- Michele Sobel's full-time job is painting designs on customers' bags and other items.
- Sobel, who considers paintings like constant companions, sold art while working in the news industry.
- Her business's total sales nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023.
Michele Sobel said painting has always been like a good friend.
“It's something I've always kept close to me,” she told Business Insider. “It's unconditional love.”
She has been drawing since she was a child and has turned that passion into a side hustle and now a full-time business.
“I never stopped painting, but I never pursued it as a professional career until late in life,” Sobel said.
Her love for art is now her only source of income. Although the artist typically creates her work using a sketchpad, canvas, or digitally on her tablet, Sobel primarily paints luxury items such as Louis Vuitton bags.According to her, it started a few years ago when one of her art clients asked her. Whether she thought about painting on the bags and gave her some designer bags to paint for her.
Although she considered painting her “lifelong passion,” she also had a passion for journalism. She worked as a full-time and freelance news producer from 2006 until 2019.
Art was prominent in her life even while working in the news industry. Meanwhile, she was able to earn some extra money from her own artwork. Ms. Sobel sold her first painting more than 10 years ago, she said.
“As I progressed in my career, I worked in very stressful environments with deadlines and breaking news, and once I stepped into the world of motherhood, I realized I wanted more,” Sobel said. Told. “And I wanted to do more of it. It made me feel good. And I felt like the more I created the work, the more I could focus on work and the better mom I could be.”
Documents shared with BI show that her business's total revenue nearly doubled between 2022 and 2023, with 2024 off to a strong start.
“Michele Sobel Fine Art specializes in hand-painting fine leather goods. It's kind of a double business,” Sobel said. Her business includes both fulfilling private commissions and hosting on-site events.
In general, she saw that making money from art became more profitable. She noted that her margins on Etsy, where she sells art prints, original pieces and wearable art, can sometimes be as little as a few dollars. But she now charges $2,500 for her personal commission work, which includes bag designs and other hand-painted work, up from the usual $350. Sobel said sales are primarily done through Instagram and the website.
“I've never been in this business to make money. It's always been just a passion, a side hustle, a hobby,” Sobel said of selling art as a full-time venture. “I had a career, so I wasn't thinking about changing careers. I was just following my passion and doing what I loved, so I just kind of did it.”
From hobby to selling on Etsy to LLC
Sobel said she worked full-time as a news producer for most of 2015 and then as a freelancer for several years, partly because she needed flexibility in her job. Her freelance work became sporadic, she said, as she focused on her art side hustle. Sobel said her hobby was selling art from about 2018 to 2019.
Sobel said she has been painting more because of the pandemic and motherhood. She said she was able to achieve most of her goals working as a news producer and is ready to move on to new opportunities.
“It was a question – I didn’t know the answer – was there something more I could do with my art that would give me fulfillment and be flexible just for my kids and to fill my cup?” “A little bit to be able to accommodate?'' she said.
She said her business has evolved “from selling wall art to personalized art gifts and eventually finding a niche in hand-painted designer goods.” She can make money through her art on her Etsy, a business in New Jersey in 2022 she registered Michele Sobel Fine Art, and in 2023 she registered it as an LLC.
Her work on Etsy included “doing a lot of watercolors and turning them into prints and printing them on blankets, tote bags, scarves, things like that. It's wearable art, and that's what really made me feel.” is reflected in what we’re doing now,” she said.
She now really enjoys the type of art she does, hand-painting designs on people's items.
“When I look back at what I was doing on Etsy, I was spending so much time just customizing and doing these things on my computer, which I was happy to do at the time, but It wasn’t something I loved,” she said. “But to actually create this truly original art, to work, to paint, to create, to push your own creative boundaries and create work in a variety of styles, often unlike any other. Capturing different types of concepts that have never been done before really warms my heart.''Happy. “
Sobel said the commission will include the return of “vintage items, pre-owned luxury items, and handbags with original art customized for the customer.” He also draws pictures on his sneakers. His personalizations include drawing a birthstone or someone's dog, for example. They also responded to requests for flowers and letters. She also creates her work in a variety of styles, from pop art to realistic pieces, she said.
She truly personalizes what her clients want and says her greatest joy is that she “feels happiest, most confident, and most empowered when wearing wearable art.” He said there is.
“If a client has a special photo taken, I can actually paint from it. Or if it’s something memorable or special from someone’s special vacation or trip, I can “I love to incorporate that,'' she said. “I want my clients to truly feel like they're part of the process, because I don't just make clothes for them to wear.'' Because I spend all my time designing and painting things.”
Sobel said he works on one private commission at a time, which can take hours. She usually paints for six hours straight. This work is typically completed within two weeks. This includes the time from preparing what you'll be painting, such as preparing your handbag, to sealing your work with a flexible, water-resistant finish when you're finished hand-painting.
“If the kids are in bed, I often take a few more hours to get back to work because I love what I do and I'm so lucky to have a job that I want to go back to.” she said.
She spends a lot of time painting on commission, and while she enjoys the slow process of painting, she also takes time to plan upcoming events. He said he spends part of his day there.
Sobel explains that events “may involve working with luxury brands, stores, and businesses to create event experiences where customers or clients can come in and choose from a menu of artwork. hand-painted in front of their eyes.” As you chat with them, they can walk away and take it home. ”
Michael Kors, Bloomingdale's, and LoveShackFancy are just a few of the places she's worked with. She has also made gifts to businesses, she said.
“I never thought I would have the opportunity to paint on a stage like this,” she said. “I've always painted just for myself, but now I've partnered with amazing brands to paint for everyone.”
Sobel can now focus on her dream of creating hand-painted pieces and original art.
“This was a passion project for me, and I'll tell you once it starts rolling a little bit, I always had it in my head that someone was going to get your dream job,” she said. . “Why not you?”
She advised others to cultivate their talents and passions “even if you don't know exactly where you're going” or “what the path will be.”
“Regardless of whether you want to be a business owner, an entrepreneur, or a creator, when you see a path forward, you just follow it with determination and the passion that got you started,” she said. “I mean, someone's going to do it someday, so why not you?”
Have you turned your side hustle into a full-time job or turned your hobby into a profitable business? Contact this reporter to share mhoff@businessinsider.com.
