Living From Your Art | Art Business and Art Marketing with Elie Castonguay

Frans Hals Solved a 100-Year Painting Problem (And Artists Still Ignore His Secret) For nearly 100 years , Europe's greatest painters mastered anatomy, perspective, light, and composition. Yet almost none of them could paint one simple thing convincingly: A genuine human smile. Then a Dutch painter named Frans Hals quietly solved the problem. His portraits don't feel posed. They feel inter...

Rembrandt van Rijn didn't keep painting after bankruptcy by accident—and it wasn't just because of his genius. It was because of a ruthless asset protection strategy executed by his housekeeper, Hendrickje Stoffels. In this episode of Living From Your Art, we dismantle the romanticized myth of the helpless creative. When Hendrickje watched bailiffs arrive to empty Rembrandt's studio, s...

Leonardo Da Vinci finished only about 20 paintings in his entire lifetime—leaving the vast majority of his masterworks completely incomplete. But here’s the real "Da Vinci Code" that nobody tells you: this wasn't a desperate failure of execution. It was a calculated strategic choice that turned him into the most revered genius in human history. How did a creator who rarely finished h...

Johannes Vermeer sold only 36 paintings in his entire lifetime—while other Dutch masters were selling thousands . So how did he become one of the most famous and highly coveted artists in human history? The answer isn't because he used a fake marketing gimmick—it’s because of his uncompromising commitment to an elite standard of execution. In this episode of Living From Your Art, we dismantle...

Michelangelo actually started his legendary career by committing art fraud. But here’s the secret nobody tells you: it wasn't a desperate mistake. It was a calculated piece of market research that turned him into the highest-paid artist of the Renaissance. In this episode of Living From Your Art , we break down The Michelangelo Framework —a masterclass in high-ticket positioning. When Michelan...

Claude Monet did not become famous because the art world loved his work. In fact, the most powerful critics of 1874 literally banned him, Renoir, and Degas—telling them they couldn’t paint and leaving them to starve. In this episode of Living From Your Art , we break down how the Impressionists pulled off the ultimate art market rebellion. Instead of changing their style to please elite gatekeeper...

Vincent Van Gogh only sold ONE painting while he was alive. So how did he become the most famous artist in history? The answer isn't because of his tragic myth—it’s because of a brilliant marketing strategy executed by his sister-in-law, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger. In this episode of Living From Your Art, we dismantle the romanticized “starving artist” trope. When Johanna inherited over 200 heavi...

Struggling artists — believing that "money ruins art" isn't protecting your creativity. It's keeping you broke, stuck, and dependent on a day job that actually DOES drain your creative energy. In this episode, I break down a real comment from an artist who argued that money and art are in complete opposition — and I explain why this exact mindset is the #1 reason talented creators never build a su...

Stop tweaking your website layout and start making real money. Your target art clients care about your message—not your "perfect" business cards. If your creative entrepreneur journey has felt stuck lately, you might be hiding behind perfectionism. In this episode, we break down why an "ugly," functional art business that actively sells is infinitely better than a visually flaw...

Why Your Amazing Art Isn't Selling (Oops!) Ever feel like you’ve got the perfect master plan, insane talent, and the drive of a rocket ship... but your art sales are still kind of stuck at zero? Yeah, it hurts. But good news: it's probably not your art that’s the problem. You're just missing one giant piece of the puzzle. In this episode, I’m letting you in on a slightly awkward kitche...

Look, you aren’t lazy. And please, for the love of art, step away from the credit card—you do not need to buy another $997 online course. Welcome to "The Creator Trap." It’s that lovely psychological twilight zone where you know exactly what you need to do to sell your art, get clients, or grow your business... but instead, you find yourself organizing your paintbrushes by height or deep...

Are you losing potential art buyers simply because you forgot to reply to a DM or text? In this episode, we break down a single, immediate shift you can make today to stop letting high-paying collectors slip through the cracks. Discover the exact, free system used to track every single lead and keep your communication airtight. What's your current system for tracking people who ask about your art?...

If you are trying to look like an untouchable, flawless expert to your art clients, you are actively draining your bank account. In this tight, 3-minute micro-dose of Living from Your Art, we look at an incredible interview clip between Grant Cardone and a lawyer pulling in $2.5 billion in yearly revenue. The biggest takeaway? The most genius people in the world ask the absolute "stupidest" questi...

"...Stop calculating the effort, and start doing the work. You don't need another book. You need a reality check. If you are ready to find out exactly how close you actually are to escaping the paycheck trap and making a real living from your passion, stop listening to this right now. Go to livingfromyourart.com and take the free diagnostic test. Let’s see what you’re actually made of. Subscribe f...

Your childhood instinct to "never talk to strangers" is secretly ruining your adult life, your career growth, and your bank account. In this episode of the Living From Your Art Podcast, we break down The 100 Movement—a radical social experiment designed to force you out of your comfort zone and smash your social anxiety by speaking to 100 new people this week. If you are feeling stuck, it’s not a...

Are you spending your day on the tasks that actually grow your art business, or are you just staying busy with the easy stuff? It’s easy to get lost in the daily grind of a creative entrepreneur, but if you aren’t actively tracking the exact actions driving your revenue, your business might be standing still. Episode Summary In this short and punchy episode of the Living From Your Art Podcast, we...

Are you spending all your time creating, but avoiding the actual business side of your art? Welcome back to a brand-new episode—the comeback episode—of the Living From Your Art Podcast! Yes, it’s your host, Eli, and I know it’s been a big while. A lot has happened! For the last two years, I've been living in Orlando, Florida, supporting my wife in her amazing puppeteer contract, and I finally got...

🎙️"Vivre de Son Art" le Podcast - Interview #5 - Nancy Bergeron, Muraliste et Créatrice de Marionnettes Nancy Bergeron est une artiste talentueuse ayant exploré plusieurs formes d'art, notamment la peinture et la créations de marionnettes. Elle a travaillé plusieurs années avec des élèves pour embellir leur milieu scolaire, en réalisant des fresques sur les casiers et les murs d'...

🎙️"Living From Your Art" Podcast - Interview #4 - Kasandra Vargas, Ventriloquist Kasandra Vargas Bio:Like most kids in the 90's, I grew up watching educational puppet programs like Zabomafoo, LambChops PlayAlong, and of course Mister Rodgers Neighborhood. I never picked up a puppet until 2019. In 2019 I worked for Fish and Wildlife tried to find a way to connect with kids and the way...

🎙️"Living From Your Art" Podcast - Interview #3 - Kevin Stone, Metal Artist Kevin Stone is a World renowned Metal Artist located in a beautiful British Colombia, Canada. Kevin specializes in large-scale, one-of-a-kind, 3-dimensional, stainless steel sculptures. Kevin has developed a reputation for producing exquisite, highly detailed, stainless steel masterpieces for a growing internatio...

🎙️"Living From Your Art" Podcast - Interview #2 - Jordan Perkins, Painter "My name is Jordan Perkins and I am a full-time artist. It all started in 2015 in Castlegar, BC."I was 35 years old and trying to fill the afternoon with a fun activity for my daughter and I. We took a trip to the local dollar store and loaded up with every paint color and canvas. Let me tell you, it was...

🎙️"Living From Your Art" Podcast - Interview #1 - Mike Harding, Puppeteer Mike Harding of Applefun Puppetry has performed professionally for over 20 years. He has conducted thousands of puppet shows at libraries, schools, and birthday parties. Mike studied Improvisational Comedy at Second City, which adds a unique and spontaneous flavour to his shows. Applefun Puppetry Puppet Shows are c...

Ep 96 3 Tips To Help You Engage a Conversation With Anyone As An Artist In this episode of the "Living From Your Art" podcast, I talk to you about 3 tips to help you engage a conversation with anyone about anything so that you can grow your art business and meet more people easily. 📙GET MY BOOK: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3Pxdpy0⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ | ⁠...

Ep 95 What Is The Correlation Between You (an Artist!) And A Baby? In this episode of the "Living From Your Art" podcast, I give you a very good example to follow to become better to do the important things as an artist in order to grow your art business. 📙GET MY BOOK: ⁠https://amzn.to/4qyVUyk ⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠YouTube

Ep 93 Why Do You Follow Trends As An Artist ? In this episode of the "Living From Your Art" podcast, I talk about trends and how you DON'T have to follow them and what you should do instead. 📙GET MY BOOK: https://amzn.to/3Pxdpy0 LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube