The Art of Survival — Why I Abandoned Fine Arts for Commercial Design

I began my journey in fine arts back in 2010. By 2016, I had packed away my canvases and pivoted to commercial design in Paris.

The reason was entirely unromantic: I was afraid of starving.

Making a living as a professional painter was simply too difficult for me. I had a friend who managed to support herself through her art early on, and I envied her deeply. I often think that if I could have made a living from drawing back then, I would have kept painting forever. Human nature is wired to settle into comfort. But I didn't have that luxury, so I chose design—a practical trade that I figured would guarantee me a job.

As a student, I always felt mediocre. I had terrible memory and felt constantly frustrated by traditional academics. But my family managed to place me in the strictest, top-tier classes, meaning I grew up surrounded by the absolute best students and teachers. It was during this time I read Rich Dad Poor Dad, a book about financial literacy for kids. It sparked a realization: I might not be a top scholar, but surviving and living well doesn't require straight A's. It requires leveraging whatever unique advantages you have.

When I entered the workforce as an apprentice designer, the reality shocked me. My starting salary was two to three times higher than my peers who were brilliant students—even those who graduated from the Sorbonne or other prestigious public universities. I realized that my practical, survival-driven choice had given me a tangible skill. I could command a good wage, and I could always take on freelance work to build my life. I wasn't an artistic genius, but I had learned the art of survival.

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