I am attempting to pay for graduate school on my own with a small inhertance I received. School almost ran those funds dry, so I had to use my credit card to live off of and take out a loan to afford art supplies in the end.
I currently work at the front desk of a maker space just outside of Austin. It barely pays for my studio space and art supplies. I work there because I feel like I am afforded an opporunity to conitnue to learn new technology as well as have a space to create panels and do minor woodworking. My partner currently has no debt, but makes a fair salary doing a job that he hates.
I can't afford to buy new supplies most of the time. Most of my paint was made or mixed during graduate school while the money was still available. With the credit card debt, I am constantly paying the bill and then maxing it out, costing me more money every month. My studio is in a raw space, but I prefer a little dirt to a 'show room' style studio.