What does it actually take to make art and make a living at the same time? This week, Ekaterina Popova sits down with Mason Currey, author of the beloved Daily Rituals series and his brand new book, Making Art and Making a Living (Celadon Books), a rich, research-driven look at how artists across centuries have funded their creative lives.

From day jobs and patrons to inheritances, government grants, and a few schemes that fall into grayer territory, Mason has compiled the stories so many of us have needed to hear. In this conversation, he and Kat explore why community matters more than most creatives realize, how constraints can actually be an artist's greatest asset, and the practical power of reverse engineering the career you actually want.

If you have ever asked yourself whether you are doing this whole creative life thing right, this episode is your answer. Spoiler: you are in very good company.

In this episode:

Why community and creative scenes have always mattered more than solo genius
How Mason's entire career grew from a blog post he wrote while procrastinating
The surprising truth about artists who got everything they wanted, and still couldn't work
Baudelaire, Whistler, and what history's most dramatic artistic money struggles can teach us about our own
How to reverse engineer the career you want by studying the people who have it
Why constraints, including financial ones, are often where the best work comes from
The power of doing something, even a small, imperfect, DIY version of your vision

Links and resources mentioned:

Making Art and Making a Living by Mason Currey: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250824523/makingartandmakingaliving/

Mason Currey's website and newsletter (Subtle Maneuvers): masonwcurrey.com

Best American Essays series (mentioned by Mason as a career research tool)

Work with Kat + explore Create! Magazine:

Create! Magazine celebrates working artists through features, interviews, and juried open calls. Submit your work, explore available articles, and join the community at createmagazine.co.

Ready to grow your art career with step-by-step guidance? Explore micro courses on marketing, sales, visibility, and more at www.createu.co

Visit www.createmagazine.co and click Programs to learn more.

Private mentorship and coaching with certified master coach, Ekaterina Popova https://espopova.com