I’m starting the year off with a renewed understanding of how your inputs influence your outputs. I’ve been putting tons of time and mental energy into using TikTok, but the rewards are mixed—I’m gaining followers (a vanity metric) but I haven’t done significant sales. To call it a “vanity metric” is somewhat diminishing (and I mean it strictly from the sense of it being a number that “feels good,” but does not translate to my livelihood). To the contrary—I’m happy to have connected with many individuals via the platform, and I’m overjoyed that they want to support my art. It’s exciting to learn about them in turn.

However, I want to remain aware that the number of followers I gain is not intrinsically relevant to my daily experience and long-term plan; I’m not sure that just accumulating followers on TikTok is the path I want to endeavor. There are downsides to putting yourself out on the internet as well, which I have to balance. I had someone text me anonymously asking for feet pics (not sure how they got my number), and in my livestream I had someone say that the paintings are no good and I get views by being half naked (not totally untrue).

I took about a week off of posting on social media to refresh my mindset around the whole operation. I’m hoping to start more paintings and introduce even more artistic inputs—more reading, more picture books, more time spent walking in the botanical garden. I do wonder what I’m opening myself up to with the internet. The time away gave me some thoughts about how to strategize my business, as well as time to paint with a clear head. Conjoined with talks with my longtime friend Jared, I emphasize the importance of living in reality in contrast with the internet; I want to direct myself toward the in-person approach of art sales and fitness services; networking with local businesses and trying to sell paintings at popups and offer training to my network is a great way to improve my local community. Enjoyable, true, but I want to simultaneously leverage the internet to find success to fund bigger artistic projects while interfacing with my community. I’m after flexibility, after all, hoping that I could live abroad and maintain my income during a change of location if need be.

I’m trending toward the belief that few paintings will be sold on the internet compared to in-person. Not only is it easier to manage logistically, but I want to integrate my work into my local community. They’re really piling up; I need to get them out of my apartment. I consider that video of the art production, entertaining as it is, is just an externality to attach to social media; I want the art to stand alone, and I want it to be compelling enough to sell in person. I also recognize that I get better painting done when I’m not concerned about making content about it—again, there’s a balance to be found.

Thus, I’m hoping that TikTok and social media will be for the “flex” and “fitness” side of things—I’m planning on filming some courses for simple bodyweight routines, kettlebell exercises, and so on, which I will make available on my website. I like the idea of painting live on TikTok, but it’s trending in a bit of a too-thirsty direction which I’m hoping to pivot away from.

I’m hoping to post everything on multiple platforms. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Patreon. I’m aiming to offer a more private glimpse into my life on Patreon, however, while continuing offering quality content. My plan is to livestream in the AM on TikTok and mostly focus on chatting while making coffee and painting, and Patreon will be more flexing and working out while painting in the PM. If you don’t already support me on Patreon, please feel free to check it out—I appreciate you for doing so!

Some successes were made on the fitness and business side of things. I’ve had quite a few download my training document—I think I’m up to 80 orders or so. I’m glad to see that people are interested, but the document itself is too sparse; I’m hoping to offer more value for the beginner who doesn’t know how to bench press, as well as giving tips for those who are already familiar with the gym. I don’t know if it strikes any specific niche outside of those asking about my exact workout split, and I hope that those who have downloaded it have gotten something out of it!

I met with two potential personal training clients over the past few days, and they each had their own unique problems that I was hoping to help with. One of them is a taller but leaner guy who wants to put on more muscle, and he’s considering joining a climbing gym or the nearby YMCA. The other is already a bodybuilder, and he’s even hiring a coach for bodybuilding, but he was interested in my shoulder recovery journey.

I felt like I could offer the first person more than the second. I instructed him to observe his diet and routines, then I put together a simple lifting routine given what equipment he has available (like an EZ bar, medicine balls, and a pullup bar). I’ve yet to hear from him after sending him my guide and rates—can’t win ‘em all! The other, I didn’t know how to help—he’s tried some of the exercises I had already offered with moderate success, but I’m not a physical therapist, so I’m not qualified to offer pain-relief exercises or specific diagnoses. We shared a nice chat but I didn’t aim to convert him to a client.

In other news, I’m also considering putting together an intro oil painting course. This would include where to buy materials, what to purchase, including brushes, knives, mediums, palettes, paints, and so on. I’ll probably do something simple; discussing abstract painting, some basic techniques, and how to establish a setup which is conducive to painting.

I submitted to a few calls to art as well. I always feel weird because I don’t have an artist resume. I’m winging it. It sort of worked for me in San Francisco, and I have no reason to believe it won’t continue to work.

Ultimately, things do really feel like they’re coming together. I received the first payment for a commission that I sourced through TikTok, and I’m excited to work on the piece. Someone subscribed to my Patreon, and although it’s only one person at $5/mo, it matters immensely to me; it shows that people want to support my work. As I’ve been diving deep into this experiment in self-sufficiency from my passions, I’m finding that this really is possible. My income is nowhere near matching my expenses, but I believe that the effects will compound; I’m also sitting on a cache of paintings which I hope will sell.

These are my numbers since leaving my job in the middle of September:

I sold a still life panel for $450.

I have made about $300 in TikTok tips from livestreams (somewhat shockingly).

I sold a still life watercolor for $60 (minus $14 for shipping).

I sold a print for $40 to a friend.

I received a commission for $235 (TBD shipping).

I have a pending commission for $235 (TBD shipping).

I have one subscriber on Patreon for $5/mo.

Overall, I’m up $1090. Not “financially independent” from this, but I’m really happy with the progress in just a few months. I also have about 10 paintings which I could sell, plus watercolors and ceramics available on my website.

Thanks for reading and continuing to support my journey!

At the Turn of 2024 into 2025

On Creative Impetus and Creative Output

Paintings in Late December