What kind of income are we talking here?

[Lara Cannon]

Hi Michele,

Thank you, I forget how easy it is to zoom around to our websites and see what we are charging! I really appreciate your vote of confidence. I actually have raised my prices to the point that the work flow is turning into a trickle, and I am waiting before I bump them up again.

But on a less personal note, I guess I am hinting around trying to figure out if there is any kind of pattern in this business? (Or perhaps it varies so widely it is impossible to predict.) I know that even laying a business foundation takes time--not to mention the artistic and professional development required to demand the higher prices. Then of course, it also takes time to find and connect with the clientele who can afford to pay the higher prices.

Which brings me back to my original question: Can an artist who is working hard both professionally and artistically expect to make a living as a portrait artist. Or is it only an elite few who ever make it beyond hobby type wages?