The Port Ludlow Art League will welcome Port Townsend artist Melissa Klein as the speaker for their November program meeting 1-3 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Port Ludlow Beach Club, 121 Marina View Drive in Port Ludlow.

Klein found out that all the advice she was given as a young artist about making a career in the arts hasn’t worked for her. In fact, she learned that the more she broke the rules of how to make it as an artist, the better she did with sales and commissions of her work.

“I learned how to reach my audience and communicate my vision without selling my soul,” she said.

Klein forged her way as a full-time artist through trial and error, looking at business models in other fields and working with a business coach. “Creating opportunities and collaborating with organizations and individuals is awesome,” Klein said.

She promises to bust some myths and identify pitfalls she encountered with following the standard advice for artists and share what worked for her to make the transition from doing art on the side to a full-time, professional artist. She invites attendees to bring a small sketchbook or notebook and a pen or pencil for some prompted exercises. 

Admission is $5.