2021 Fall Raffle · Art Prof

A Message from Prof Lieu

In the past year, our community has far surpassed anything I ever thought was possible online in terms of making a meaningful connection.

I feel closer to all of you with every comment I read, and every reply I write. (I’m embarrassed to admit that I often read YouTube comments before I have my coffee because they’re just so much fun to read.)

Every single comment, regardless of length matters. While Art Prof is about art education, I love hearing about the little parts of your lives.

Conversations in our Discord range from how rice is perceived differently in the Philippines vs. the US, guinea pig Halloween costumes, and nerding out how the texture of colored pencils can vary between brands.

So much has changed since I left my teaching position at RISD, and moved to Utah in the summer of 2020. I knew that leaving academia and going full-time on Art Prof would be a major financial risk. I told myself I would give it about a year to see if Art Prof could get on more stable ground financially.

I hoped that by dedicating myself entirely to Art Prof, I would finally have the time to seeking more substantial and consistent funding.

We’ve come a really long way over the years, I remember the days when we were bleeding cash nonstop every month, and consequently, our staff were paid peanuts. People are quick to assume that we are doing just fine with our budget when they see 111k subscribers on YouTube, and the $3500 we receive monthly from Patreon.

Many people think these numbers mean that we have “made it.” Far from it. Our budget still remains an ongoing struggle that eats up the majority of much of my time and energy. It’s a constant stress I worry about daily.

We are so, so close to getting on stable ground. However, I am worried that if our budget doesn’t significantly improve soon, I will have to go back to teaching in academia to stay afloat.

Our expenses have only increased as we try to keep up with the growth and needs of our community. That’s why most of my time is spent buried in spreadsheets, schedules, and emails because we can’t afford more staff.

Simultaneously, I am well aware how important it is for me take care of myself, and make sure I have enough time for my 2 kids and family.

(You can tell it’s love when you willingly put up with comments from your 12 year old like, “Mama, if you wrote a book about your life, it would be the most BORING book in the universe!“)

Art Prof Meetup in NYC! October 24, 2021

Some days I look around and all I can see are roadblocks to the content and support I so desperately want to give more of. (Ask Lauryn how many times I’ve said “no” to her ideas because of the budget)

That’s where you can step in and support Art Prof, so we can start removing some of these road blocks and do more for all of you. (I’ve got 30 years of content ready to go in my head) You’ll also be helping an artist in the world who can’t afford an art class.

Art Prof Meetup in NYC! October 24, 2021

We had our very first in person meetup in Brooklyn yesterday with Deepti and Lauryn. Lauryn said: “Meeting up with Art Prof Family yesterday felt like hanging out with people I’ve known for a long time. Having that in person experience really showed me that the friendship and camaraderie amongst Art Prof learners is real.”

I hope you’ll participate in our fall raffle! Let’s keep Art Prof 100% free and accessible to everybody.

❤️Prof Lieu

watch raffle slideshow

How to Enter

1) Pledge $1 monthly (or more) on Patreon.
Already a Patreon supporter? Bump up your donation with an additional $3 or more to enter! Pledges will be charged on Monday, November 1. We will select 3 raffle winners in early November.

2) One time donation of $5 (or more) via Paypal.
You can also snail mail us a check; please make the check out to Clara Lieu and mail it to: Clara Lieu, P.O. Box 520741, Salt Lake City, UT, 84106-9998

3) Enter for free.
Leave a comment on the raffle video on YouTube. Tell us what you have learned at Art Prof and that you would like to enter the raffle.

Raffle closes Thursday, October 28 @ 11:59pm EST

Pledges will be charged on Monday, November 1. Your pledge must process in order to be eligible for the raffle. We will select 3 winners in early November.