Millennials often strive for their professional work to have meaning and make an impact on others’ lives. Many do this by working a day job to pay the bills and also rock a side hustle to pursue passion projects and meaningful work. In fact, it’s reported that 50% of millennials have a side hustle – or another opportunity to work on what they’re most interested in. Side hustles often give people a chance to dive into whatever it is they care about the most without quitting their primary income stream.
Artists and Creatives are prime examples of people who frequently leverage their side hustles to flex their artistic muscles in a capacity they’re not able to pursue during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Art Zealous interviewed four artists to learn about how they balance their day jobs and passion projects to ultimately create meaningful, original work.
Sidney Howard, Graphic Designer
Art Zealous: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Sidney Howard: I’d live in a small beach town in Southern California. I’d be close enough to LA for when I need inspiration and interaction with creative people but otherwise, I could just work on my art and go to the beach and also be able to escape to the desert when needed as well. Best of all, there would be no seasons, and I could burn all my winter clothes (and by that I mean donate them to charity).
AZ: Best career advice you’ve ever gotten?
SH: I’ve been getting into the law of attraction lately, which is all about attracting the things you want in your life by acting as though you already have them. Whatever energy you give off, you attract more of. If you think your work sucks and you’ll never be a successful artist, that’s exactly what will happen because you won’t be confident enough to show your work and sell yourself. Inversely, if you are excited about the work you’re making and excited to show people, others will see and feel that and will be attracted to that energy like a magnet.
AZ: How do you balance your day job and your art and creative projects on the side?
SH: It’s about forming a habit, and I’m still working on this. I work on my personal work at many different times of the day depending on how I’m feeling and my schedule. Sometimes I draw in the morning before work, on the train, after work, or on the weekend. I try to do sketches and concepts during the week and then during the weekend when I have more time, I’ll further develop and polish my work.
AZ: What is your creative process like when you transition from day job to side hustle?
SH: Switching from my full-time job to my side projects can be difficult. In a way, I am my own client and I can make anything I want, but sometimes that makes it more difficult. With my full-time work, I have more direction and I use multiple styles and mediums. Having these two different worlds helps keep me balanced and always exploring new aspects of my work in different ways.
AZ: What are tips for creatives who want to dedicate more time to their passion projects?
SH: Prioritize! This is advice I have to continue to tell myself. You can make time for personal work, you just have to look at how you are currently spending your time and make necessary changes. Personally, I watch too much TV, so I have to cut back on that to draw more. If you commute to work, use that otherwise empty time to think of ideas for your work or reflect on what you’re making vs. what you want to be creating. Most of all, remember it’s fun and you’re doing it because it makes you happy to create. Whenever you can, set the scene, put your favorite music on, put on that diffuser, have a La Croix and make some art. Make the experience something you look forward to and it will be easy to make it a habit.
Jocelyn Tsaih, Illustrator & Artist
Art Zealous: What’s one item on your bucket list?
Jocelyn Tsaih: I’d love to make large sculptures of my figures someday.
AZ: Best career advice you’ve ever gotten?
JT: This is general advice that I always hear, but hearing it is always a nice reminder: don’t undervalue your work.
AZ: How do you balance your day job and your art and creative projects on the side?
JT: I’ve recently become a full-time freelance artist/illustrator, but I still have to balance my client-based, commercial projects, and my personal side projects. While I’ll prioritize my client projects based on deadlines, I will still dedicate certain parts of my week to working on personal projects. I do enjoy switching back and forth from the two, so I don’t get stuck working on one thing for too long. I make sure that my weekends still exist, so those days are saved for fun weekend activities and occasional self-initiated projects.
AZ: What is your creative process like when you transition from day job to side hustle?
JT: Since it’s easy for the two to blur together, I’ve subconsciously started to create distinct differences for myself between client work and personal work. If I’m doing a lot of digital illustrations for clients, I’ll try to do more hands-on work on my personal time, such as painting. I am a lot looser when I’m working on side projects. I like to allow myself some space to think things over, whereas for client work I usually have a set process that involves brainstorming, note-taking, sketching, etc.
AZ: What are tips for creatives who want to dedicate more time to their passion projects?
JT: Make sure you are having fun when you’re working on your passion projects, because what’s the point if it’s not fun!? You’ll also be willing to spend more time working on something if it’s truly something you enjoy doing instead of something that was initiated for the wrong reasons.
Sasha Veryovka, Graphic Designer
Art Zealous: What would your perfect day entail?
Sasha Veryovka: Sunshine because Vitamin D is important and always puts a smile on my face. A long run around my neighborhood because it’s the only way I can air out my brain. A falafel from Oasis in Williamsburg because it’s beyond delicious and under $5. Looking at some art either in a museum, on a movie screen or in a bookstore because it’s the most nourishing thing for my mind. Spending quality time catching up with my friends because I love them and being reminded of that keeps me sane.
AZ: Best career advice you’ve ever gotten?
SV: Never say no to an interview and be nice to everyone because the industry isn’t as big as it seems.
AZ: How do you balance your day job and your art and creative projects on the side?
SV: I think it’s really important not to get too emotionally involved in the work you do for your day job. I see a lot of parallels between design and hospitality, you have a client with specific needs and it’s your job to deliver a product that satisfies those needs. Sometimes clients will choose your least favourite of the proposed directions, but it’s still up to you to deliver the best possible product regardless of personal preference. Ideally, you end up with a scenario where both you and the client‘like the final product but that’s not always the case.
For me, a big part of finding balance is not relying on my day job for artistic fulfillment. This way, I challenge myself to be the most adaptable designer at work and never have to compromise my artistic vision by maintaining a practice that is truly personal. It also takes all the pressure off the idea that you need to find this impossible dream job that both satisfies all your artistic desires and still pays your rent.
AZ: What is your creative process like when you transition from day job to side hustle?
SV: Oh man, honestly I couldn’t tell you what my creative process even is, let alone how the two differ. My process is pure chaos for most of it, just a bunch of loose ideas floating around in my mind without context. I’ll do some “research” which is really just a fancy name for active procrastination. Usually, I just let all that marinade in my mind and follow it up with some passive procrastination until a deadline gets dangerously close. Then somehow, without fail, a magical moment of clarity arises either while I’m out on a run or sitting on the subway and poof! Concept realized. That is followed by the usually sleepless and frantic creating process which lasts as long as it has to, but I don’t mind that so much because once I know which direction I’m going in it’s easy to stay focused and on track. I guess the only difference is that with my side hustles and personal work, the deadlines are arbitrary.
AZ: What are tips for creatives who want to dedicate more time to their passion projects?
SV: Like with anything else, you need to make time for it. If you make it a priority then the time will appear, it always does. I’ve also found that the buddy system works really well for me. I’ve recently started collaborating on shoots with my ultra-talented photographer friend, Aleck Venegas – he photographs and I do prop styling. It’s great because we pick a couple of weekends and set aside a concrete time to work together. We keep each other motivated and in check, in case one us starts feeling lazy or uninspired.
Paulina Ho, Graphic Designer & Illustrator
Art Zealous: Last thing you binge-watched?
Paulina Ho: It was the latest season of Queer Eye.
AZ: Best career advice you’ve ever gotten?
PH: This is general life advice, but it is to try your best and let go of anything out of your control.
AZ: How do you balance your day job and your art and creative projects on the side?
PH: I try to work on everything professional during the weekday. Any personal projects might be done in-between work or randomly at night.
AZ: What is your creative process like when you transition from day job to side hustle?
PH: My “schedule” is somewhat of a blurred line, so it depends on deadlines and how I’m feeling.
AZ: What are tips for creatives who want to dedicate more time to their passion projects?
PH: There are exceptions, but most of us are fortunate to choose how/who/where we spend our time. It’s simply a matter of prioritizing of what’s important.
top image // Jocelyn Tsaih
