sorry I'm in Scotland so dont know what there would be in LA/USA but have you tried large fishing/hunting shops? particularly angling supplies places often sell feathers or complete skinned birds, often dyed all sorts of colours for fishermen to use for fly tying. This is the sort of thing you...
ta Jwood, find your confidence sweetie. you ARE good enough, but why not try what I did for a bit with some casual volunteering. I used to help out with youth clubs and a drop-in mental health group who loved and appreciated that someone took the time to just 'be'. It didn't make me any money...
I do have a wee office job 3 days a week for a steady income and my living expenses aren't high. It does help that I can charge quite highly for my human and animal portraits too, but I couldn't make a living solely from those as the work is too irregular, sometimes nothing for weeks then I get...
I work as an artist I do various things but mainly animals/people and landscapes. I much prefer doing landscape stuff but the people and the animals pay the bills so hey-ho not complaining. I have afacebook page if anyone wants a look at my random art projects and paintings...