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Making Art and Making a Living: Adventures in Funding a Creative Life
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10 copies available
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Daily Rituals author Mason Currey weaves together delightful, illuminating stories and reflections about how famous artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers throughout history have managed to successfully (or not) support a creative life.
Many of us are drawn to a life in the arts but daunted by how to balance that ambition with the very real need to pay rent and put food on the table. It is impossible to become an accomplished painter, composer, or novelist without spending time experimenting, making false starts, absorbing criticism, reading, talking, and moping about the house. All this time must be purchased, one way or another. Is the history of art and ideas just a history of rich kids?
The answer, of course, is no. William Carlos Williams was a family doctor. Franz Kafka was an insurance man, as were Charles Ives and Wallace Stevens. Grace Hartigan temped. James Joyce mooched off his brother; Christopher Isherwood ingratiated himself with a wealthy uncle. Virginia Woolf and Louisa May Alcott were determined to make their writing pay no matter what. And their material circumstances had an impact on all of their creative outputs.
From family money to jobs to colorful schemes, Mason Currey, author of the acclaimed Daily Rituals, explores both the well-worn and unlikely paths forward for the up-and-coming artist. Making Art and Making a Living is an entertaining and thought-provoking examination of the collision of creative ambitions with real-world necessities and of the messy, glorious, torturous compromises that gifted individuals have patched together when facing the eternal dilemma of an artistic life.
Many of us are drawn to a life in the arts but daunted by how to balance that ambition with the very real need to pay rent and put food on the table. It is impossible to become an accomplished painter, composer, or novelist without spending time experimenting, making false starts, absorbing criticism, reading, talking, and moping about the house. All this time must be purchased, one way or another. Is the history of art and ideas just a history of rich kids?
The answer, of course, is no. William Carlos Williams was a family doctor. Franz Kafka was an insurance man, as were Charles Ives and Wallace Stevens. Grace Hartigan temped. James Joyce mooched off his brother; Christopher Isherwood ingratiated himself with a wealthy uncle. Virginia Woolf and Louisa May Alcott were determined to make their writing pay no matter what. And their material circumstances had an impact on all of their creative outputs.
From family money to jobs to colorful schemes, Mason Currey, author of the acclaimed Daily Rituals, explores both the well-worn and unlikely paths forward for the up-and-coming artist. Making Art and Making a Living is an entertaining and thought-provoking examination of the collision of creative ambitions with real-world necessities and of the messy, glorious, torturous compromises that gifted individuals have patched together when facing the eternal dilemma of an artistic life.
- GenresArtNonfiction
240 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 31, 2026
2 people are currently reading
5307 people want to read
About the author
Mason Currey
6 books337 followersMason Currey is a writer and editor living in Los Angeles. His first book, Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, was published by Knopf in 2013 and has been translated into 17 languages. A sequel, Daily Rituals: Women at Work, came out in 2019. He also writes a free newsletter on routines, rituals, and wriggling through a creative life.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 3, 2026
This is not a how-to book on funding your creative life. Rather, it is a compendium of ways artists over the centuries have done so. The author covers everything from having rich parents to a side hustle as a stripper. Vonnegut worked in PR, many writers and poets worked in Insurance. Jeff Koons hawked memberships at MOMA. Some scored grants and endowments (when such investments from the government existed). Others married well (meaning their spouse's work supported them). The point is, they did what they could until they sold enough of their work to subsist, at least for a while.
It's depressing how difficult it can be to make a living as an artist. As someone who worked full-time and tried (and often failed) to squeeze in time for creativity, I certainly relate. There are no answers in this book. Despite that, many of the stories are interesting, and the author does an excellent job recounting them and adding his perspective.
My thanks to the author, @MasonCurrey, @CeladonBooks, and #NetGalley for early access to the ebook for review purposes. Publication date: 31 March 2026.
It's depressing how difficult it can be to make a living as an artist. As someone who worked full-time and tried (and often failed) to squeeze in time for creativity, I certainly relate. There are no answers in this book. Despite that, many of the stories are interesting, and the author does an excellent job recounting them and adding his perspective.
My thanks to the author, @MasonCurrey, @CeladonBooks, and #NetGalley for early access to the ebook for review purposes. Publication date: 31 March 2026.
December 11, 2025
A lively exploration of how artists throughout history managed to support themselves while crafting their paintings, photographs, poetry, novels, music, and beyond.
Thank you Mason Currey, Net Galley and Celadon Books for the arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Thank you Mason Currey, Net Galley and Celadon Books for the arc. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
November 30, 2025
Making Art and Making a Living by Mason Currey is a delightful romp through the history of artists and how they supported themselves while creating their paintings, photographs, poetry, novels, music, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to look for other books by Currie.
Want to read
December 18, 2025Mason Currey’s Making Art and Making a Living is an insightful and practical exploration of the often-overlooked financial realities of creative work. Known for his previous book Daily Rituals, Currey once again blends research with real-life stories, this time focusing on how artists, writers, and other creatives sustain themselves financially while pursuing their passions.
The book is structured around candid interviews and case studies, offering a wide range of strategies—from traditional patronage and grants to modern approaches like crowdfunding and teaching. Currey doesn’t romanticize the struggle; instead, he provides a nuanced look at the compromises and ingenuity required to balance art and livelihood. What makes this book compelling is its honesty: it acknowledges that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and success often involves a mix of persistence, adaptability, and luck.
Strengths:
Rich, diverse examples of real creatives navigating financial challenges.
Practical advice without sugarcoating the difficulties.
Engaging, conversational tone that makes complex topics accessible.
Potential Drawbacks:
While inspiring, some readers may find the lack of a clear “roadmap” frustrating; the book emphasizes individuality over prescriptive steps.
Focuses primarily on Western creative economies, which might feel less relevant globally.
Verdict:
If you’re an artist or creative professional—or simply curious about the intersection of art and money—this book is both illuminating and reassuring. It reminds readers that making a living from art is possible, but rarely straightforward, and offers a wealth of ideas for navigating that journey.
The book is structured around candid interviews and case studies, offering a wide range of strategies—from traditional patronage and grants to modern approaches like crowdfunding and teaching. Currey doesn’t romanticize the struggle; instead, he provides a nuanced look at the compromises and ingenuity required to balance art and livelihood. What makes this book compelling is its honesty: it acknowledges that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and success often involves a mix of persistence, adaptability, and luck.
Strengths:
Rich, diverse examples of real creatives navigating financial challenges.
Practical advice without sugarcoating the difficulties.
Engaging, conversational tone that makes complex topics accessible.
Potential Drawbacks:
While inspiring, some readers may find the lack of a clear “roadmap” frustrating; the book emphasizes individuality over prescriptive steps.
Focuses primarily on Western creative economies, which might feel less relevant globally.
Verdict:
If you’re an artist or creative professional—or simply curious about the intersection of art and money—this book is both illuminating and reassuring. It reminds readers that making a living from art is possible, but rarely straightforward, and offers a wealth of ideas for navigating that journey.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews