insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 03 - May 2015 | Page 91

BUSINESS

turning art into BUSINESS cont.
Christopher Osborne // www.christopherosborne.co.uk

Joanne Weaver // www.joanneweaver-artworks.com
Tell us about the process that brought you from being a 'leisure' artist
to becoming a successful businessperson in the world of art.
As a leisure artist, I painted occasionally, attend a few courses, and worked
in nursing. Eventually, at 35 years old, I took the plunge and signed up to
a part-time fine art degree at the University of Creative Arts. It was the best
decision I've ever made. I completed the degree in 2008 and gave up
nursing in 2011. It was time to leave nursing when I went with great joy on
art courses and dread to nursing updates. Nevertheless, it was a daunting
prospect after working for 20 years as a qualified nurse. I hired the village
hall in Staplehurst and advertised art classes for beginners. The first class
started with four people, but word of mouth gradually worked and the
classes filled. Teaching gives me my income and I love it. I genuinely enjoy
seeing students' progress and watching their confidence grow so that they
experiment with new methods. One thing I have had to learn is to not be
offended when students leave; people come and go as with everything in
life, and my style of teaching and art won’t suit everyone. It is important to
strike a balance; teaching classes and working in my studio may never lead
to much income, and that’s a reality I accept.
Making a living from art alone is almost impossible. The public will see a
sculpture for £1,000 and think it’s a lot, but what they do