Hungry doesn't have to mean Starving

When I graduated high school and decided to go to college for art, I was scared I would end up like the stereotypical “starving artist.” Along the way, I learned that this is a myth. If you look around right now, everything you see was created by an artist first. Whether it’s your pizza box, the candy wrapper on the floor, or your nice plasma TV, an artist conceptualized it. That means there will always be a job market for artists. Some roles may not be as high-paying as others, but that’s true for any field.

What worried me most was that I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I wanted to own my own art business, but I didn’t have a niche or the means to finance it. At times, I felt like I was becoming that “starving artist” stereotype. Still, I never regretted my degree. I loved choosing graphic design as my major. To succeed as a graphic designer, you need knowledge of key software (mainly Adobe), an understanding of color theory, and a strong portfolio. I took out loans during school to get the tools I use today. Once I graduated, money wasn’t as much of an issue because I already had what I needed. I started exploring different areas of graphic design and realized I enjoyed the graphic art side the most, and that became my niche.

My biggest challenge—and something I’ve seen with many designers and art students—is finding the motivation to start without being told to. I had to push myself to leave a job where I was making decent money because I knew I would stay longer than I wanted if I didn’t. Sometimes you have to leave something good to get something better. I felt like I had to make my business work because I didn’t want to fall back on anything else. I won’t lie—it was scary, but it was also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It showed me that if I want something badly enough and I’m serious about it, I’ll work for it.

I learned that I have to work for what I want. And just because I’m working hard doesn’t mean I’m starving—it means I’m hungry for more, and for what’s ahead.