Kate Segal, 37, is a New York-based digital artist who sells her prints on Etsy. Kate Segal
Kate Segal sells her art on Etsy as a side hustle to her full-time work as a psychologist.
Segal’s art has been used by brands like HBO, Trader Joe’s and Jiggy Puzzles.
Since joining Etsy in 2020, Segal has made $32,000 in sales.
This is a machine translation of an article from our US colleagues at Business Insider. It was automatically translated and checked by a real editor.
When Kate Segal was a child, she used drawing as a creative outlet. Today, the 37-year-old sells her art on Etsy as a sideline.
Segal, who lives in Manhattan, is a psychologist but spends a few hours each day maintaining her Etsy shop, updating her social media accounts and creating new digital artwork on her iPad using Procreate.
Since she began selling her art in 2020, Segal has earned $32,000 through Etsy, according to documents seen by Business Insider (BI). She has also made money from licensing deals outside of Etsy, but did not disclose that income.
As more people look for employment opportunities beyond the traditional 9-to-5 job, side hustles and freelancing have gained traction. More than seven million people sell art or handmade goods on Etsy, according to company data analyzed by BI Increase of 60 percent since 2020. The vast majority of salespeople work from home. Last year, goods worth 11.6 billion dollars (around 10.7 billion euros) were sold on the platform.
Segal’s art has been used on greeting cards and as wall decorations, she said. She’s also been recognized by major brands — the HBO set decorator used her art in an episode of “Succession,” Trader Joe’s printed her art on stationery, and she recently collaborated with Jiggy Puzzles, she said.
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Segal’s business is also her creative outlet
Segal paints almost every day to relieve stress. However, she decided to sell her art after her social media followers asked to buy the drawings she posted.
Not only is her business a creative outlet, but it also allows her flexibility in her daily routine. As a psychologist, she also works from home, allowing her to set her own hours and dedicate extra time to art when she can.
To maintain her side hustle, she regularly creates content for her Instagram and Tiktok accounts from her art. And on Etsy, she pays a small amount to get her work to buyers through the platform’s algorithm.
She would describe her art as maximalist, whimsical and colorful, drawing on themes of nature and spirituality. Segal says she encourages other artists to promote their work.
“Every person in the world has their own taste in art, and your art will resonate with people,” she said. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
Segal isn’t entirely sure she’ll ever pursue art full-time, but she’s excited to continue growing her business. Next she wants to turn to quilting. She has also received requests from customers who want to put their work on album and book covers.
“At the end of my artistic career, my paintings will be on everything you can imagine,” she says.
Read the original article Business Insider.
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