From Art Teaching to Being a Creative Professional in 2022
How I found my path back into creative entrepreneurship and why I am starting an art blog in the covid-pandemic era.
From Art Teacher to Full-Time Creative Professional
Last year, I made the decision to transition from a full-time teacher to a full-time artist. As I made the switch I wasn’t sure what my career would look like in the next year, but I was certain about one thing - that it would involve creative pursuits. The first steps seemed overwhelming as I have always considered myself a planner and a very structured person. When I worked in a school setting, there was always a set schedule, routine, and systems in place for me to follow.
Teaching at school showed me the significance of art as a source of learning, but nevertheless, I had decided to transition, as the artist in me wanted to try making a living by creating my own art. It was a combination of an artist’s pride, and the desire to step out of my own comfort zone.
A Bit About My Story
My name is Eunice Lee, and I’m an Asian American artist currently based in Hong Kong. I was born in California and studied studio arts at the University of Texas at Austin. Growing up, I loved the visual arts, history, and English literature. I felt like I had to choose between the three and ultimately chose to study art during university (specializing in painting). Right after graduation in 2015, I started a company with my business partner Sasha Cheung. We created private art lessons for Kindergarten-Grade 5 students. Eventually, we both made the switch to full-time teaching. I taught secondary visual arts at an international school for a few years and felt truly fulfilled.
As a teacher, I loved building long-term relationships with my students and colleagues. My extroverted nature made me aware of my desire to be around people, specifically aspiring artists and collaborative mentors. The arts and love for serving others have always run side by side in our family. My father studied film production and became a pastor, while my mother loved fashion illustration and became a social worker and teaching assistant. Both are great role models of creatives who humbly serve, and they fully supported me to delve into the arts.
Some letters from dear students, I still keep all the notes and letters they gave me!
Struggles During Transition to Full-Time Creative Professional
In the first few months as I ventured into this new stage in my life, I felt very determined and yet also lost. There are too many choices, too many goals I want to achieve, and strong pressure to succeed. I started developing my social media presence and reading more books about art careers. I also took a marathon of online courses. Some were entrepreneurship courses (digital marketing and branding), and others related to artistic techniques.
Every day I would map out monthly goals, weekly schedules, and daily tasks. The number of google sheets and to-do lists piled up. The train to professional development had departed and I was going to stay aboard until I visited every single stop. The contrast between the excitement for possibilities and fear of the unknown resulted in constant frustration. I started overthinking and second-guessing myself, which became a stumbling block to progress. Working in solitude during the covid pandemic did not benefit me either. All the while, my husband, family, and friends continued to support me.
It is so important to understand why you enjoy creativity or art, and what your personal values are.
In the last few months, I decided that the creative career is truly enriching, but that it is crucial for one to discover and know oneself in the process in order to stay focused. It is so important to understand why you enjoy creativity or art, or what your personal values are.
After much reflection, I came to several conclusions. First, I love to create and it is part of my identity. Second, I experience struggles that many creative professionals experience. I am not swimming alone, as there is an ocean full of creatives. Third, I thrive with human interaction (nothing new to those around me). People often become my muse for creating art. When working in solitude, there was a lack of fulfillment– in fact, I felt rather drained. Fourth, I find art valuable because of its ability to communicate, inspire, and bring people together.
Art is about sharing ideas and connecting with others, not just about creating some complex conceptual idea and having no one understand it. Isn’t it sad when you create to express your inner world but find that no one understands nor appreciates it? To some artists, it may not matter, but for most, we truly feel fulfilled when our artwork is appreciated by people who understand our language. My father always told me that art without an audience is quite meaningless, it is meant to be enjoyed with others.
Photo by Tiffany C. at Tiffilmy
Have you ever been discouraged because of the 'starving artist' misconception?
Being a creative professional can feel like a lonely process. It is not a linear path, and often it can feel uncertain. The city that I live in (Hong Kong) is extremely commercial and fast-paced. Many people around me hold the mindset that art is useless, not valuable, and a pursuit that will lead to starvation. This ‘starving artist’ misconception is especially prevalent in Asian society, where certain ‘stable’ careers are held in higher esteem and revered. These mindsets can be damaging and discouraging.
The truth is, there are plenty of creatives working in a variety of fields, but you need to discover what works for your strengths and weaknesses. I still often feel a need to prove to those around me that I did not make a foolish, impractical choice by leaving a job that provided me with a stable income. My choice was not made lightly, but I wondered if others perceived me as self-indulgent or irresponsible. This is a common struggle for creatives.
I eventually transitioned into creative entrepreneurship.
No path is easy, but every successful career takes perseverance and a lot of grit. During my transition out of teaching, I discovered that I did not want to be a traditional full-time painter, but rather a creative entrepreneur. I want to transfer the skills and passion I developed as an art educator and combine it with art content creation. This is why I decided to join hands with my business partner, Sasha Cheung, to create this website for our company Artisanu. I am writing this blog to encourage, educate, and empathize with other creatives. Currently, we have re-launched Artisanu as a business that can support other creatives. Through this website, we want to share our passion for the arts and also document our own growth. This is also the art teacher in us - we find joy in nurturing others' learning. We are excited to build a community and give it our best while pursuing the arts during this season.
What value can we provide to you and fellow creatives through The Artisanu Blog?
Through this blog, we are dedicated to providing valuable in-depth content to help other creatives. We will be covering topics related to artists’ experiences and struggles, tips for creative professionals, and inspirations. If you follow along, you will also be able to access resources designed by us. Of course, we will document our own learning and artwork here too. This will take vulnerability on our part, but we are excited to share so that others can relate. Creativity is what adds depth to culture and communities, so we need to support our creatives!
Whether you are a fellow professional artist, art lover, art educator, art student, aspiring artist, or creative entrepreneur, this blog is written for you! We promise we will try our best to provide you with value. Thanks for joining us here. We hope we continue to inspire the artist in you!
Your fellow creative,
Eunice H. Lee (Co-Founder at Artisanu)