I used to tell people that I was a software designer with a ‘second job’ as an illustrator; ‘software designer by day, illustrator by night.’ I used to think that the illustration work was a creative and artistic salve for the days spent toiling on computers – a way to reset my mental health and to build up my energy for when it was time to return to work on Monday.
Now I tell people I’m an artist who needs a second job as a software designer so I can support myself and my art practice. Putting the art practice first is a profound shift in identity I never saw coming. But that’s the thing with practicing art – it helps you learn about who you really are and what you really care about. It turns out that the market doesn’t pay for things I care about, but I’ll make them anyway.