In this week’s episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m sitting down with my friend and Artist Academy member Ariane O’Day.

I’ve known Ariane for about five years, during which I’ve had the privilege of watching her painting career blossom over time. She started out teaching and bartending but quickly realized those jobs were taking time away from the creative career she really wanted.

Ariane shares what it took to finally let go of safety nets, find clients in a new community, and turn one opportunity into many through word of mouth. We also talk about the confidence she gained through attending Mural Meetups and how that experience helped her take on bigger projects.

If you’re an artist who dreams of leaving your day job and making a living with your art, I think you’ll really connect with Ariane’s story. There’s no single path to becoming a full-time artist, but sometimes the biggest step is simply deciding to stop letting the thing that pays your bills keep you from building the career you actually want.