If you want to make it in the art world, talent is key - but so is mastering the business side. The Professional Artist Podcast is where fine artists and commerce meet.
Co-hosts Miguel L. Mayher and Cristina Demiany guide visual artists through an audio gallery, exploring how to show and sell your art, land commissions, apply for artist grants, license your art, and much more.
This is where your art career begins to grow.
Miguel L. Mayher is the Director of Education at the Professional Artist Association. Previously, he worked with Google Arts & Culture, striking partnerships with national museums. He is also a Global Economic Symposium Young Fellow and a One Young World Ambassador.
Cristina Demiany is a Senior Art Business Coach at the Professional Artist Association. She formerly served as Senior Program Manager at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and as Executive Director of the National Children’s Chorus.
The Professional Artist Association is a global organization dedicated to providing real-world education for visual artists, including painters, sculptors, and fine art photographers.
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How to Get Your Art Discovered (Without Chasing Galleries)
Episode 62
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 23:06
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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What if getting your art discovered has less to do with chasing galleries and more to do with putting your work where people can find it?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, landscape painter Thomas Sarrantonio is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Based in New York, Thomas has been exhibiting since the 1980s and has spent decades building his career around painting, teaching, and his local artistic community.
His work has earned a Pollock-Krasner grant and gallery representation, but many of those opportunities came to him rather than through actively pursuing galleries.
In this episode, Thomas shares how showing his work in libraries, bakeries, and other community spaces helped create unexpected opportunities, how relationships with other artists contributed to his career, and what he has learned from working with multiple commercial galleries.
“Galleries have found me. I never really was good at selling myself, and I didn't feel comfortable doing that, so I usually just gave up on that.”
— Thomas Sarrantonio
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction 01:38 Field Painting : Plein Air at First Light 04:43 Showing Up Without Selling Yourself - Libraries, Bakeries, and Community 08:26 Practical Tips for Showing Outside Commercial Galleries 10:55 Sunset With Storm Offshore: A Labor of Love 15:49 Never Give Up Creative Freedom to a Gallery 18:21 Visibility 20:33 Final Advice
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
How to Build Your Art Career With a Day Job (What Actually Works)
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. -----
What if keeping your day job could actually help you build a stronger art career?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, ceramic artist Oami Powers is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Based in North Carolina, Oami spent nearly two decades working in clothing and product design before finding her way to ceramics.
She has since built a nationally exhibited studio practice while continuing to work a day job four days a week.
In this episode, Oami shares why financial stability can give artists the freedom to develop their work without rushing the process, what moved her career forward without a single defining "big break," and why taking longer to find your voice can ultimately be an advantage.
“It takes you a while to figure out who you are as an artist, even if you're starting in your 40s like me… and having a day job allows you to do that.”
— Oami Powers
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 Tender Tangle - A Pile of Ceramic Objects
04:04 From Clothing Design to Clay - Finding the Right Medium
06:51 The First Residency While Keeping the Day Job
09:15 Working at the Museum - Learning the Art Ecosystem
11:05 Adrift - Building a Visual Vocabulary from Memory
How to Stop Undercharging for Your Art (And Get Paid What You're Worth)
Episode 60
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • Duration 22:23
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, artist and muralist Pepa Ivanoff is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Originally from Australia and now based in Costa Rica, Pepa has built an international career completing 343 murals around the world in just nine years.
Along the way, she learned that treating art like a profession also means understanding exactly what your work costs to create and being willing to charge accordingly.
In this episode, Pepa shares how undercharging led her to resent projects she should have enjoyed, what changed when she calculated the true costs behind her work, and why knowing your value helps you identify which clients and opportunities are actually worth pursuing.
“If you're serious about being an artist, being compensated financially for that is something that you need to get really comfortable with.”
— Pepa Ivanoff
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 Entre Palmeras - A Studio Canvas
03:17 From Surfboards to Murals - How It All Started
04:48 Questioning the Myth That Art Isn't a Real Career
07:25 Financial Freedom on Your Own Terms
09:15 Saying No More Than Yes - Evolving the Commission Practice
11:15 The Bird of Paradise Mural - A Repeat Client
12:09 Having the Money Conversation Early
How to Become a Professional Artist (Even If You're Starting Late)
Episode 59
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 • Duration 19:08
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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Is it ever too late to become a professional artist?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Sarah Richmond is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Sarah is an Australian artist whose vibrant paintings span portraiture and wildlife.
After spending 25 years building and running a successful business with her husband, she decided to sell their company and finally pursue art professionally.
Today, she's exhibiting and selling her work at art fairs across Australia and the United States.
In this episode, Sarah shares why starting later in life can actually be an advantage, how her previous business experience helped her approach art professionally, and what it took to navigate the self-doubt and vulnerability that came with calling herself an artist.
She also discusses taking financial and career risks, building confidence through art fairs, and creating multiple ways to sell her work.
“Anyone can do anything if they really want it. And if it brings you joy, there's no reason why you shouldn't.”
— Sarah Richmond
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 Cocky With A Twist: Layers, Inks, and a Quirky Series
03:32 25 Years in Business Before Taking the Leap
06:16 The First Art Fair in Austin
08:06 Cheers, Ladies: Living Life on Her Own Terms
Why Your Art Niche Is Your Biggest Career Advantage
Episode 58
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 • Duration 20:18
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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What if the thing you think is limiting your art career is actually what could make you stand out?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, artist Gian Galang is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Based in New York City, Gian is an award-winning artist whose fascination with combat sports became the foundation of his creative career.
By developing a highly recognizable body of work around something he genuinely cared about, he has gone on to work with major brands including the UFC, Nike, Marvel, and ESPN.
In this episode, Gian explains why narrowing your focus can actually expand your opportunities, how a specific artistic niche can help the right audience find your work, and why being deeply aligned with your own interests gives you a better chance of standing out.
“The highest probability of making it as an artist is to be most aligned with what you're into.”
— Gian Galang
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction 01:38 UFC 281: A UFC Poster 04:38 Growing Up Obsessed with Comics and Combat Sports 08:56 Iron Mike: A Mike Tyson Illustration 09:59 From Combat Sports to Entertainment: How the Niche Expanded 13:08 Why Specificity Builds Confidence with Clients 14:41 Family Portrait 16:11 Narrow Focus, Wide Reach: The Philosophy Behind the Niche 18:20 Final Advice
Connect with Gian
Website: https://giangalang.com/
How to Sell Your Art Without Galleries (What Actually Works)
Episode 57
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 • Duration 25:38
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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What if the best person to sell your art isn’t a gallery?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, collaborative painters Signe and Genna Grushovenko are featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Working as a husband-and-wife team, Signe and Genna transform anonymous vintage photographs into contemporary paintings collected and exhibited throughout the United States.
After years of working with galleries and selling their work directly, Signe and Genna now focus on art fairs, giving them firsthand experience with different sales models and the economics behind each.
In this deep dive, they share why letting go of a revenue stream can sometimes strengthen your business, the real math behind gallery versus direct sales, and how reversing a decision they stood by for 20 years opened up an entirely new source of income.
“Nobody, I think, will sell your work with the same passion that you do.”
— Signe Grushovenko
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 A Sense of Perspective
05:47 Leaving Teaching and Going All In on Sales
09:40 Why They Left the Gallery System
13:12 Mapping Desire
14:34 Selling Your Own Work Without Being Pushy
16:41 Measuring Festival Success Over Time
19:51 Adding Reproductions to the Business
Artist Burnout: What It Really Feels Like (And How to Recover)
Episode 56
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 27:34
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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How do you build a sustainable art career without burning yourself out in the process?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, contemporary painter Maria Roza is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Based in Turkey, Maria creates figurative work exploring the relationship between humans, nature and our own self-identity.
Since completing her master's degree in painting, she has presented three solo shows and exhibited across Europe and the Middle East.
In this episode, Maria shares what artist burnout actually feels like, the habits helping her recover and build a healthier relationship with her work, and why taking a break can be difficult when your identity and career are tied to creating.
She also challenges the idea that artists should wait to be discovered and explains why creating your own opportunities matters.
“You feel like your body is burning as well, but mentally you feel like you're draining out.”
— Maria Roza
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 Red and Turquoise on The Rails
05:34 Finding Your Voice Through Solitude
09:02 What Artist Burnout Actually Feels Like
12:32 How Self-Compassion and Small Sketches Began the Recovery
16:46 Paralell Aggression
19:46 The Discovery Myth: Taking Charge of Your Own Career
How Artists Build a Career in Public Art (What Nobody Tells You)
Episode 55
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 • Duration 25:59
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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What does it really take to build a career in monumental public art?
In this episode of *The Professional Artist Podcast*, sculptor Heath Satow is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Heath has spent 35 years building a career in large-scale public art, with permanent installations at the Denver Zoo, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and the 9/11 Memorial. Along the way, he has learned that the finished sculpture is only one part of the job.
In this episode, Heath breaks down how artists get their first public art commissions, the financial risks behind large-scale projects, and why experience has led him to turn down opportunities that don't respect an artist's time and expertise.
This deep dive offers a practical look behind the scenes of public art… and what artists need to understand before pursuing large-scale commissions.
“It was just a thought, and now it's this amazing thing out in the world and that's addictive.”
— Heath Satow
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction 01:38 The Seed 04:09 Starting Out: Railings, Festivals, and Building a Portfolio 06:48 Why Scale Becomes Addictive 08:44 Transition: The Accidental Discovery of Mirror Polish Stainless 11:07 How to Apply for Public Art Commissions 15:10 Handling Rejection in a Competitive Field 16:09 The Financial Risk Hidden in Every Commission 18:08 Cor 23:29 Final Advice
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. ---
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, illustrator, painter, and educator Francis Vallejo is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Francis is an award-winning artist and Associate Professor of Illustration at the College for Creative Studies.
Over the past two decades, he has built a six-figure creative business by combining multiple income streams, including original artwork, teaching, illustration, commissions, and publishing.
In this episode, Francis shares exactly how he built a business generating more than $120,000 per year, why so many talented artists struggle to reach that level, and the mindset shift that transformed the way he approached his career.
He also explains why artists should value their expertise like any other specialized profession and how diversifying income can create long-term stability.
"Art, in my opinion, can be an extremely profitable pursuit.”
— Francis Vallejo
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 A Pivotal Illustration Project
03:53 The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Building Momentum
05:42 From Broke in His 20s to Six Figures: The Income Breakdown
10:54 The Alaska Residency and the Accidental Printmaking Discovery
15:08 Why Talented Artists Stay Stuck : The Mindset Shift
How Artists Get High-Paying Interior Design Commissions
Episode 53
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 • Duration 20:59
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free
Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
---
What does it actually take to build a career creating high-paying commissions for interior designers?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, abstract painter Lara Scolari is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Lara is an Australian abstract artist whose nature-inspired paintings are collected internationally across Australia, Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Alongside her exhibition career, she has built a thriving commission business working with leading interior designers and has expanded her practice through licensing partnerships, including luxury rug collections.
In this episode, Lara explains how artists can build relationships with interior designers, what a professional commission process looks like from inquiry to installation, and why preparation, consistency, and a polished presentation matter more than waiting for the perfect opportunity.
"You've gotta put yourself out there. You've gotta back yourself. You have to take the risk that may not end in anything.”
— Lara Scolari
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction 01:38 Yellow Water Cruising 05:00 Translating Paintings into Rugs and Licensing 07:40 Building an International Exhibition Career 10:16 Wendy's Bolt 10:48 How Greg Natale Walked Through the Door 13:40 The Interior Designer Commission Process 16:09 Where Designers Discover New Artists 17:48 Snorkeling With Matisse 18:55 Final advice
Connect with Lara
13:06 Why Quitting the Day Job Too Soon Can Cost You
16:05 What a Serious Art Career Looks Like Alongside a Day Job
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
10:17 Imposter Syndrome and Backing Yourself
13:19 Building Income Streams Beyond Art Fairs
14:11 Out of the Dust: A Longhorn Painted for Texas
15:23 The Identity Shift of Calling Yourself an Artist
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giangalang/
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We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
17:20 Talking About Your Work as a Problem You Solve
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
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