So what is Patreon?

Disclaimer: This top section is screenshots directly from the Patreon website at www.patreon.com/about.

Is having a Patreon account the same as begging for money?

I’m hoping after reading the above information, you understand just what Patreon is a little better.

We have been promoting ourselves through Patreon since January 2019, but really got serious about it this past year in May.

At first it felt awkward and it really did require crossing a hurdle of feeling like we were begging people for money, but the longer we are out here on the road, and the more content that we add to our collective pages, the more I am realizing that this really is a legitimate way to access more funds.

As we are essentially creating content, and ‘Content Creating’ is actually an official profession (how else is the internet so full of valuable information?), it only makes sense that we attempt to get compensated for the content that we are creating for ourselves.

How we use patreon

We love sharing our experiences and photos with our fans on Facebook, Instagram, through our newsletter, and now on YouTube, but the reality is that it is A LOT of work!  Many hours are spent crafting and curating photos, editing video, and writing the newsletter, not too mention writing these blog posts and creating content for our website.  Is it fair that we ask for compensation from our fans and patrons?

Of course, we could monetize our page, attempt to advertise our way through our financial struggles, but who really wants to be bombarded by adds non-stop?  Don’t you just want to be able to read something online, or watch a video without the constant nagging to buy something or register for something?  Getting financial support from our patrons, allows us to keep ads away from our platforms.

And it isn’t even JUST the content that we are creating that we are hoping to get compensated for.  We are aslo painting murals as we travel around, and sharing our gift of creativity and art for many to see.  We paint murals for FREE in places that we stay, simply in exchange for accomodation.

why do we paint murals for free?

Of course, you may think that is silly, surely we must see the value in our skills and know that we can charge money for it?  But we have also thought long and hard about this, and we have come to the following conclusions:

1. Although we both make digital art, and keep ourselves occupied with creating our online shops and selling our designs on t-shirts, leggings, shower curtains, duvet covers and more (see links below), we both also crave physical and tactile art.  Painting murals gives us this outlet.

2. If we were to try and do physical art, ie. canvas art, then try and sell it wherever we currently are in the world, it would be a burden.  Selling original artwork is a HARD business, and it is impossible for us to simply just carry it around with us until it sells.  Something like 70% of original paintings are sitting unseen in artists studios and in storage. By painting our artwork directly onto a wall, and getting accomodation in exchange for it, it is pretty much like selling original art.  In fact, we are getting a 100% return on our efforts in the form of a roof over our heads.

3. The places that we tend to paint our murals, are sometimes old and worn out hostels, or buildings that need a pick-me-up.  Quite simply the owners of these places would never pay for an artist to do the work that we are doing, it just isn’t in the budget.  By doing it as an exchange, especially during a low season time, the hotel/hostel owner does not lose money as we are simply occupying a bed that would otherwise be empty.

4. Our artwork is brightening up a space that will house hundreds, if not thousands of travellers in the future.  It brings us much happiness to know that our creations will inevitably, even if subconciously, uplift and inspire others in their lives.  Art is a universal language, and when used in a cheerful and joyful way, it truly can be a beacon of peace in the world.

5. We truly feel that our creativity is a gift that should be shared with the world, not a commodity to sell.  Of course, we do sell our art on physical products, but mural painting is different.  At the base of ALL of this, it makes us feel GOOD to be sprucing up these spaces, and wholly sharing our creativity, our gifts, with the world in such an honest and uplifting way.

6. Let’s be honest.  When money comes into the picture for this sort of work, there are mountains of expectations to be met.  The clients want what the client wants, and the creator is limited and bound by those restrictions.  In doing this in the way we are doing it, we work WITH our hotel/hostel owners to discuss a vision of what they are looking for.  However, they also release creative control to us because there isn’t that financial expectation associated with it.  This allows us to soothe our creative souls and explore our creative potential without deadlines, timelines and financial pressure bogging us down.

We are writing books! 

Did you also know that above and beyond ALL of the above, we are both writing our own respective books!

Jill is writing a book about our experience of being locked down in Morocco, aptly titled Locked Down In Morocco.

This book goes through the entire process of us first deciding to go to Morocco, travelling around for a few weeks, settling into a mural painting gig, then having the entire country shut down around us with the Covid-19 craziness.

I can assure you that this book is full of adventure, good travel stories, waves of intense emotions, mind boggling fear and so much personal growth!

By becoming a $7/month patron, you will have exclusive access to each chapter as it is written!  You will also recieve a hard copy of the book once it is published.  

Chris is writing a graphic novel that has been in his mind for the past 20+ years!  He is an incredible illustrator and cartoonist and is pouring his heart and soul into this project.  He actually started to write it when he was 20, after having a mind expanding dream, but of course, life got in the way of that, as it tends to do when we don’t have the space to focus on these things.  He too has his own Patreon page set up where you can follow along on his progress.  See below.

It’s not begging after all! 

Honestly, even when I think about all that we are doing while we are out here in the world, it’s pretty astonishing.  We do all of this PLUS manage and run multiple online shops where we sell our physical products. I totally get why we get burnt out from all of our efforts once in a while.

But the thing is, we LOVE doing all of it!  In leaving our conventional life in Canada back in 2017, we have given ourselves the time and the space to create a life for ourselves that rewards and uplifts us.  We create our own schedules, we work on our projects, we do the things we feel inspired to do.  Isn’t that what we should all be trying to do with our lives?

Patreon gives us the freedom and financial capability to continue doing what we are doing.  We know, because we have heard from many of our supporters, that what we are doing out here is important.  We are inspiring and uplifting people.  Whether is is through their ‘arm chair travels’ or in seeing our fun a bright artwork that we paint, we hear a LOT about how much people are loving it.

If you are one of these people, and you are inspired and uplifted by what we are doing in the world, I implore you to consider joining us on Patreon.

We share much more on there than we do on social media, and look at it as a way to share behind the scenes stories and pictures from our lives on the road.  Not EVERY story is meant for Facebook!

For just $3/month, you can join us on this wild ride we are on.  We are so appreciative for all the love and support that we receive from our current patrons and beyond!  We truly feel very held by an external force that seems to be taking good care of us!

We truly know that time is valuable, and we thank you for taking the time to read this and understand better what Patreon has to offer to creatives like us!

We both wish you all much happiness and fullfillment in your own lives, and hope that this reaches you as you too are working on living your best life!