This might be controversial for some, but I believe being an artist isn’t something you earn through permission or prestige. If you are making art, whether it is painting, stitching, sculpting, building or experimenting you are an artist. Full stop. There is no threshold, no required audience size, no “real artist” certification waiting at the end.
It’s also worth normalizing the act of selling art in whatever way makes sense. Craft shows, pop-ups, online shops, commissions, street fairs, these aren’t lesser paths, they’re living ones. They are artists showing up, sharing their work, and valuing their time and skill. There is nothing small about making a living, or even a little income, from something you create with your hands and heart.
I once heard an instructor caution about not wanting to get “caught in the crafting circles” when it came to selling art, as if those spaces were something to outgrow or avoid. I think that mindset misses the point. Crafting circles are full of artists—skilled, dedicated, thoughtful makers who are doing the work and connecting with real people. There is no trap in community, no shame in accessibility, and no hierarchy that makes one way of sharing art more legitimate than another.
Belittling these spaces belittles artists themselves. Art doesn’t lose its meaning because it’s priced, and creativity doesn’t shrink because it’s accessible. Making art is enough. Sharing it is brave. Selling art pays the bills.
