When I was in grad school I supported myself as a botanical artist for a year, and also got paid to illustrate a field guide on tropical trees. I also spend a couple of months in Madagascar working as a botanical artist.
I’ve also been paid from time to time as a writer.
I’ve made money (a small amount of money) acting on a showboat melodrama. I would not embarrass myself by saying I’m a professional, but it was a good feeling to cash in a tiny bit for having a wonderful time.
BubbaDog: Wow, that’s impressive! How did you get those arches?
I had a band back in the punk days, we got paid a small amount for gigs at the Mab and the Chi Chi.
I have sold several paintings; the most for a single one was $300, not much, but to me at the time it was fabulous. I was so broke!
I sold a few pieces of watch-part jewelry I made to a clothing store in Berkeley.
I sold an article about California family law to Associated Content.
Way back when I was involved with the local Dickens Faire, I was in a Victorian Christmas carolling group that got paid to stroll and sing at The Anchorage and places like that. (frou-frou malls) That paid quite well.
I question the “creative” part a bit, but I have been paid to do needlepoint. I got the cost of supplies (twenty dollars), plus thirty or forty more. And I got to keep any unused supplies.
How it happened? Friend talked to my mom, found out my mom cross stitches. Friend asked if we’d cross stitch something for her, we agreed, then when the time came we decided it was actually needlepoint.
A month or so later, I had the project done and handed over.
In the more distant past, I counted cross stitched a bib for my aunt. I got less money for that.
Under similar circumstances, I might agree again. You pay for the supplies, you understand you can’t pay me for my time, but giving me some cash I can spend on supplies for my crafts guiltfree doesn’t hurt. You understand that you get it when I get done with it (and then I focuse significantly on your project because that’s the way I am).
But, frankly, there are plenty of crafty things I’ve done of my own free will that you couldn’t pay me enough to do again.
I’ve sold a single photograph (this one) for $40 for a framed 11x14 print.
I also had a job doing video production for a few years, but that was about as far away from being art as you can get in that industry.
I’m a professional piano player, specifically for the theatre (Broadway, Off-Broadway, national tours, etc…). I also released a CD of original piano pieces, wrote a few film scores (nothing you saw, trust me), and now I’m trying to wrap up the musical I’ve been working on for a while. Only two more songs to go!
I did, once. I’m still trying to get over the stun, although it was more than 20 years ago.
I’ve always loved drawing but, due to some Stupid Adult Interference which would take too long to moan about here, I’m very gun-shy about it; it is very unusual for me to show my drawings. Twice I’ve had someone ask for a drawing because they liked it; one gave me $10 (note that my pay for 10 weeks of work was going to be $350, this was a coworker) for a small drawing of a naked man taking some clothes out of a closet, drawn in the moment of turning around.
The writing I’ve been paid for is technical writing and considered part of my duties, i.e., I’ve never had a job where I was called a “technical writer,” but I’ve been “She Who Writes The Manuals” since I was in grad school.
I’ve had some luck as a photographer. I shot a friend’s wedding, and I’ve sold four photos to the Washington State Tourism website.
Well, when I was in 6th grade, I and some other kids got paid $100 each to sing a jingle for Long’s Department Store, whatever the hell that is/was. The only part I remember goes, “Merry Christmas to you from Looooongs!” Apparently it was for a TV ad.
Musician – composer and performer. It’s how I make my living. Well, that plus teaching.
I build stuff made from Lego as a hobby, and I’ve put pictures and videos of them online. At some point, somebody mailed me they wanted to buy one of my remote controlled vehicles (youtube link). I mailed him back, saying that there are a lot of rare and expensive parts in it, and that I’d grown quite attached to it. So I wouldn’t part with it for less than €500. His next mail pretty much amounted to: “Not a problem, when can you ship it?”
I make and sell jewellery - and, somewhat surprisingly to me, it does sell! Slowly, I’m not making a living off it, but people still give me money in exchange for my work, which is awesome. (My normal line of work is admin work, so this is a big change for me, and quite a recent one; please forgive the excited babbling…)
I’ve sold plenty of my writing, but since it’s all non-fiction (lots of gardening how-to, I’ve been doing a series on higher ed for a local newspaper, etc.) I really don’t consider it “art.”
I’m a very lucky bastard. Professional singer since 1982. I’ve had my ups and downs, but ‘singing’ (opera, musical theatre, concert, cabaret, recording, choral ‘ringer’, opera chorus, busking, with occasional teaching voice privately, occasional teaching guitar privately, the odd bit of voice over…) is my primary source of income. The last time I had a ‘Joe Job’ on the side was in 1990. (Hawking souvenir programs at the Elgin Theatre, for those interested.)
I’ve even been paid to play guitar on a few occasions; it helps justify buying all those instruments.
Couldn’t have done it without the support of my family - primarily moral support, but occasionally financial. Basically, I’ve been [del]stupid enough[/del] lucky enough to be able to put the focus on doing what I love and think about the income second.
I’ve been a professional artist for the last decade, making my sole income on art. Most of that income comes from technical illustrations for the goverment - I draw the parts and pieces of various military hardware and they go into manuals to show how to repair them. It’s not the most creative work, but it definitely requires a strong understanding of art and isometric perspective. Outside of that, I worked for about a year designing direct mail advertisements, and have sold numerous freelance projects, from web designs and business logos to tattoo designs.
HELL yes it counts. Just because you work to a brief, doesn’t mean it isn’t creative. ‘Art’ doesn’t only happen in some starving painter’s garret. In fact if you make a good living out of it, then I would regard you as a very successful artist.
I’ve been a graphic designer for 20 years and regard my work as far more creative than a bunch of so called art that’s peddled by amateurs in low rent galleries.
In fact, I no longer paint ‘for fun’ as my job has taken a lot of the joy out of being creative for arts sake. I hope to change that one day.
I’ve sold lots of stuff that I have made at craft shows – fabric snowmen, beaded Christmas ornaments, painted ornaments, etc. – I don’t know if I’d consider any of it art. However, I am quite proud of my pysanky and have sold a few of them.
Here’s hoping that the link works.
I also do some pottery and have sold many bowls through the local Empty Bowls event where all the money goes to the local food bank. I don’t think that I’ve sold any pottery otherwise, but I did give a few pieces as gifts to coworkers and they were stolen. 
I play music for a living. Teaching, also.
Holy Toledo, Wordman! Where are you that clubs pay that much? :eek:
Around here (Northern CA), you’re lucky to get $300! A private event or corporate gig, sure, but a nightclub?
I’m not sure writing voice-over for video games counts as ‘art’, but I’ve been paid for it.
Back in the mid 90’s, I was a stage actor, and while I didn’t get paid -much-, I did get paid.
I’ve sold painted miniaturesat conventions as well as at game stores and do commissions for my friends. Never a living, but occassionally it helps to buy the next load of stuff.
