does anyone know what jobs are available for visual artists?

Slim, how about working as a cashier at Walmart?
I asked the same question in 1956, and decided to develop a money-making career. Now that I'm retired, I paint full-time and EAT.
Don't listen to me if your heart is repelled by what I say. But whatever you do for a living continue to do art, when you can. Don't sell your soul, so to speak, for mere money. It's at least as important to make a life as it is to make a living.
Bottom line is that you have to do both, don't you? It would be great if you could do both in the same job. But I'm not even sure that teaching art in a high school or college would be all that rewarding. I don't know.
Good luck
JLN

I recently graduated with a BFA in Studio Art and have been wondering the same thing.

Although I haven't gotten a job and am still working as a cake decorator, there are jobs that seem to vaguely employ my skills (although they are all a bit of a comprimise:)

so far I have found:

studio art director in advertising firm
creative director (film)
Technical drawings (in my case a crane company... Snore)
Marketing/advertising
Layout
There are a lot of jobs for web designers
wall design - professional wall finishing, leaving, murals

Also, you can work in a gallery but most of those jobs are unpaid.

I have seen some people make money selling cheap paintings on e-bay, but lets face it their art is tacky and caters to a specific crowd.


I have found one thing that lets me do my art for money successfully, but it is not steady and takes a lot of self-management and that is freelance jobs. It seems like someone always needs an artist for somthing thats a bit odd. In the last four years (freelance) I have:
made decorative maps
painted murals
illustrated children's books
painted portraits
wedding photography
been commissioned for living room art
drew patent drawings ($$$)

if you do go the freelance route, it is more challenging and creative but you have to be vigilant about charging enough money, and take into account that its not stable and you don't get any benefits. If you decide to do freelance you should probably also have a part-time job. You can, for example, teach school and work freelance during the summer.

You can look for freelance jobs on www.craigslist.com and your school career services should also have a listing.

Not even to murmur about problems about health insurance.

There is a long history of artists of fame who had jobs to sustain them in the daytime. Those were mostly men, not to get bitchy. But all those guys weren't cleaning the house after making dinner.

It seems to me you either make a splash in the newspaper/source annotated world and gradually build a career, or you do other things.

All is not lost, as other things, other learning, enhances art. Some very interesting art has come from economically trapped painters and sculptors.
And from people smart in other careers who approach art with their knowledge.

Re a daily job, that is another question. I was a painter before I became a landscape architect. After many hours a week drawing irrigation plans for housing tracts or, more interesting, coming up with concepts for individual residences, how much energy do you think I have had at 9pm for art?

I think working as a grocery bagger might be just right. I could go home and get into being creative.

triple post

triple post.

Funny you should mention medical insurance...
I've been not getting sick through sheer will-power over the last month. "Oh no, that is -not- pnik eye! Just a little irritation..."


And I would like to openly vote against a bagger/cashiering job. I've learned firsthand that one does not feel like painting after extended physical labor that requires standing for eight hours straight and lifting things -cough- cake decorating -cough-. Maybe a nice secretarial job?

Also, I've just started openly admitting that I prefer guys with money. Nothing like a quick bath in the real world of finances to scare the disney out of ya.

Still, portal, if the hours spent flailing away physically are art involved. it is natural to need a break.

Jobs for artist
I know what exactly what you mean, I am currently working as a receptionist at a hair salon, but to be honest I am beginning to get restless. I wish I can find something that is related to art.

welcome to a2k gfree.

Me, I am no help to you re jobs but perhaps others will have ideas.
what are your own interests for art as an interest and art as a career - I distinguish these as they might be different.