How to Quit Your Job and Pursue Art Full-Time
You might not want to hear it, but, don't quit just yet!
Meet Cherri, once a full-time employee, now an illustrator, watercolour artist and full-time business owner chasing her dreams.
I asked Cherri how she began as an artist and what it took for her to get her to where she is today.
If you're looking for advice or want to know where to start so that you too can follow your heart as an artist, check out our conversation and key takeaways below:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself
Hello! I go by the alias Cherri online.
I’m primarily a traditional artist who works with watercolor, but started dabbling in creating stationery designs on the sidelines!
I’m originally from Melbourne but now based in Brisbane due to my partner’s work. We also have 4 cats… Kyo, Sox, Ollie and Jiji. We’ve accidentally become crazy cat people.
2. Tell us about Cherry Rabbit by Cherriuki and why you started it.
I started the brand Cherry Rabbit because of my obsession with sticker sheets and stationery!
It was always a dream of mine to create my own range of stationery and cute mascots like Sanrio and Rilakkuma.
3. Where did your journey as an artist begin and how did you get to where you are now?
Art had always been a great passion as a kid, from the moment I picked up the very first manga book at the school library.
I fell in love, and I wanted nothing more than to be able to draw like those artists.
I suppose the journey really started when I began to upload my artwork onto deviantART almost 20 years ago. (I’ll… let you guess my age).
I started selling art at my first convention around 2010. It was such a surreal experience.
Gradually throughout the following years, I branched out into doing more events all around Australia including some international ones as well!
Social media has definitely played a huge role in my journey. Without the support from the online community, I don't think I would be here today as an artist.
Can you please dive a bit deeper into what motivated you to become a full time artist?
I had always looked up to artists who were able to make a living off their art but always thought it felt impossible.
It wasn’t until 2017 that I fully quit my retail job to pursue art full time. But the first few years were a bit terrifying! I had to learn to be my own boss and essentially learn to run my own business without a clue in the world.
As cheesy as it is to say this, being an artist was my dream for so long and it feels surreal to think that I'm able to do that. It took me a while to be able to give myself the title of being an “artist”. I definitely felt imposter syndrome.
Do you have any advice for those who’d like to follow a similar path?
My advice is to fellow aspiring artists - keep a full time job while pursuing art as a hobby. Use your free time to build up your social media presence and online portfolio.
It’s important to have dreams but it’s also important to make sure you’re able to live comfortably.
As an artist, your income fluctuates a lot, but once you’ve established methods of earning income, then of course, go for it!
I’m all about chasing your dreams 🙂
4. Can you please tell us a bit about Cherry Rabbit and Cherriuki and why you decided to separate the two?
I wanted to separate the two because of a difference in style.
I spent a long time feeling conflicted with posting my “Cherry Rabbit” style artwork on my main account, and felt like it doesn’t match the aesthetic I was going for.
Life was a lot easier once I decided to just create a separate account. I felt a lot more freedom to dabble in the cutesy style!
5. Who is mushroom girl and how did she come to life?
She started off as a random doodle in my notebook. I thought it would be cute to add mushrooms on her head. And then add a rabbit friend so that she wasn’t lonely.
Then I just made her become my mascot. 😂 (I wish I had a better explanation, but it’s just random.)
She has Rabbit and Cat as her trusty little sidekicks! I still haven’t given them any names though… I guess they’re just Rabbit and Cat for now.
6. What do you find the most challenging aspect of being an artist?
I find that sometimes I struggle to come up with new concepts and ideas for illustrations & merchandise designs. Or that it just didn't translate well from idea to execution. Pretty frustrating when that happens!
7. What is the most rewarding part of being an artist?
People buying my artwork and merchandise is such a joyous feeling I can’t describe.
It always makes me so happy to hear that they enjoy my artwork and they want to hang it on their wall. I’m always feeling like I don’t deserve to be there 😭 I also love seeing people use my stickers in their planners and journals.
8. What is one question people tend to ask you a lot as an artist and what do you tell them?
Probably what materials I use and where I get my stuff printed. I usually give them a few recommendations of places I’ve used before.
9. From looking at your instagram, it’s obvious that you’ve attended many markets and have heaps of experience showing your work to the public. What advice do you have for those who want to sell their art at markets?
My advice is to start selling online first and see how well you go. There are less costs to selling online vs at a convention, so the risks are much lower.
There's so many resources online now to help you start out your market adventures.
Also... don't order too much stock when you start out. Start small and test the waters. I still have some products I made 10 years ago that I ordered way too much of and didn't even like them.
Looking back at my first convention in 2010, my art has come a long way. 😂
10. Do you have any cats? If so, please tell us all about them and send us some photos!
I have 4! Kyo, Sox, Ollie and Jiji.
Kyo is a ginger boy, and he’s now 9 years old. He’ll eat so fast that he’ll vomit it out straight after. I wanted a ginger cat so badly that I eventually found him on Gumtree online. My parents drove me an hour to go pick him up 😂
Sox is our grey and white baby. She’s 6 years old and clingy when she chooses to be, she even loves to sleep in our arms.
She’s so sweet (when she wants to be) My partner found her inside a wall at work
Ollie is our cream cat and he’s 5 years old, and scared of everything 😂. My partner found him on the street and took him home.
He loves Sox and no one else. We can’t look at him when he eats because he gets scared. (I can’t tell if he even likes us)
Jiji is our newest addition, he’s the most social cat we have (he acts like a dog sometimes).
He’s a fluffy black boy who will eat everything in sight, including his siblings' share of food. He is…a proud chonky boy.
Key Takeaways
- Cherri's journey began with a deep passion for art, fuelled by childhood inspirations like manga books. Her dream was always to become a professional artist. It's passion and a reason why that will keep you motivated while facing the toughest moments when chasing your dreams.
- Building a strong online presence is crucial before transitioning to full-time art. Set yourself up for success by using your free time to develop a portfolio and engage with the online art community.
- Maintaining a full-time job while pursuing art as a hobby can provide financial stability. Ensure you're ready before making any risky moves.
- Even after becoming a full-time artist, feelings of imposter syndrome can arise. Believe that you are capable and you are enough.
- Transitioning to full-time art requires learning to be your own boss and manage a business. Expect the challenges that come with running a business and embrace the wisdom they will teach.
- Cherri ordered too much stock too early. Start small and consider selling online rather investing your resources in stocking up for conventions before you are ready.
- Over time, Cherri's art evolved, reflecting her growth as an artist. Practice religiously and don't be afraid to show off your work!
Check out Cherry Rabbit's cat inspired illustrations here.