Art Crush

In this episode of Art Crush , Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn break down the lessons learned from their successful Wild Within group exhibition at Artcore Gallery in Derby. Moving past the theory of running your own art business, Fi and Paula share unfiltered insights on what happens when artists step out of the studio and take control of their own exhibitions. Key Takeaways & Topics Covered: PR &...

In this episode of Art Crush , Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn explore what it means to go deeper in your art practice beyond mere technical skill. Discover why creating thought-provoking, story-driven artwork matters more than ever in the age of AI, and how to conquer imposter syndrome to share your authentic perspective with the world. Whether you're a painter, landscape artist, or visual creator...

In this episode of Art Crush , Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into professional development for contemporary artists and creative entrepreneurs. Discover why continuous learning, mindset shifts, and bespoke one-on-one artist mentorship are essential for scaling your fine art practice, and why generic AI answers and group courses often fall short. Whether you're a self-taught painter, eme...

Do you need to pay for art certifications or enter contests to be a "real" artist? In this episode of Art Crush , hosts Fi Marks (UK) and Paula Telizyn (Canada) tackle the uncomfortable truth behind paid art society memberships, "international artist" certifications, and the competitive nature of traditional art awards. Discover why competing against other visual artists is a w...

In this special episode of Art Crush , hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn are joined by fellow The 51% Collective artists Jela Prancic and Susan Gardner for an episode recorded just weeks before their major, first-ever international in-person exhibition, The Wild Within , opening at the Artcore Gallery in Derby. Tune in as the collective breaks down how they curated their bodies of work—from mixed-m...

Are you sending unsolicited pictures of your artwork to other artists or gallery owners without any context? In Season 3, Episode 35 of Art Crush , Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive into one of the most widespread—yet ineffective—marketing habits visual artists fall into: the "spray and pray" social media DM. Fi and Paula unpack why sending context-free artwork asking for validation or att...

What happens when you pour your time and talent into a custom commission, only for the client to say, "I don't like it"? In Season 3, Episode 34 of Art Crush , hosts Paula Telizyn and Fi Marks dive into the tricky, sometimes emotionally fraught world of art commissions. From navigating endless revision requests to dealing with flat-out rejections, Paula and Fi share their personal ex...

In this episode of Art Crush, hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn break down the crucial lessons learned from organizing an independent artist-run exhibition. As they prepare for their upcoming "Wild Within" show in Derby, Fi shares her recent experiences taking full control of a space alongside three other artists, treating it as a successful dry run. They discuss why artists must stop waiting for t...

Welcome to a special episode of Art Crush! Hosts Paula Telizyn and Fi Marks are joined by guest artists Jela Prancic (Toronto) and Susan Gardner (Leicestershire) to discuss the final preparations for their highly anticipated 51% Collective exhibition. If you are an art lover in Derby, a regular at the Artcore Gallery, or a woman navigating your own creative business, this episode offers a beautifu...

What does a professional visual artist actually look like? In Season 3, Episode 31 of Art Crush, hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn tackle the pervasive and damaging myths that surround the creative life. From the societal expectation of wacky outfits to the romanticized—and toxic—tropes of the "starving" or "tortured" artist, the public is full of preconceived notions about what...

In this special 1-year anniversary episode of Art Crush, Fi and Paula dive deep into a provocative question: Do you actually like the art you think you like? From the omnipresence of Van Gogh's Starry Night on aprons to the endless, echoing scroll of the Pinterest algorithm, it is incredibly easy to lose your unique creative voice to what is popular, comfortable, or trending. Today, we are unpacki...

Are you tired of saying "yes" to every opportunity, only to realize your art is sitting next to scary blue plastic chairs in a space where it just doesn't belong? In Season 3, Episode 29 of Art Crush , hosts F Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into the importance of hitting pause on the hustle to find your true "why" as an artist. For many women, societal conditioning and people-pleasing tendencie...

Do you shrink back when someone compliments your art? Have you ever worried that being proud of your work makes you "arrogant" or "egotistical"? In Season 3, Episode 28 of Art Crush , hosts and visual artists Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into the messy intersection of confidence and ego. For women navigating the art world—especially women over 40—societal conditioning o...

If the rise of AI art has you worried about the future of your creative business, take a deep breath. In this episode of Art Crush , Fi and Paula are peering into the future of the art world, and spoiler alert: the future is handmade, human, and entirely in our control. We’re cutting through the noise of tech-bro billionaires to talk about why the AI bubble is destined to burst, and why art buyers...

Do you think a social media account is enough to run your art business? Think again! In this episode of Art Crush , hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into why every professional artist needs a dedicated website—and why relying solely on Instagram or TikTok could be putting your art business at risk. In this episode, we cover: How a professional website builds trust and justifies higher pr...

"You’re so talented!" Sounds like a compliment, right? For many professional artists, it can feel like it erases years of hard work, skill-building, and practice. In this episode of Art Crush , hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into how the language we use—and the language used about us—shapes our artistic careers, pricing, and confidence. In this episode, we unpack: The Problem...

Is the fear of selling out keeping you from achieving your true potential as an artist? In this episode of Art Crush , hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into why treating your art like a business is the most empowering move you can make for your career. Many creatives fall into the trap of waiting for the holy grail—believing a top-tier gallery will swoop in, handle all the sales, and mak...

Have you ever completely fallen out of love with your art? In this special episode of Art Crush, the spotlight turns to co-host Paula Telizyn as she shares her candid, unfiltered journey of returning to professional painting after a long hiatus. Following a life-altering accident in 2019, immense personal shifts, and a transition into artist mentorship, Paula packed away her brushes and publicly d...

Do you ever feel paralyzed by the need to make your art look perfect? In Season 3, Episode 22 of Art Crush , Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn tackle one of the biggest roadblocks for creatives: perfectionism. We discuss how the obsession with photorealism and perfect technique is actually costing us culturally, stifling human expression, and keeping brilliant ideas trapped inside the minds of artists wh...

Have you ever thought about bypassing traditional galleries and putting on your own group show? In Season 3, Episode 21 of Art Crush, host Paula Telizyn sits down with her fellow members of The Fifty-One Percent —an international women’s artist collective featuring Fi Marks (UK), Susan Gardner (UK), Jela Prancic (Toronto), and Paula Telizyn (London, Canada). Together, they are pulling back the cur...

First of all, THANK YOU! We’ve hit a massive milestone in our listener stats, and we are so incredibly grateful to every single one of you who tunes in, shares the show, and joins the conversation. We aren't here to be the great oracles; we’re here to learn, debate, and navigate the wild world of being professional working artists alongside you. In this episode of Art Crush , Fi and Paula are...

Are you truly proud to call yourself an artist, or do you hesitate when people ask what you do? In this episode of Art Crush , artists Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into the complicated relationship artists have with their own titles. From the romanticized 1950s trope of the "suffering creative" to the modern-day stigma of the flaky, unreliable "paste-eater," society has...

Getting accepted into a prestigious gallery, art fair, or exhibition feels like a massive win—but it is not the finish line for your creative business. If you think landing one big show guarantees smooth sailing for the rest of your career, it’s time for a reality check. In this episode of Art Crush , professional artists Paula Telizyn and Fi Marks dismantle the myth of the big break. Too many art...

What is the real difference between being a hobby artist and a professional artist? Does it come down to how much money you make? (Spoiler: No.) In this episode of Art Crush , hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into the nuances that separate creating art for yourself from treating your art as a profession. We are removing the hierarchy and throwing out the capitalist pressure that says one...

Have you ever reached the point where you just wanted to throw in the towel and quit making art entirely? You aren't alone. In this episode of Art Crush , artists Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive deep into the artist mindset to unpack exactly why artists quit—and what it really takes to push through challenging thoughts. When you change how you see yourself as a creator, your brain physically r...