Thank you
I can never put a dollar figure on what I’m worth.
In San Francisco, people thank me all the time for the community I make, and generally for living aloud in ways they often can’t see themselves doing. I mostly considered my work to be silly acts of expression, fueled by the need to exit depressive episodes I found myself in 2015 and 2017. And although I’d stumbled on an unexpected amount of business acumen, I mostly felt happy venues wanted to pay me at all, and that people put out nominal door covers for my events, and a little more for my custom apparel pieces.
The interest in my masks took the wind out of me this year; I can’t remember ever receiving so much attention, and it was the first time my freelance business saw enough money to sustain itself, pay my rent, and have enough money left over to really solidify the online brand. I guess that’s why it was equally deflating when I realized that momentum would fluctuate, and I finally awoke to the fact that I really can’t afford to live in San Francisco as an artist.
Not, at least, without some help.
I’m really grateful for the initial 11 people who signed up for my Patreon, which, if you’re reading this and don’t know: it’s a way to give nominal monthly dollars in support of my work and generally my ability to continue doing it. As I’m writing this, $100 monthly dollars go at the very least toward literally keeping the lights on: my utilities.
Creation for me has always been prioritized first to get new things out there and worry about feeding myself with them later. So as always, if it ends here, I’m happy with what I did, and what we did together.
Thank you.
In no particular order:
Jody Godoy
Bryan Marty
Ramon Lopez
William Cline
Jonathan Apodaca
John Spaetzel
Steve D. Glaser
Brandon McGill
Derek Slight
Jeffrey Kiser
Susan Sugarman (my mom, who has been an unending support this year)
Although they aren’t patrons via Patreon, worth thanking just as much are David Montgomery and Mike Sahakian for offering me a car(!) and to fix my permanently broken one.
Also thank you’s necessary for Mark Coleman, Alan Gamrican, and David Grodsky for pretty unsolicited donations to both my work, the Queer Nightlife Fund, and other causes during the pandemic.
If you’re interested in giving, my Patreon is here. Venmo @saul-sugarman. Or buy something from the store.
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