Ask Artwork Archive is where we tackle all those “nobody prepared me for this” moments in your art career. We’re here for all of the questions that don’t have a neat answer on Google, or that feel too awkward to ask in your artist Facebook groups. Consider this your safe space for honest conversations about what it really takes to make it in the art world.
This week we’re diving into a letter that probably hits closer to home for more artists than you’d think: the slightly panic-inducing reality of when your art business is actually working … maybe a little too well.
What happens when you’ve outgrown those “How to Make It as an Artist” guides but still don’t quite feel like you’ve got it figured out?
Dear Artwork Archive,
I’ve been a full-time ceramic artist for almost eight years now, and 2024 has been my busiest year yet. This should be great news, right? But, I’m sitting here in my studio at 11 PM, surrounded by receipts and sticky notes, feeling completely overwhelmed as I try to piece together how my business actually performed this year, and how I can keep this momentum going for next year.
I know this is a good problem to have, but between three gallery relationships, my own website sales, four art fairs, and a handful of commissioned pieces, I honestly can’t tell you which efforts were worth my time and energy—and I’m feeling burnt out.
I ship nationwide now, and while I’m grateful for the growth, I’m struggling to remember which galleries or shows brought in my repeat collectors. I was able to bring on a studio assistant this year (a godsend), but she asked me yesterday which price points moved fastest and which pieces sat longest, and I just stared at her blankly.
My imposter syndrome is creeping in. I feel like I’m somehow both successful and flying blind at the same time.
Sure, money came in, but was doing that out-of-state market worth the booth fees and travel costs?
Should I focus more on my sculptural pieces or my functional work in 2025?
I have all these questions but no clear picture of how to make these decisions.
I feel like all I see are posts about “how to get more sales” or “how to break into galleries.” And don’t get me wrong, I remember being there, desperately wanting to make this my full-time gig. But now that I’m here, I almost feel guilty admitting that some days I miss when things were simpler.
Last week, I turned down a potential gallery relationship because I was afraid I couldn’t handle another moving piece. That decision kept me up at night for a good three days. Am I letting fear hold me back? Should I be saying yes to these opportunities? Or, am I just being realistic about my capacity? How do I know the difference?
Sometimes I look around my studio and realize I haven’t touched clay in days because I’m so caught up in paperwork. I know successful artists must have figured this out somehow, but right now I feel like I’m running two full-time jobs—being an artist and being a business owner—and doing neither as well as I could or should be.
