One of the main reasons why I can scroll through Instagram for hours on end is that I get to see people unleash their creativity. Art history shows us that art can be made by anyone, with any intent. At one point, it was to show the exuberance of the bourgeoisie through self-portraits, then it was to attack nobility by drawing sarcastic political propaganda cartoons, then it was to revolutionize the masses. I believe the art that is “in” right now, the art I see in social media, is made mainly out of things that we tend to overlook every day.

Today, people are creating art with ANYTHING, such as food, vases, pots, notebooks, tote bags— you name it. The best part? Anyone can do it because one does not need fancy materials or patrons. The second-best part? This can be a side hobby that can give you a break from the monotony of school. The third best part? They are making money out of it, and you can too. You can do all of this. Art as an outlet and a side-hustle.

Victoria Raschi, a junior VMA student, started “Bitchin’ Stitchin” to fulfill her hobby of embroidery and to make money at the same time by selling it. Victoria, along with three friends, has made over $200. She has been getting numerous requests for commissions from organizations, friends, and family members. Her family friend recently requested a bag, which she earned $30 for.

“My roommates also embroider so it’s something that we do together to relax,” Victoria says. Relaxing and spending time with friends while working to make money is an unfamiliar yet totally doable concept in our world nowadays!

Another student, Jess Gregorio, is planning to start an online business venture called “Seeing Doubled” in the next few months with her sister.

“What we’re basically doing is cutting up old clothes in half, mixing them up, and sewing pieces together into something new and one-of-a-kind,” Jess says.

Her inspiration for this idea? Besides it being for her entrepreneurship class, she made this “mini-company” because she was frustrated with stores that claim their expensive clothes were vintage, even though they are just thrifted pieces. “So instead of getting rid of our bank accounts, we went thrifting that night, bought a few shirts, and went over to our grandma’s house to ask her to teach us how to sew them together. It only cost about $7 to $10 to make it happen in an hour with the help of a pre-owned sewing machine, and the quality was way better than what we had seen in that shop.”

The best part about “Seeing Doubled”, is that it not only aims to make money off of something Jess and her sister love to do in their free time, but it creates the opportunity for sustainability and affordable thrifting.

I felt the need to write this article because I am in a school that has so much creative potential, but it shouldn’t just end there. You don’t have to be a professional artist to be able to sell your work. Like I said before, in an era where the definition of art is expanding, anything can be art. Anyone can be an artist to channel creativity, fulfill environmental obligations, self-care, enjoyment, and to top it all off‚— make some moolah.

The Art of the Side Hustle