These days it takes a miracle or two and a good PR team for anyone manically devoted to the arts to make it as an artist. But that’s why we do it don’t we? We’re just silly kooks hell bent to live our lives and make art no matter what, consequences be damned. We want to succeed just like everyone else. But we want to succeed by doing it our way just as Frank Sinatra intended. Oh, wouldn’t he be proud?! Pity the crooner isn’t around anymore. But no matter, artists are survivors and we shall continue surviving like cockroaches in the night regardless of whether the world takes note of us or not. We shall survive by our ingenuity, our wits and fortitude and an occasional bank holdup now and then. One way or another we will find a way to make ends meet.
If that got your attention, let me confess that I have never resorted to robbing a bank unless you count those instances when I snagged a few lollipops when the teller wasn’t looking. I just don’t have it in me to do any worse because I’m such a puss that I wouldn’t scare anyone. And the only firearm I can brandish is a water pistol which doesn’t exactly help my tough guy image. I’d whip out my fully loaded water pistol and demand the pretty young teller to hand over all her money before I squirt her in the eye. But I doubt I’d phase her. With total aplomb on her part, she would reach over and grab a few paper towels and some window cleaner and go make me wash windows with my water gun while everyone went back to business as usual. Ok, so bank robbing ain’t the job for me but boy would those windows shine! If you’re going to do something you may as well do it right I always say. Guess I’d better leave bank robbing to the pros.
But I’m not totally hopeless and inept. I can work magic when it comes to drawing. It’s one of the very few skills I possess that has any market value. Drawing is a skill that anyone who is so artistically inclined can tap to help pay off those pesky bills while keeping the police happy that you’re not resorting to a life of crime. If you’ve got a knack for drawing silly and cartoony faces then you’ve got a real shot at making money as a caricature artist. One sharpie marker, a few drawing pads and a pleasant, friendly demeanor and you’re in business. That sounds pretty good to me!
My own experiences in drawing caricatures for the public is rather limited but I’ll spill the beans on what I’ve done so far in case you’re interested. Many years ago when I was first starting out in art I got sweet-talked into taking a spot at the annual Centerfest in Bedford drawing caricatures. It sounded like fun and I’m always game for a new adventure. And I was curious about how much business those vendors pulled in and what kind of profits could be made. That September Saturday played out in the true early fall fashion by being warm, sunny and pleasant as the crowds were milling around like lazy buffalo checking out all the vendors, socializing and having a good time. But despite the festive mood and the crowds being in good cheer I only did a few caricatures that day and one of those from a neighbor of mine who took pity on me and got me to draw her kid. It was a long and fairly boring day manning my little booth and I’m not sure I really even learned much from the experience other than the Centerfest is way more fun as a visitor than it is as a vendor. I think I took my meager earnings and blew much of it on a giant turkey drumstick to reward myself for sticking it out like a good little soldier. It went down as one of the more interesting Saturdays of my life even if I didn’t have much to show for my efforts. But it proved to me that I could do caricatures if I ever wanted to. And that’s where it all began.
A couple years later I was asked if I was interested in doing another caricature gig for the benefit of all the local nonprofits getting together to publicize their existence. I was needed to help round out the gala by adding some variety and entertainment for the fling and I happily obliged. One of the sticklers to participating was that I couldn’t charge anything for drawing caricatures, at least not without paying a whopping fee for the privilege. Because of that pesky little detail I simply opted to draw for free and only took donations instead. I didn’t expect to make much or even do much but surprisingly the crowds kept me busy drawing for most of the day. To my astonishment I wound up making three or four times the money that I earned sweating all day from my Centerfest gig charging eight bucks a pop. Crazy but true. Just goes to show that there’s just no predicting how business will be when you are working a public event. Each venture will be a new and unique experience. All you can do is arrive and be ready to charm the pants off whoever decides to show up. However pants or some kind of getup is mandatory whenever you’re doing business with me. Nude drawing in public is just too dang awkward.
Both of those events were less than auspicous starts which I primarily did as favors and that’s how I started in the biz. I don’t know that my caricatures at the time could even really be called “caricatures” in the strict sense of the word as I didn’t deliberately exaggerate or alter the faces of the people I was drawing. My drawings were mostly true to life portraits done with little embellishment on my part. But that didn’t seem to matter with the public for it quickly became evident that just about everyone enjoys having a nicely rendered hand drawn portrait of themselves. It may not be much more than a quick doodle, but that humble doodle represents the heart and soul of a person. People often love seeing themselves in new and amusing ways so it really isn’t all that surprising that people will cherish caricature portraits of themselves as if it were fine art drawn by Rembrandt himself. I’m no Rembrandt but then my caricatures aren’t exactly fine art either. But it’s always nice to be noticed and a good artist will see the best in you and capture that spirit that’s so uniquely you onto a piece of cardstock that will delight you for years to come as well as all your friends and neighbors who stop by and happen to notice that zany caricature of you framed up or pinned to the fridge. It’s our way of making the world a brighter and happier place.
Here’s something else you will find surprising about me. I never wanted to be a caricature guy and didn’t really pursue it. After trying my chops on those gigs I didn’t give caricature drawing much of a thought until around the start of 2020. Up until then drawing caricatures was never a priority for me because I had other ambitions for my art career which didn’t involve drawing silly faces for wages. Sure, there’s money to be made as a caricature artist but, and maybe it’s just the ego in me talking, but I considered caricatures a banal and almost clownish kind of job which I knew I could do better. I had no qualms drawing silly faces for kicks or favors but I didn’t want to earn my bread and butter from it. That’s fine and dandy but living in the land of milk and honey and dystopian democracy doesn’t come cheap. And it’s that unfortunate fact that makes the business of bringing in the bucks a daily urgency that all artists have to tend to in some form or another if they don’t want to follow the Bonnie and Clyde business model of staying out of the poor house. And you know where I stand on that.
January 2020 was as good a time as any to make some changes in my life and blaze new trails for myself, both personally and professionally. The art markets continued to be difficult and stubborn nuts to crack so I began wondering just how much business there was in drawing caricatures and hosting caricature events? I really had no idea but I knew others were staying busy doing it so why couldn’t I?! Heck, I already had some experience under my belt so it wasn’t like I was coming at this totally green. I knew what to do. And I’m a nice and pleasant enough fellow I think. Despite my insecurities all you can do is put yourself out there and see what happens and hope you don’t die from embarrassment. It’s nothing personal after all, just business as they say. And if my silly art can make anyone’s day a little peppier then who am I to deny the world that pleasure? All I have to do is make something happen.
Being brand new at this I whipped up my pluck and made some cold calls to the local nursing homes and senior centers in my area, got their activity directors on the phone and made my pitch. It was really as simple and stupid as that. Playing it safe I asked for a “measly” fifty bucks an hour which was a steal compared to what the other artists were charging. Even for such cut rates I still felt like a cad who was fleecing good businesses. But, and I still find it amazing, that not one single activities director even batted an eye over it. And a good thing too because this artist doesn’t like to wheel and deal. I would surely lose my shirt and everything else near and dear to me if I had to dicker and haggle for business. I was already feeling like I was running an iffy and somewhat dubious racket but in times of desperation you gotta do what you gotta do and hope the public and the money managers don’t ask too many questions. Fortunately they didn’t. If anything, they seemed happy to have someone new walk in out of the cold to provide some merriment and cheer for their loveable denizens for a change.
For a few weeks my little caricature biz was doing ok and I was having myself a good ol’ time drawing funny faces and getting paid handsomely to do it. It was a plum gig with more in the works until the Covid epidemic fell out of the sky and put the skids on my little hustle by forcing all the nursing homes into lockdown along with the rest of the country. Ain’t that just my luck?! The timing couldn’t have been more uncanny or unfortunate. Thanks to some rogue germs my caricature business was over as soon as it began. But I learned a few things during my brief run as a caricature artist. I learned that there is indeed a market for caricature artists and peddling your skills is actually pretty easy to do and doesn’t take too much time or work. All you have to do is have confidence in yourself and your skills. Dedicate some time to making some sales pitches on the phone and you absolutely will get business from it. I also learned the power of being entertaining and to not be shy even if you are the bashful type. People, young and old, enjoy the commraderie and banter from some new and interesting guy they have never met who draws and paints for a living. Especially senior citizens who don’t get out much anymore and are socially isolated. So learning to open up and getting friendly and personal with your clients will go a long ways in helping bashful artists like myself to build friendships, connections, and business that can lead to more opportunities.
Now that the Covid plague is largely behind us I’m making plans to get back in the ring and begin drawing caricatures publicly again. I’ve found it’s just as important for me to stay busy and engaged with the world as it is to make a living. And running a business is an excellent way of doing that and keeping me occupied. Sure beats robbing banks for a living.
