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This artist makes her living on TikTok

November 11, 2022- Manhattan, New York. Ari poses next to the table displaying her art work at the pop up shop.
Ari Brochin is 24 years old, from Millburn, New Jersey, and a recent graduate of Elon University. 

 

She’s also @thegoldencanvas, a full-time artist living in New York City. How can she afford to pay NYC rent while putting food on the table, providing for her puppy, and having an active social life?

 

It’s all thanks to the viral app Tik Tok, along with a few side hustles. 

 

“A big source for me is doing brand deals and partnerships with large companies,” Brochin explains. 

 

She’s a content creator for Tik Tok, recently received a PR package from KISS cosmetics, a huge package of free clothing from Free People, and partnered with the app Creatively. 

 

To pay the bills, she babysits two days a week, works public events for bigger artists, does short-term jobs on Upwork, and makes income from selling her artwork.

 

Ari’s artwork consists of paintings, drawings, and prints, in the form of canvas, candles, and phone cases. 

 

“Colors just make sense to me.”

 

Ari found her love for art when she threw a massive party at her home when in High School. Once her parents found out, they grounded her for six months with no electronics. She had nothing to do except draw with colored pencils and paint with old oil paints in her room.

 

“That’s when the lightbulb went off in my head that I not only was good at it, but I loved it. It gave me peace.”

 

Even though Ari is her own boss, she still tries to stick to a 9-to-5 routine.  When not working, she can be found walking her dog, hanging with friends, or going to an art gallery.

 

“It’s so fulfilling waking up every day excited to work.”

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