host: Alyson Stanfield

In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield talks with Debra about her dynamic journey as an artist and entrepreneur.

Debra reflects on her career that spans teaching, studio work, decorative painting, and involvement with various communities.

She shares the challenges she faced navigating the competitive art world, her time running Artifactory decorative painting studio in the Bay Area, and her eventual move to Los Angeles to support her husband's acting career, which also opened new opportunities for her.

Debra emphasizes the importance of enthusiasm, showing up daily, and the step-by-step process of building an art career. She also touches on the benefits of engaging with people, the power of reaching out, and the satisfaction of participating in jury shows and contributing to the community.

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

⭐️ Connect with Debra and see more of her art: https://debradisman.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.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Boldly Reaching Out to Art World Influencers with Laurence de Valmy (ep. 108)

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

Overcoming Anxiety about Making Art World Connections with Heather Beardsley (ep. 160)

⛰️ 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/

In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield chats with artist Julie deBoer, founder of Mastrius, a mentorship platform for artists.

Julie shares her journey of discovering her unique style with the help of a mentor, and how she resisted what was coming out of her until she began understanding where it came from.

She discusses the challenges of working with galleries, transitioning to solo sales, and the importance of community in the artist's journey. Julie also delves into how Mastrius differs from other online learning platforms by focusing on personalized mentorship and community support.

The episode wraps up with one of Alyson's favorite discussions: how Julie finds the time to fit everything in while prioritizing her art.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Expanding Your Skillset to Respond to Opportunities with Detour (ep. 128)

Being an Artist with Geoffrey Gorman (ep. 124)

Planning a Year's Worth of Artwork with Dawn Williams Boyd (ep. 72)

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

⭐️ Connect with Julie and see more of her art: https://juliedeboerart.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 processes 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/

host: Alyson Stanfield

Originally from a large metropolitan area, Tracey Hewitt married a rancher and, like Lisa Douglas in Green Acres, said goodbye to city life.

But she never said goodbye to her art.

Host Alyson Stanfield wanted to talk with Tracey because every encounter she has ever had with her as a member of our Art Biz Connection community has been positive. Tracey is funny, warm, and generous. And she knows how to live life to its fullest.

Tracey helps run the family cattle business in the Australian bush, which takes up a good hunk of her time.

Aside from her duties on the ranch, Tracey is and always has been an artist, though the label of "artist" wasn't easy for her to adopt—a hurdle many artists must overcome.

[ See How Do You Know When You're an Artist? with James Holmes ]

Today, through her teaching and life coaching practices, Tracey helps other artists get comfortable with their creativity and, if they like, with calling themselves artists. You'll be inspired by her optimism.

💁‍♀️ There are 4 ways that I can support you in your art business: 1️⃣ art-marketing training in my Essentials course 2️⃣ a community that provides structure to your days 3️⃣ higher level artist group coaching, and 4️⃣ private consulting.

Find details: https://artbizsuccess.com/work-with-me/

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

⭐️ Connect with Tracey and see more of her art: https://traceyhewitt.com/

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These episodes feature other artist-teachers.

Maintaining Your Studio Practice with a Busy Teaching Schedule with Sally Hirst ****(ep. 164)

Using Patreon as a Teaching Platform with Kimberly Santini (ep. 156)

Making a Living as a Teaching Artist with Elizabeth St. Hilaire (ep. 4)

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

⛰️ 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/

What "game" are you playing in your art business and in life?

Artist-writer-speaker Jason Kotecki makes the point that you have a unique game plan to follow—one that can't be compared to another artist or online personality.

In a conversation with host Alyson Stanfield, Jason shares his experience of overcoming comparison and jealousy, emphasizing the importance of focusing on your unique talents and contributions. He talks about the pivotal moment in a Philadelphia ballroom that led him to merge his art with his speaking engagements and how this fusion has shaped his career.

The discussion covers practical steps artists can take to combat comparison, and the benefits of having a "talent stack" to differentiate yourself. Jason also delves into his income streams, his collaborative work with his wife, Kim, and upcoming events like Wondernite.

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

⭐️ Connect with Jason and see more of his art: EscapeAdulthood.com

💁‍♀️ There are 4 ways that I can support you in your art business: 1️⃣ art-marketing training in my Essentials course 2️⃣ a community that provides structure to your days 3️⃣ higher level artist group coaching, and 4️⃣ private consulting.

Find details: ArtBizSuccess.com/work-with-me

🔄 Related Episodes

6 Ways to Be [Even] Happier About Running Your Art Business (ep. 155)

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)

⛰️ 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

It might help (but isn't necessary) to start this episode by listening to episode 189, which is an encore of a 2019 interview I did with Ali Cavanaugh when she was making big changes in her work life.

In this episode, Ali and I catch up with all that has transpired in the last 5 years. We discuss:

• Her booming Patreon community that gives her so much joy.
• How she has pared back on the demands for her art and the boundaries she put in place to allow her to do that.
• The recent release of the Ali Cavanaugh Portrait Colors Set from Golden Artist Colors.
• The upcoming retrospective of her work, made possible because she has withheld prized pieces from sale to keep in her private collection.

Ali is incredibly generous. As you'll hear, she is utterly devoted to her patrons and the success of her students.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Maintaining Your Studio Practice with a Busy Teaching Schedule with Sally Hirst (ep. 164)

Leaving Gallery Representation to Reach More Art Buyers with Adele Sypesteyn (remix) (ep. 163)

Using Patreon as a Teaching Platform with Kimberly Santini (ep. 156)

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

⭐️ Connect with Ali and see more of her art: alicavanaugh.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/

host: Alyson Stanfield

In 2014, Ali Cavanaugh had 11 galleries representing her work throughout the U.S. and even overseas. It was all she could do to paint fast enough to supply these galleries with new work. What a great problem to have! But it was still a problem.

Then she started asking for it to be returned to her. She was rethinking her art and what her business model looked like.

She worked hard to get to that point, the way things were going no longer worked well for her. She decided to take control and be very deliberate about her next moves.

This episode is an encore of the inspiration-packed interview I did with Ali Cavanaugh back in 2019 in episode 33. I'll be sharing a new interview with Ali next week, but I thought it would be fun to be reminded of where she was 5 years ago when we first talked. In this interview, Ali and I discuss how she made a deliberate decision to take control of her art career. She left 10 of her galleries and the stress caused by having to supply so many venues.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

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

Leaving Gallery Representation to Reach More Art Buyers with Adele Sypesteyn (remix) (ep. 163)

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

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

⭐️ Connect with Ali and see more of her art: AliCavanaugh.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/

host: Alyson Stanfield

Elizabeth LeMaster, my guest for this episode of The Art Biz, has, like so many of us, more to balance than her studio practice and business. She has a family. A young family. A big family. A growing family.

How do you find time for working on your art when you have 6 kids under the age of 8? 😳

Elizabeth and I talk about how she has done it because she wanted to share her tips with all artist-mothers out there. She is also very honest about the bumps along the road.

Here's my special Mothers' Day Conversation with Elizabeth LeMaster.

HIGHLIGHTS

06:12 Selling her art through a focused audience and relatively small subscriber base 10:06 Adapting art practices around motherhood 15:44 Strategic systems for productivity 19:51 Embracing the artist's life while parenting 36:28 Elizabeth's Artisan Christmas magazine 40:32 Elizabeth's future plans

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Raising Prices on Your Art, Valuing Community, and Balancing Motherhood with Bri Larson (ep. 166)

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

Running an Artist Residency Alongside a Studio Practice with Shannon Amidon (ep. 151)

Injecting Personal Narrative into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes (ep. 131)

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

⭐️ Connect with Elizabeth and see more of her art on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemasterartistique/

🔶 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/

host: Alyson Stanfield

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 encore 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.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Tools to Shape Up Your Art Business with Jennifer Printz (ep. 79)

Systems to Effectively Manage a Dizzying Increase in Your Art Business with Betty Franks (ep. 80)

How to Squeeze More Time from Your Busy Calendar (ep. 152)

📖 To read the exact steps we created for Skip, see images, and leave a comment, visit

https://artbizsuccess.com/skip-hill-encore

⭐️ Connect with Skip and see more of his art: SkipHillArt.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. Current focus: Cultivating Connections and Collectors.

⛰️ 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

I want to talk about something that I think gets in the way of how you think about what a successful art business is or can be.

I want to help you reframe your daily decisions, actions, and results (or lack thereof)—to embrace the volatility of an artist life. To understand that there will be highs and lows, and that just comes along with the territory.

One of the most-used business metaphors is the ladder of success, which is problematic for two reasons:

1. Nobody reaches the top of anything in life by going straight up.
2. What happens when you get to the top?

I have a different vision. Your art career is a circle consisting of 3 areas:

Inspiration+Research, Studio Practice, and Business+Marketing.

You're a sphere (okay, a ping pong ball) bouncing back and forth from one area to the next as you grow your art career.

Let me explain …

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Calculating Risks in Your Art Business with Leah Smithson (ep. 94)

What Your Failures Are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney (ep. 95)

Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (ep. 114)

How to Feel Like a Successful Artist (ep. 165)

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

🔶 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/

host: Alyson Stanfield

Some artists are fine working by themselves in their studios. Other artists need to move their art beyond the studio walls and into the public in order to be fulfilled.

My guest for this episode is Marilyn Fontaine, a multidisciplinary artist who lives and works in East London. Her work is spiritual with a strong foothold in feminine themes.

She has begun marrying that work to the history of the local community—in particular, the stories of those who share her Afro-Caribbean roots.

Marilyn and I talk about the work she does within her community, including how it is funded and why her growing network is essential.

We also discuss:

• Her ritual upon entering the studio for a day's work, which is always a favorite topic of mine.
• Why she's leaning into rejection and learning to be curious about negative reactions that some people have to her work.
• How she is learning to let go—to not hold too tight to the idea that she wants something so badly—and to allow it to come by creating that space.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Injecting Personal Narrative Into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes (ep. 131)

Committed to Telling Native Stories Through Her Art and Activism with Danielle SeeWalker (ep. 153)

How Your Art Makes People Feel (ep. 184)

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

⭐️ Connect with Marilyn and see more of her art: https://marilynfontaineart.weebly.com/

🔶 Please join me for THE PEOPLE PLAN 🔶 a planning workshop to identify, establish, and nurture stronger relationships with buyers, collectors, curators, students, gallerists, and more. May 7-9, 2024. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

⛰️ 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 B. Stanfield

For so long, I asked artists Why they make art.

Some artists have a Why.

For other artists, being asked why they make art is unfruitful—even debilitating. They feel unworthy if they can't come up with a good Why.

A better strategy is to focus on the people who will be viewing, talking about, and living with your art.

How does your art make people feel?

Bernadette Jiwa says, "People don't buy why you do something. They buy how it makes them feel." If you think about it, this, ironically, leads to your Why: Connection.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Episodes that focus on your relationships:

Following Her Curiosity and Making New Connections After 60 with Jan McCarthy (ep. 158)

Being Seen—Networking for Artists (ep. 148)

How to Guarantee that People Remember You with Skip Hill (ep. 147)

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

🔶 Please join me for THE PEOPLE PLAN 🔶 a planning workshop to identify, establish, and nurture stronger relationships with buyers, collectors, curators, students, gallerists, and more. May 7-9, 2024. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

⛰️ 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 B. Stanfield

In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Lori Sokoluk and Susan Purney Mark, who met in my coaching group many years ago and started a collaboration during the pandemic.

When I teach about collaboration, I'm usually talking about an exhibition or event. Lori and Susan took it to the next level and collaborated on the artwork itself—resulting in a two-person exhibition that recently closed.

I wanted to know what the artmaking process was like when you're presented with someone else's marks on the canvas. I think you'll enjoy hearing about it and what they discovered during the process

We also discussed:

• The parameters of the collaboration.
• The challenges they faced, such as Lori's physical limitations.
• How they titled the pieces together (a fascinating theme and process).
• How they divided up the business stuff.
• How the exhibition was organized.
• How it has affected their individual work.
• The advice they share with any artist who is open to collaboration.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Here are a few more episodes about collaboration:

Multiply Your Audience and Expand Your Show's Impact with Jill Powers (ep. 27)

Knit Democracy Together with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan (ep. 64)

Play Tops Work, Connection Tops Solitude, and Confidence Tops Fear with Willie Cole (ep. 126)

Expanding Your Skillset to Respond to Opportunities with Detour (ep. 128)

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

⭐️ Connect with Lori and Susan and see more of their art:

https://lorisokoluk.com

https://susanpm.com

🔶 Please join me for THE PEOPLE PLAN 🔶 a planning workshop to identify, establish, and nurture stronger relationships with buyers, collectors, curators, students, gallerists, and more. May 7-9, 2024. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

⛰️ 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

In the 200th episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield explores the deeper motivations behind artists' desires for more recognition and sales.

She emphasizes the importance of pursuing true fulfillment in art, beyond external validation and social media metrics.

Alyson shares her personal journey of prioritizing happiness over career stability and discusses various forms of fulfillment for artists, such as making their best work, gaining gallery representation, and receiving positive feedback. She encourages artists to exhibit their work in public more frequently and to engage with their audience to find deeper meaning and joy.

00:00 Our Desire for MORE 
01:23 Personal Journey: Finding Happiness
02:16 Milestone Reflection: 200th Episode
02:39 True Fulfillment as an Artist
04:53 The Importance of External Validation
05:49 The Role of Exhibitions and Shows
07:38 Art as Communication and Connection
08:55 Commitment to Showing Your Art
09:34 Conclusion: Celebrating the Journey

📖 To read more, see photos of me with some of my guests, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/fulfillment

👉 I give you a process for honoring your commitments in my planning workshops, which I lead 3x a year to help you make a plan for the upcoming season and beyond. AND to make sure that you aren't over-committed—that you have just the right level of challenging projects and space for creativity and self-care.

🔶 The next workshop is coming up, and you can save a little when you sign up early. So you want to be sure to be on the notification list. Go to artbizsuccess.com/makeaplan to add your name to that list or sign up now if registration is available when you visit.

⛰️ 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 B. Stanfield

Your list is something unique to you and your career. No one has this same list. No one makes art like you do; no one knows the same people as you do; and no one has the exact vision that you have. Nobody! Your list is almost worthless to anyone else, yet it's invaluable to you.

It is the primary tool you use to share your art with the world. It's your #1 marketing asset, but worthless if you're not using it.

The definition of a mailing list isn't as clear cut as it sounds.

I have a philosophy around this 2-word phrase that we frequently take for granted:

You don't have a single list. You have multiple lists.

I use the term mailing list as an umbrella term, but, in truth, you have three lists that I define as follows:

1️⃣ Your email list

2️⃣ Your VIP list

3️⃣ Your online followers

In this episode, I describe the difference among them and why you need to remember all of them when you're thinking about your mailing list.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

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

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

Following Her Curiosity and Making New Connections After 60 with Jan McCarthy (ep. 158)

📖 To read more, see images, download the transcript + mailing list assessment mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/your-lists

🔶 Put your mailing list to better use in THE PEOPLE PLAN 🔶 a planning workshop to identify, establish, and nurture stronger relationships with your lists. May 7-9, 2024. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

⛰️ 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, Art Biz Success

My guest is Janice Mason Steeves, author of Bloom: On Becoming An Artist Later in Life. Which, as I say in our interview, is "a lovely mix of insights from a questionnaire, gentle guidance from someone who teaches and leads artist workshops all over the world, and wisdom from academics, professionals, and spiritual advisors."

Janice has been in my orbit for a long time and I have been dying to talk with her about this book, the seeds of which she mentioned to me about 4 years ago. It's a book that needed to be written and proves that we have a lot more to talk about this topic.

But let's kick off the conversation.

Janice will share her background and the realization that the students in her workshops tended to be in the 60 to 80 age groups. This piqued her curiosity about taking up art later in life.

We spend the first half of our conversation talking about how the book came to be. Then we discuss the advantages, benefits and challenges of becoming an artist after age 60.

I, of course, want to know about how artists over 60 approach the business of art, but that's not Janice's concern. (And I have some experience that perhaps will lead to a different episode.)

🎧 RELATED EPISODES
These are episodes with other artist-authors >>

Secrets from Copying a Masterpiece with Lilianne Milgrom (ep. 87)

Publishing a How To Book for Artists with Carol McIntyre (ep. 37)

How Two Artists Self-Published and Are Promoting a Successful Book Together (ep. 9)

Mentioned: How Do You Know You're an Artist? with James Holmes (ep. 181)

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

⭐️ Connect with Janice and see more of her art: https://janicemasonsteeves.com

If you want to learn about or improve your art marketing skills, 🔶check out my Essentials program. 🔶 It's for beginning and emerging artists as well as artists who just need a reboot.
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/

I believe in the power of daily affirmations. I first used them a number of years ago to increase my income and it worked. I increased my income 40% that year. And while I am not now as dedicated to reciting them daily, I know should be! I attribute the majority of my success back then to these affirmations.

What possessed me to stop? 🤷‍♀️ I do not believe that reciting affirmations alone will move the needle. You must have the commitment to your goals in the first place and take appropriate action to move forward. I encourage you to try them as a proven business accelerator tool. It can't hurt! I read through these affirmations slowly. Then I take a break and repeat them. Use what lands for you—changing the wording to make them your own.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Raising Prices on Your Art, Valuing Community, and Balancing Motherhood with Bri Larson (ep. 166)

6 Ways to Be [Even] Happier About Running Your Art Business (ep. 155)

Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (ep. 114)

What Your Failures Are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney (ep. 95)

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

🔶 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/

If you're like a lot of the artist-clients that I work with at Art Biz Success, you would love someone to help you with social media. Or your website. Or maybe anything else to help lighten the load.

Having any kind of help sounds like a dream. It may seem like an impossible dream. You might be looking for someone like my guest for this episode of The Art Biz: Hallie Edlund, a virtual assistant for artists.

We discuss how she started doing this work and how she helps artists with social media and their websites.

We touch upon how she uses A.I. and her advice for using it in your art business.

And you know I couldn't resist asking how she stays organized. Her system of keeping everything for her clients in Gmail folders left me with my mouth hanging open, which luckily you can't witness on a podcast.

Hallie has a new Instagram course for artists and generously shares two tips for that platform near the end of our conversation.

If you're looking to hire someone to help with your art business, I suggest checking out the related episodes and articles posted below as well.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES & ARTICLES

How to Hire Someone to Help with Your Art Business

Let It Go: Delegating Responsibility

Someone Else Could – What To Delegate in Your Art Business

Trusting Another Artist to Help You Run Your Art Business with Angela Fehr and Robin Edmundson (ep. 104)

How to Work Successfully (and Sanely) with a Relative with Trudy Rice (ep. 105)

Learning How to Be a Boss with Ali Manning (ep. 106)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit

📧 To inquire about working with Hallie, please email her.

🔶 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/

In this episode, I have something a little different for you.

I want to share a tool I found a number of years ago that helps me in life and in my business. And it's helped many of my clients.

It's a life map, of sorts, called Human Design.

Jahje Ives is an artist and a Human Design coach and guide. While I have worked with Human Design guides in the past, Jahje is the first artist I have met in this realm.

I wanted her insights as to how knowing your Human Design could help with your art and art business.

To get the most out of it, you have to have a little woo in you. As Jahje says, you might need to put on your tinfoil hat.

She's going to tell you what Human Design is, cover the 5 different types of designs and what each would mean for an artist. Human Design has taught me that there are no two people alike. We are each unique in our gifts and our approach to life and business.

What works for one artist might not be just a bad idea for another—it could also be a huge waste of time. Or even damaging.

Since learning Human Design, I've changed much of my approach to teaching and coaching. I've started tuning in to the differences among artists—differences that they were born with—so that I can meet them where they will be able to thrive.

This episode probably isn't for everyone, but if you're open to the journey, please continue to listen. Maybe something will ring true. Here's my conversation with Jahje Ives.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

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 leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/human-design-ives

⭐️ Connect with Jahje and see more of her art: https://jahjeives.com

🔶 Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator 🔶 a coaching group for strategies, support, and accountability inside a community of artists who get you. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

⛰️ 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/

Two things are clear when it comes to pricing your art.

1️⃣ It's a struggle for most artists.

2️⃣ There's a good chance that your prices are too low.

There are 5 reasons to raise your prices:

🔸 You've done the math and realized you aren't paying yourself.

🔸 Your pricing has become uneven over time.

🔸 The cost of your materials has increased.

🔸 You can't keep up with the demand for your art.

🔸 You start selling through galleries.

I cover all of these in this episode and then tell you HOW to raise your prices.

🆓 GUIDE FOR PRICING YOUR ART

Info and download > http://howtopriceyourart.com/

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Raising prices can mess with your mindset. These episodes might help:

Raising Prices on Your Art, Valuing Community, and Balancing Motherhood with Bri Larson (ep. 166)

6 Ways to Be [Even] Happier About Running Your Art Business (ep. 155)

Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (ep. 114)

What Your Failures Are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney (ep. 95)

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Christa Forrest (ep. 91)

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

🔶 Does your art business need a boost or a refresh? Please see my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a training program full of tools 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/

I like to say that your art isn't complete until someone else experiences it. Until you're standing in front of it and talking about it with people who are interested.

In real life. Digital-only viewing doesn't count.

Every person who sees your work brings themselves and their background to your work—adding new layers of meaning to your original intention.

My guest for this episode is Susan Abbott, and she recognizes the importance of getting her work out of the studio and in front of people.

We cover a lot of ground in our conversation, but there are 3 themes:

1. The value of working in series, with special attention given to the series of paintings that came from her pilgrimage on The Camino.
2. Creating a catalog of your art and what it can do for you.
3. Getting a museum solo exhibition and why that's important to her.

We also discuss how Susan lost 14,000 instagram followers and rebuilt her account to where it is today (~46,000 at the time of this recording).

See if you can pick up on why it pays to dress nicely when visiting gallery.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Overcoming Anxiety about Making Art World Connections with Heather Beardsley (ep. 160)

Putting Artists First in Curatorial Projects with Melissa Messina (ep. 136)

Portrait Project and Museum Exhibition with Lisa Kovvuri (ep. 11)

A Married Life in Art: Sam Woolcott and Poe Dismuke (ep. 8)

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

⭐️ Connect with Susan and see more of her art: https://susanabbott.com

🔶 Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator 🔶 a coaching group for strategies, support, and accountability inside a community of artists who get you. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

⛰️ 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/

So many artists are down on their galleries and considering leaving them.

There are absolutely many reasons not to stick with your gallery, but that's a different episode.

I wanted to share the story of an artist who is thrilled with her gallery.

My guest for this episode is Evita Tezeno—an artist who has grand ambitions for herself. Not content with the status quo, Evita aims for recognition by prestigious honors like the Guggenheim Fellowship and the MacArthur Fellowship, the so called "genius" grant.

She knows she can't get there by herself. She needs strong gallery representation and a team of people behind her, and she'll tell you why.

💬 EVITA TEZENO QUOTES

"I had this dream that an angel came to my door and gave me a blueprint of another style."

"This dream was right on target."

"[After Denzel Washington bought 8 pieces in 2019] I was able to get another studio and I have never worked for anyone again."

"The gallery now has me working larger. I love working larger. I love it."

"I consider myself a visual storyteller."

"[My life coach] has gotten me to dream bigger than I ever thought that I could dream."

"I want more museum collections and I want my work also to be known, not only nationally or regionally, but internationally…. So we are reaching toward the sky or the heavens."

"The art career that you dream of or you envision does not come easy. You have to struggle. You have to go through necessary pains to get to where you want to be."

🎧 RELATED CONTENT

Leaving Gallery Representation to Reach More Art Buyers with Adele Sypesteyn (ep. 163)

Qualities Galleries Are Looking For in Their Artists with Jeremy Tessmer (ep. 123)

Why Artists Should Embrace Galleries (article)

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

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

⭐️ Connect with Evita Tezeno and see more of her art: https://evitatezeno.com

🔶 Does your art business need a boost or a refresh? Please see my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a training program full of tools and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility. For those with beginning and emerging art careers.

⛰️ 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 artist website is your portfolio these days. It's usually the first place people go to get a full picture of you and your art. They might initially find you on Instagram and scroll through the images there, but when their interest is piqued and they want to know more, they'll click that almighty link in your bio.

Your website is the 1 piece of virtual real estate that you have 100% control over. You select what people see and define how they will navigate the experience.

Are you ready for them?

In this episode of The Art Biz, I have a very focused conversation with Jessica Burko about artist websites.

[ We're focused on your professional presentation this season in Establish Yourself: Essentials for Artist Success ]

Jessica and I discuss:

• Her philosophy about artist websites.
• What artist websites should and should not include.
• How artist websites can be organized for a better viewer experience.
• How you can use Instagram and Pinterest to organize portfolios of work.
• Why one of your jobs is to educate people.

She says, "What gets people to be very interested in your work, to buy your work or hire you or show your work, and to really tell them the breadth of what you do and to show them all the different aspects of your arts career, your arts business, yourself as an artist" is your website. It's a much more appropriate place to do that than Instagram.

💁🏼‍♀️ My bonus tip is to check the footer on your website to see that it has the current copyright date in it. Some websites adjust automatically to a new year, but others do not. Make sure yours is current.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

How to Name Your Art Business (ep. 56)

How to Feel Like a Successful Artist (ep. 165)

Introduce Yourself Confidently as an Artist (ep. 65)

Starting Your Art Career (ep. 173)

What Your Failures Are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney (ep. 95)

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

⭐️ Connect with Jessica and see more of her art: https://jessicaburko.com

🔶 Does your art business need a boost or a refresh? Please see my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a training program full of tools and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility. For those with beginning and emerging art careers.

⛰️ 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 isn't for artists who want to dabble and keep art as a hobby. I so respect your desire to enter and exit the studio whenever you feel like it, but this isn't for you.

This isn't even for artists who want to set up a side hustle of selling art here and there to make some extra cash. Again, I respect the fact that you want or need to do that, but what I share here isn't for you.

This is for anyone who is serious about building and living the life of an artist.

This episode is also for you if other artists ask for your advice about how they can do what you have done. (All you have to do is send them here.)

I cover:

• Why devotion to the work has to come above everything else in your artist life.
• When you can call yourself an artist.
• Why you shouldn't be devoted to 1 medium.
• The first 6 practical business steps:
  • Decide on your professional name.
  • Decide on your business structure.
  • Register your business.
  • Get a tax ID number.
  • Gat a sales tax license.
  • Separate your business and personal finances.

🔶 Just starting your art career? Please see my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a training program full of tools and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility. For those with beginning and emerging art careers. YourArtistLife.com

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

How to Name Your Art Business (ep. 56)

Your Decision Filter (ep. 139)

Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (ep. 114)

How to Feel Like a Successful Artist (ep. 165)

📖 To read the transcript of this episode, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/starting-art-career

⛰️ 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/

In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield talks with author and artist Alyson Sheldrake.

Every month for ten years, Alyson Sheldrake has published Snapshot!, an extensive digital magazine that promotes her work, her husband's photography, and local businesses. The most recent edition was 128 pages!

In her words, Snapshot! covers art, photography, books, reviews, events, interviews, rescue dogs, authors, and news about the beautiful Algarve in Portugal. That's a lot of territory, and, as you'll see, she has plenty of story ideas for future content.

Writing, designing, and publishing the magazine is not a grind for Alyson. She loves doing it, referring to it as "The newsletter that thinks it's a magazine." It's a comfortable way to market for her that just so happens to reach about 17,000 people with each edition.

Key takeaway: through the magazine, Alyson promotes others who, in turn, help promote the magazine and her art.

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

⭐️ Connect with Alyson and subscribe to her free Snapshot! magazine: https://alysonsheldrake.com

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Other artist-authors who have been my guests:

Secrets from Copying a Masterpiece with Lilianne Milgrom (ep. 87)

Publishing a How To Book for Artists with Carol McIntyre (ep. 37)

How Two Artists Self-Published and Are Promoting a Successful Book Together (ep. 9)

Beyond Comparison and Jealousy with Jason Kotecki (ep. 191)

🔶 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/

My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Kamal X.

Kamal recently released his book, Black Astronaut, which is a collection of photographs he started after the murder of George Floyd. It was, as you recall, the height of Covid and like many, Kamal was hesitant to travel and be in crowds.

But, as he said, he knew he had to risk it all because the moment was bigger than him.

In our conversation, you'll hear about how and why Kamal learned photography and how he approaches his subjects on the street.

What I enjoyed most about talking with Kamal is his message. Through photography, he learns about himself, and he shares his positivity through his words and deeds.

He says, "Remember you are the light and you can create and visualize something bigger for yourself." And he encourages you to be true to yourself and avoid making art for the algorithms.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These are great episodes for positive inspiration.

7 Essential Verbs for Artists to Embrace (ep. 170)

How to Feel Like a Successful Artist (ep. 165)

Following Her Curiosity and Making New Connections After 60 with Jan McCarthy (ep. 158)

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

⭐️ Connect with Kamal X and see more of his art: https://www.instagram.com/iamkamalx/

🔶 Sponsored by my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a year-long training program full of tools and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility. For those with beginning and emerging art careers. https://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/

Carol MacConnell has built a strong business foundation over her long art career. I was particularly interested in talking with her about how she works with interior designers.

You'll hear us discuss:

• Carol's income streams, 30% of which comes from working with interior designers and the vast majority through open studio events.
• How she, as an artist who is legally deaf, navigates conversations.
• How she segments and uses her list of 2,000 interior designers and 2,000 other subscribers.
• What the working relationship with interior designers is like.

You'll also hear me plead my case for contracts that spell out the details of a relationship with anyone who sells your art.

My favorite thing about this conversation is that Carol doesn't get anxious about missing out on [whatever]. She is focused on getting the work done and being authentic about what is going on rather than fussing over the algorithms and other mind traps.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Following Her Curiosity and Making New Connections After 60 with Jan McCarthy (ep. 158)

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)

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

⭐️ Connect with Carol and see more of her art: https://carolmacconnell.com

🔶 Sponsored by my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a year-long training program full of tools and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility.

https://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/

As we learned when diagramming sentences in 4th grade, verbs are where the action is. No verb, no action.

The first iteration of my newsletter for artists back in 2002 included a specific art business action at the end of each issue.

My book, I'd Rather Be in the Studio, is broken down into 16 "actions" rather than chapters.

I'm all about action, but am no longer interested in it in the form of obsessive hyper-productivity. I'll leave that to the bro motivators out there. Action at all costs isn't healthy.

But action—even the tiniest step—moves the needle.

Look back on how your confidence as an artist has grown over as a result not only of reading about something or hearing about it, but of doing it. Making more art. Having more shows. Submitting to more opportunities.

With this in mind, I got to thinking about a few verbs to live by that you might not normally associate with your art career.

Listen to hear why I selected these 7 verbs and see if they resonate with you: Devote, Begin, Understand, Connect, Avoid, Investigate, Finish.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Ep 165: How to Feel Like a Successful Artist

Ep. 160: Overcoming Anxiety about Making Art World Connections with Heather Beardsley

Ep. 150: How to Project Confidence Even When You're Not Feeling It

📖 To read a full transcript, find resources mentioned, see featured artists, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/essential-verbs-for-artists/

🔶 Sponsored by my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a year-long training program full of tools and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility.

https://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/

In this episode I talk with David Sandum who was driven to take up art personally and then professionally after being hospitalized with depression in 2001.

His journey through depression led him to the works of Vincent Van Gogh and Edvard Munch—finding solace and a deep connection with their expression of raw emotions.

We discuss how art continues to be a lifeline in his struggle with depression and his memoir, I'll Run Till the Sun Goes Down: A Memoir About Depression & Discovering Art.

David and I touch on the tension between making art for yourself and surviving in a commercial market, and, related, why he chose to focus on a series of Auschwitz paintings over seemingly more market-friendly paintings of beaches.

We also talk about how he organized a community of artists on what was then Twitter to begin an annual international exhibition and fundraiser that has been going on since 2010. The Twitter Art Exhibit has evolved into the Postcard Art Exhibit, which accurately reflects its contents.

Heads up that you'll hear David abbreviate it repeatedly—and understandably—as PAE.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

The Art Biz ep. 168: Impacting Artists First in a Curatorial Project Focusing on Empathy with Nanci Hersh

The Art Biz ep. 112: Leaning Into Creativity in Times of Pain with Rich Simmons

The Art Biz ep. 52: Making Art While Grieving Loss with Jan Heaton

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

⭐️ Connect with David and see more of his art: https://www.davidsandum.com

🔶 Sponsored by my new program, ESTABLISH YOURSELF: Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 a coaching group for strategies, support, and accountability inside a community of artists who get you. https://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/

In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Nanci Hersh about an exhibition she organized with 25 artists from multiple states and countries.

The show used the central theme of tears to explore empathy, compassion, and understanding within a sacred space—a metaphorical chapel. She says, as artists "we are so fortunate that we can use our art to make sense of life experiences."

Nanci and I discuss:

• The ripple effect of art when it impacts the artist first.
• The training she received to facilitate uncomfortable conversations.
• The benefits of taking on such a big project and why it's important that it aligned with her values.
• How the exhibition was paid for and ideas she has for improving funding options in the future.
• How she stayed organized.
• The importance of clear lines of communication, accepting help, and practicing gratitude.

⭐️ ABOUT NANCI HERSH

Nanci Hersh is a contemporary artist whose work is informed by the experiences, relationships, and places in her life. Her two-dimensional work, as well as her sculptures and installations, are at the intersection of personal narrative, art-making, and community engagement—exploring the grace, beauty and fragility of our lives.

Nanci is also a curator, illustrator, educator, arts advocate, and former Executive Director of the Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education. She has one foot in Pennsylvania and the other in Delaware.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

The Art Biz ep. 160: Overcoming Anxiety about Making Art World Connections with Heather Beardsley

The Art Biz ep. 146: Remember The Many Opportunities We Have Because We're Online with Barbara Muir

The Art Biz ep. 30: Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus

The Art Biz ep. 64: Knit Democracy Together with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan

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

🔶 Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator 🔶 a coaching group for strategies, support, and accountability inside a community of artists who get you. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

⛰️ 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/

Dare you have a sale of your art?

I acknowledge that having a sale of original work might be unpalatable. It feels as if you are cheapening the work you put so much effort into. I get it.

In just the last episode of The Art Biz (#166), I talked with Bri Larson about the mindset around raising prices and why it was important to do so.

In this episode of The Art Biz I discuss the psychology and process around having a sale of your art or any products that you might sell. Products such as calendars, note cards, books, catalogs, or print

I cover 6 options for structuring a sale, although, as you'll see, promotion is probably a better word because not all of the options are about offering a discount.

I also outline additional steps to take around your sale.

Stick with me to the end and I'll share 3 mistakes you don't want to make when having a sale of your art.

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

🔶 Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator 🔶 a coaching group for strategies, support, and accountability inside a community of artists who get you. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

⛰️ 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/

In this episode, Bri Larson and I talk about her decision to raise her prices and how she overcame the mindset that her art needed to be affordable.

We also discuss:

• The value of her artist community—how they have supported her growth as an artist and her journey into motherhood.
• How she has been able to maintain a studio practice with a baby, including how she structures her days around the baby's schedule.
• What kind of work she would give to a studio assistant and how she'll know when to hire.
• The decision to focus on organic reach v. paid advertising online.
• Bri's #1 piece of advice for would-be artist-parents.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Juggling parenthood also came up in these episodes:

The Art Biz ep. 162: She Knows Exactly How Much Her Art Income Will be Every Month with Kelly Pelfrey

The Art Biz ep. 84: Money Mindset Breakthrough Secrets with Lea K. Tawd

The Art Biz ep. 131: Injecting Personal Narrative into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit

https://artbizsuccess.com/larson-raising-prices

⭐️ Connect with Bri and see more of her art: https://brilarson.com

🔶 Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator 🔶 a coaching group for strategies, support, and accountability inside a community of artists who get you. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

⛰️ 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's no neat way to explain what success is because it's different for every artist. I hope this episode is the start of an ongoing conversation on the subject.

💡HIGHLIGHTS

• Success for artists might include income (sales), exhibitions, leadership roles, achievements, collections, and studio production.
• A few of the diverse stories of success from artist-guests of The Art Biz.
• The importance of aligning the goals for your art and expectations of yourself with how you want your life to be.
• Success requires you to be nimble—to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to risks and failures.
• My best advice: Success doesn't happen all at once. It's the result of small wins, each of which must be acknowledged in order to stay motivated and focused on your vision.

📖 To read the complete transcript, see featured artists, and comment about the topic of success, visit artbizsuccess.com/feel-successful

🔶 Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator 🔶 a coaching group to support you as you follow your vision and take successful steps along the way. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

🔶 Sponsored by the Create Opportunities Challenge 🔶 a 3-month program this fall to help you find and improve venues for showing, selling, and/or teaching art. It's about being intentional rather than waiting for an email in your inbox. Find out more and see if it's for you https://artbizsuccess.com/opportunities

🎧 MENTIONED EPISODES

• Lessons from a Wildly Successful Pop-up Art Gallery Event with Mai Wyn Schantz (ep. 109)
• Overcoming Anxiety about Making Art World Connections with Heather Beardsley (ep. 160)
• Increasing Self-Sales by 400% with Sarah Becktel (ep. 157)
• Play Tops Work, Connection Tops Solitude, and Confidence Tops Fear with Willie Cole (ep 126)
• Expanding Your Skillset to Respond to Opportunities with Detour (ep. 128)
• Guaranteeing an Effective Project with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan (ep. 121)

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

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

This is a special 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/

Sally Hirst was born to teach.

Fortunately, she was also born an artist.

Like most of us, she adapted to the new reality that she was faced with at the beginning of the pandemic. Well, actually, she did more than adapt. She thrived. She took the challenge head on and has been thriving ever since.

Sally and I discuss what her income sources looked like before Covid and look like now. Specifically, we talk about her teaching:

• The teaching platform she uses and why she chose it
• The skills she had to acquire in order to teach online
• Her video recording setup
• What her teaching schedule looks like in terms of what is pre-recorded and what is live.
• How she attracts new students.

Sally reveals how Brexit has impacted her goals—especially where she shows and sells her art.

And I wondered: How does Sally manage to maintain her studio practice with her busy teaching schedule?

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

⭐️ Connect with Sally, see more of her art, and find out about her art courses: sallyhirst.co.uk

✴️ NOW AVAILABLE: THE MONEY PLAN

You do have some control (plenty, actually) over how much money you earn, and it starts with getting real about your current situation and the vision. you have.

The Money Plan is my success workshop for accelerating your income and it's now available on demand. In it, I lead you through a series of steps where you identify your income sources and set goals for how you will earn more from them. You'll be able to clearly see which are worth your time and attention.

The Money Plan gives you a realistic, though hopeful and challenging, blueprint for increasing your income in the future. It's a plan that only you could make with a tool that you will be able to reuse at every point in your art business.

Learn more and enroll now at artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan

🎧 RELATED EPISODES and POSTS

My Money Odyssey (ep. 161)

How Do Artists Make Money (ep. 159)

Creating a Monthly Report for Your Art Business (ep. 74)

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

This episode is a remix of episode 36 from 2019. It is such an inspiring interview that I wanted more people to hear it.

Adele Sypesteyn has been making a living from her art for four decades. Listen in as she takes us through her journey of selling her art, from the traditional process of applying to galleries to a more strategic approach that involved teaching herself about business and pivoting in the face of economic downturns. Adele also shares how she transitioned from galleries to the antique show in Round Top, Texas, where she made excellent connections with hundreds of interior designers.

Adele discussed testing a new concept for teaching art to children and shares her approach to teaching herself about business, especially during the recession. You'll hear about how she embraced the concept of viewing her art as a product, combining creativity with research to make her work more marketable.

Finally, Adele shares how she has adapted her income streams, shifting from relying on galleries to events and online classes. She talks about how she used YouTube as a lead magnet to grow her business and shares her strategy of going out where people are to learn what they want and need from her art.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Reinventing Your Art Career with Ali Cavanaugh (ep. 33)

Qualities Galleries Are Looking For in Their Artists with Jeremy Tessmer (ep. 123)

Leaving Behind What is Safe with Jan R. Carson (ep. 23)

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

⭐️ Connect with Adele and see more of her art: https://adelesypesteynstudio.com

🔶 Sponsored by the Create Opportunities Challenge 🔶 a 3-month program this fall to help you find and improve venues for showing, selling, and/or teaching art. It's about being intentional rather than waiting for an email in your inbox. Find out more and see if it's for you https://artbizsuccess.com/opportunities =

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

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

This is a special 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/

Future plans, deadlines, and accountability are a necessary part of your success.

Host Alyson Stanfield of Art Biz Success explains how artists can get stuck in cycles of procrastination without a structured calendar filled with exciting commitments.

Alyson shares practical examples from her own life as well as from her experience with students and clients, and details how deadlines and accountability partners, including coaches and community groups, can help maintain momentum.

Key takeaways include the importance of setting attainable milestones, self-review processes, and embracing external support systems to drive progress and achieve creative goals.

00:33 Why plans, deadlines, and accountability matter

01:56 Personal experience and motivation

04:59 The role of deadlines in achieving goals

06:43 The power of accountability

08:47 Practical steps to implement accountability

10:26 Embrace deadlines and accountability: What are your first steps?

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These artists have taken on big projects that motivated them for months and even years:

Leaning Into Art to Battle Depression with David Sandum (ep. 169)

Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus (ep. 30)

Knit Democracy Together with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan (ep. 64)

Impacting Artists First in a Curatorial Project Focusing on Empathy with Nanci Hersh (ep. 168)

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

👉 I give you a process for honoring your commitments in my planning workshops, which I lead 3x a year to help you make a plan for the upcoming season and beyond. AND to make sure that you aren't over-committed—that you have just the right level of challenging projects and space for creativity and self-care.

🔶 The next workshop is coming up, and you can save a little when you sign up early. So you want to be sure to be on the notification list. Go to artbizsuccess.com/makeaplan to add your name to that list or sign up now if registration is available when you visit.

⛰️ 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/

Lately, I've been diving into money on The Art Biz. As much as I do NOT want to talk about money, I know it's necessary. I also know it's more necessary for some artists to make money from their work than for others.

If you're lucky enough to have outside support for your art business—even if it's from a day job—count your blessings. Because the pressure on the work is real when you don't have that extra source of income, which is why I will continue to bring up the topic of money.

Let's continue the conversation in this episode.

Kelly Pelfrey's goal in 2020 was to replace her $50,000 teaching salary, but she quadrupled that. Her income has allowed her husband to leave his job to focus on his doctorate, feel comfortable about taking maternity leave, and save for college for her children.

Kelly shares her income sources, which are dominated by sales of commissions, followed distantly by releases of small paintings. She also sells art for TV screens, has a monthly print release, and a coffee table book.

Kelly obviously has the pulse of her best collectors. Her work is strong for sure, but I also believe that people are buying into Kelly's joy and optimism. When you hear her and detect that in her voice, I think you'll know what I mean.

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

⭐️ Connect with Kelly and see more of her art: kellypelfrey.com

✴️ COMING UP: THE MONEY PLAN

If you aren't clear about where your money is coming from, I strongly encourage you to figure it out. It's only with that clarity that you can plan properly for the future. I can help with that.

Soon after the release of this episode I'll be leading The Money Plan artist success workshop. Seating at the live sessions of the workshop—where you can ask questions and interact with other artist-planners—will be limited, and there will also be a replay available. But if you want to attend live, you need to get on the interest list. You can hit pause right now and go to artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan to make sure you don't miss it.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES and POSTS

My Money Odyssey (ep. 161)

How Do Artists Make Money (ep. 159)

Creating a Monthly Report for Your Art Business (ep. 74)

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

In this episode, I'm doing something different and sharing my money odyssey from an interview with Parker Stevenson of The Bottom Line podcast by Evolved Finance.

I reveal:

• How my dad taught me to balance my checkbook (and how it was quite different from my mother's suggestion).
• How I learned to ask for money by collecting money for charities as a little girl.
• That I set the curve in my accounting classes at the University of Wyoming.
• How I gamed the system to get cash because I knew the checks I was writing would take 8 days to process.
• How little money I had when I quit my museum job to start my business.
• How I came up with the income accelerator for artists, which I teach in The Money Plan success workshop and Create Opportunities.

⭐️ ABOUT The Bottom Line by Evolved Finance

The Bottom Line by Evolved Finance explores the financial journeys of some of the most successful educators, thought leaders, influencers, and service providers in the online space. Each week, Parker Stevenson sits down with a current Evolved Finance client to talk about their relationship with money and how their mindset has changed as their business has grown.

Parker is the Chief Business Officer at Evolved Finance, an accounting firm that specializes in helping online entrepreneurs to build more profitable and financially stable online businesses. They do all of the bookkeeping for Art Biz Success and I just love how professional their whole operation is.

They don't just do the books, they also go to great lengths to educate their clients.

📖 Read more, see featured artists, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment

🎧 RELATED EPISODES and POSTS

How Do Artists Make Money (ep. 159)

Is Being Too Cheap Hurting Your Art Business?

Creating a Monthly Report for Your Art Business (ep. 74)

🔶 Sponsored by The Money Plan 🔶 a success workshop for accelerating your income.

https://artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan

⛰️ 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/

Heather Beardsley's art has been influenced by extensive travel and residencies in diverse cultures. This started with her year in Vienna as a Fulbright Scholar and then continued for several years until the pandemic shut down her residency in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Like everyone else, Heather had to pivot upon returning to the U.S. She used the downtime to her advantage by getting organized and shaping her career path.

In our conversation in this episode of The Art Biz, you'll hear how she managed to transform her social anxiety into opportunities—realizing that real growth could only happen when she overcame the urge to play it safe by sticking to open call entries.

Heather has learned to navigate the complex art world with intention while connecting with institutions and curators to propel her career.

She shares her experiences of the following:

• Securing exhibition fees, grants, and residencies while managing expectations.
• The importance of being organized and ready for opportunities.
• Using Microsoft OneNote to organize opportunities and deadlines.
• Building authentic relationships within the art world where so much can seem transactional.

You'll also hear about Heather's current solo show at the Chrysler Museum of Art and how it came about.

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

⭐️ Connect with Heather and see more of her art: https://heatherbeardsley.com

✴️ COMING UP: THE MONEY PLAN

If you aren't clear about where your money is coming from, I strongly encourage you to figure it out. It's only with that clarity that you can plan properly for the future. I can help with that.

Soon after the release of this episode I'll be leading The Money Plan artist success workshop. Seating at the live sessions of the workshop—where you can ask questions and interact with other artist-planners—will be limited, and there will also be a replay available. But if you want to attend live, you need to get on the interest list. You can hit pause right now and go to artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan to make sure you don't miss it.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These episodes have exhibition venues as a primary focus:

• Putting Artists First in Curatorial Projects with Melissa Messina (ep. 136)
• A Married Life in Art: Sam Woolcott and Poe Dismuke (ep. 8)
• Portrait Project and Museum Exhibition with Lisa Kovvuri (ep. 11)

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

In this episode, I want to start a conversation about one of those things that can get in the way of feeling successful: Money.

In particular, I want to dive into income sources for artists.

Where does the money come from?

I discuss:

• Why you might want to branch out and sell more than originals.
• How to categorize your income sources so that you can better understand the possibilities.
• How to analyze where the money has come from in the past so you can plan for the future.

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, including the 3 videos 🎥 that will help you visualize this process, visit

https://artbizsuccess.com/podcast-money-plan

✴️ COMING UP: THE MONEY PLAN

If you aren't clear about where your money is coming from, I strongly encourage you to figure it out. It's only with that clarity that you can plan properly for the future. I can help with that.

Soon after the release of this episode I'll be leading The Money Plan artist success workshop. Seating at the live sessions of the workshop—where you can ask questions and interact with other artist-planners—will be limited, and there will also be a replay available. But if you want to attend live, you need to get on the interest list. You can hit pause right now and go to artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan to make sure you don't miss it.

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

In this episode, I talk with Jan McCarthy, who wants you to know that there is plenty of life to live after 50. And even 60.

She describes herself as a maker because, in her eyes, that term encompasses more than the word "artist."

Jan has started businesses, founded organizations, designed interiors, organized fundraisers, dinner parties, retreats, and workshops, and made plenty of products and art.

Jan and I discuss:

• The creativity workshops she has organized for corporations.
• How she has brought together monthly mastermind meetings of women, and why a casual dinner party was the best format for them.
• Why her project Art for the Heart is important for her as someone who has lived with heart disease for more than 25 years.
• How she makes connections with interior designers, what the best social media platforms are for designers, and some of their concerns.
• How she gets such great photos of herself.

While I'm in the midst of discussing multiple income sources on this podcast and on YouTube, I don't think Jan thinks of her efforts in terms of income sources. She just follows the themes that interest her. If they turn into income sources, well, that's fine, too.

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit

https://artbizsuccess.com/curiosity-mccarthy

⭐️ Connect with Jan, see her art and products: https://janmccarthy.com

✴️ COMING UP: THE MONEY PLAN

If you aren't clear about where your money is coming from, I strongly encourage you to figure it out. It's only with that clarity that you can plan properly for the future. I can help with that.

Soon after the release of this episode I'll be leading The Money Plan artist success workshop. Seating at the live sessions of the workshop—where you can ask questions and interact with other artist-planners—will be limited, and there will also be a replay available. But if you want to attend live, you need to get on the interest list. You can hit pause right now and go to artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan to make sure you don't miss it.

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

In this episode, I talk with Sarah Becktel about her sources of income and how she has increased her income by 25% in the last 3 years by being very deliberate about where and how she shows her work.

Sarah does sell through galleries, but she has recently increased her self-sales by 400% by focusing on 3 specific types of indoor shows every year. She breaks them down as follows:

• One indoor art fair, which she considers her solo exhibition for the year
• Two fine art and craft shows
• One curated and juried holiday market

You'll hear Sarah discuss the difference among these, including their costs and the type of work she brings to each.

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

⭐️ Connect with Sarah, see more of her art, and read about her Preparing for Art Fairs and Markets workshop: https://sarahbecktel.com

✴️ COMING UP: THE MONEY PLAN

If you aren't clear about where your money is coming from, I strongly encourage you to figure it out. It's only with that clarity that you can plan properly for the future. I can help with that.

Soon after the release of this episode I'll be leading The Money Plan artist success workshop. Seating at the live sessions of the workshop—where you can ask questions and interact with other artist-planners—will be limited, and there will also be a replay available. But if you want to attend live, you need to get on the interest list. You can hit pause right now and go to artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan to make sure you don't miss it.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These episodes have exhibition venues as a primary focus:

1. Not All Online Galleries are Created Equal with Alex Farkas (ep 132)
2. Seeking Validation and Earning Credibility as an Artist (ep 129)
3. She's the Link Between Artists, Galleries, and Collectors with Maria Brito (ep 127)

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

In this episode, I talk with Kimberly Santini about a variety of topics, including how she used Covid as a sabbatical to figure out what she really wanted from her art.

We also touched on her dedication to blogging and why she continues the habit after so many artists have given up or neglected their blogs.

The bulk of our conversation focused on how Kim uses Patreon to teach and build a community of artists.

We discuss:

• What she charges for her Patreon patron tiers.
• What each tier receives for their patronage.
• What her workflow is like.
• Why it's important that what she shares on Patreon is closely aligned with what she is doing in the studio.
• How she differentiates the content for patrons from the content she creates for her blog, newsletter, YouTube, and social media.

✴️ COMING UP: THE MONEY PLAN

If you aren't clear about where your money is coming from, I strongly encourage you to figure it out. It's only with that clarity that you can plan properly for the future. I can help with that.

Soon after the release of this episode I'll be leading The Money Plan artist success workshop. Seating at the live sessions of the workshop—where you can ask questions and interact with other artist-planners—will be limited, and there will also be a replay available. But if you want to attend live, you need to get on the interest list. You can hit pause right now and go to artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan to make sure you don't miss it.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These episodes have teaching as a primary focus:

• Making a Living as a Teaching Artist with Elizabeth St. Hilaire (ep 4)
• Collaborating on Your Art Business with Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin (ep 86)
• Gaining Marketing Skills Quickly by Leading a Creativity Challenge with Kristen O'Neill (ep 145)
• The Key to Success on Social Media with Cathy Nichols (ep 154)

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

⭐️ Connect with Kim and see more of her art: https://kimberlysantini.com

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

I can say with confidence that artists who happily embrace their role as CEO of their businesses do better than artists who fight it and wish they didn't have to deal with the grind. Wishing won't make it go away. It only makes you more frustrated, anxious, or resentful.

This doesn't mean that you need to fake joy whenever you're paying bills.

It means that you accept that it comes with the territory. You rise to the challenge because you know it's a necessary step toward achieving your goals.

There are ways to be happier about running a profitable art business, but first you must decide that you want a business on top of making work in the studio.

Not every artist should turn their art into a business. But if you choose to go the route of earning money from your art, do it wholeheartedly.

You can be pouty and grumble about all of the hard work necessary for something you said you wanted. Or you can find ways to enjoy the journey.

How would you rather go through life?

💡 IDEAS

In this episode I expand on these 6 ideas to make you happier about running your art business.

1. Go complaint-free.
2. Raise your prices.
3. Collaborate more often.
4. Find your (artist) people.
5. Encourage someone else.
6. Get your art and yourself out of the studio.

💵 CHECK OUT THE MONEY PLAN

September 2023 live success workshop to help you earn more income.

Get your name on the interest list!

https://artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan

✴️ FIND YOUR ARTIST PEOPLE

If you have been missing that community of artists, but haven't found your people, we'd love to have you join us. See what we're all about and dive in today. ArtBizConnection.com

🎧 RELATED and MENTIONED EPISODES

Multiply Your Audience and Expand Your Show's Impact with Jill Powers (ep 27)

Collaborating on Your Art Business with Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin (ep 86)

Play Tops Work, Connection Tops Solitude, and Confidence Tops Fear with Willie Cole (ep 126)

Putting Artists First in Curatorial Projects with Melissa Messina (ep 136)

Being Seen—Networking for Artists (ep 148)

Committed to Telling Native Stories Through Her Art and Activism with Danielle SeeWalker (ep 153)

📖 To read more, see featured artists, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/be-happier

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

While not everyone will be interested in your art, you can choose to focus on those who genuinely love your work. To embrace what is rather than wishing for it to be different.

In this episode Cathy Nichols went from 5,000 to 107,000 Instagram followers in 3 years by researching who they were and why they were following her. She shares valuable insights about how she continues to grow her art business with joy and authenticity.

We discuss:

• How Cathy researched who her followers were.
• What she started doing differently to grow her audience.
• How her teaching offerings changed as a result of what she learned.
• What's coming up next for Cathy.

✴️ BONUS FOR LISTENERS

Tired of trying to figure out the strategies for growing your art business all by yourself? Please join my coaching community, the Art Biz Accelerator. When you are one of the first 5 new people to sign up and mention you heard about it on episode 154 of The Art Biz, you will receive a bonus, private consultation with me.

All of the details are here: https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Growing Beyond Being an Instagram Artist with Sara Schroeder (#119)

Growing Your Art Business on Instagram with Jeanne Rosier Smith (#67)

Who Are The People On Your List and What Are They Doing There? (#102)

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

⭐️ Connect with Cathy and see more of her art: https://cathynichols.com

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

In this episode, I talk with Danielle SeeWalker, a Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Native American stories are too frequently told from an historical perspective, but Danielle and other contemporary Indigenous artists want you to know that they're still here. They never left. We just silenced them for too long after stealing their land.

Danielle has beautiful stories to tell, from which we can all learn. And she's dealing with the same stuff as other artists: balancing motherhood with her art and activism. We discuss:

• The symbolism in her work that came from a dream.
• The many hats she wears.
• The variety of art forms she works with.
• How she decides which projects to take on.
• How the rest of us can serve as allies for Indigenous people around the globe.

One lovely takeaway from this interview is that Danielle doesn't separate her art from her life. Everything is connected.

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

⭐️ Connect with Danielle and see more of her art: https://seewalker.com

🔶 Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator 🔶 a coaching group for strategies, support, and accountability inside a community of artists who get you. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes, which was stolen from them after many broken promises and treaties.

~ ~ ! 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

In order for the art ecosystem to work, many rejections must be handed out. That means to have a successful art business and career, you must learn to deal with rejection.

More to the point, in order to be successful in life, you have to learn to deal with rejection, regardless of your vocation.

In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield talks with Megan Wimberley, who wants to help you move past rejection. As both an artist and a founder of the Cowgirl Artists of America organization, she has experienced both sides of the process.

The good news about rejection is that you are not alone. Every artist who wants to attain a higher level of accomplishment must deal with rejection.

The bad news is … well … You've been rejected. And that feels awful. But you can't let it stop you.

Megan outlines a framework for dealing with rejection, including the importance of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and professionalism—all in the service of elevating and protecting your reputation.

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

⭐️ Connect with Megan and see more of her art: meganwimberley.com

🤠 Check out Cowgirl Artists of America.

📆 Our planning workshop for shows and sales is coming up. I'm going to lead you through the steps that will help you make an action plan for improving your shows and venues and make more sales. Don't leave it to fate. Don't wait for things to happen to you. Make a plan that will give you control over your future.

Depending on when you listen to this, you can either get on the wait list or sign up and prepare to make that success plan.

Either way, find all of the details at artbizsuccess.com/makeaplan

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

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)

⛰️ 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/

Every artist I have ever worked with would like to squeeze more time from their busy calendars. After all, you are overflowing with ideas. You'll never have time to make everything you want to make, and that is incredibly frustrating. In this episode I share 8 tips for time management along with 2 truths to consider.

💡 HIGHLIGHTS

2 Truths about Time Management

1. Time management is a lie. Instead, focus on self-management.
2. The important stuff always gets done.

8 Tips for Time Management

1. Make time for planning and use the brain dump when overwhelm creeps in.
2. Understand your natural rhythms, and adjust your schedule to optimize your most productive hours.
3. Honor your calendar and block out uninterrupted time for critical tasks.
4. Turn repeated tasks into systems to eliminate decision-making.
5. Group similar tasks together to save time and energy.
6. Stop multitasking because it adds up to 25% more time to complete tasks.
7. Automate everything possible, including follow-up for your subscribers.
8. Learn to say No to invitations and opportunities that don't align with your long-term goals.

📖 Read full transcript, find resources, see featured artists and related episodes, and leave a comment

💬 MENTIONED

(affiliate links)

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Organize Your Art Biz

Grow Your List

🧡 Sponsored by the Art Biz Accelerator a coaching group to support and remind you that you're part of a global artist community.

Artist residencies, in whatever form they take, are invaluable to an artist's growth. But there are barriers to doing residencies—primarily the time commitment and cost.

In this episode, I talk with Shannon Amidon, an artist who has created a residency especially for artists who might be parents or caretakers and can't commit to a month or more that some residencies require.

In my research on artist residencies, I have discovered how helpful it is when the residency involves some kind of travel, during which you are slowly transitioning away from your daily life and toward a different mental and emotional space that opens up your creativity. The longer the travel, the better. Another plus is that the residency environment contrasts with your familiar surroundings.

Shannon's residency is The Verdancy Project and while it's easy driving distance from Portland, Oregon, it's far enough out that you step into a new world. It's especially for artists who want to be close to nature. As you will hear, it provides an experience distinctly different from the one most artists are used to. We discuss:

• How The Verdancy Project is set up
• What the facilities are like
• What she looks for in her artists
• Some of the mistakes artists make on their applications
• How she learned the nuts and bolts of managing an artist residency

Shannon also reveals how she manages to run the residency while maintaining the commitment to her studio practice.

To read more, see images, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/amidon-residency

Connect with Shannon and see more of her art: https://shannonamidon.com

Get more info about The Verdancy Project: https://verdancyproject.com

Related: The Traveling Artist: Residencies with Amy Clay (#149)

https://artbizsuccess.com/amy-clay-residencies/

Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator * a coaching group to support and remind you that you're part of a global artist community. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

There's no getting around the fact that you need confidence in your at and in sharing it with others. It's also true that you will be plagued by doubt and fear at points throughout your art career. 

It might be helpful to know you are not alone. It happens to everyone, and you're going to be okay. 

In the meantime, you have to get through the days. In this episode I talk about 6 tips to help you project confidence while you're trying to regain it. 

1. Load up on experience.
2. Spiff up.
3. Work on the outside.
4. Visualize the situation.
5. Try the charm offensive.
6. Never belittle your work. Never apologize. 

To read a transcript of this episode, get links, see my featured artists, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/project-confidence

Sponsored by Magnetic You, a program to help you create or freshen up your marketing materials and improve your professional presentation. Start now: https://artbizsuccess.com/magnetic 

If you are an artist who loves to travel and explore new places, this episode is for you.

I've been wanting to dig into the subject of artist residencies for a long time now. Fate put me in touch with Amy Clay.

In this episode, Amy and I talk about her life as a professional artist-in-residence. She's gone anywhere from 4 to 6 months at a time, stringing together one artist residency after another to fulfill her lust for travel and build what she calls her visual library.

We discuss:

• How this lifestyle started for her
• The various formats of artist residencies
• What she looks for in a location
• How residencies have made her feel part of a global artist community.

To read more, see images, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/amy-clay-residencies

Connect with Amy and get her free book: https://amyclay.com 

Sponsored by The Art Biz Accelerator, a coaching group to support and remind you that you're part of a global artist community. https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator