✦ Glass Art Society · Annual Conference 2026
The Business of
Being an Artist
Making it work without selling out.
Or losing your mind. Or your soul.
This session is for anyone who has ever thought:
"I love making things.
I hate that I can't afford to."
We'll do real math together.
Name the things nobody says out loud.
And leave with something you can actually use.
before we start — who's talking
I have a day job. And that's kind of the point.
- →I make glass. My day job pays the bills — and pays them well. I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
- →But I also work hard at selling my art. Not because I have to financially — because you can only have so much of it sitting around your house.
- →Figuring out pricing — really figuring it out, so it actually covers costs — has been one of the most important things I've worked on. I'm not there 100% yet. But I'm getting closer.
- →I'm sharing what I've learned mid-journey. Not from the finish line. That's kind of the point.
"Someone who's actually working through this — not selling me a system."
— that's the goal
— that's the goal
"I'm not there 100% yet."
That's the most honest thing a presenter can say.
That's the most honest thing a presenter can say.
the question everyone's sitting with
How do I do this
without going broke?
"Am I charging too little? Probably. But what do I charge?"
"Do I need an LLC? A business account? Should I be on TikTok?"
"Is it okay that I still have another job? Am I doing this wrong?"
All valid. All answerable. Let's go.
?
we're doing this now, not at the end
Get out the worksheet. We're finding your number today.
- 1Section 1 — what does it actually cost you to live each month? (add it all up, for real)
- 2Section 2 — multiply by 12. That's your annual survival number.
- 3Section 3 — your real business costs. Not the optimistic version.
- 4Section 4 — taxes + savings. Both. Yes.
- 5Section 5 — total it up. That's your revenue goal. Everything else in this session hangs off that number.
8
minutes
Your number will
probably surprise you.
probably surprise you.
what the numbers actually look like
Your share of monthly costs — before you sell a single piece.
Housing (your share)
Food + Health & Dental
Bills + Loans + Phone
Monthly total
SF / NYC /
LA / Seattle
LA / Seattle
1BR alone
$2,800
$2,500–3,500 range
groceries + unsubsidized ins.
$1,050
dental often not covered
utilities, transport, loans
$1,050
incl. ~$350 student loan avg
monthly floor
$4,900
= $59K/yr just to exist
Columbus /
Albuquerque /
Chattanooga
Albuquerque /
Chattanooga
1BR alone
$1,200
still rising fast
groceries + marketplace plan
$750
subsidized if income qualifies
car + phone + loans
$850
car required in most mid-cities
monthly floor
$2,800
= $34K/yr — still real
Scraping by /
shared / rural
shared / rural
shared or rural housing
$700
roommates or very rural
bare min., Medicaid if eligible
$550
skipping the dentist
basics only, loans deferred
$550
one emergency from trouble
monthly floor
$1,800
= $22K/yr — still has to come from somewhere
* your share only · kids? add $1,500–3,000/mo · studio costs not included — that's next
05 / 23
the full picture
What your art actually needs to generate. Just to break even.
| what your income has to cover | example |
|---|---|
| Your share of living costs — housing, food, health & dental, utilities | $45,000 |
| Business costs — studio, materials, shows, marketing | $15,000 |
| Self-employment tax (the one nobody warns you about) | $20,000 |
| Savings — emergency fund, retirement, breathing room | $5,000 |
| minus: other income (pension, partner contribution, SS, part-time) | − varies |
| Net revenue goal — what your art still needs to cover | $85,000 |
revenue goal =
Living + Business
+ Taxes + Savings
− Other Income
+ Taxes + Savings
− Other Income
Not rich. Not comfortable. Just okay.
The gap may be smaller than you think.
The gap may be smaller than you think.
The tax line surprises everyone.
~25–30% of what you make, gone before you spend it.
~25–30% of what you make, gone before you spend it.
the math nobody runs before signing
What gallery consignment actually looks like.
| gallery deal — real example | the numbers |
|---|---|
| Your piece is priced at | $600 |
| Gallery takes 50% consignment | − $300 |
| You take home | $300 |
| Materials cost | − $45 |
| Studio overhead per piece | − $30 |
| Left for your time ($300 − $75 costs) | $225 |
| Your effective hourly rate ($225 ÷ 8 hrs) | $28/hr |
what this means
Galleries aren't the enemy.
But the math
has to work for you.
But the math
has to work for you.
Know your floor. Price for the split, not before it.
If a gallery takes 50%, your price to them needs to be 2× what you'd charge direct. Price it that way from the start.
the gut-punch slide
Most artists are working for $8–12 an hour.
you price the piece at
$150
retail price
net after expenses
$90
materials, overhead, fees
hours (be honest)
8 hrs
including setup + cleanup
your hourly rate
$11.25
less than minimum wage
compare to:
Electrician
$85–150/hr
Plumber
$75–130/hr
Carpenter
$70–120/hr
Auto Mechanic
$80–130/hr
They work with their hands too. Nobody questions what a plumber charges. Why do we accept less?
this is the real reason
We don't underprice because we can't do math.
- →We underprice because we're afraid someone will say no — and that feels like rejection of us, not just the price.
- →We underprice because we think "who am I to charge that?" — imposter syndrome is universal in this room.
- →We underprice because we've seen work like ours go for less — and we don't want to stand out.
- →We underprice because we love making it — and charging feels like it taints that somehow.
the reframe
Charging what you're worth doesn't make the work less meaningful.
It makes it possible to keep making it.
It makes it possible to keep making it.
now the actual math
How to price a piece — without guessing.
| hand-blown tumbler — real cost breakdown | cost |
|---|---|
| Materials | $12 |
| Studio time — 2 hrs @ $40/hr | $80 |
| Overhead per piece — rent, tools, energy, insurance | $15 |
| Your profit margin (yes, this is allowed) | $30 |
| Floor price before artistic value | $137 |
the formula
Materials + Time
+ Overhead + Profit
+ Overhead + Profit
Then: add story, scarcity, skill.
That's where $137 becomes $280.
That's where $137 becomes $280.
Most artists sell this for $45–60.
After the split.
After expenses.
After 3 hours of their life.
After the split.
After expenses.
After 3 hours of their life.
the question everyone has
"What if I raise my prices and nobody buys?"
what usually happens
- →Some buyers won't follow. That's okay — bargain shoppers weren't going to sustain your practice anyway.
- →Higher prices signal higher value. The work looks more serious. People treat it differently.
- →Fewer pieces, same money — and less volume pressure.
how to do it
- →Raise incrementally — 15–20% at a time, not overnight doubling
- →Announce it honestly: "my prices are going up in March"
- →Improve your presentation — better photos, better framing, better story
- →Hold the price. Never discount — it tells people the real price was fake.
on selling
Selling doesn't make you
less of an artist.
It makes you a visible one.
If nobody knows your work exists,
nobody can support it.
nobody can support it.
❌ nobody connects with this
"My work explores liminal spaces of postmodern erosion and the ephemeral nature of—"
✓ this actually connects
"I make functional glass inspired by the foggy coastline I grew up near. Each piece takes about a day. I've been doing this for eight years and it still surprises me."
digital presence
One platform done well beats five done badly.
pick the one that fits you
→
Instagram — still great for visual work, if you'll actually use it
→
Email newsletter — underrated, direct, nobody's algorithm controls it
→
Your own website — slow to build an audience, but you own it forever
→
TikTok / video — if you genuinely enjoy it, huge reach. If not, skip it.
what actually sells work
→
Posts that say why you made something — not just that it's for sale
→
Process shots — people are fascinated by how glass is made. Use that.
→
A clear, obvious link to where they can buy. Don't make them hunt for it.
→
Consistent beats perfect. Imperfect and regular beats beautiful and once a month.
the stuff that bites you later
You are a business. Even if it doesn't feel like it yet.
- ✓Separate bank account — the single biggest clarity move you can make. Do it this week.
- ✓Track every dollar in and out — materials, mileage, show fees, supplies. All of it is deductible.
- ✓Set aside 25–30% for taxes — before you spend it. Quarterly estimated payments. Not optional.
- ✓Sales tax — selling direct may require you to collect & remit it. State rules vary. It's a pass-through but the penalty for ignoring it is real. Check your state.
- ✓Use a contract for every job — especially with people you trust. Especially with people you trust.
- ✓Studio insurance + simple bookkeeping — Wave is free. A spreadsheet beats nothing. One fire shouldn't end your practice.
let's say this clearly
Having a day job is not failure. It's a strategy.
- →A day job means you don't have to make work that sells. You can make work that matters.
- →It means you can say no to bad opportunities, bad galleries, bad clients. Financial pressure kills artistic integrity faster than anything.
- →It means you can invest in your practice — better materials, better equipment — without terror.
- →Philip Glass drove a cab at 41 — after Einstein on the Beach. T.S. Eliot worked at a bank. Maira Kalman illustrated the New Yorker while doing client work. Grandma Moses farmed until 78. The full-time artist myth harms more careers than it builds.
the real goal
Enough stability to keep making.
That looks different for everyone.
That looks different for everyone.
Don't let someone else's definition of "real artist" determine whether you count.
how it actually works
One stream is fragile. Multiple streams are a practice.
Art / piece sales
$35K
Teaching / workshops
$20K
Commissions
$15K
Grants / residencies
$8K
Day job / freelance
$7K
Total
$85K
When sales are slow, teaching holds you. When teaching is slow, commissions hold you. That's not selling out. That's how creative careers survive.
"
Design a system where your art— the whole point of this session 17 / 23
supports your life.
Not the other way around.
And give yourself permission to build it slowly.
real talk — open floor
Ask anything. Nothing is off limits.
turn to someone near you — 2 minutes: what's your biggest question about the business side?
"When a gallery ghosts me after a submission — what do I do?"
"How do I say no to unpaid work without burning bridges?"
"Do I need an LLC? When does that matter?"
"How do I handle a commission that goes sideways?"
"What do I actually deduct on my taxes as an artist?"
"I feel like a fraud charging real prices. Is that normal?"
real talk — the short answers (1 of 2)
Real questions. Real answers. No consulting speak.
"When a gallery ghosts me after a submission—"
Follow up once, specifically: "Is there anything else you need from me?" If still nothing — move on. Galleries that ghost aren't partners. Your time is finite.
"How do I say no to unpaid work?"
"I don't have the bandwidth right now, but I'd love to be considered for paid opportunities."
Full stop. No apology. No explanation. Write that down — you will use it.
Full stop. No apology. No explanation. Write that down — you will use it.
"Do I need an LLC?"
Probably not yet. A separate bank account matters more right now. An LLC makes sense when you have real revenue, employees, or liability exposure. Ask an accountant — not the internet.
real talk — the short answers (2 of 2)
A few more. Including the one everyone's thinking.
"How do I handle a commission gone sideways?"
A contract with a 30–50% deposit upfront (non-refundable) fixes 80% of this before it starts. No contract means you're negotiating from zero after the fact. Use contracts even with friends. Especially with friends.
"What can I actually deduct on my taxes?"
Materials, studio rent, equipment, show fees, mileage, professional development, portion of your phone and home studio. Track everything — your accountant can only deduct what you documented.
"I feel like a fraud charging real prices. Is that normal?"
Yes. Completely normal. It never fully goes away. The artists charging confidently feel it too — they've just decided to charge anyway. That's the whole move.
before you leave this room
Three things to do before Friday.
① today
Finish your worksheet
You have the sheet. Fill in the blanks that are still blank. Land on your actual revenue goal before you go to bed.
② this week
Raise one price
Pick one piece on your site or Etsy or your next show list. Run the real math. Set a price that actually works. Just one.
③ this month
Open a separate account
A business checking account. Takes 20 minutes. Changes everything about how clearly you can see what the work is actually making.
Small. Specific. This week. Not "someday."
You can keep making.
And you can get paid for it.
Both things are true.
It doesn't happen overnight.
It doesn't require perfection.
It requires knowing your number,
charging it with your chin up,
and building a practice that lasts.
Now go make something.
take homeYour worksheet — your actual revenue goal, your floor, your price
this weekRaise one price. Run the real math first. Then hold it.
you're not aloneEvery artist in this room is figuring this out at the same time
one last thingA day job and making art aren't opposites. They're a plan.
take the tools with you
Worksheet + Pricing Tool
— free to download
short link — easiest to type or share
tinyurl.com/gas2026-pricing-tool
Google Sheets link — open & make a copy to fill in your numbers
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14rhCtQOVAAdLxiXv5HGWecLeM7578Fsv/edit?usp=drive_link
scan to open on your phone
Scan with your camera.
Points to the Google Sheet.
Points to the Google Sheet.