Transitioning from teaching to full time artist
In 2005, my wife and I chose to start a family. I decided I needed to start generating extra income and wanted to start selling my art. I met another artist who talked about selling work at art festivals around Florida so I decided to give it a try. I ordered a display tent and set it up in my yard. I submitted my slides and applied to a number of art festivals. The first one was on Corey Avenue in St. Petersburg. I went to set up the show for the first time at 5am in the morning with my wife and infant son. What a challenge that was but I did the show. My display consisted of a few modern and fish sculptures as well as clocks and mirrors. After a few shows I dropped the clocks and mirrors and focused strictly on my sculptures. I still remember selling my first modern sculpture in Naples and feeling pumped. My first year I signed up for over 25 shows around Florida. By the second year, we had our second child and I resigned from teaching and focused strictly on making and selling my art.
