HELP! I AM ARTIST

'Your art and your art business is only as strong as your ability to connect that what you are making with others.' If you have chosen that bold step to take your creativity seriously and transform your art into revenue streams, you know better than anybody else that your creative endeavours start and end with you.  If you don't get going and make the work, your art will simply not get done! With...

How do you turn your creativity into a meaningful profession?   My name is Sonja Smalheer. I am an artist, art coach and course creator and I'd love to show you how. When I graduated from the Art Academy I learnt how to paint, and how to draw but I had no idea how to earn a living with my creativity.  I was not prepared for a life as a working artist. This often left me quite frustrated. Sometimes...

I hear artists say this all the time. 'If only I had a big break! If only I was so lucky.' Sure, sometimes circumstances work in our favour but generally we need to just show up and get to work for it. The sum of all the little things you do during your day will far outweigh the chances of a big break or a lucky strike to come your way. So instead of waiting for fortune to come knocking or some li...

Some artists just seem to have it all. They are getting all the attention and their art seems to be selling like hot cakes.  What are they doing that makes them stand out and get noticed?  In this series I will be taking an inside look at what successful artists are doing right. Often fear, insecurities and the drive to be perfect keeps us captive. We are unable to move past them and create with t...

Artists can no longer ignore the amazing opportunities social media offers to promote and sell art. If done correctly artists can use the unique qualities of each platform to effectively connect with their art followers and start to build engaged art audiences. In this episode I share 10 tips how artists can use social media more effectively  to stand out and get noticed. This episode comes with a...

In today's episode we draw back the curtain and take a look at the role and work of an art curator.  Aniko Ouweneel is my guest and shares how she uniquely weaves together her expertise as a cultural historian and her vast experience as an art curator.  She has co-organized and designed more than 30 exhibitions, she has juried showed, authored books, lectures at universities and writes a regular a...

Is your Artist Website working for you? Your website is the first impression many art buyers, curators, gallery owners or workshop students will have of you....long before they meet you in person. In this busy online world it is imperative to have a website that represents the best you have to offer. If you craft your website correctly you can use your online space to stand out and get noticed. To...

Her collectors call her refreshing, her teachers tenacious and her students inspiring. In this episode Dutch Master Painter, Mitzy Renooy shares her personal artist journey. What I love about her story is that at age 49, Mitzy went back to school and committed to study 5 years at the Classical Art Academy in The Netherlands.   She has since graduated and all that hard work is paying off. Her first...

There has never been a better time for artists to share their skills. Teaching is not only a valuable experience for others but will give you the recurrable income and freedom you need to make your art. Podcast 022 is filled with practical tip's and idea's that you can implement in your art career.  This episode comes with a practical e-book. Follow the 'The Teaching Artist' Framework and start se...

Malcolm knew he wanted to be an artist yet chose to follow a career as a lawyer. In this episode he shares his artist journey of the steps he took to trade his law practise for life as an artist. This episode comes with a Free Artist E-Book www.sonjasmalheer.com/21

There has never been a more exciting time for artist's with a desire to teach and share their skills. The internet has changed everything. We have never been more informed about what is out there and information is readily accessible and available. On the other hand we spend so much time sitting behind our computer screens that there is an increased longing to make and create with our hands. It is...

Have you ever wondered what price you can actually ask for your art? Pricing art can sometimes be confusing and overwhelming.  You don't want to undervalue your work or price it soo high that no one buys it. In this podcast I share art stories and discuss clear and practical guidelines to help you find your pricing sweet-spot. In this episode you will discover: More about my painting trip to Monet...

"Great stories happen to those who can tell them." --Ira Glas As long as I can remember I loved stories. As a child my parents always read to us before going to bed. These magical moments transported me to another world. I could be the princess, the talking dog or even the villain, plotting how to steal my brothers sweets. In stories anything is possible. Stories are entertaining powerful tools th...

Does it actually pay to specialise as an artist or should you create for many different markets. Find out what works and how you can create more demand for your art.

In this busy art market it is sometimes difficult to stand out. Discovering and developing your unique artistic style will help you create a coherent body of work that will set you apart from the rest. When we hear the names of Degas, Van Gogh or Mondriaan images immediately appear in our minds. We envisage their paintings in front of us. Artists that we remember and recognise have developed a dis...

What is the best way to sell your art? How do you win an artist commission? Is it best to sell your art online or through a gallery? If you need answers to these questions then this episode is for you. In part 2 Leonie E Brown, an award winning South African Fine Artist, shares more of her valuable insights about making and selling art. In this episode you will discover: How she won and worked on...

Leonie E Brown is an award winning South African Fine Artist. Our paths crossed a few years ago in South Africa. I had seen a YouTube video of her explaining her fascination of colour, paint and art. I was hooked. Her animated gestures and her expertise resonated and I decided to find out more about her and she agreed to be my guest. In this podcast she shares more of her artist journey. And I can...

Just making strong, beautiful or meaningful art is not enough. If your art does not get seen by your potential art audience you will never sell your art consistently or successfully. I've written this 7- step Artist Success Guide for you to download. This guide is a powerful system to help you get more eyes on your art and to help you start to sell it. It is a step by step plan that will help you...

Focus is a key ingredient you need to grow and develop in your art. But in order to do so you need to face and acknowledge your fears. Share them and do whatever you can to get past them. What can we learn from them and how can we turn them into artistic gains and strengths.  Dare to embrace your artistic dreams Decide what process you are going to put between your opportunities and your decisions...

An Artist Statement is a valuable document that articulates WHO you are and the MOTIVATION behind your art. The ability to communicate clearly about your ART builds trust and draws potential art buyers into a more in-depth connection with you and your work. To help you Write a Clear yet Compelling Artists Statement I have made a FREE RESOURCE for you to download. This insightful worksheet will giv...

Swiss businessman and artist consultant, Philipp Döbeli, shares valuable insights about marketing and selling your art. He shares the three golden rules that will help you boost your sales and help you grow your art business. There is a special worksheet for you to download that will give you a better understanding about your art audience and how to reach them more effectively. Download this on: w...

Artist, author and teacher, Marion de Jong, shares her inspiring story of how she  left her life as a secretary in pursuit of her passion for art and creativity. Even though she took art classes for years Marion was never satisfied with the results and this left her frustrated and unhappy about her art Something was missing and on a trip to Italy she realised what it was. This trip and her new fou...

There is no golden rule when is comes to creating successfully. You have to find out what works for you. In this episode I will share 10 practical things artist can do to find a steady flow in their creativity and set themselves up for success.

Finding motivation is part of an Artist's job description!  Only YOU are the motor behind your creativity and it takes courage to get up, show up and do the work. Even though you spend many hours in your studio creating you are never alone. You take your past, your friends, your critical sibling, the art world and your own ideas and thoughts with you. It is a crowded place. It is an art in itself...

Have you ever heard of the starving artist syndrome? It is a romantic notion that artists are either desperate, destitute or despondent. Although this notion may work well in books or as a plot for a movie, in reality it is no fun! In last weeks episode #005 we had a brief look at the role of the artist through the centuries and in this episode I will identify and expose 5 myths surrounding artist...