Jason Trotter in Forbes January 7, 2020

View all of Jason Trotter’s available paintings here.

“Dreaming of A Creative Career? How To Make It A Reality”

By: Sara Bliss

Jason Trotter

Previous job: Public Relations Consultant

Current career: Artist

Life as a publicist: I was initially drawn to was the entertainment industry and then I just sort of fell into PR. I landed at PMK/HBH doing celebrity PR then later transitioned to working with fashion and lifestyle brands as a consultant.

Discovering a new career possibility: A few years ago I started painting for fun and then more frequently. It quickly became a more serious hobby and I suddenly found myself with a small collection of paintings on hand. My friends really liked them and were encouraging me to try to sell them. After an art consultant friend in Austin inquired about one for a client, I put a few of them up for sale online and they began selling immediately. I was thrilled. 

Making a career transition: As a publicist I was working with four or five clients on retainer, but after I sold my first couple of pieces all I wanted to do was paint. I had a client going off retainer and decided to not replace them which allowed me to slowly scale back my publicity work and carve out some extra time for painting. A few months later, I juggled only two clients while fostering my new career without completely letting go of my old one. I did both for almost a full year. By that time, art had been building in such a way that I knew it was financially viable and that I would be crazy to not give it my full attention.

Finding representation: Voltz Clarke Gallery approached me after an introduction from their friends at Veronica Beard, who I had worked with on a few large-scale commissions. It was clear to me after looking at their roster of artists that my work would be a good fit. It is a privilege to be able to kick off our partnership with my solo show “Equilibrium” at Voltz Clarke Gallery.   

Advice for artists: Work hard in order to thrive. Anyone aspiring to be an artist must be dedicated to putting time in the studio. And follow your instincts: staying true to original thought is what will set you apart from other artists.  

New life: The freedom I now have is incredible. I wake up every day with a plan, but if I decide I want to run to a museum for inspiration or sketch instead of painting, I can work when I want to work, and travel when I want. It’s a complete 180 from my previous career in publicity. 

Financial reality: I am making more now as an artist than in my career as a publicist. 

View the full article here.