I Seriously Just Quit My Job!!!
Why!?!? Because life is short, and I have a dream. For years now, I have wanted to be able to make a living as an artist. ( In art school they never told us that this may be an issue...) Since 2006 I have been committed to the pursuit of this dream. I have had some wonderful experiences and successes during that time. I have owned an amazing art gallery...
( The economic downturn, however, was too much to keep it going.)
Sold my work at artist shanties...
And last summer made enough money to survive by selling hand painted souvenir-type things to tourists on Cape Cod...
I called my little venture "CAPE NATIVE"
( I am a Native Cape Codder.)
I painted Nautical Signal Flags on small canvasses. People could spell their kids names, their last names, their monograms... Or whatever. I had one Irish gentleman that decided to decorate his house in swear words, and loved these because he thought no one would know. ( Don't tell him that I told you...)
I made more money doing the latter than I did at my real job! Unfortunately, I was still just barely surviving. If I had had more time to create, I would have been able to sell more. I was pretty much SOLD OUT of product by noon each day that I was able to go out and sell. If I had been able to create and or sell more on the days that I had been "working" I could have prospered. This past winter I took my spare time and created more product. The whole act of creating actually leads to more Ideas. Apparently, creativity creates creativity.
( Kind of like rabbits...)
I came up with an idea for a product that I can create very quickly, and has a very high profit margin. The only drawback is that in doing this there is also this scary, awful thing called overhead. I would need capital to acquire the proper tools to be able to make this a profitable business. If I can get thus business up and running in time for summer. I will have a product that will both make me a decent yearly income, and allow me time to paint ARTWORK through out the off-season rather than crafts.( Below is one of my paintings. you could get a hand-signed and numbered print if you choose to help!)
Why $5000.00 ?
I need to purchase a stock of canvas bags in several size and color choices. I need to purchase the embroidered signal flag patches in large enough quantity to be ready for any order at all times so that I can produce them on demand right there in front of the customer. ( I may get 15 people or more with the same letters in there monograms in any given day.) I also need some basic equipment to produce and sell the bags; the obligatory 10' x 10' white tent (many sales require this, and it gives my the ability to sell in any weather), a butane powered iron ( to be able to work from locations without a power supply), two heavy duty sowing awls (strong enough to sew through canvas and patches ) One other expense are the fees that the shows charge to be a part of them. These fees are due before the selling season starts.
If you have taken the time to read this far, I really appreciate it! Here is a photo of the product. Its is a beach bag or pocket book, depending on size, with a signal flag monogram.
This one says "ACL" that's my Mom!
You can read about my progress at:
MakingaLivingasanArtist.blogger.com
This is actually my campaign on
At least check it out...
Maybe, if you'd like, you could
share it with your friends.
That'd be cool!
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