Interview with Cheryl Jones Evans

Here is a short interview that Cheryl Jones Evans was nice enough to give us. She will be teaching the class "Art: Making a Living and a Life" on Feb. 23rd. from 9am to 4pm.


1. What is the hardest part about making art your career?

"The hardest part about making art your career is the courage and self confidence to begin! Most of us already have the talent and the intelligence to have a wonderful creative life; we just need to get started."

2. What suggestions do you have for artists that are trying to turn their art into their career?

"Relax, enjoy and take it one step at a time. It truly takes more energy and effort to NOT lead your creative lifestyle. With your artistic passion and a simple plan a creative lifestyle becomes easy, profitable and rewarding."

3. What type of problems might people run into when first starting out?

"The most frequent problem is giving up. A creative lifestyle is different from typical jobs, there will be times of rapid growth, but it is also perfectly normal to have stagnant times, too. The slow times are a normal part of a creative lifestyle, not failure."

4. Does one have to know a lot about business to make a career out of their art?

"An art business, like all other businesses has to keep financial records. (The federal and state governments require it.) Maintaining a simple accounting plan will keep your business chores to a minimum."

5. How can an artist maintain their own style and still be successful?

"Only your style can bring you creative success! Anything else is just another JOB."

6. You mention marketing as a topic in your February class, is it difficult for an artist to do all of their own marketing even if they have no marketing experience?

"Absolutely not! Your passion for your work makes you, your most effect marketer. Slick marketing
campaigns will never overcome the true excitement and creative passion that only the artist can have."

7. How long have you been making a living with your art?

"I have been an artist all of my life, but I began making a creative living in 1994."

8. You are the owner of Studio e, do you feel that owning a business takes you away from your art?

"Studio e is just a name and a place, my art is the business! Most of us have bought into the “artists are lousy business people” myth. There are abundant examples of artists with great business skills! We just do not focus on them."