25/07/2026
Are You a Starving Artist in Mexico? Here's Why.
If you're an artist living in Mexico and you're struggling to make a living, the problem might not be your talent.
It might not even be your prices.
It might be the market you're trying to sell to.
Too many artists spend years trying to build a business by selling only to the people around them.
It sounds like the logical thing to do.
Unfortunately, it's often the hardest way to make a living.
Here's why.
Most people in Mexico think in pesos, not dollars.
Original art is often viewed as a luxury.
That means you're trying to build a premium business in a market where many people don't have the money to buy your creations.
That's a business problem.
Not an art problem.
The good news?
You don't have to limit yourself to your local market.
The internet changed the rules years ago.
Today, your customers can live in Toronto.
Or New York.
Or London.
Or Sydney.
Your market is the world.
Everything changes the moment you start thinking that way.
Before I go any further, you're probably wondering who I am and why you should listen to me.
My name is Nathan Segal.
I've been a freelance writer and artist for 28 years.
During that time, I've been published more than 1,000 times in magazines around the world covering computer graphics, photography, and creative technology.
I was the associate editor at WebReference. I ran the site for five years and managed team of writers fro all over the world.
I've worked with major companies, including Corel Corporation.
While I was living in Bucerías, Mexico, I landed a book deal with Corel and wrote The Corel PHOTO-PAINT X3/X4 Insider.
I wrote the entire book while living there.
Many of the photographs I used were taken right here in Mexico.
That book sold more than 11,000 copies.
It earned me over $90,000.
None of that happened because I focused on my local market.
It happened because I learned to think globally.
Over the years, I've discovered ways artists can build an international career without depending on the local market.
These are five of the best ways.
1. Writing and Publishing
Most artists never think about writing.
I did.
Writing for magazines opened doors I never could have opened on my own.
It built credibility.
It introduced me to people all over the world.
And it helped me become known as an expert in my field.
There is one drawback.
Magazine articles usually help build your reputation.
They won't help you build your art business.
A better way is guest posting.
Guest posting allows you to write for blogs that already have the audience you want.
Instead of spending years trying to attract readers one at a time, you're borrowing someone else's audience.
That's leverage.
At the end of your article, you include an author's resource box.
That's where you invite readers back to your website, your email list, or your business.
Over time, those articles continue working for you long after you've written them.
Two people who built remarkable businesses using this strategy are Danny Iny and Pat Flynn.
They didn't just create content.
They created authority.
That's exactly what guest posting can do for you, as an artist.
2. Partnerships and Joint Ventures
If I had to choose one strategy that can change an artist's business the fastest...
Partnerships and joint ventures would be it.
Most artists try to do everything themselves.
That's exhausting.
A better approach is to partner with people or companies that already have the audience you want.
That's exactly what happened with Corel.
That partnership led to a book.
The book created credibility.
The credibility created opportunities.
One opportunity led to another.
That's how momentum works.
The beautiful thing about partnerships is that everyone wins.
The company gets valuable content.
You gain exposure to thousands of potential customers.
Instead of spending years building an audience from scratch...
You leverage one that already exists.
Done well, a single partnership can completely change the direction of your career.
3. Public Speaking
Most artists believe the only way to make money is by selling art.
I think that's a mistake.
Your knowledge has value.
Your experience has value.
Your story has value.
Public speaking allows you to share all three.
It builds trust faster than almost anything else.
People don't just buy artwork.
They buy confidence.
They buy expertise.
They buy the person behind the work.
Speaking gives people a chance to know you before they ever become a customer.
As I'm writing this, I'm developing talks based on the same ideas you're reading here.
I'll be showing artists how to use guest posting, public speaking, and other strategies to build an audience beyond their local community.
The artwork becomes part of a much bigger business.
Need proof that it works?
My friend Rik Schnabel, from Australia, built an extraordinary career through professional public speaking.
It helped turn him into a millionaire.
He didn't get there by waiting for people to discover him.
He created opportunities by getting in front of audiences.
Artists can do exactly the same thing.
They just need a plan.
4. Build an Online Store
The next mistake many artists make is assuming they need a gallery to sell their work.
They don't.
Today, you can build your own global storefront.
You can sell paintings.
Prints.
Digital artwork.
Limited editions.
And other creative products.
The tools already exist.
Platforms like Shopify make it possible for artists to create an online store and reach customers anywhere in the world.
But there is something important you need to understand.
Building a store does not mean people will automatically find it.
A website by itself is not a business.
You still need marketing.
You still need traffic.
You still need a way to get the right people in front of your work.
That may mean advertising.
It may mean building an audience.
It may mean creating partnerships.
The store is the vehicle.
Marketing is the fuel.
When those two things work together, the possibilities become endless.
Instead of waiting for someone local to walk into a gallery...
You can put your work in front of thousands of potential buyers around the world.
Lloyd Coenen did it and earned $500,000 from his prints and paintings.
5. Build an Audience and Create Offers
This final strategy is the one most artists ignore.
And it may be the most valuable.
Building an email list
Why?
Because an email list gives you something most artists never have.
A direct connection with people who already know, like, and trust you.
Years ago, I used a strategy called the Four Day Cash Machine by Frank Kern.
The principle was simple.
Create something valuable.
Build a relationship with your audience.
Then make an offer.
That strategy generated thousands of dollars.
Technology has changed.
Platforms have changed.
But the principle remains the same.
People buy from people they know.
They buy from people they trust.
They buy from people who have helped them first.
This is why building an email list is so powerful.
Social media platforms can change their rules overnight.
An algorithm can reduce your reach.
A platform can disappear.
But an email list is something you own.
It allows you to communicate directly with people who are interested in your work.
That relationship is incredibly valuable.
So let's return to the original question.
Are you a starving artist in Mexico?
If you are...
It may not be because your art isn't good enough.
It may not be because there aren't buyers.
It may simply be because you're selling to the wrong market
The biggest mistake artists make is believing their opportunities are limited by where they live.
That's not true.
Your location does not determine the size of your market.
Your strategy does.
The world is filled with people who appreciate creativity, craftsmanship, and original ideas.
But they will never find you if they don't know you exist.
That's why you have to think differently.
You have to stop thinking like an artist who is waiting to be discovered.
Start thinking like a creative entrepreneur building an international audience.
That is the difference between struggling locally...
And building a career globally.
I've written a short report that explains two of these strategies in more detail:
Guest posting.
And public speaking.
If you want to learn how to use these methods to build your audience and create more opportunities for your art, comment GLOBAL below and I'll send it to you.
Because the fastest way to change your art career isn't always to create better art.
Sometimes it's to find a better market.
Think Global.
Not Local.
