The Art Confidential

What if building a creative community was less about networking and more about connection? In this working episode, Jacqui and Andreina explore the difference between collaboration and community, and why some of the most valuable things artists share aren’t business tips or techniques, but encouragement, perspective, generosity, and support. Inspired by conversations with fellow artists, musicians...

In this episode of The Art Confidential , we sit down with Robert Nicholas, artist, designer, and founder of Marquee Asheville in the River Arts District. Robert shares how a lifelong instinct to see potential in overlooked objects led him from antiques and handmade lighting to building one of Asheville’s most unique creative spaces. This conversation goes beyond business. It is about community, c...

What if joy isn’t something huge or life-changing, but something small you notice on an ordinary Tuesday? In The Art Confidential's first-ever Joy Report episode, Jacqui and Andreina share the little things currently making their lives softer, calmer, easier, and more fun. From mahjong nights and birdwatching to morning walks, gratitude journals, protein powders, and temperature-controlled be...

In this episode of The Art Confidential , Jacqui and Andreina sit down with poet, writer, and visual artist David Gate for a conversation about creativity, care, and what art can make possible in difficult times. From poetry and mental health to friendship, truth-telling, and the role of artists in community, this one is thoughtful, honest, and deeply grounding. David shares his path from writing...

Pricing your artwork can feel emotional, awkward, and confusing, especially when you are trying to balance confidence, consistency, galleries, collectors, materials, and your own gut feeling. In this episode of The Art Confidential , Jacqui and Andreina talk honestly about the pricing mistakes they made early on, from undercutting galleries to letting someone else push prices too high. They share...

In this episode of The Art Confidential , we sit down with the owner/editor of The Scout Guide (Asheville) to talk about what it really takes to build community from scratch. After moving to a new city without a built-in network, she took a leap and launched a local edition of The Scout Guide, creating a platform that highlights small businesses and connects the people behind them. What started as...

In this episode of The Art Confidential , Andreina turns the tables and interviews co-host Jacqui Fehl about the winding path that led her from childhood trips to the Art Institute of Chicago to Hollywood sets, voiceover work, and eventually to becoming a working artist and gallery owner in Asheville’s River Arts District. Jacqui shares how an early love of drawing, a painful childhood art class e...

In this first guest episode of The Art Confidential , we sit down with Asheville artist, gallery owner, and Emmy-nominated film editor Jaime Byrd . Unfiltered conversation ahead - occasional strong language included. With over 35 years as a working creative, Jamie shares her journey from film and music back to painting - and how the pandemic accelerated her return to her original passion. Now, she...

In this episode of The Art Confidential , Jacqui flips the script and interviews co-host Andreina Bates about her journey from Venezuela to the American art world. Andreina shares what it was like growing up in a family of strong women, studying engineering in college after moving to the United States at just 17, and discovering her creative voice much later in life—after becoming a mother of twin...

In this episode of The Art Confidential, Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates share the everyday tools, habits, and rituals that shape their creative lives. From favorite art supplies and unexpected studio hacks to music playlists, messy studios, and the power of creative play, they reveal the practical things that keep their art practice moving forward. The conversation explores the materials they love...

Welcome to the first episode of The Art Confidential. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates turn the microphone on each other to introduce themselves and share the stories behind their art practices. In this candid conversation, they talk about the realities of being working artists—from the myth of effortless confidence to the challenge of balancing art with full-time jobs, family life, and creati...

Welcome to The Art Confidential — the podcast where the art world gets refreshingly real. Hosted by mixed media artists Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates, this show dives into honest conversations about building a creative life. From studio practices and creative breakthroughs to gallery relationships, marketing, and the realities of making a living as an artist, nothing is off the table. Each episod...