Odds of Getting In
The odds of getting in are great. Pick up a paintbrush. You're in. That sure was easy.
Now what?
You have a better chance of getting into the art world by being in the art world, which means that you may have to move to an urban environment. Nearly half of all artists live in a metropolitan area, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. This is because people tend to spend more on artwork in an urban environment than in a gallery next to a gas station.
You might have to move to a place like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, New York City, Boston, or Dallas. Yep, the Lone Star State is buying up artwork. Keep in mind that all of these places are expensive to live in, and that the struggle to pay the rent and buy groceries will probably be very real.
However, you can't just unpack your canvases and sell artwork on the corner. You need to get into a gallery. If you send your portfolio to a gallery, it'll most likely get ignored. The best way to get into a gallery is to get a referral from someone who knows the gallery. How do you get to know people who know galleries? You go to art shows, you attend classes, and you join your local art community.