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Davis asks: "What would you say to someone who’s wondering whether to choose art as a career?"

First off, do you really love making art? Because you'll need to love it so much that you enjoy doing it day in and day out. You'll have to do high quality work even when you're bored or don't want to show up. 

People tell you to work hard, but what does that mean? Art doesn’t even seem like work if you really love doing it. I think what they mean is that you have to totally dedicate yourself to it, commit to it, follow the step-by-step process that results in your best stuff. If want an art career, you’ll need to be determined, patient, resourceful, and flexible. You'll need to be able to deliver a quality job every time. There will be time for wild experiments and crazy gambles, but first get your baseline working.

Creating a career in art means figuring out the intersection between: 1) What you like to make, 2) What you're really good at, and 3) What people want to buy.

If you're shifting from a spare-time artist to a full-time professional artist, you'll obviously have to develop your foundational drawing and painting skills. Commit totally to becoming the best artist you can be.  You can't do that only by reading books or watching videos. 

And you have to figure out how to do a lot of different things. You'll have to do more than just draw and paint, including videography, framing, graphic design, bookkeeping, web design, and photography. 

Self employed artists need to be part business person. Doing business means negotiating contracts, selling merch, writing invoices, advertising your work, and updating your website. In the age of computers, all that has changed, and really, it's gotten a lot easier. Keep in mind that in the age of social media, business can be creative, too. And there's no clear dividing line between doing art and doing business.       

Now I have to switch to my Dad Voice. Keep in mind that no one is going to hand you a career. However, you might get handed an opportunity. When that happens, pounce! Do the best you can with it. If you work for a client or a boss or a patron, be sure to deliver on time and on budget, communicate clearly, and be pleasant to work with. Don't bother looking for job security because there's no secure job in the art business. Things will change for all of us, whatever careers we choose. You'll have to reinvent your career a few times throughout your working life.

Society keeps telling us that people don't need art as much as they need food and shelter, but I think people do on a very deep level. If you can make a successful career in art, it's probably because the world is hungry for your unique vision, and I wish you the best if you choose to take that path.