This week's topic came in from one of our lovely listeners who wanted to know why personal art goals are important and how you balance client work with your own personal art goals. Ping, Sarah, and Dorien will do their best to answer these questions as well as give you some great tips on setting your own art goals. KEY TAKEAWAYS In many fields, your personal work and commissioned work will likely be different, but as an artist you should in general be commissioned to do work because of your own personal style. So there might not actually be that much of a difference between your own art and the art you’re paid to do. The goal of being an artist is to get paid for making the art you love to make. We don’t become artists to follow what someone else wants us to do, it’s our own creative expression. So even the client work you do should be an expression of yourself. For Sarah it all starts with your personal art goals. There’s no clients and no commission, just personal goals and your own interest in art. It’s crucial to have a driving passion to keep you moving through the bad days. If you don’t have that then you might find yourself resenting some parts of being an artist and then it becomes like any other job. It’s so empowering creating something you love off of your own back without anyone telling you to do it. BEST MOMENTS  ‘You don’t know what you don’t know’ ‘Hopefully this podcast will help you choose to do the things you’re passionate about’ ‘Most people don’t have careers, they have jobs’ ‘It’s important to start creating from your passions’ ‘Keep creating for yourself and not for clients’ ABOUT THE PODCAST A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people. www.thrivingwomenartists.com www.instagram.com/twapodcast   ABOUT THE HOSTS Ping He Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline. www.pinghe.art [email protected] www.instagram.com/pinghe.art Sarah van Dongen Sarah is a children’s book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life. www.sarahvandongen.com [email protected] www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations   Dorien Bellaar: Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art. www.dorienbellaar.nl [email protected] www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.