Too many artists graduate from art school with crushing debt and then spend years figuring out how to make money while trying to maintain a studio practice. Stephanie Brown did the opposite. She graduated from a private art school debt-free, secured a fully funded MFA, and has been treating her art career like a business from day one.

In this conversation with host Alyson Stanfield, Stephanie breaks down exactly how she did it, and why being strategic about money doesn't make you any less of an artist.

🔦 HIGHLIGHTS

02:00 Why interactive art transforms viewers into participants and creates lasting memory points—and how Stephanie intentionally studied education theory to understand this

06:40 How she graduated from a private art school (SCAD) debt-free by maximizing scholarships and strategically taking general education classes at community college

09:40 Why she only applied to fully funded MFA programs and what made University of Michigan's program worth it

16:30 The best advice Stephanie received about graduate school: only go when you know what you want to say to the world as an artist

23:10 How watching her mother's creative side hustles shaped her belief that artists can make money from their work

24:40 The rules she set for herself (one residency, two exhibitions per year) to ensure she could always say "I'm an exhibiting artist"

31:10 Why working from home during the pandemic was the unlock that gave Stephanie energy and time for serious studio practice

33:20 The transferable skills from her art practice (managing budgets up to $50,000) that landed her higher-paying jobs in project management and business operations

🚀 YOUR ACTION

Create your own non-negotiable parameters for your art practice. Stephanie's are at least one residency and two exhibitions per year.

What would your rules be?

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

She Knows Exactly How Much Her Art Income Will be with Kelly Pelfrey (162)

Being an Artist with Geoffrey Gorman (124)

Starting Your Art Career (173)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/debt-free-brown

⭐️ Connect with Stephanie and see more of her art: https://stephaniebphotos.com

🔶 Does your art business need a boost or a refresh? Please see my comprehensive art-marketing program, Essentials for Artist Success 🔶  full of tools, strategies, and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility. For those with beginning and emerging art careers and those who need to approach their business with more thought and intention.

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

 

Your art doesn't exist in a vacuum. Where and how you show your work shapes how people perceive its value before they even look closely at the piece itself. The venue, the lighting, the labels, the other work nearby—all of it sends signals about whether your art should be taken seriously.

In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield explores what falls within your control and what doesn't, and why understanding that difference can transform how collectors see you and your work.

She encourages you to vet opportunities before committing, establish non-negotiables to establish for yourself, and move strategically toward increasingly prestigious venues rather than staying comfortable with familiar options. Whether you're just starting out or you've been showing for years, you'll learn how to raise your standards and make choices that honor the work you've put into your art.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:30 A gallery story that reveals how presentation can undermine even the most exquisite artwork

02:50 Joshua Bell's subway experiment and what it reveals about context over content

04:20 What you can't control after committing: organizers' behavior, placement, promotion, and who else is in the show

06:00 The power of vetting opportunities before you say yes: research methods and setting non-negotiables

09:00 Moving strategically to increasingly prestigious venues rather than staying comfortable

11:40 Being selective even when starting out: choosing the best option available at your career stage

🚀 YOUR ACTION

Audit your current opportunities through this lens. For each place you're showing or planning to show, ask yourself:

Does this venue's reputation support my prices and goals?

Will being here make collectors take me more seriously?

What can I control about how my work is presented?

And if you can't control key elements, is this opportunity still worth it?

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Seeking Validation and Earning Credibility as an Artist (129)

How One Curator Works with Artists at a Regional Art Center with Collin Parson (116)

Lessons from a Wildly Successful Pop-up Art Gallery Event with Mai Wyn Schantz (109)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit artbizsuccess.com/undermining-value

🔶 Context shapes perception. It's why galleries are selective about their roster and why collectors pay attention to provenance. If you want to command higher prices, context matters enormously. In Elevate Your Art, Alyson covers numerous strategies for increasing the perceived value of your work and being strategic about where and how you show. This is just one of them. The live session on November 18th, with on demand training available afterward. Visit artbizsuccess.com/elevate for all the details.

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

 

host: Alyson Stanfield   When someone is ready to buy your art, the last thing you want to do is make them go on a treasure hunt. Every extra click, unanswered question, or missing price is a barrier that can cost you the sale.   In this solo episode, I talk about how you can take charge of the buying process—because while you can't control the economy or trends, you can control how easy it is for people to pay you.   Key Ideas

• Collectors don't just buy art—they buy into the artist. Relationships matter, but clarity in the buying process is non-negotiable.

• Three keys to a smooth sales experience: Clarity, Ease, and Trust.

• Why your homepage isn't enough—and how credit lines, prices, and details create clarity.

• How multiple payment options and clear agreements make buying easier.

• Why trust depends on fast responses, transparent policies, and consistent follow-through.

• A challenge for you: Audit your own buyer's journey and fix one barrier this week.

Highlights

00:00 Someone discovers your art on Instagram—what happens next?   02:00 Barriers in the buying process and why they matter   04:00 The first key: Clarity (and why your homepage is not the best destination)   05:00 The importance of credit lines for every finished piece   06:00 Pep talk: Don't make people work harder to give you money   06:20 The second key: Ease—payment options and professional process   07:00 Stories about payment plans gone wrong and how to protect yourself   08:00 Why seamless transactions signal professionalism and build trust   08:20 The third key: Trust—buyers need to feel safe and confident   09:00 Follow-through, transparency, and consistent post-sale communication   09:30 The bigger picture: Trust and relationships over time create collectors   09:50 Your action step—audit your own buyer's journey   10:00 Workshop invitation and how this step fits into the larger journey   11:20 Closing reminders: You can't control the economy, but you can control how easy it is to buy your art   Mentioned When the Art Sales Stop: 6 Areas to Investigate (235)   Clean Your Email List to Improve Deliverability and Engagement (236)   Strategic Growth, Collector Relationships, and Costly Lessons with James Corwin (232)     📖 To read more and see featured artists visit https://artbizsuccess.com/remove-barriers     📥 RESOURCES   Planning Workshop:   Followers to Collectors – September 9–10   Essentials for Artist Success:   Ongoing coaching, support, and training       ⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.   ~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~   This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

My utter bliss is to help artists make business systems that streamline their lives so they can spend more time in the studio. So when Skip Hill said he needed a system for following up with his collectors and important relationships, I knew I wanted to help.

In this episode of The Art Biz, I walk Skip through the steps to create a plan for nurturing his relationships.

We go through these steps to create his plan:

1. What do you want to happen?
2. By when does it need to happen? Or … How frequently does it need to happen?
3. What do you need to have/acquire/learn to make that happen? And/Or what tools and technology will you use for the process?
4. Who do you need to enlist to help?
5. What are the exact steps needed to make this system hum?

The steps in that last question provides the fuel. Miss a step, and your system crashes.

To read the exact steps we created for Skip, see images, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/skip-hill-systems

Sponsored by The PEOPLE PLAN: A Success Workshop to Establish Strategic Connections for Your Art Biz. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

 

Before the internet, artists were completely dependent on others to show and sell their work. We need to take a moment every now and then to be grateful for having the world at our fingertips. For being able to instantly send images of our art out into the world. For friends around the globe we would never have met 30 years ago.

In this episode, I talk with artist Barbara Muir, who is unabashedly happy about being online. She reminds us of all the good things that happen because we are so connected. Key topics:

• A brief rundown of the opportunities that have come Barbara's way through her blog.
• Commitment to a blogging habit—now boasting more than 3,000 entries.
• Her practice of making a daily list of 6 things.
• The sweet ritual of leaving nightly letters to her husband.

To see images, full show notes, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/muir-online-podcast 

Want to make sure you stay connected online and off? Check out The PEOPLE PLAN: A Success Workshop to Establish Strategic Connections for Your Art Biz. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

In this episode of The Art Biz, I'm joined by Kristen O'Neill, a team member of mine and an accomplished artist who recently created a 30-day daily art lesson challenge for her online followers. But in the end, it may have been more of a challenge for her than it was for the participants. Kristen and I discuss what she hoped to get from this challenge, how she organized it, how much of it was planned ahead, and what her workflow was like—including all of the platforms she used to share the content—and most importantly, what she would do differently if she were to do it again.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/challenge-oneill-podcast

 

Highlights

• Details of Kristen's 30-Day Art Challenge and what she hoped to get out of it. (1:29)

• How Kristen shared the challenge while honoring her email list expectations. (6:10)

• Creating and organizing a workflow that worked all month long. (10:42)

• The time commitment and unexpected challenges behind the challenge. (16:35)

• Lessons learned from the challenges of this challenge. (22:25)

• Staying motivated and accountable throughout a challenge. (27:52)

• Tracking the participation, success, and results of the challenge. (30:15)

• The value of Pinterest for artists. (38:30)

• What Kristen would do differently next time. (41:07)

This Week's Action

Your assignment this week is to consider how you are stretching yourself in and out of the studio these days.

Mentioned

• ArtBizConnection.com

• Kristen on Instagram

• Kristen O'Neil Art

Related Episodes

• Art Biz Podcast Episode 78: How to Increase Your Productivity with Art Business Systems

Quotes

• "I'm always looking for different opportunities and ways to reach out to more students and interact with more painters." — Kristen O'Neill

• "It's really important to honor what you say you're going to do with your list." — Kristen O'Neill

• "I picked up lessons more quickly than had I done the same amount of work spread over a longer period of time." — Kristen O'Neill

• "If you haven't figured out your system ahead of time, it's going to be harder than it needs to be." — Kristen O'Neill

• "Often we spend so much time guessing what is the right way to do something, and we could put that energy into just doing it." — Kristen O'Neill

About My Guest

Kristen O'Neill paints the essence of landscapes based on real locations, including those from recent collaborations with long-distance hikers. Her Oregon Coast Trail series was featured in a solo exhibition at the Grants Pass Museum of Art.

Kristen graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and now lives in Southern Oregon where she has become passionate about teaching art. She teaches both online and in-person, leads a field trip program that has taught art history to thousands of 5th graders, and is an Artist Mentor for Alyson Stanfield's community since 2018.

 

With nobody going anywhere in the spring of 2020, I contacted artist friends Lisa Call and Janice McDonald to see if they wanted to gather regularly to discuss art documentaries. Our little "club," such as it is, was in business.

To date, we have met 57 times to discuss the art documentaries together. It's important that we are reminded we're part of something bigger than ourselves and what goes on behind the closed doors of our studios.

In this solo episode I talk about why we do this as a group, where you can find art documentaries, how we stay organized, why it's important to diversify our selections, and how our conversations work. At the end I mention some of my favorite films.

Read the "almost" transcript, find all of the links, and leave a comment

 

Highlights

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed was nominated for an Oscar this year. (1:24)

We need to be reminded that we're part of a global art world. (2:57)

What art history has taught me. (3:42)

Why do this in a group? (4:52)

Where to find art documentaries. (5:38)

Why Kanopy is our top resource for art documentaries. (7:19)

Our 2 lists for art documentaries. (9:24)

Why diversity is important to us. (11:16)

How our regular conversations work. (13:14)

Good v. Bad documentaries—there is always something to be learned. (15:17)

Some recommended art documentaries to start with. (17:19)

 

Mentioned

All films are linked on the accompanying post

Lisa Call

Janice McDonald

The Art Biz Accelerator

Artnet's list of top museum shows for 2022 and 2023

Four years ago on a beautiful January day in Colorado, I attended an art destruction party. Two artists were slowing down in their production and wanted to ensure that subpar work wasn't left for family to deal with. Nor did they want their names associated with that work. Although I've been imploring artists for decades to get rid of work they think isn't of the highest quality, it was still difficult to smash that first pot and tear that first watercolor.

In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Heather K. Powers, an artist and professional organizer. She and I wanted to start a dialogue about planning for your legacy. It's a tough conversation because it means confronting your mortality. This conversation is especially important for artists, who make things that take up physical space. How do you categorize those things? What kind of records need to be kept? And what, if anything, should be destroyed, reworked, or donated. These are difficult questions and will vary from artist to artist, but it is such an important part of planning your art legacy. My conversation with Heather can help you get started.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/death-powers-podcast

Highlights

• Normalizing conversations about your death and legacy. (2:10)

• Heather's coaching process includes getting more comfortable talking about death. (6:48)

• What do you value in your legacy? How can artists better prepare their legacy for after death? (10:28)

• Finding the value of clutter requires understanding and compassion. (15:27)

• Destroying the artwork that you don't want to be known for. (19:19)

• Define the value of each level of your work so you can better process it. (24:55)

• Tools and resources to help document your art. (32:32)

This Week's Action

Your assignment this week is to start thinking about your legacy. Eventually you will need to prioritize the tasks necessary, but you can't do it all at once. Take one of these steps: Sign up for Artwork Archive, update your inventory, finally recycle that work you don't want to show up under your name, have a conversation with your family about your wishes, or declutter a space.

Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com

• Swedish Death Cleaning

• Clutter Is Good For You (NY Times)

• CERF+: The Artist's Safety Net

• Richard Misrach: Never the Same video on Art21

• Artwork Archive

• Heather's website

• Heather on Instagram

Related Episodes

• The Art Biz ep. 10: Creative Organizing with Heather K. Powers

• The Art Biz ep. 15: Confronting Your Professional Legacy with David Paul Bayles

• The Art Biz ep. 19: The Investing Artist: Art, Real Estate, and Legacy with Mary Erickson

• The Art Biz ep. 31: Building a Legacy Brand and Destination with Sean VanderVliet

Quotes

• "Death is a normal part of life, but the more we put off thinking or talking about it the more uncomfortable it becomes." — Heather K. Powers

• "We can take into our own hands what is important to us as a generation and pass it on to the next generation." — Heather K. Powers

• "What do you value in your legacy? And what do you perceive might be of value to others? Those things are often not in alignment." — Heather K. Powers

• "Start early and keep good records. It doesn't have to be that complicated." — Heather K. Powers

• "When we get rid of work one way or another, we make space for new work to come in." — Heather K. Powers

About My Guest

With a BFA in Fiber from Savannah College of Art and Design, Heather Powers has had a productive career as a textile designer—collaborating on worldwide projects in various capacities.

In 2010, she launched her design and professional organizing business. Her work as an organizer places her among artists, craftspeople, and collectors, which gives her an intimate understanding of how individuals retain use and live with material culture.

In 2021, Heather graduated with an MFA in Critical Craft. She continues to research textile history, weave, and use natural dye techniques in which her work investigates memory, place, and identity themes through discarded vintage ephemera and materials.

Please visit her website to find out how she works with her clients in person and online and follow her on Instagram @hkpowerstudio.

 

The vast majority of the marketing we do is passive. We send emails, post to social media, and broadcast podcast episodes. Then we wait and hope for positive results.

For better results, activate your marketing by thinking of all the ways you can communicate on a personal level. Yes, active marketing requires more work, but I promise you'll get better results and enjoy it more.

In this solo episode, I walk you through how you can activate your marketing for 5 art business scenarios.

Read the "almost" transcript, find links, see featured artists and leave a comment

Highlights

• Personal note about your kindness the last couple of weeks. (0:00)
• Your list is more than people who have opted in for your emails. (3:04)
• Ensure you're not wasting time on social media. (5:11)
• Action: Create a reliable content calendar for a framework that provides direction. (6:36)
• Improve exhibition and sales venues. (7:09)
• Action: Make a spreadsheet to track potential venues. (7:30)
• Receive more benefit from your exhibitions. (8:33)
• Boost relations with your galleries. (11:03)
• Do you teach? Fill your classes and workshops. (14:06)
• We need both passive and active marketing. (15:38)
• Please email me your questions and concerns: alyson@artbizsuccess.com (16:13)

 

Mentioned

Grow Your List on-demand learning program at Art Biz Success

Creating a Content Calendar short $30 workshop at Art Biz Success

Create Opportunities on-demand learning program at Art Biz Success

Elizabeth St. Hilaire on sending cookies to her gallery

Dancing Deer Baking Company for sending baked goods in he mail

We've spent many months worried about inflation and a possible recession that may not ever happen. It would be terrific if we didn't have to concern ourselves with such things, but the economy affects everyone's business in one way or another.

Today's guest on The Art Biz is Elaine Grogan Luttrull of Minerva Financial Arts, a company devoted to building financial literacy and empowerment in creative individuals through education and coaching. We recorded this episode several months ago when the economic landscape seemed a little bleaker than it does now. This is a lesson in economics and how your art business is affected by the larger economy. We define and discuss inflation, recession, the Consumer Price Index, and Gross Domestic Product. We talk about your revenue mix, why selling lower-priced items might not be the way to go right now, bundling, and raising your rates and prices.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/economy-luttrull-podcast

Highlights

• Defining inflation and its effect on every aspect of pricing. (1:50)

• What exactly is a recession and what role do rising interest rates play? (5:35)

• The impact of these economic factors on artists. (12:48)

• Combating uncertainty with effective business strategies. (15:32)

• Your target client in times of economic uncertainty. (20:05)

• Opportunities that are presented in challenging times. (24:16)

• Consider potentially terrible ideas to get to the good ones. (33:03)

• Seven strategies for artists to use during inflation and recession. (33:04)

This Week's Action

Your first action for the week is to look at your expenses and see where you might be able to save. I suggest keeping a list of all ongoing subscriptions as well as regular expenses and reviewing it every so often.

Your second action is to check out Elaine's $15 course on inflation and recession by following the link below.

Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com

• Elaine's course on Inflation and the Recession

• Heather Robinson art

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "Inflation is not always a pleasant topic. It's scary, it takes up our brain space, and it's a distraction from what we really need to be doing creatively in our businesses." — Elaine Luttrull

• "All of the strategies we typically think about for coping with the uncertainty of the arts are suddenly being impacted too." — Elaine Luttrull

• "Think carefully. Do your research and talk to peers about how things feel in the art market right now." — Elaine Luttrull

• "When the market is doing interesting things is the moment to really focus on the community aspect." — Elaine Luttrull

• "Anything we can do to reassess and tighten our spending without compromising quality or making our lives harder is a really good strategy right now." — Elaine Luttrull

• "Artists are better than pretty much anyone else at navigating uncertainty, so we'll navigate all of this as well and keep making really incredible work too." — Elaine Luttrull

About My Guest

Elaine Grogan Luttrull, CPA-PFS, AFC® (she/her) is the founder of Minerva Financial Arts, a company devoted to building financial literacy and empowerment in creative individuals through education and coaching. Her workshops and presentations have been featured nationally by groups that support the arts, a variety of state and regional arts councils and commissions, and colleges and universities where creative students thrive.

Elaine spent 10 years in academia, teaching at the Columbus College of Art & Design and serving as the Department Head for Business & Entrepreneurship from 2014-2018. Before that, Elaine served as the Director of Financial Analysis for The Juilliard School and in the Transaction Advisory Services practice of Ernst & Young in New York. Elaine is the author of Arts & Numbers (Agate, B2 2013), and she contributes regularly to industry guides, including those from the Center for Cultural Innovation and the Joan Mitchell Foundation. She also serves on the boards of the Short North Alliance and Healing Broken Circles.

 

The sales process is rarely discussed in artist circles. We often think of sales as a single step. Either someone buys your art or they don't. There's' so much more to it. Yet, many of us think of sales as a dirty word, which is a bit ridiculous if we want to grow our businesses and careers. Artists need to adopt a new mindset surrounding sales in order to be successful.

My guest on this episode of The Art Biz is Miriam Schulman, artist and founder of the Inspiration Place, where she helps other artists learn how to profit from their passion or become better artists. Miriam is the author of Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity. In this conversation, Miriam and I review her Artpreneur Sales Playbook and 10-step sales process.

Highlights

• Miriam's struggle with sales, despite her background in finance. (3:30)

• The evolution from general sales and marketing to effective art sales. (6:56)

• Curating your valuable contacts list. (9:05)

• The importance of mindset in sales success. (12:30)

• Developing a confident belief in the value of your art. (14:47)

• The first 5 steps of selling your art. (21:05)

• Body language, previewing the process, and establishing the decision maker. (27:37)

• Sell with stories, not facts, and selling happy endings. (33:10)

• Overcoming objections with the right language. (40:07)

• Close the sale by asking for it. (42:45)

This Week's Action

This week's action has two parts. Part 1 is to download the free chapter of Artpreneur at schulmanart.com/believe.

Part 2 is to write out Miriam's 10 steps in the sales process and post them somewhere so you're reminded that it is a process. You need to be invested in the steps of the process in order for it to work.

Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com

• Free chapter of Miriam's book

• The Inspiration Place podcast

• Miriam on Instagram

• The Cone Sisters

• Dr. Aaron Beck's Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "Once I started making the connection between sales in general and selling for art and understood that there wasn't a difference, I became a student of marketing and sales, and that has made all the difference." — Miriam Schulman

• "Marketing 101 is investing in human relationships." — Miriam Schulman

• "My art, going out into people's homes, became ambassadors for me." — Miriam Schulman

• "Mindset is everything. Mindset trumps talent." — Miriam Schulman

• "Overcoming objections is about having compassion for the buyer and knowing where they are coming from." — Miriam Schulman

About My Guest

Miriam Schulman is an artist and founder of The Inspiration Place, where she helps other artists learn how to profit from their passion or become better artists. She's helped thousands of artists around the world develop their skill sets and create more time and freedom to do what they love. Her art and story have been featured in major publications including Forbes, The New York Times, Art of Man, Art Journaling magazine, What Women Create as well as featured on NBC's "Parenthood" and the Amazon series "Hunters" with Al Pacino. Schulman's forthcoming book with HarperCollins Leadership Artpreneur is scheduled to be released on January 31, 2023.

First posted: ArtBizSuccess.com/sales-schulman-podcast

 

Your Decision Filter: 8 Considerations for Making Decisions for Your Art Business

With host Alyson Stanfield

 

Read the "almost" full transcript, see featured artists, and leave a comment:

https://artbizsuccess.com/marketing-mix

 

~ 8 CONSIDERATIONS ~

1. You understand WHY you are doing it. (3:04)
2. You are willing to devote the time and energy to it. (3:32)
3. You enjoy it or are excited about starting. (7:09)
4. You have the systems in place to support it. (7:40)
5. You are already doing it and are seeing results. (9:15)
6. It plays to your strengths. (10:10)
7. It has potential for the biggest long-term pay-off. (12:07)
8. It has the potential for the biggest immediate pay-off. (13:26)

 

How Human Design has helped me make decisions. (15:07)

 

~ MENTIONED ~

Please join me in the Art Biz Accelerator coaching group and community: https://artbizaccelerator.com 

Human Design resource: https://jovianarchive.com

 

~ ABOUT ~

Alyson Stanfield is the host of the Art Biz Podcast, founder of Art Biz Success, leader of the Art Biz Connection community of artists, and author of I'd Rather Be in the Studio: The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion.

https://artbizsuccess.com

There are so many ways you can sell your art and so many different avenues for earning money from your talents. I've highlighted a wide variety of options for earning money from your art on The Art Biz podcast, but today's conversation is a first. I'm joined by Katie Hunt, the founder of Proof to Product, to learn more about wholesaling. She has helped thousands of brands get their products on the shelves of large retailers like Target, Nordstrom, The Container Store, and Starbucks, as well as independent boutiques around the world.

In this episode, Katie shares basic basic information about wholesaling your art. What is it? Who is it for? Who is it not for? What's the difference between wholesaling and retailing? Where does licensing fit in? Katie is a wealth of information, and generously gives four considerations for wholesaling. And stay with me to the end of our conversation, where Katie reveals the four things she takes into account when making business decisions.

Highlights

• Key differences between wholesaling and retailing. (4:20)

• The importance of selling in larger quantities at a lower price in wholesale. (6:53)

• How is licensing different than wholesaling? (12:20)

• What type of artists are a good fit for wholesaling? (13:41)

• Focusing on one revenue stream at a time — before wholesaling. (17:58)

• Foundational checkpoint number one — Is your product line strong? (20:20)

• Are your sales tools in place? (26:20)

• Outreach and marketing — detailing your artwork and your terms and conditions. (29:18)

• Step number four — solidifying your operations and systems. (31:07)

• Handling criticism and rejection when wholesaling. (32:38)

• Paper Camp and other resources for artists considering wholesale. (35:52)

• 4 considerations Katie bases every decision on. (40:50)

First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/hunt-wholesaling-podcast

This Week's Assignment

This week's assignment has 2 options. Option 1 is to review Katie's 4 considerations for wholesaling to decide whether or not it's a direction you want to go. If you want to see those again in a list, visit this episode at artbizpodcast.com. Katie's format is so straightforward and she is clear that wholesaling isn't right for everyone. If you know that wholesaling isn't for you, go for option 2, which is to write out her list of considerations for making business decisions and keep it nearby. Adjust it to your needs and revisit it often to stay on track.

Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com

• Art Biz Podcast Episode 16 with Maria Brophy

• Proof to Product free class

• Labs

• Paper Camp

• Proof to Product Podcast

• Katie on Instagram

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "There are so many ways we can sell our art, and each one requires a different foundation." — Katie Hunt

• "With wholesale, we're talking about a very different system of the sales process, the marketing process, even the fulfillment process." — Katie Hunt

• "Artists don't have to wholesale everything they make. They can create a special segment of their product line that is for wholesale." — Katie Hunt

• "Before you take the plunge into wholesaling, you need to know you have an audience." — Katie Hunt

• "The more we experience with the pitching process and putting ourselves, our art and our talents out there, the stronger we become." — Katie Hunt

About My Guest

Katie Hunt is the founder of Proof to Product, the host of a podcast with the same title, and a business strategist who supports product-based business owners. She has helped thousands of brands get their products on the shelves of large retailers like Target, Nordstrom, The Container Store, and Starbucks, as well as independent boutiques around the world. Katie's work has been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Entrepreneur as well as dozens of business podcasts. She brings experience, education and a love of learning into her programs. Her strengths lie in connecting people & bringing ideas to life – brainstorming, making a plan and implementing.

Most artists focus on growing their email list—but what if the real power comes from trimming it?

In this solo episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield walks you through why and how to clean your email list. This isn't just about numbers—it's about improving deliverability rates, boosting engagement, and building trust with the people who are actually listening.

If you want to email with more confidence—and stop second-guessing who's on the other end—this episode is for you.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why list hygiene is essential for deliverability and visibility
• How neglecting your list hurts your confidence and metrics
• A 5-step process to clean your list (without panicking)
• Why this matters more than ever with changes to email deliverability
• A mindset shift: You're not deleting people—you're making space
• How this ties into the upcoming Followers to Collectors planning workshop

00:32 Why email list hygiene often gets overlooked but is critical for your marketing

01:49 The emotional impact of sending emails to people who aren't engaging

03:04 How deliverability is changing and why this matters now more than ever

04:47 What happens when you keep inactive contacts on your list

05:53 Garden metaphor: pruning your list is thoughtful, not ruthless

06:58 Signs it's time to clean: analytics, hesitation, and confidence dips

07:54 Step-by-step process to clean your list (starting with segmentation)

11:12 Why a smaller list can be more energizing

11:44 How cleaning your list connects to the Followers to Collectors workshop

12:45 Your action step this week and how refreshing your list brings clarity

 

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

The artists in these episodes discuss successful use of their email lists:

She Knows Exactly How Much Her Art Income Will be with Kelly Pelfrey (162)

Self Sales, Open Studios, and Relationships with Interior Designers with Carol MacConnell (171)

Increasing Art Sales with Online Events with Patricia Griffin (97)

Producing a Monthly Digital Magazine with Alyson Sheldrake (199)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/clean-email-list

 

📥 RESOURCES MENTIONED

Planning Workshop:

Followers to Collectors – September 9–10

Essentials for Artist Success:

Ongoing coaching, support, and training

 

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

This episode is a solo episode in which Alyson Stanfield, of Art Biz Success, reveals the details of the new Art Biz Accelerator program.

It was recorded during an info session for members of the Art Biz Connection community and includes:

• 3 Success Workshops during the year
• Open office hours with Alyson
• The Salon, a group for discussing art ideas and happenings in the art world 
• Full membership in the Art Biz Connection community
• Additional training as needed

First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/podcast-accelerator 

A video, complete with slides and the PDF download of all the information is available at artbizaccelerator.com right now.

And if you're listening to this later in the year, chances are good that much will still be applicable.

 

Putting Artists First in Curatorial Projects with Melissa Messina

Today's conversation on The Art Biz is packed with tips and insider info. In my conversation with independent curator Melissa Messina, we discuss what an independent curator does, how Melissa finds and works with artists, and what happens during a studio visit to an artist she is (or might be) working with. You won't want to miss the insights she shares about common mistakes she sees artists making, as well as how to correct them. Above all, Melissa shares the empowering reminder that the artist is at the center of all a curator, a museum, or a gallery does.

First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/curator-messina-podcast

Highlights

• "I think that curator gene has always been in me." (1:55)

• Melissa's work as an independent curator. (5:32)

• How does a curator find their artists? (9:00)

• The importance of your network. (14:37)

• Insights from the details of Melissa's standard project. (18:46)

• Scheduling projects and finding funding with fellowships. (23:55)

• Curating an artist's estate is the joy of Melissa's life. (26:53)

• What piquesMelissa's interest in the artists she encounters? (32:01)

• The cities, websites, publications, and galleries where Melissa looks for artists. (35:00)

• Working with galleries as an independent curator. (38:04)

• The role that studio visits play in a curator-artist relationship. (40:54)

• What curators are looking for from a studio visit. (48:51)

• Correcting the mistakes that too many artists make. (50:54)

This Week's Assignment

Research my guest Melissa Messina and start following her on social media. Then start researching independent curators in your area and start following them. Consider inviting them into your studio for a low-stress visit—and don't forget to offer them a drink.

Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com

• Brooklyn Museum

• Art Papers

• Hyperallergic

• Valerie Cassel Oliver

• Tyson Scholars of American Art Program at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

• Melissa Messina

• Melissa Messina on Instagram

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "I'm constantly making calculations to see where an exhibition or project might percolate out of my experiences and relationships." — Melissa Messina

• "Your network is everything." — Melissa Messina

• "There are some really good artists with bad attitudes, and I would much rather give the opportunity to someone who is a joy to work with." — Melissa Messina

• "I think artists would do better to let go of their expectations in a studio visit." — Melissa Messina

• "Without the artist and their work, there wouldn't be anything for us to do." — Melissa Messina

About My Guest

Melissa Messina is a nationally recognized arts professional who has developed thought-provoking exhibitions, dynamic site-responsive projects and engaging educational public programming both independently and in leadership positions at museums and non-profit arts organizations. For 20 years, her work with regional, national, and international artists has been presented in the U.S. in Atlanta, Kansas City, Miami, New York, New Orleans, Richmond, Savannah, and Washington, D.C., as well as in Bermuda, France, and Hong Kong. She has lectured extensively and published widely, and her research has been funded by Creative Time and The Andy Warhol Foundation, as well as by fellowships at Emory University's Stuart A. Rose Library, Atlanta, GA, and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR.

In addition to serving select public and private clients, she is the curator of the Mildred Thompson Estate. She has also recently served as guest curator at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, and the New Orleans Museum of Art, and was the co-curator of the 2018 and 2020 Bermuda Biennials. In 2017, she co-created Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today, an intergenerational exhibition highlighting 21 Black female abstract practitioners that traveled from Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City to The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.

Alyson Stanfield walks you through her thoughts on reviewing your year.

There are 3 reasons to bother reviewing your year: (1) To honor life, (2) to remind yourself of what you have accomplished, and (3) to prepare for the New Year. Look at the year holistically in terms of personal, art, learning, and business.

Your written account of the year will be something you can return to in the future as a reminder of what you accomplished, what you experienced, what you learned, who and what you encountered, and more.

Mentioned
The Artist's Annual Review

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Today's conversation is a first. In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Rebecca Welz, an artist who claims she's not all that interested in the art business. But Rebecca, with her many accomplishments, still had plenty of wisdom to share. Our discussion centers around how she sees her art as part of the continuum, and how she encourages her students at Pratt Institute to think holistically about their careers. We discuss meditation, biomimicry, her projects in Guyana and Guatemala with her students, why she's uninterested in the art business, and what she thinks artists would benefit from focusing on instead.

Highlights

• "It's like drawing in space." Rebecca's sculpture and gallery representation. (2:44)

• Teaching art students and exploring the unknown through meditation. (6:22)

• Thinking is the most important part of the creative process. (11:15)

• Finding art inspiration in Guyana and Guatemala. (17:04)

• Biomimicry—innovation inspired by nature. (22:10)

• The importance of experiencing inspiration from cultures outside your own. (25:35)

• Taking a holistic approach to your art. (31:13)

• Rebecca isn't all that interested in the art business. Here's why. (36:24)

This Week's Assignment

Consider how your work is connected to forces outside itself. How is it connected to art history and to other artists? Think of all the people who make your art possible. Who made your supplies? Not the companies, but the people behind the companies. Who gathered natural pigments or precious metals? Who mixed the paints, spun the yarn, stretched the canvas, stocked the paper, or assembled the camera?

Who are the people supporting your efforts?

Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com

• June Kelly Gallery

• Pratt Institute

• Patricia Johnson, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

• Jay Harman: The Shark's Paintbrush

• Biomimicry: AskNature.org

• Rebecca Welz

• Rebecca on Instagram

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "Meditation gives me a lot of peace and equanimity and helps me deal with being a human on the planet." — Rebecca Welz

• "Good artwork comes from that place of the unknown." — Rebecca Welz

• "I can't just focus on my art career because there are so many other things that I'm interested in." — Rebecca Welz

• "How are you tapping into your own continuum and how's that working for you?" — Rebecca Welz

About My Guest

Rebecca Welz makes steel sculptures inspired by natural wonders and ecological processes that combine to give us biodiversity. She is represented by June Kelly Gallery in New York City, where she has had numerous solo exhibitions. She has also shown at Grace Borgenicht Gallery and Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, also in New York.

Rebecca's sculptures have been in solo and group exhibitions in venues such as the Oakland Museum of California, the Heckscher Museum of Art (Huntington, NY), Butters Gallery (Portland, OR), the SciArt Center (Easton, PA), the Cherrystone Gallery (Wellfleet, MA), and Sculpturesite Gallery (San Francisco, CA). Her work can also be found in private and corporate collections, including those of Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, Merck, Prudential Life Insurance Corporation, and Sabre Corporation.

 

Not too long ago, artists didn't have to worry about things like their brands. But in an increasingly competitive market, and the noisy online space, we will do better when we know where we fit. Your art is created in the studio, while your brand is created in the minds of viewers, buyers, collectors, gallerists, and curators.

When you know your brand, you know how you want to be perceived in the eyes of others. Your brand helps you make decisions. If opportunities aren't aligned with your brand, you say no. My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Alexandra Squire. She has a clear, intentional artist brand, and knew from the get-go what she wanted her business and career to look like. She hired professionals to help her pull together a branded identity to present her work to the world, and it has paid off. Alexandra and I talk about her decisions, marketing, and how she finds time for her painting and business while raising three young girls.

Highlights

• Alexandra's long and winding road to becoming an artist. (3:25)

• "I looked at myself as a brand." (7:09)

• Marketing yourself effectively. (11:26)

• Hiring professional help for your photography. (14:03)

• Your brand exists in the eye of the viewer. (18:42)

• Making the trade offs that pay off. (22:16)

• The moment when you identify your artist brand. (26:20)

• How Alexandra shows and sells her work. (28:15)

• Keeping an artist's schedule while raising a family. (33:38)

This Week's Assignment

Consider your artist brand. In particular, think about and even write in your journal about this one question: How do you want to be perceived in the minds of others? If you want to take it to the next step, consider whether your social media, newsletter, website, marketing material, and exhibition venues are aligned with how you want to be perceived.

Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com

• https://www.alexandrasquireart.com/

• https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasquireart/

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "I decided from the beginning I wanted to be a certain type of artist." — Alexandra Squire

• "You have to present yourself in a certain way, and that's how people will view you." — Alexandra Squire

• "I turned down a bunch of opportunities that I felt didn't best reflect my brand." — Alexandra Squire

About My Guest

Alexandra Squire is an abstract painter defined by the pairing of vibrant colors and muted tones to create simple yet deceivingly complex works. She focuses on blending and layering to make pieces that are rich in color and depth with unexpected palettes. Her paintings serve as a metaphor for life in that they depict the multitude of ways in which our experiences meld together. Alexandra's work has been exhibited nationally, and her paintings are a part of private and corporate collections throughout the United States.

 

Anyone can open up a gallery—real or virtual—and start selling art. I mean anyone. You don't have to hold a degree or pass a test. You don't have to have ethics or morals or know anything at all about art. But I am impressed by what UGallery is doing and the services they have been providing artists and clients since 2006. Everything about them feels different. 

On this episode of The Art Biz, I'm joined by Alex Farkas, founder of UGallery.com.  Their business model is different from others in that online space. They know art. They curate the work so there aren't thousands of random artists competing for eyeballs. UGallery is paid on commission, so they only make money if art sells.They invest in marketing to help sell more art. They are looking for relationships with their artists and nurture their artists to help them sell better online. The focus of UGallery is on painting, but you should listen to their story even if you are not a painter because you need to know that there are people and companies out there who are on your side and doing things the right way. 

Highlights

• The beginnings of the UGallery journey. (2:53)

 

• Storytelling to promote UGallery artists and their work. (4:39)

• Curating art on the website in non-traditional ways. (7:19)

• The process of finding and connecting with artists. (11:05)

• Working with artists to help them succeed. (16:10)

• What is selling at UGallery? (19:09)

• Finding and marketing to clients. (20:36)

• Artist to customer—the order fulfillment process. (23:09)

• Maintaining ecommerce platforms and client relationships. (28:00)

• Mistakes that many artists make when applying to UGallery. (33:55)

• Tips for a better online presentation and ecommerce platform. (36:22)

• What's coming next for UGallery. (38:30)

 

This Week's Assignment

• Assess where you show and sell your art. Consider what venues you are (and aren't) working for and why? How can you find more of the right places? What venues aren't working for you and why? Make a plan to move on from those.

 Mentioned

• ArtBizAccelerator.com
• UGallery.com
• New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) 
• What is Your Art Business Costing You?
• Are your online art marketplaces profitable for you? 
• Ensuring a Profitable Art Business (Episode 96)
• Advocating for Artists in Their Communities with Louise Martorano (Episode 118)

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments
• How to Price Your Art free report
• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "It's important that we find ways to combine the old school aspects of a gallery with the new school aspects of the technology that we use." — Alex Farkas
• "We see this as a partnership. We don't succeed unless the artists succeed." — Alex Farkas
• "Part of the relationship is making sure that artists understand if they put the time and money in upfront, it comes back out later." — Alex Farkas
• "Think about what you're trying to accomplish and what your goal is, and then work from there." — Alex Farkas

About My Guest

Alex Farkas is the Gallery Director of UGallery. His love of art traces back to his hometown, Jerome, a tiny arts community in northern Arizona. Alex grew up creating sculptures in his uncle's woodworking studio and learning about the art business in his mother's gallery. He co-founded UGallery in 2006 with the goal of helping emerging artists connect with patrons. As one of the first ever online art galleries, UGallery significantly improved the opportunities available for artists. The gallery has been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, and Art in America. He currently lives, and UGallery is based, in San Francisco.

The photographer Sally Mann has said that it never occurred to her to look outside of her home, family, and immediate vicinity to find inspiration. So many artists feel they need to travel to exotic locations to find their inspiration, never exploring what is right in front of them or what they encounter in their daily lives.

In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Sara Lee Hughes, an artist who is deep into a body of narrative paintings with recognizable imagery that is steeped in her personal story—going so far as to include her self-portraits in many of them. We talk about making such personal work and whether there is a market for such work. Sara Lee says her ultimate intention is that she gets under your skin. That when viewing her paintings, you start to question your actions and might find yourself reflecting on the encounter weeks later. We discuss the genesis of this body of work, how she is looking at her art in terms of the long game rather than seeking quick gratification, how she keeps her ideas, and how she has created a discipline that balances motherhood with her studio practice.

Highlights

• Waiting, Father Daughter Dance, and other pieces inspired by Sara Lee's life. (1:55)

• The family letters that have helped Sara Lee navigate her true self. (6:57)

• Sara Lee's 12-ft superhero cape and what it represents. (9:05)

• Painting from experiences results in sincerity. (11:15)

• Asking yourself questions can lead to your next inspiration. (14:55)

• Sara Lee's decision to use her own face in her paintings. (18:19)

• The value of painting the part of your history that isn't talked about. (21:32)

• There are parts of your story that anyone can relate to. (25:17)

• Using a list—rather than a sketchbook—to keep your ideas. (27:04)

• Does personal work sell? (30:20)

• The evolution of Sara Lee's approach to her art business. (32:39)

• Finding time for the most important work. (34:32)

Mentioned

• Saraleehughes.com

• Sara Lee on Instagram

• Sally Mann

• Moleskine Cahier notebook

• Episode 72 with Dawn Williams Boyd

• William Kentridge

• Bo Bartlett

The Art Biz Connection

Systematize Your Art Biz for Business Efficiency

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "These tossed-off sketches are seeds for the work that I've done in the last five years." — Sara Lee

• "When I paint from my own experience, there's a sincerity in my paintings." — Sara Lee

• "All of my work is my personal experience, so who better to use than myself? — Sara Lee

• "My intention is to resonate with you through the works that have inspired me to be an artist." — Sara Lee

About My Guest

Sara Lee is a narrative painter living and working in Lockhart, Texas. Her representational narratives are influenced by growing up in the south during the 1970's and 80's with divorced parents and operate as metaphors for discovery, other-ness, identity, connection, balance and truth. As a body of work, they highlight moments, memories and ideas that mark a journey of navigation through the differences between her gay father, straight mother and the socio-cultural norms of the era and those proceeding. In her work she is most interested in exploring and sharing the connection she had with her father before his death of AIDS, the profound guidance it had on her life, and how this personal experience fits into our country's broader social and cultural heritage.

 

Sara Lee studied classical drawing and painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where she earned a certificate in painting and printmaking. She earned her MFA in painting from Pratt Institute. Sustaining herself through scenic painting and teaching, her work brought her back to Lockhart, Texas where she has lived since 2008.

There is no denying the importance of video these days. Whether you're chasing the Instagram algorithm for reels, streaming live on YouTube, or pulling together a video bio for your website, it's more valuable than ever to make good videos. My guest on The Art Biz is Zach Wolfson, a filmmaker who has seen all kinds of artists' videos—the good, the bad, and the cringy. He has joined me to discuss four of the most common mistakes he sees artists making with their videos, and he also shares simple tips that will greatly improve your videos with just a little bit of tweaking. It's definitely worth the effort because, as he says, it is so important to leave behind a legacy that extends beyond your artwork.

Highlights

• Zach's career in filmmaking led to teaching artists how to make mini art videos. (1:50)

• Horizontal or vertical filming—which does Zach prefer? (5:50)

• Mistakes artists make when editing transitions in videos. (7:38)

• Overproducing filters, text, and other distracting elements. (10:52)

• Slowing down to capture the perfect shots. (13:53)

• The best POV in your art films. (17:52)

• Tips for overcoming your fear of the camera. (20:15)

• Does Zach recommend time-lapse videos? (23:34)

• The importance of sharing your story in your videos. (27:31)

• Leaving the legacy of your art through videos. (32:55)

 

Mentioned

• Colorado Creative Industries

• Beyond the Gallery series

• Making Mini Art Videos workshop

• Zach Wolfson on Instagram

The Art Biz Connection

The Wildly Productive Get Organized Challenge for Your Art Biz

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "Too many elements can be overwhelming for both you when making the video as well as for the people watching it."— Zach

• "Just record for longer than you think you should. Your future self will thank you for it." — Zach

• "Your videos themselves don't need to be art because your art is art." — Zach

• "If you can find ways to include yourself in your videos, it will attach you more to your art so people can connect with you." — Zach

• "Let us into your world and be able to see you in the context of your space." — Zach

• "People aren't following you because of how well crafted your videos are. They're following you because of your art." — Zach

About My Guest

Zach Wolfson is a filmmaker who helps artists make simple art videos to market their art. He is dedicated to empowering artists, and believes everyone can make "mini" art videos that document your journey with ease and joy.

Zach's greatest passion has always been working directly with artists. He has shared the stories of dozens of artists through his video series, Beyond the Gallery, and taught hundreds more through his blog, in-person training, and now inside his membership community, Ready to Record.

In addition to his work with artists, Zach has made videos sharing human-centered stories for galleries, museums, and companies that include Adobe, Discovery, and Sony.

Artists crave validation by others. You want your work to be appreciated. Being validated by others helps build confidence and shows us we're on the right path. But are you looking for validation in the right places?

In this solo episode of The Art Biz, I address validation and earning credibility—where you are probably seeking it, where you might want to look for it instead, and what it really means about your art. Ultimately, validation only comes from within, and others are more likely to pay attention knowing that you value your own work. I want to help you realize the various ways it is possible to earn credibility for your art, many of which you will see that you are already doing.

Highlights

• Defining validation, self-validation, and credibility. (2:02)

• The wrong places to turn for self-validation. (3:40)

• The ultimate expression of validation for an artist. (5:15)

• Non-social media examples of validation in the art world. (6:43)

• The pinnacle of exhibition venues—the art museum. (9:45)

• The value of writing about speaking about your work. (10:55)

• Seeking validation from the media on a broader level. (11:45)

• Achieving a higher level of self validation. (14:08)

 

Mentioned

• Episode 123 Qualities Galleries Are Looking For in Their Artists with Jeremy Tessmer

• Episode 124 Being an Artist with Geoffrey Gorman

• Episode 118 Advocating for Artists in Their Communities with Louise Martorano

• Episode 116 How One Curator Works with Artists at a Regional Art Center with Collin Parson

• Episode 63 Pitching Your Story to My Podcast, or Anyone Else's

• Episode 110 An Unusual Path to Finding Art Commissions with Leisa Collins

• Episode 87 Secrets from Copying a Masterpiece with Liliane Milgrom

• "Stop Seeking Validation from Others" by Sherry Gaba in Psychology Today

• Tony Oursler

 

The Art Biz Connection

The Wildly Productive Get Organized Challenge for Your Art Biz

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Detour travels to communities all over to paint socially impactful murals, but he also works on canvas, and in music, installation and sculpture. How does he do it all, and do it all by himself?

In this episode of The Art Biz, I talked with Detour about his various income streams from prints and murals to corporate sponsorships and grants. He is adamant that he doesn't want to be limited by what he currently knows, so he's always learning how to use new technologies that will help him land complex opportunities. He's not afraid to admit that the best way to approach an artistic problem is probably something he hasn't done before. And Detour is big on collaboration and presenting himself in the most professional light because, as he says, you never know who is watching. Be sure to listen for the questions he asks himself before agreeing to take on new work. This is an inspiring conversation that you won't want to miss.

Highlights

• Carving out new and alternative paths in the art world. (5:00)

• Merging your career skills with your creative opportunities. (9:09)

• How Detour found his artist voice while creating interactive art 'for the people.' (11:40)

• Detour's active and passive income streams. (17:22)

• Planning for sporadic paychecks in advance. (22:15)

• How Detour's MBA has benefitted his artist endeavors. (25:38)

• The importance of building relationships with everyone in your artist community. (28:09)

• Collaborating with other artists to add value to your work. (32:24)

• Questions to ask when considering—or turning down—opportunities. (34:53)

• A look at Detour's typical week. (37:05)

• Finding fun and balance in the work of every day. (40:18)

• Why is it important to be an artist who helps other artists? (44:44)

 

Mentioned

• Detour's book, Be The Artist

• Hiero Veiga

• IamDetour.com

• @Detour303 on Instagram

• I Am Detour on YouTube

 

The Art Biz Connection

The Wildly Productive Get Organized Challenge for Your Art Biz

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Quotes

• "I want to make sure when I'm presented with an opportunity to solve an idea creatively, I'm not limited by what I'm used to doing." — Detour

• "You never know what will work until you throw something out there and it sticks." — Detour

• "When you do art you never know exactly who's looking at it." — Detour

• "Everything I do in life is related to art making and sharing." — Detour

 

Guest Bio

Thomas Evans, a.k.a. Detour, is an all-around creative specializing in large scale public art, interactive visuals, portraiture, immersive spaces, and creative directing. His focus is to create work where art and innovation meet. A born collaborator and "military brat," Detour pulls from every conceivable experience that shapes his landscapes and perspectives. Explaining Detour's work is no easy task, as ongoing experimentations in visual art, music, and interactive technologies have his practice continually expanding. With his ever-evolving approach to art, Detour's focus is on expanding customary views of creativity and challenging fine-art paradigms by mixing traditional mediums with new approaches—all the while opening up the creative process from that of a singular artist to one that thrives on multi-layered collaboration and viewer participation.

You've shown up. You've posted, emailed, exhibited, maybe even launched something. And yet... the sales aren't coming.

In this solo episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield walks you through six insight areas to investigate when your art isn't selling like it used to—or like you believe it should. These aren't quick fixes, but reflective prompts that can lead to real clarity and intentional next steps.

Whether you're feeling stuck, confused, or just curious about how to improve your results, this episode will help you pause, reflect, and reassess—with empathy and a practical path forward.

HIGHLIGHTS

01:00 – The emotional toll of not selling and how to approach it with curiosity, not panic

01:56 – Introduction of the When Your Art Isn't Selling guide and what to expect from this episode

03:07 – External Factors: What's beyond your control (economy, distraction, collector habits)

04:00 – The Work Itself: Has your style or message shifted? Are collectors keeping up?

05:00 – How You're Showing the Work: Venues, pricing visibility, and perceived value

06:36 – The Buying Experience: Is it easy to buy from you, or are you creating friction?

07:28 – How You're Connecting: Relationships, follow-up, and trust-building

08:54 – How You're Promoting It: Visibility, storytelling, and showing up consistently

10:10 – Reassurance and encouragement to act from insight, not overwhelm

10:52 – Three options for you

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These episodes focus on self-sales:

She Knows Exactly How Much Her Art Income Will be with Kelly Pelfrey (ep. 162)

Increasing Self-Sales by 400% with Sarah Becktel (ep. 157)

Self Sales, Open Studios, and Relationships with Interior Designers with Carol MacConnell (ep. 171)

Increasing Art Sales with Online Events with Patricia Griffin (ep. 97)

📥 RESOURCES MENTIONED

Free Download and Show Notes:

When Your Art Isn't Selling – 44 Smart Questions for Insight

Planning Workshop:

Followers to Collectors – September 9–10

Essentials for Artist Success:

Ongoing coaching, support, and training

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

There is no single success formula that works for every artist, but every artist needs some sense of order in their business and life so that they're ready to respond to opportunities that come along. My guest for this episode is Maria Brito, award-winning New York-based contemporary art advisor, curator and the bestselling author of How Creativity Rules The World. A Harvard graduate, originally from Venezuela, Brito has been selected by Complex Magazine as one of the 20 Power Players in the Art World. She has also been named by ARTnews as one of the visionaries who gets to shape the art world.

Maria has worked to demystify the art world for people who might be otherwise intimidated to enter a gallery, and is an advocate for democratizing the art world for artists and collectors who might be interested in buying art but are not ready to spend tens of thousands of dollars. Maria shares how she works with artists, galleries, and collectors and why she thinks there has never been a better time to be an artist. You won't want to miss her tips about Instagram and why you can't afford to ignore this valuable platform.

Highlights

• Maria's career was born from what is missing in the art world. (2:35)

• Democratizing and demystifying the art world. (6:29)

• Making your own rules when using the free marketing tools of Instagram. (12:32)

• There is more than one right way to be an artist. (16:06)

• Maria's daily interactions with artists. (19:20)

• How does Maria decide which artist offerings to pursue? (24:22)

• The role that a curated Instagram feed plays in discovering artists. (30:24)

• Additional online details that attract Maria to an artist. (35:27)

• A look into Maria's new book How Creativity Rules the World. (40:15)

• Curiosity and the original artist's mind. (46:36)

 

Mentioned

• Alma Woodsey Thomas

• Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2022

• SPRING/BREAK Art Show

• MariaBrito.com

• @MariaBrito_NY on Instagram

 

The Art Biz Connection

The Wildly Productive Get Organized Challenge for Your Art Biz

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Quotes

• "One of the things that helped me succeed was that I was so interested in portraying artists in a different light." — Maria Brito

• "We have to acknowledge that, for the most part, these buckets of technology have definitely helped us democratize and streamline and find clients and find collectors that otherwise would be impossible." — Maria Brito

• "There hasn't been a better time in history to be an artist." — Maria Brito

• Being able to have control over how you present your message is just a gift." — Maria Brito

• "Artists have to treat their Instagram account as their own gallery." — Maria Brito

• "The point of being curious is to find more opportunities." — Maria Brito

 

Guest Bio

Maria Brito is an award-winning New York-based contemporary art advisor, curator and the bestselling author of How Creativity Rules The World. A Harvard graduate, originally from Venezuela, Brito has been selected by Complex Magazine as one of the 20 Power Players in the Art World she was named by ARTnews as one of the visionaries who gets to shape the art world. She has written for publications such as Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Elle, Forbes, Artnet, Cultured Magazine, Departures, and more. In 2019, she launched "Jumpstart", an online program on creativity that has been taken by over 1000 people ranging from artists to entrepreneurs.

 

There's always plenty to be learned from artists who have been making a go of it for decades. Just think about how much has changed in 30 years! In this episode of The Art Biz, my guest is Willie Cole, a self-described perceptual engineer with an impressive list of collaborations under his belt and even more in the works. Together we talk about the faith he has in his work as a result of being consistent throughout the years. And why he says work is a bad word and prefers to approach his studio in the spirit of play.

We discussed his art and why he challenges people to perceive recognizable objects, like shoes and musical instruments, in new ways. You'll hear how one of his Instagram posts — where he mocked up his art as if to appear on the cover of Vogue — led to collaborations with major fashion brands. Such opportunities continue coming his way, which might be the result of his faith in his practice. Spoiler: Visualizing success plays a role.

Highlights

• Willie calls himself a perceptual engineer, but what exactly does that mean? (3:12)

• The importance (if any) of showing the materials Willie uses to create his work, including 75 cut-up guitars. (5:35)

• "Planning makes it feel too much like a job." How Willie approaches his work instead. (11:02)

• A peek inside Willie's studio. (13:58)

• Work is a bad word, but play can make your business better every day. (15:55)

• Staying in a playful mindset in every stage of production. (19:15)

• The value of improvisation and the value of not knowing everything. (21:08)

• Willie feels like the luckiest business person in America. (23:40)

• The business-minded people that makeup Willie's team and insights into his collaborations. (25:36)

• Propelling yourself forward in spite of your fears. (35:24)

• The difference between fashion industry collaborations and gallery relationships. (37:51)

• The music on Willie's current playlist and what is coming up next in his work. (40:28)

 

Mentioned

• Willie's collaboration with Tod's

• Willie's collaboration with Comme des Garçons

• Armando Cabral

• Money Good by Megan Thee Stallion

• Joan Armatrading concert on YouTube

• Vogue covers by Black artists

 

The Art Biz Connection

The Wildly Productive Get Organized Challenge for Your Art Biz

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Quotes

• "Play is play, and the opposite of play, I guess, would be work." — Willie Cole

• "It becomes work rather than play when it becomes a money-making business." — Willie Cole

• "Knowing has limitations because once you find something, you only see it as that." — Willie Cole

• "I feel like the luckiest business person in America." — Willie Cole

• "When passion marries intention and it can be monetized, it's work but it's also just joy." — Willie Cole

• "To proceed with confidence and fearlessness, I have to believe that opportunities connect." — Willie Cole

• "Connections open up so many doors, they keep the fear way behind me." — Willie Cole

 

Guest Bio

Willie Cole calls himself a perceptual engineer. Whether he is using the symbolism of a steam iron or the shapes of high fashion shoes and recognizable musical instruments, he challenges how we look at things. While he has had solo exhibitions at esteemed institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, Miami Art Museum, and Montclair Art Museum, Willie embraces nontraditional avenues for his work, such as collaborations with major fashion brands. He is represented by Alexander and Bonin Gallery in New York, Maus Contemporary Gallery (Alabama), Gavlak Gallery (Los Angeles/Florida), and Kavi Gupta Gallery (Chicago). Willie lives and works in New Jersey.

I can't resist legal cases about art, from thefts and forgeries to copyright infringement to gallery dealers and so-called experts who end up in front of a judge for defrauding collectors. While most artists will never see the inside of a courtroom, you might be concerned with copyright infringement or receive unsettling news that someone is using your creative work without your permission. Every artist (you) should know the basics for protecting their art. In this episode of The Art Biz, I am joined by Kathryn Goldman, an intellectual property and internet law attorney who helps creative professionals protect their work so they can profit from it. She is the founder of The Creative Law Center website and membership program, which offers understandable information, actionable strategies, and easy to use tools for the development of creative businesses. Our conversation focuses around Kathryn's Four Step Framework to help you identify, protect, monitor, and enforce your creative rights.

Highlights

• Kathryn is an intellectual property attorney who helps creative professionals protect their copyrights, trademarks and brilliant business ideas. (2:45)

• The four step framework that helps artists know what, when and how to take action. (4:45)

• Copyright 101- identify the rights that a copyright protects and what is not covered. (7:13)

• Protect your artwork with a copyright registration. (12:25)

• Filing in small claims court for infringement can result in $15,000 payout. (15:33)

• Trademarks are source identifiers that protect against consumer confusion. (18:31)

• Keith Haring, Banksy, and other famous artist trademarks. (21:00)

• Does an artist need to register a copyright for every single thing they make? (30:35)

• Protection is the combination of copyright, trademark, and contract. (33:05)

• FARE contracts keep the right to control a piece in the hands of the artist. (35:09)

• Artists with a secondary market stand to benefit greatly from a FARE contract. (39:10)

• Monitoring your work to determine if it's been stolen is up to you (and your tribe). (41:30)

• How I handled copyright infringement of my writing. (46:24)

• The ladder of enforcement offers options for reaction when someone is stealing your work. (49:55)

• The recipe for registering your most valuable work is essential. (57:07)

• Kathryn's upcoming programs and workshops. (59:05)

 

Mentioned

• Copyright Claims Board

• Google Alerts

• FARE Contract

• Kathryn Goldman's Creative Law Center

 

The Art Biz Connection

Grow Your List

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Quotes

• "I like it when artists understand when they need to take action, what action they need to take, and how to do it effectively and efficiently." — Kathryn Goldman

• "The right to control those kinds of changes to the art comes from the copyright." — Kathryn Goldman

• "A lot of working artists have trademarks, especially those who are building a business on licensing their art." — Kathryn Goldman

• "Copyright is not as strong as trademark, and trademark is not as strong as a good contract." — Kathryn Goldman

• "With this combination of tools, I think we really are going to start seeing some interesting things happen with contracts in the art world." — Kathryn Goldman

• "The best infringement protection is going to be your tribe." — Kathryn Goldman

 

 

Guest Bio

Kathryn Goldman is an intellectual property and internet law attorney who helps creative professionals protect their work so they can profit from it. She believes sustainable businesses are built on properly protected creative assets. Kathryn runs the Creative Law Center website and membership program. The Creative Law Center provides innovative creatives with the affordable business and legal resources they need when evolving from artist to entrepreneur. The Creative Law Center offers understandable information, actionable strategies, and easy to use tools for the development of creative businesses. Kathryn practices law in Baltimore, Maryland.

 

An artist's best resource is another artist. And to really know what a real artist's life looks like on a daily basis, you have to study and talk to those artists. You can read their biographies, watch their videos, and listen to them on podcasts, including this one. In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Geoffrey Gorman about what it's like to be a working artist, an identity he came to later in life and has sustained for nearly two decades. Geoffrey and I discuss his background as a furniture maker, gallery dealer, and artist consultant and how each role has contributed to his life as an artist. He also reveals how he approaches his work, where he finds inspiration, his take on how the art world is changing, and his advice to artists in the rapidly-evolving market.

Highlights

• "You can make something from anything." The evolution of Geoffrey's process. (2:35)

• Journeying back into the arts after a 30-year break. (8:45)

• Geoffrey's timeline from furniture maker to gallery dealer, artist coach to full-time artist. (11:08)

• What does being an artist look like in Geoffrey's material-driven world? (16:02)

• Carving a whale and honoring the passing of time. (23:21)

• Tactics for increasing your credibility as an artist. (28:02)

• Evolving with the demands of a constantly changing art world. (31:16)

• Navigating your relationships with dealers. (36:02)

• Feedback worth soliciting as an artist. (38:55)

• The importance of connections as a small business owner. (43:00)

• How can artists utilize social media to find collectors and curators? (48:00)

• A look at where Geoffrey is putting his efforts next. (50:22)

 

Mentioned

• Geoffrey Gorman

• Geoffrey on Instagram

• Lewallen Galleries

• Allan Houser Estate

• Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

 

The Art Biz Connection

Optimize Your Online Marketing

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Quotes

• "I realized I had to create this world that I was producing." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "You are the number one expert about your work in the world." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "A lot of old benchmarks are now gone for artists." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "There are so many opportunities for us as artists out there." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "Your best resource is another artist." — Geoffrey Gorman

 

Guest Bio

Geoffrey Gorman was born in Paris, France, but eventually moved to and grew up on an old horse farm in the countryside near Baltimore, Maryland. The dilapidated architecture and abandoned quarries of his childhood influence and inspire the found material sculptures the artist creates today. Gorman has worked as a contemporary furniture designer, gallery dealer, curator, and art consultant before becoming a full-time professional artist. He has exhibited nationally and internationally, including in China and South Korea. Gorman's work is in public and private collections, including the Racine Art Museum and the University of Colorado.

If you have ever wanted to shoot the breeze with a gallerist, you will want to pay close attention to this episode of The Art Biz. I'm joined today by Jeremy Tessmer, the gallery director at Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara, California. In our conversation, Jeremy shares his views of artist's professionalism, what he thinks of online platforms, and how he taught himself art history (and why that was important to him).

Jeremy describes Sullivan Goss as an on-ramp for collectors and artists—one that connects their roster of local, regional, national, and international artists. You'll hear him discuss 3 qualities that he looks for in artists, two of which are non-negotiable, and how he views the artists in his gallery as a family. He says that "dealers should have some sense of responsibility for the well-being of their artists," and, as you listen to our conversation, you'll understand why that has become so important to him.

Highlights

• The niche that the Sullivan Goss Gallery fills and Jeremy's role within it. (2:37)

• Sullivan Goss is an on-ramp gallery with the aim of expanding the art world. (7:49)

• The different art world need to become more aware of each other. (10:05)

• Jeremy's journey from writer and tech specialist to art gallerist. (14:04)

• Is it important for artists to be steeped in art history? (23:34)

• Overcoming the anxiety of influence to connect with other artists. (26:21)

• The 3 qualities Jeremy looks for in the artists he represents. (33:30)

• The responsibility a gallery has for nurturing its artists' careers. (36:10)

• The value of understanding the long game and defining your real interest in an artist's career. (41:11)

• Things an artist should never say or do to gain the attention of a gallerist. (46:18)

 

Mentioned

• Sullivan Goss Gallery

• Alfred Stieglitz's Gallery- An American Place

• Milton Avery exhibition at The Wadsworth Atheneum

• David Zwirner's Platform

• Harold Bloom's Anxiety of Influence

• Susan McDonnell Art

• Sullivan Goss on Instagram @sullivangoss

• Jeremy Tessmer Arts on Instagram @jeremyarts

 

The Art Biz Connection

Optimize Your Online Marketing

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Guest Bio

Jeremy Tessmer is the Gallery Director and Curator of vintage American art at Sullivan Goss. He has been with the firm almost 20 years, working in every area of the business, including: curation, sales, marketing, and design of everything from exhibition spaces to internal databases and processes. He has special knowledge of the American Modern movement, especially as it occurred on the West Coast. He has also been heavily involved with the gallery's publication program, helping to produce nineteen books and numerous catalogs, including those on local artists Ray Strong and Hank Pitcher.

 

The resources you have for art business and career development are endless. In that respect, you are incredibly fortunate compared to artists of the past who had so little to help them make a go of it. And there is a downside. There are so many choices to grow as a professional artist that it's difficult to decide where to spend your time and money. 

How do you decide? How do you know when to invest, and when to save your money?

Let's pretend you are my coaching client and you're debating adding something to your calendar. I caution all students and clients to be judicious about adding more to their already full schedules. 

This episode is focused on the questions I'd ask to help you decide whether or not a program is right for you. These include ...

What do you want to get from this program?

Is this program a shiny distraction?

Are you in a place to receive the guidance?

Do you respect the presenters, teachers, or leaders?

How is this program different?

Are you willing to devote the time to the lessons and homework?

See featured artists, read, and leave a comment >> TRANSCRIPT+POST

MENTIONED

Optimize Your Online Marketing

The Art Biz Connection membership community

Tom Kuegler's LinkedIn Sprint

We usually start a long-term project with a specific goal or set of expectations in mind. Rarely does the project turn out the way we thought it would. More often than not, it's better than we had imagined. But before we can get to that point of admitting that the change might have actually led to an improvement in the original plan, we have to struggle, to question our assumptions or to ask for more help or more money. We recognize we can't continue working in the same fashion as before, and often we are forced to adjust to outside forces, like a worldwide pandemic.

In this episode of The Art Biz, I'm joined again by Eve Jacobs-Carnahan. She was a podcast guest over a year ago and has come back to offer an update on her project, Knit Democracy Together, which was developed to discuss the U.S. electoral system within the context of knitting circles.

Today Eve is sharing a look at how such a long-term project evolves. She outlines the 5 indicators she is using to measure effectiveness, and even if you don't have an art project focused on making a social impact, these indicators will be useful for appraising the successful reach of your exhibition, event, program, or teaching.

Highlights

• "It all took on a new significance." Eve's project changed after the 2020 election. (4:27)

• The reasons behind improvements in the knitting circle. (8:11)

• The mindset shift that created positive changes to the project format. (10:02)

• Eve's preparation helped secure her fellowship. (11:41)

• Collaboration changes and letting go of tight control over the project. (13:28)

• The topics that the project covers now are not the same as the initial intended ones. (19:25)

• 5 indicators to measure effectiveness in any project. (24:44)

• Applying these tools to measure other areas of success. (31:40)

• A look at what's coming next for Eve. (36:40)

• The evolution of Eve's expanded exhibition. (39:11)

 

Mentioned

• The Art Biz ep. 64: Knit Democracy Together (first interview with Eve)

• Priya Parker's The Art of Gathering book

• National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellows

• New England Foundation for the Arts Public Art Grants

• LBJ speech introducing Voting Rights Act in 1965

• Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

• Knit Democracy Together

 

The Art Biz Connection

Join Optimize Your Online Marketing starting May 26, 2022

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Quotes

• "I have definitely let go of some control, and that's been good." — Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

• "I realized that I wasn't going to be as effective by myself." — Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

• "I'm talking about what people can do to help strengthen the system so we don't have chaos, all while knitting." — Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

• "Change can happen step by step, stitch by stitch and with many people working together." — Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

• "Artists who want to do social impact work definitely can be using these tools." — Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

• "Think about the people you know, think about your relationships with them, and be willing to ask for help." — Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

 

Guest Bio

 

Eve Jacobs-Carnahan makes mixed media knitted sculpture exploring democracy. She uses the comforting quality of yarn and the charming attraction of birds to tell allegorical stories.

 

Eve's work appears in Astounding Knits! 101 Spectacular Knitted Creations and Daring Feats by Lela Nargi and garnered First Place in National Fiber Directions 2015 at the Wichita Center for the Arts. She was named a Creative Community Fellow: New England by National Arts Strategies in 2021.

 

Eve knit away stress while earning a B.A. in History with Honors from Swarthmore College and a J.D. from the University of Chicago. She lives in Vermont.

First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/effective-projects-carnahan-podcast

Some artists just know what they want, and some know what they don't want. My guest for this episode has a lot of clarity about both. On this episode of The Art Biz, I'm talking with Alicia Goodwin, who worked as a jewelry designer for a number of individuals and companies before transitioning to her own full time jewelry business, Lingua Nigra.

As an encourager, Alicia wants artists to go for it. She doesn't believe in even considering a plan B in case the art thing doesn't work out. She encourages artists to "find your people" because she knows what it's like to be an artist and misunderstood by those closest to you. She found support in an online community filled with people who were making things and talking about business.

Even if you're not a jewelry artist, I know you will be inspired by Alicia's desire to continually improve her circumstances and grow her business. You especially won't want to miss her insights into finding the right balance in your online presence. As she says, "You don't need a lot of followers to make a lot of sales."

 

Highlights

• "I was always plotting for the next thing." (2:44)

• Alicia's transition from FIT to in-demand jewelry artist. (10:56)

• Finding the people who share your passion. (19:05)

• The origin story of Lingua Nigra (24:48)

• Alicia's forgiving etching and molding processes. (28:50)

• What is considered costume jewelry? (33:31)

• Alicia encourages ambitious artists to just get started. (37:30)

• Taking the first step toward your next big thing. (42:05)

• Finding a mentor, a support group, and the right sales outlets for your business. (48:50)

• Growing your studio and your team to match your big ideas. (52:30)

• A look at what's coming up next for Alicia. (57:36)

 

Mentioned

• Lingua Nigra

• Fashion Institute of Technology

• Roxanne Assoulin (was Lee Angel)

• Stella & Dot

• Housing Works

• National Museum of African American History & Culture

 

Sign up for the next Artist Planning Sessions May 10-13, 2022

Join Optimize Your Online Marketing starting May 26, 2022

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Guest Bio

Alicia Goodwin is a Chicago based jeweler who specializes in adding unique textures to her sculptural jewelry. A graduate of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology., Alicia applies her knowledge of ancient techniques like reticulation and acid etching to her more contemporary designs.

Her love of complex ancient ceremonial jewelry created with minimal tools such as fire, sand and beeswax led her to truly admire the work produced throughout Mesoamerica and the African diaspora—influencing her own brand, Lingua Nigra.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/next-opp-goodwin-podcast

 

Have you ever experienced success in any area and then realized it wasn't exactly what you wanted after all? My guest today experienced unexpected and surprising growth as her Instagram following quickly grew from 10,000 followers to over 70,000 followers in just a few years. In this episode of The Art Biz, I'm talking to Sara Schroeder. We talk about the creative way that she overcame her fear of selling and what she wishes she had known to do differently while in the throes of that success.

For more than a year, Sara has been using tools like journaling and the Enneagram to discover more about herself and explore where she wants her work to go, and now she's looking for more. She knows there's a deeper level of fulfillment beyond posting and looking for sales online, so she has stepped back and reassessed. You'll hear Sara mention her upcoming solo show, which is part of a challenge that I issue to students in my seasonal programs. We also discuss why her Instagram strategy has changed and what her new approaches for Instagram and marketing in general.

 

Highlights

• "I fell in love with making art all over again." (2:00)

• The value of finding a dedicated space for your art. (7:11)

• The difference between Sara's maximum and minimal art. (10:18)

• Sara's success on Instagram took off and quickly became overwhelming. (12:20)

• When app demands take over making artwork. (18:55)

• The evolution of Sara's work since pulling back from Instagram. (24:07)

• The process of self discovery through journaling, meditating, and the Enneagram. (28:01)

• Details of Sara's latest 100-piece collection. (32:00)

• How Sara would have handled her initial success and systems differently. (34:49)

• Sara's modified Instagram presence and increased in-person collaborations. (39:47)

• Sara's typical work week and why she starts work at 11 AM. (46:32)

 

Mentioned

• Lisa Congdon's illustration classes

• Andy J. Pizza

• Art:21

• Enneagram

• Natalie Goldberg's Freewriting

• Artist Planning Sessions

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/growing-schroeder-podcast

 

Guest Bio

Sara Schroeder is an abstract painter using gestural movement, intuitive marks, and saturated colors to convey energy and emotion. Works on canvas and paper feature drips, swipes, scratching, and subtraction methods, which build upon one another to form abstractions of nature. She finds inspiration in the potent hues of tropical plant life and the subdued pastel motifs of the Art Deco period preserved in Miami. Identifying with Kandinsky's belief that color influences the soul, Sara's process incorporates the psychology of color, intuition, and chance.

 

Integrating into her work what psychotherapist Carl Rogers called "unconditional positive regard", she aims to inspire rich revelations and encounters of the human spirit. Her works are held nationally and around the world in hundreds of private collections.

You are not alone.

It may seem like you are at times because you do so much work by yourself in the studio, but the art ecosystem is enormous and you are not alone. There are so many good people who are advocating on behalf of and supporting artists in their businesses and careers. I want you to know about these resources so that you can tap into them. They're waiting for you.

In this episode of The Art Biz, I'm talking with Louise Martorano, the Executive Director at RedLine Contemporary Art Center in Denver, Colorado. RedLine is a nonprofit whose mission is to foster "education and engagement between artists and communities to create positive social change." In many ways, RedLine behaves like a traditional arts council. But they're far from it. Louise and I discuss their artist-in-residence program, affordable studio space, and how they collaborate with other art organizations in the U.S. and beyond.

 

Highlights

• The history and mission of RedLine Contemporary Art Center. (1:45)

• The local and global need for artist career support. (7:46)

• Visual arts coalitions fill in the gaps of an artist's career. (11:23)

• The staff, budget, and $22 million re-granting programs at RedLine. (19:15)

• Details on residencies, applications, and juried interviews. (25:18)

• Open studio doors increase opportunities for artists. (32:03)

• Commission opportunities, stipends, and other program benefits. (33:58)

• How to find artist support programs in your community. (37:19)

• Group meetings and other expectations of artist residents. (41:01)

• Auditing relationships and leveraging your community. (45:45)

 

Mentioned

• RedLine Contemporary Art

• Redline Art on Instagram

• Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition

• Kansas City Artists Coalition

• Chicago Artists Coalition

 

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/advocate-martorano-podcast

 

Quotes

 

• "Artists are really expected to be all the departments in their career." — Louise Martorano

• "Artists' careers can live and die on the relationships they build and the opportunities they have." — Louise Martorano

• "We're trying to link arms with each other in Colorado to see if we can create a more seamless journey for artists as they gain traction and opportunity in their careers." — Louise Martorano

• "Talking about your work is like exercising a muscle. The more you do it, the more refined your language is." — Louise Martorano

• "Artists need to reevaluate who they know and who they're connected to and see how they can use those arteries of opportunity." — Louise Martorano

 

Guest Bio

Louise Martorano is the Executive Director of RedLine, a non-profit contemporary art center and residency located in Denver, Colorado. RedLine's mission is to foster education and engagement between artists and communities to create positive social change. Under Martorano's leadership, RedLine has received the Denver Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts (2014 and 2015), the Greenway Foundation's "Partner in Change" award, acknowledged by Denver Public Schools for excellence in community engagement, and has presented and organized over 100 exhibitions over the past 10 years.

 

Martorano holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and an M.H. from the University of Colorado, Denver with a focus in Contemporary Art History & Music. In 2017, she was awarded a Livingston Fellowship from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation for promising nonprofit leaders who hold significant leadership roles in Colorado.

 

Sculptor and installation artist Marianne Lettieri creates intricate, meditative work from salvaged and domestic materials. In this episode, she shares her journey from marketing to art, and how she has centered her practice around intention, discernment, and clarity—rather than urgency or trends.

She talks with host Alyson Stanfield about how she defines success, the importance of showing up in the studio (even if it's just to sweep the floor), and why research, ritual, and creative constraint are essential to her process.

HIGHLIGHTS

01:50 – Marianne's career shift from PR to full-time artist

03:54 – Why Marianne is drawn to historical artifacts and "slow" art

08:19 – Defining success: critical acclaim vs. financial success

13:14 – Income sources: sales, commissions, and artist estates

17:57 – How she tracks ideas and builds inventory systems

22:02 – How she's using only what she already has

24:56 – Making over 100 collages from studio leftovers

26:54 – A rejection story: the San Francisco dump residency

32:10 – Building community through art and faith

38:45 – How location (Granbury, TX) shapes her art

46:42 – Where to find Marianne + Alyson's closing takeaway

 

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Establishing Yourself in a New Art Community with Joan Chamberlain (mentioned)

The artists featured in these episodes discuss a very intentional path for themselves.

What a Commitment to Audience-Building Means to Noelle Phares (225)

The Joy in Artist Community and Paring Back Obligations with Ali Cavanaugh (190)

Why I Want Partnerships with Art Galleries with Evita Tezeno (175)

Focusing on the Art, Not the Art Business with Rebecca Welz (134)

How You Want to Be Perceived as an Artist with Alexandra Squire (133)

 

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/discerning-lettieri

⭐️ Connect with Marianne and see more of her art: https://mariannelettieri.com

 

🎯 Ready to make a plan that actually supports your art business? Join me for the Followers to Collectors planning workshop on September 9-10, where we'll map out how your audience moves from discovering your art to feeling confident buying it.

You can sign up for the waitlist here. Or join Essentials for Artist Success today to get access to this workshop plus ongoing support, live coaching, and two additional planning workshops throughout the year. Details at artbizsuccess.com/essentials.

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

Artists need writers. They are a critical part of the art ecosystem. Look back on any art movement from the past century in the U.S. and you'll find a writer behind its day in the spotlight. My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is artist and writer Philip Hartigan. As you'll hear, he's not quite sure what order those labels should be in. In some respects, the writing came first, but the art has always been there. We talk about his writing life, the role that blogging has had for him, and how he came to be a correspondent for Hyperallergic online art magazine. You'll also hear about how writing has helped him make inroads into the art world. My hope is that you will consider writing more about not just your art, but about other artists' work, possibly for publication and definitely for connections within your art community.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/art-reviewer-hartigan-podcast 

Highlights

• James Joyce, literature and Philip's journey as an artist. (1:54)

• The subtle narrative of Philip's current work and his gradual return to painting. (7:19)

• How did Philip get into writing about art for publication? (10:13)

• Overcoming disdain for a personal art blog in favor of clarity. (13:24)

• Writing for an online publication and becoming an online correspondent. (18:25)

• Creating meaningful connections through writing. (24:45)

• The value of blogging in an Instagram world. (30:18)

• Finding your why behind writing about your art. (39:00)

• What is on the horizon for Philip? (42:20)

Mentioned

• Philip's blog

• Philip's website

• Philip on Instagram

• Hyperallergic

• James Joyce's Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

• An Art Mediation from U.S. Catholic Magazine

• Time Out online magazine

Resources

 

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

 

Guest Bio

Philip Hartigan is a UK-born artist and writer who now lives, works, and teaches in the USA.

Hartigan's art explores half-remembered moments from a childhood in an English mining town. His choice of materials depends on the emotional state he has arrived at after thinking about these stories. But whether it's oil painting, intaglio printmaking, or sculpture, he aims to either tell a story in visual art or look for universally-recognized symbols for memory, loss, tragedy. Hartigan has lived for short and long periods in France, Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Holland.

Members of the general public enjoy their visits to art centers and museums without much thought as to how the art got into those spaces in the first place. Who decides on what to show and when to show it? Who decides what works to put next to one another and where to put a nail in the wall or a pedestal on the floor? Or even what color to paint the walls? All of these decisions, and more, fall under the purview of curators and exhibition directors in those non-profit spaces. In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Collin Parson, the Director of Galleries and Curator at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities in the Denver suburb of Arvada, Colorado. Collin reveals how the exhibition process works at their venue: his timeline, rotating gallery spaces, and the decision makers at the organization. We also discuss how he selects artists for shows, what makes an artist easy and fun to work with, and why it's important that artists keep him informed. Be sure to pay attention to some of the big mistakes he sees artists making.

Highlights

• Collin's background of artists and his work as a curator. (1:30)

• Curating a massive space and Collin's approach to rotating exhibitions. (10:50)

• Scheduling artists into a gallery's calendar isn't as simple as it seems. (19:15)

• Why Collin generally doesn't accept exhibit proposals. (22:52)

• What makes an artist fun to collaborate with? (26:48)

• What Collin wishes every artist would do—and not do. (33:03)

• Studio visits and what curators expect from artists. (38:25)

• Finding inspiration for the most memorable shows. (45:35)

• Details about juried shows and artist rosters. (48:55)

• Balancing curating exhibits, making art, and a personal life. (55:03)

Mentioned

• Collin Parson

• Charles Parson

• Arvada Center Galleries and Exhibitions

• Meow Wolf in Denver

• Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art

• Steve Farland's warrior chair-sculptures

Resources

 

• artbizsuccess.com/curator-parson-podcast

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection community

 

Guest Bio

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Collin Parson currently serves as the Director of Galleries and Curator for the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities in Arvada, Colorado and is a former member at the historic Pirate: Contemporary Art cooperative and past artist-in-residence at RedLine Denver. An arts administrator, artist, curator, and designer he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Design and Technology with emphasis in Lighting and Scene Design from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Master in Arts in Visual Culture and Arts Administration from Regis University in Denver. His creative work involves the control of light and color to create vivid geometric light and space works. He has had the privilege of jurying many arts festivals and exhibitions and has received numerous awards and recognition for his curatorial projects. He was awarded 100 Colorado Creatives by Westword magazine in 2013 and featured in many television and print productions. Parson is the son of Colorado sculptor Charles Parson, whose experience with the regions arts community helped Collin long before his professional career began. Growing up in a family of artists, Collin is proud to be continuing the educational and creative traditions.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/curator-parson-podcast

For too long I have been noticing artists posting things like this on social media: 'Fresh off the easel! What do you think?' or 'I'm experimenting with . Let me know what you think!'

What do I think? Do you really want to know what I think?

In this solo episode of The Art Biz I want to talk about feedback. When you ask people 'what do you think' you are asking for their feedback, whether it's intentional or not. We are often too quick to ask for feedback, and we ask for it in ways that can be more damaging than anything. In this episode, I'll share what I've learned from wise women and from paying attention to my students and clients. I'll give you tips on the right way to ask for feedback—in the right environment and with specificity. I'll also share with you how to handle unsolicited advice and the best way to offer advice to others, all so that you can get better feedback when you are seeking to improve.

Highlights

• The best time and way to ask for feedback. (1:36)

• 4 criteria to meet before asking for feedback. (2:25)

• You don't really need feedback from everyone else. (5:35)

• When feedback actually becomes necessary in order to improve. (7:45)

• Asking for feedback from the right people. (9:15)

• How to ask for feedback with specificity. (11:14)

• The right way to offer feedback to others. (12:38)

• How to respond to feedback graciously. (14:33)

Resources

• artbizsuccess.com/feedback

• Art Biz Connection

 

Mentioned

• Stumbling Toward Genius podcast with Cynthia Morris

• Playing Big: Practical Advice for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead by Tara Mohr

• The Art Biz Episode #61 — The Value of Critique Groups for Artists with Patirica Miranda

Quotes

• "We're often too quick to ask for feedback, and we ask for it in ways that are damaging." — Alyson Stanfield

• "You shouldn't care what everyone thinks." — Alyson Stanfield

• "You need time to figure out what you think about your art before you ask others what they think about it." — Alyson Stanfield

• "At some point, feedback is necessary when you want to improve, but you have to set up the parameters."— Alyson Stanfield

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/feedback

Risk is scary. Rejection stinks. Resilience seems elusive. When I think of these three R words, the word practice comes to mind. Taking one step at a time over and over again because we know it is the only way to make big progress. In order to embrace risk, we have to practice. We step into it, try it on, and, almost always, discover that it isn't as bad as the soundtrack we were playing in our heads. Rejection is also a practice. We build up emotional muscles after receiving disappointing news. After years of accumulated rejections, we begin to understand that they are rarely, if ever, personal. And finally, resilience is something we have to work at. We were born resilient, but, over the years, life beat us up. But rejections give us courage muscles we never had before. And, because we paid attention, we pick up on a number of tools that help us become more resilient.

My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Christine Aaron. You'll hear how she embraces risk and has come to understand the role of rejection in her art career. She also shares the tools she relies on to act with resilience, to get back in the studio and do it all over again.

Highlights

• The unusual motivation behind Christine's first watercolor class selection. (2:08)

• Taking risks and challenging yourself in a rewarding art career. (5:31)

• Refining your art by sharing it with and soliciting critique from others. (12:45)

• Identifying your safe zone and moving beyond it. (21:45)

• Taking on the work that pushes you out of your comfort zone. (25:12)

• Name the risks to work your way through the potential rejection. (32:57)

• What rejection really means about the work that you're doing. (39:46)

• Honing your resilience skills amid rejection. (40:35)

• Stop comparing yourself to other artists and remember how far you've come. (45:45)

• Reflecting on your work, your processes, and your improvement. (47:06)

• The risks that Christine is going to take in 2022. (48:00)

Mentioned

• Christine Aaron

• Christine Aaron Art on Instagram

• Weaving as Metaphor by Sheila Hicks

• B. Avery Syrig

• Patricia Miranda: CritLab

Resources

 

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Create Opportunities for Your Art

Quotes

 

• "There's not one of us that hasn't experienced disappointment and loss in life." — Christine Aaron

• "I make work ultimately because I want it to resonate with someone else. And the only way to do that is to get it out there." — Christine Aaron

• "Think beyond what you can imagine now and know that you'll have the ability to get the resources you need to do it." — Christine Aaron

• "Every artist I know gets way, way more rejections than they get acceptances. But nobody is talking about that." — Christine Aaron

 

Guest Bio

Christine Aaron is a conceptual and material-focused artist. Her work is exhibited nationally and internationally. Aaron received an artist's grant from ArtsWestchester — New York State Council on The Arts, a Surface Design Association grant, and a residency and grant from Vermont Studio Center. She presents talks at The International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, MA, received awards in printmaking and mixed media, and had a solo exhibit of The Memory Project at California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks.

Aaron holds a BS in education from Cornell University and a Masters in Social Work from Hunter College. She lives and maintains a studio in New Rochelle, NY.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/rejection-aaron-podcast

Why is it so hard for us to take care of ourselves? We all get busy. We feel a sense of urgency to keep up and do more. But if we're honest, we realize that very little is really urgent. Still, all of this hustle means we neglect habits and routines that will keep us well and give us energy for work in and out of the studio. And it's even harder when you're also responsible for caring for others. Whether you're a parent with growing children or an adult with aging parents, caregiving can take a lot out of you. It's hard to spend time on yourself when you're maxed out on so many levels. It's no wonder that self-care takes a backseat to other priorities.

On this episode of The Art Biz, I'm joined by Shimoda Donna Emmanuel. Shimoda has been the caregiver in her family, primarily for her mother Izola who recently passed after living with Alzheimer's, but also for an ailing sister. In 2020, Shimoda wrote Sacred Stitches: The Art of Care Giving, which has tips for stitching yourself together when caring for someone with Alzheimer's, but can also be useful to other caregiving roles. Together Shimoda and I talk about her routine, how she keeps her home to maintain a high vibration, tools she uses to de-stress and to stay calm, and how gratitudes and "the rage dance" fit into her self-care routine.

Highlights

• The fiber collages, jewelry, circles of love and sacred stitches of Shimoda's work. (2:13)

• Shimoda wrote Sacred Stitches during the pandemic while caring for her mother. (7:29)

• Key tips for de-stressing as a caregiver artist. (14:20)

• How to keep your energy high so you can stay positive and productive. (24:52)

• Spring cleaning takes on a new meaning with self-care. (28:40)

• Finding a support group that can give you the support you need. (31:16)

• Handling emotions might mean screaming, crying and doing a rage dance. (34:51)

• How to cultivate a space that helps you destress. (36:30)

• Making time for sleep and watching your diet. (40:45)

• 'Let this be easy'- Shimoda's mantra for hectic days. (46:05)

• A peek at what Shimoda is looking forward to in the New Year, and where her name came from. (49:10)

Mentioned

• Sacred Stitches: The Art of Care Giving - Tips for Stitching Yourself Together When Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's by Shimoda Donna Emanuel

• Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

• Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts

• CaringKind in NYC

Resources

 

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Artist Planning Sessions

• Create Opportunities for Your Art

Quotes

 

• "I've got to take care of myself. The caregiver has to take care of themselves." — Shimoda Donna Emanuel

• "I've got to keep my energy high and keep my vibration high. That's what's most important to me." — Shimoda Donna Emanuel

• "It's just not good to hold it all in. I can get through emotions quicker if I just let myself deal with the feelings." — Shimoda Donna Emanuel

 

Guest Bio

Shimoda Donna Emanuel is a mixed media artist living in Harlem, N.Y. Shimoda Accessories has a range of work that includes intuitive jewelry & fiber art. Her art has been on HGTV as well as the covers of Essence magazine and other publications. Her art is available for purchase at The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

As a caregiver of her sister and her 97-year young mom with Alzheimer's, Shimoda wrote Sacred Stitches: The Art of Caregiving. This colorful book offers tips for other caregivers. She found solutions that worked for her with creative exercises, rituals, and more.

Shimoda also published Sacred Stitches: Fiber Art Dolls for the Soul and Sacred Stitches, an inspirational 25-piece card deck.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/caregiving-shimoda-podcast

We need art. Some of us need it more than others, and for some of us, it's as necessary as the air we breathe. My guest on this episode of The Art Biz is Rich Simmons, a London-based artist who insists that art saved his life. Rich is not an art therapist, but he is an advocate for the therapy of an art practice. He knows from first-hand experience that art heals.

Rich has struggled with depression and was eventually diagnosed with Aspergers. The realization that making art could make him feel better was life-changing, and he wanted other people to know about this. In 2008 he started Art Is The Cure to inspire people to turn to creativity in times of pain. Art has given his life purpose. In our conversation, you'll hear that Rich has many balls up in the air. He makes murals, gives workshops, sells prints, has recently entered the NFT market, and is starting a podcast. And that is just scratching the surface of his inspiring ambitions.

Highlights

• "I was thrown into the deep end." Rich's unusual entry into the art world. (2:51)

• Rich started on his artistic path at a very young age by trading art with his grandfather. (7:57)

• Discovering art as a form of creative therapy amidst personal turmoil. (11:49)

• The act of creative release has expanded Rich's spectrum and allows him to make better art. (17:44)

• Art Is The Cure gave Rich the purpose he needed to move forward. (24:50)

• How to channel your negative energy in a way that affects change. (33:48)

• Finding inspiration, community and movement, and what to do when art is the source of your stress. (36:50)

• Rich's income stream and his approach to creating a continual stream of potential clients. (41:50)

Mentioned

• Rich Simmons

• Rich on Instagram

• Art Is The Cure

• Art Is The Cure on Instagram

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Artist Planning Sessions

• Free e-course: The Artist's Annual Review

• Create Opportunities for Your Art

Quotes

• "I want to give back to art because art saved my life." — Rich Simmons

• "I like to say yes to opportunities no matter what it is and try to figure out how to do it." — Rich Simmons

• "I realized I had found my own version of art therapy, and I needed to help other people discover their own version of art therapy." — Rich Simmons

• "An artist's job is not only to be a storyteller but to evoke emotions." — Rich Simmons

• "I couldn't be an inspiration for people if I wasn't looking after myself." — Rich Simmons

• "You can be the messenger about how powerful art can be." — Rich Simmons

 

Guest Bio

 

Rich Simmons is an Urban Pop artist who has exhibited all over the world. Simmons' work explores the intersections of visual culture, spanning pop art, comic books, the Renaissance, contemporary fashion, sexuality and beyond.

 

Simmons' bold use of color, intricately detailed hand-cut stencils, sense of humor and thought-provoking narratives running through his work are proving Rich is both an innovator and highly collectible artist.

 

Simmons is also the creator and founder of Art Is The Cure, a vInspired award-winning organization promoting art therapy and has run workshops and talks around the world.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/cure-simmons-podcast

There is an urgency to making the work and getting it out there so that you can find the people who respond to it, but it becomes much harder to accomplish much of anything if your body aches from the physically demanding work you do, or your shoulders are tense from hunkering over the computer all afternoon, or you're living on caffeine and wine, or especially if you aren't sleeping. If you want to improve your productivity, and your health, then it's time to focus on your self-care.

What are you doing to take care of yourself? To keep up your energy, maintain a positive mindset, balance out the hours in the studio and on the computer? Is balance even necessary when you're doing what you love?

In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Maria Coryell-Martin, a busy mom with a thriving art career and companion business that supports her family. With all that she has going on, Maria makes time for almost daily swims and cold, open water, healthy eating, and plenty of sleep. Listen to hear how she does it.

Highlights

• Maria's expeditionary art combines her passions for science, art and education. (2:20)

• The motivation behind splitting Maria's two artist endeavors. (4:57)

• An income breakdown from Art Toolkit and Expeditionary Art. (7:44)

• Maria's art takes her all over the world. (10:31)

• "I want to be a capable, useful person in the field." (14:39)

• How Maria successfully solicits funds for her expeditions. (17:17)

• Self-care is the rock for Maria's sanity. (19:25)

• The physical aspect of making art requires taking care of your body. (24:06)

• A typical day for Maria starts with getting enough sleep and swimming in the ocean. (28:21)

• Monitoring energy levels, controlling what you're eating, responding to stress. (35:15)

• Setting boundaries around your time and energy. (40:57)

• Getting the help you need so you can do your best work. (42:45)

• The simple first steps for starting self-care today. (46:00)

Mentioned

• Bon Appetit Lentil Burgers

• Cooper Island Black Guillemot Research

• Maria Coryell Martin's Expeditionary Art

• Art Toolkit

• @ExpeditionaryArt

• @ArtToolkit

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Artist Planning Sessions

• Free e-course: The Artist's Annual Review

Quotes

• "Ask for what you need. You may not get it, but at least you'll learn something." — Maria Coryell Martin

• "I've developed tools and habits over my life that are my rock for my sanity." — Maria Coryell Martin

• "Work is like a river. You dip your toes in and do what you can and then you take your toes out and it keeps flowing." — Maria Coryell Martin

• "Mistakes are part of everything you do, but you've just got to move forward and let mistakes happen." — Maria Coryell Martin

Guest Bio

Maria Coryell-Martin is an expeditionary artist following the tradition of traveling artists as naturalists and educators. She graduated from Carleton College in 2004 and received a Thomas J. Watson fellowship to explore remote regions through art from 2004-2005.

Since then Maria has worked with scientists, local communities, and travelers in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and the Antarctic Peninsula. In the field, Coryell-Martin sketches with ink and watercolor, and collects multimedia recordings to build her palette of place, a record of experience, climate, and color. This led her to create the wildly popular Art Toolkit.

 

This work became the basis for exhibits of large-scale studio and field paintings, as well as multimedia presentations and hands-on workshops for audiences of all ages to promote observation, scientific inquiry, and environmental awareness.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/self-care-martin-podcast 

Lots of artists make a good living, or at least a significant part of their income, from commissions. The standard commission process is something we don't question, but what would happen if you turned the whole commission process on its head?

In this episode I talk with Leisa Collins, who started her art business by targeting people whose homes she wanted to paint. After a few failed attempts at marketing her work, her career as a house portraitist took off. To date she has painted more than 2,500 house portraits and has a waiting list for commissions. She no longer has to send direct mail, which you'll hear about, but maintains that the personal relationships with clients are paramount.

Leisa shares her quest across the country to paint a house in all 50 states, that following up with prospects results in 85% more sales for her, and how she has partnered with realtors to provide closing gifts for their clients.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/commissions-collins-podcast

Highlights

• "I exchanged my art for everything." Leisa's adventurous art journey. (2:17)

• Combining a love of art with architecture and advertising it in effective ways. (4:36)

• The details of direct mailings that lead to collectors. (9:45)

• Hand selecting the demographic you want to work with. (13:05)

• The business process and price range of Leisa's non-traditional approach to commissioned art. (16:10)

• Selecting, photographing and painting houses in all 50 states. (22:26)

• Creating 250 pieces a year means Leisa gets two or three new clients a week—and has to keep careful track of them all. (30:50)

• Selecting images, marketing and selling a book. (36:50)

• The importance of following up with prospective clientes—without being too pushy. (39:31)

• The details of Leisa's spreadsheets help her maintain a personal relationship with her clients. (45:10)

• Creating relationships with clients through realtor closing gifts and phone calls. (48:51)

• A look at what is coming up next in Leisa's very busy holiday schedule. (53:25)

Mentioned

• Episode 68: Procedures for Art Commissions with Sema Martin

• Leisa Collins

• Leisa on Instagram

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Artist Planning Sessions

• Free e-course: 31 People Who Can Help Sell Your Art

Quotes

• "I could choose my demographic very carefully by looking at the house." — Leisa Collins

• "I now get tons of commissions every week because they told their neighbor… by now it's just word of mouth." — Leisa Collins

• "I get quite a few commissions coming in every single week. I get two or three new clients a week." — Leisa Collins

• "If you love what you're doing, it's not so much like work." — Leisa Collins
  

Guest Bio

Leisa Collins, a native of New Zealand, has carved a niche for herself as an acclaimed architectural artist.Eventually settling in the United States, Leisa became interested in the people and cultures that defined architecture throughout the country's history. She was inspired to drive from coast to coast, creating original paintings of homes in every state. She selected 650 of these works of art—as well as the fascinating stories behind many of them—to share with readers in her new book, Hand-Painted Homes: An Architectural Artist's Pen and Watercolor Journey Across America (May 2021). This coffee table book explores architectural styles in all fifty states, plus the nation's capital.

In 2013, Leisa established the Leisa Collins Historic Preservation Award to pay tribute to exceptional individuals committed to saving and restoring old buildings across the country. Her work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Huffington Post and Los Angeles Times.

So many art venues shut down during the pandemic, and I'm sure many of the people that ran those venues mourn for not only what might have been, but also the fact that there wasn't an opportunity for closure. My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Mai Wyn Schantz, an artist who was also a gallerist when she closed her space at the beginning of COVID. She hated to lose the relationships she had built over the years as the gallerist. She needed closure and she was determined to do right by her artists.

As soon as she felt it was safe, Mai Win organized a pop-up farewell exhibition with her artists. Her goal was to break even, which as you'll hear was far too conservative of a goal because she hit it out of the park, mostly because of the relationships she had nurtured throughout the years. Together we discuss the timing of the pop-up, the details for pulling it off, including the space she worked with, and what she learned from the experience. She reveals at least three things that she will do differently next time, and will inspire you to consider a pop-up gallery for your next art sales event.

Highlights

• Mai Wyn's journey to finding her space in galleries. (1:42)

• Acting as a gallerist when you feel like an imposter. (6:11)

• The impact of an artist's experience on Mai Wyn's gallery experience. (8:58)

• Reflections on the decision to close her gallery. (11:55)

• Celebrating the closure the proper way with a pop-up gallery. (16:16)

• Artist requirements for participation in the event. (25:42)

• How to promote a pop-up event across your network. (27:08)

• Handling inventory and sales in a pop-up gallery. (30:10)

• Playing the part of the hostess means hiring the right kind of help. (32:50)

• Lessons learned from this hugely successful pop-up. (42:51)

• Exceeding sales expectations by 1000%. (49:00)

• The relationships that make artists and gallerists succeed. (50:26)

• Mai Wyn gets real about what's up next for her as a reborn artist. (52:22)

Mentioned

• Mai Wyn Fine Art

• Mai Wyn on Instagram

• Space Gallery in Denver

• O'Sullivan Gallery at Regis University

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Grow Your List program at Art Biz Success

• Free e-course: 31 People Who Can Help Sell Your Art

 

Guest Bio

Landscape and wildlife painter Mai Wyn Schantz developed a love of nature at an early age canoeing the lake country of the upper Midwest with her father. Since her introduction to the art world in 1999, Schantz has exhibited steadily, including solo and group exhibitions at commercial galleries, art centers and museums notably the Museum of Wisconsin Art, Yellowstone Art Museum and Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities in Colorado. Beyond the studio, she remains an avid hiker spending her down time exploring trails along the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies with her husband and young daughter.

First posted: https://artbizsuccess/pop-up-schantz-podcast

People. You need them. You need people to buy your art, people to show your art, people to attend your shows, people to write about your work and let's face it. You need people to support you emotionally along the way. You need other artists around who get you. It's in these friendships that you will find understanding as well as ideas that challenge you to be a better artist. The relationships you nurture can sustain you, but you'll never know to what extent until you start taking them seriously, until you believe with all of your soul that you can't do this on your own.

But what do you do if you move to a new place and don't know anyone, or if you're just getting started? Where do you begin? In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Laurence de Valmy about how she has used her bonus talent as a writer to make connections in all areas of the art world. It started with the thought that there were people out there who knew more about how to be an artist than she did. She trusted that she could learn from them. Even if you aren't a writer, you'll be inspired by her boldness and creativity. Here's my conversation with Laurence de Valmy.

Highlights

• "This is the place to take the leap." Laurence reflects on her artist journey. (2:32)

• Have you ever Googled 'how to be an artist'? The birth of The Curious Frenchy blog. (5:42)

• Laurence's publishing schedule is shaped by the artists she meets. (8:14)

• How to more effectively learn from others while promoting their work. (9:52)

• What was it like interviewing Henry Matisse's granddaughter? (13:40)

• Embracing the value of personal relationships with people. (15:30)

• Opportunities that have come to Laurence as a result of her blog connections. (17:05)

• How Laurence leverages and promotes blog content on social media. (21:17)

• The difference that one-on-one relationships can make in your business. (23:29)

• Tools for organizing your connections and contacts. (25:58)

• A look at Laurence's typical workday and schedule. (27:57)

• How to meet people when you move to a new location. (31:32)

• Simplifying the sharing of content on social media (32:29)

• Laurence's advice for artists who are intimidated about reaching out to form new connections. (34:08)

• A look at what's coming up next for Laurence. (36:16)

Mentioned

• Sophie Matisse

• Dominique Lévy of Lévy-Gorvy Gallery

• Allan Gorman

• French Quarter Magazine

• Femmes d'Art

• Unik Magazine

• Laurence de Valmy

• Laurence on Instagram

• The Curious Frenchy

• The Curious Frenchy on Instagram

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Grow Your List program at Art Biz Success

• Free e-course: 31 People Who Can Help Sell Your Art

Quotes

• "All I knew was that I didn't know. And so I had to learn a new job and in order to do so, I started to connect with other artists." — Laurence de Valmy

• "I quickly realized that's how things happen. It's through the people you know." — Laurence de Valmy

• "People work with people that they like." — Laurence de Valmy

• "The worst that can happen is that nothing happened. It's as simple as that." — Laurence de Valmy

• "If you are prepared, you will know what to say." — Laurence de Valmy

 

Guest Bio

Laurence de Valmy invites us to reflect on the links between artists through times and the relationship between art and social media today. In her POST paintings, she revisits art history through imagined Instagram feeds of the past. Her recent work explores the place of hashtags in our communication. Laurence is French American and lives in the U.S. She writes about art on her blog The Curious Frenchy and for art publications.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/reaching-out-devalmy-podcast

Thoughtful artists often hesitate to share their work publicly—not because they're lazy or unclear, but because they don't want to contribute to the "noise" online.

In this solo episode, host Alyson Stanfield unpacks that fear and explain why it's often a mask for perfectionism. You'll hear why your content doesn't need to be perfect, polished, or viral—it just needs to be true.

She also shares mindset shifts to help you move from performance to presence, broadcasting to connection, and perfection to permission.

Whether you're struggling to post, over-editing everything, or just trying to trust your voice again, this episode is here to remind you: you're not the noise. You're the signal.

[00:00] Workshop intro: From Followers to Collectors

[01:45] The fear of adding to the noise

[03:20] You're not the noise—you're the signal

[04:50] Where "quality over quantity" falls apart

[06:30] Some of your best content might be the quickest

[07:15] When perfectionism poses as professionalism

[08:10] What quality really looks like (hint: not polished)

[09:25] You can't control who sees it—just share

[10:40] Shifting from performance to presence

[11:35] Final encouragement: show up with trust

[12:15] Workshop + Essentials invitation

[13:00] Closing thanks + where to find more

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These episodes also have an emphasis on mindset:

Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (ep. 114)

What Your Failures Are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney (ep. 95)

Are You Playing It Too Safe in Your Art Business? (ep. 92)

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Christa Forrest (ep. 91)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and see our featured artists, visit artbizsuccess.com/noise

🎯 Ready to make a plan that actually supports your art business? Join me for the Followers to Collectors planning workshop on September 9-10, where we'll map out how your audience moves from discovering your art to feeling confident buying it.

You can sign up or get on the waitlist here. Or join Essentials for Artist Success today to get access to this workshop plus ongoing support, live coaching, and two additional planning workshops throughout the year. Details at artbizsuccess.com/essentials.

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

We're all about the quest for more followers, more likes, more shares, more views, and more comments these days. It feels good when more people respond to your art because art is a form of communication. It's the means you use to share your ideas and your soul with the world. But that self-expression isn't meaningful until other people respond. Until they comment, share, and start a dialogue with you about it. And when you put the work out there and don't get the appropriate number of expected likes or comments, you are unfulfilled.

It's not fair that the social media algorithms have so much control over who sees your art. But are we really so subject to social media giants? I believe we are taking huge risks by relying on mass communication to complete the circle of communication. We know for a fact that art must be experienced in person in order to be fully appreciated. So why do we insist on online validation?

In this solo episode of The Art Biz I want to talk about what really works for moving the needle with your art. It's a secret shared by my highest level clients, only it's not really such a secret. But I can guarantee that it will help you stand out in an over-saturated digital space.

Highlights

• The not-so-secret secret that moved the needle with your art. (2:18)

• The most important information you can share is whispered one-on-one. (3:12)

• Examining the anatomy of a whisper. (5:14)

• 4 ways to effectively connect on a more personal level. (6:19)

• Where should you begin when your time is so limited? (9:58)

• What you can expect to gain from one-on-one interactions. (10:55)

Resources

• Complete transcript, images, and listener comments

• Program: Grow Your List

• Workshop: Designing a 5-Star Customer Experience

 

Mentioned

• Art Biz Episode #47- Using Real Mail to Delight

Quotes

• "We are taking huge risks by relying on mass communication to complete the circle of communication." — Alyson Stanfield

• "The most important information you can share is whispered one-on-one." — Steve Cranford

• "Personalizing the relationship you have with buyers, students, and collectors will make you feel better because it feels more authentic." — Alyson Stanfield

• "Stop relying on broadcasting for all of your marketing." — Alyson Stanfield

• "You'll feel better about your marketing when you value individual relationships." — Alyson Stanfield

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/whisper

Grow your mailing list: https://artbizsuccess.com/growyourlist

It takes a great deal of effort to find the right person to help with your art business, so you want to get it right. That means you need to find a way to retain good team members. You want them to take ownership in your business and pride in the work they do on your behalf. You may not be thinking about this from the beginning of the relationship with a new team member because you're so focused on getting the help you need fast. But you absolutely should be thinking about it: How do I keep good people on my team?

In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Ali Manning about the responsibilities she feels as the person in charge of her business, including the responsibilities she has to team members. We discuss her membership-based business model, the dynamics between team members, how she hires, when and why she hires employees instead of contractors, and how she keeps team members happy. We also get into the hiring mistakes that both of us have made in the past—freely admitting that it was our fault, not the employees.

Highlights

• The ah-ha moment in Ali's art journey. (2:45)

• How does Ali make money in her art business? (6:25)

• Running a business with 1,500 members requires the help of several assistants. (10:15)

• The key difference between employees and contracted help. (12:27)

• Bringing your team together regularly starts with a weekly meeting and the right technology. (15:09)

• You might be surprised at where you can find the right help. (19:07)

• Hiring mistakes and how to correct them quickly. (24:15)

• Tests and onboarding processes that can smooth out the new hire process. (28:56)

• Clearly defined business processes and procedures will help your team members succeed. (31:35)

• Your assistant can't actually read your mind, but taking these steps can help them out. (34:06)

• Keeping your employees—and keeping them happy. (38:46)

• A peek at Ali's upcoming launch. (42:41)

Mentioned

• Kolbe A Index

• Loom

• Asana

• Upwork

• The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Grow Your List program at Art Biz Success

• Free e-course: 31 People Who Can Help Sell Your Art

Quotes

• "From a business standpoint, I want to be able to offer my help a secure job. It's important to me that they're invested." — Ali Manning

• "With as many moving parts as I keep in my brain, it's no wonder that I needed some help with this stuff." — Ali Manning

• "It's important to slow down, take a step back and really think about what you want and how you would like your assistant to do it." — Ali Manning

 

Guest Bio

Ali Manning creates bindings that showcase the stitching and the handcrafted nature of books. Her mixed media books are inspired by the forests of New England and the gardens of her home country England.

Working from her studio in a converted textile mill in Massachusetts, Ali has taught thousands of students via her blog, Vintage Page Designs, in person and with her latest online adventure, The Handmade Book Club. Teaching others to express their creativity through handmade books is her greatest joy. She believes that anyone can create a handmade book and it shouldn't require expensive tools or equipment. Ali's work has been featured in Somerset Studio, Take Ten, Paper Crafts Magazine and Cloth, Paper, Scissors.

First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/being-boss-podcast

In order to have a successful working relationship with anyone, you need guiding ground rules. You need employee policies and agreements, and boundaries have to be established, especially when you're working with family. It can feel unnecessary to enact these formal arrangements with those close to us, and yet it's even more important to have them when you're navigating the relationships that mean the most. In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Trudy Rice about her working relationship with a family member. Trudy reflects on what her business was like before her sister Jenny started helping her, the specific tasks that Jenny is responsible for, and how they structure their business partnership to make sure each is happy and fulfilled.

Highlights

• The point at which Trudy realized she needed help in her art business. (2:20)

• Why hiring her sister was a perfect fit for Trudy. (6:17)

• Writing a job description for a relative—or any employee—is an essential first step. (9:00)

• Establishing an appropriate pay rate to compensate for the skills your new hire brings to your business. (11:48)

• Structuring a typical week when you're scheduling more than just yourself. (15:20)

• Maintaining your voice when someone else is writing your social media posts. (21:24)

• Communicating effectively in between weekly meetings. (24:01)

• What Trudy wishes she had known before hiring her sister as her assistant. (28:25)

• Identifying the areas that would allow you to accomplish more if you turned them over to someone else. (32:24)

• Trudy's advice to anyone that is considering hiring help. (34:54)

• A look at what is coming up next in Trudy's studio. (37:18)

Mentioned

• Loomly

• Asana

• Creative Market

Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• Grow Your List program at Art Biz Success

• Free e-course: 31 People Who Can Help Sell Your Art

 

Guest Bio

Artist and entrepreneur Trudy Rice has been a professional artist for more than 10 years. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Trudy has a diverse business consisting of original artworks on paper, paintings, commissions, large projects, wallpaper, and linen homewares. Her artworks are inspired by our natural world, particularly flora and fauna. Her works on paper and paintings are created with mindful observation, the initial drawings are etched in the very sun and water from which the original specimens are found.

First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/working-with-relatives-podcast