate glimpse into your inner world, the market is a machine and it’s not personally insulting you. It can feel tender, but learn to create a distinction between what you make and who you are.
At a different point in my career, I was actively trying to get exhibitions, sales, grants, and gallery representation. I had about a 10% success rate, but means I was rejected 9 out of 10 times. A LOT. But what became great about this is that I got desensitized to rejection. I didn't care any more. It was just a numbers game. I knew I would get 10% of the shots I took, so I just TOOK MORE SHOTS.
3. Refusing to Adapt
Some artists are so attached to their creative vision that they won’t adapt, even when the market gives clear feedback. I once knew an artist who spent months on large oil paintings. They were beautiful, but they were priced at several thousand dollars, and he couldn’t sell them. I kept encouraging him to build momentum with smaller, more affordable pieces, but he felt that would be “selling out.”
Solution: Take a close look at your goals. If your dream is to make a living with your creative work, a truce with the market must be made. You don’t have to give up your vision—but you do need a strategy. I myself have passion projects that don't net me any income, but I do them anyway because of my mental health. However, I know what sells and I don't neglect that. I know what seems to hit with my audience, and I give them what they want. I do this because I want to buy groceries and because I want to pay my mortgage. For some people, this required adaption is not in their skill set, and those people would probably be better served to work an unrelated job and make art for their personal fulfillment. But for me, I'd rather occasionally do things in my own business that I don't wildly love rather than working for someone else.
4. Getting Stuck in a Single Expression
Sometimes you finally land on something people like to buy—yay! But then you neglect to move forward artistically. I’ve seen artists find financial success and then feel trapped. The vision becomes a commodity and starts to feel like just another job.
Solution: If this happens to you—congrats! It means you've developed something that builds your artist identity and collector base. One option is to compartmentalize your “money” work from your “passion” work (which I frequently do). Create space for R&D (research and development) in your practice and create space for R&D in your marketing. You can also scale your offerings—create prints, hire a studio assistant, or introduce new product lines so you can keep momentum while still taking creative risks.
5. Going It Alone for Too Long
Many artists try to build a business without community, mentorship, or feedback. That path is slower, lonelier, and more prone to burnout.
Solution: Surround yourself with others who understand your journey. Join a group, hire a coach, or participate in workshops. ARC exists for exactly this reason—to give artists a place to learn and grow in community, with expert guidance and tangible steps forward.
6. Avoiding the “Money” Side of Art
Some artists resist the money stuff. Pricing, marketing, bookkeeping, negotiating—ick. But treating your creative career like a real business means engaging with these essential activities.
Solution: Start small. Learn to price your work fairly. Send one email. Post consistently. Track your income. These actions are empowering, and over time they build real momentum.
The Beauty of the Artist’s Life
As you’ve learned in this lesson, being an artrepreneur is a special calling that takes a unique personality. I know you have what it takes. I believe that with the right tools, you can pull all this complexity together to design a beautiful life for yourself.
And that’s what we do in ARC. If you want help building your collector base, developing a personal brand, and selling art with confidence, join us. We have step-by-step trainings, coaching, and a private community of artists doing this work together.
Summary – Key Takeaways for Artrepreneurs
Building an art business means taking on many roles—it’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s worth it.
Being an artrepreneur means embracing both personal expression and strategic thinking.
Don’t copy others—your unique voice is your greatest asset.
Rejection isn’t personal—separate your art from your identity.
Adapt to your market and be flexible with how your work is offered.
Don’t let success box you in—plan for growth, change, and risk-taking.
Don’t go it alone—community and coaching are essential for momentum.
Don’t fear the financial side—learning these skills is empowering and necessary.
