Art business: stage two

This rocket is what my little business feels like right now.  Like all rockets, it takes a tremendous amount of thrust (effort) to get things off the ground.  Once you get moving, there comes a point where you have some momentum, but you need to ignite the second stage, like this rocket does at 1:00, 1:19, and 1:40.  That's where I'm at.

All last year, after coming to Winston-Salem with art supplies, about $15, and no place to live, I've been focused on selling my original drawings on a continual basis, and turning my art and writing into a business that will support me.  Like I've said many times before, I'm creating my own job.  At this point, I've done that.  It just doesn't pay very well yet.

After a rough winter, I got to the point where my original Sharpie "scribble style" drawings are selling for a halfway decent amount, and I have orders heading into the next few weeks.  I'm making about $450 to $600 a month at the moment.  But I'm still homeless, living in a tent in the woods.  While I like camping, this is not the way I want to live for much longer.  And I'm pretty sure the neighbors and local authorities aren't too happy with it either.

So, like this pretty amazing rocket in the video clip does at about 3:20, I need to kick off the booster stage and light stage 2.  I've got some momentum, I'm moving in a good direction, but I need to make about $600 to $800 more a month to support myself. For me, that means drawing things I can make copies, art prints, or posters of, and opening an online store to sell my stuff, as well as continuing to sell original drawings.

I got paid for my latest drawing yesterday, a picture of Bob Dylan (sorry, didn't get a photo of it), and I'm working on the last in a series for the couple who ordered that one.  I have about 4 more original drawings lined up, mostly large ones, so that's a month of work.  I'm also doing blogging and soon social media for Rachel at Designs, Vines, and Wines, in a trade for some wall space in her studio/gallery.  So I need to spend a bit less time each day on the original drawings, and more time on creating items for, and actually building my online store.  And, I have to get myself turned into an actual business, gets the books up to date, and handle all the legal responsibilities.

I'd like to shout out all the people who have bought drawings from me over the last couple of years as I got this idea going from a piece of crap old laptop, no money at all, and a bunch of Sharpie markers.  A huge shout out goes to Alma Jo Barrera, Scotty Zabielski, My sister Cheri Durham, and Catherine and Ian Holbrook, who've all bought multiple drawings from me.  Also, huge thanks go to Phred and Jane from Earshot Music in Winston-Salem, and Rachel at Designs, Vines, and Wines for putting my work up walls to get seen, hyping my drawings, and actually helping me sell a bunch of them.  Thanks to all of you!

Hopefully, like the the rocket in the video above, the second stage of this thing of mine will light up and launch fairly smoothly.  And that, FINALLY, will get me a decent place to live and work, soon.  Onward!