The Art Biz

I teach setting goals for artists. It's the first lesson in the Art Biz Accelerator. So it may come as a surprise when you hear that this is the year that I want you to stop setting SMART goals for your art business. Far more important than setting any goal is actually doing the work . In this solo episode, I'll tell you how to set more empowering goals that will help you take charge of your art b...

Balance. The holy grail of every entrepreneurial artist's quest. What does a balanced artist's life look like? And what happens when you actually achieve balance? As much as I love the idea of being whisked away by my latest all-consuming project, I also know what it feels like to be out of balance. I much prefer being in charge of my time and my life, and that's why I loved this conversation with...

I don't believe in making art for a market, I believe in making art from your soul and then finding the right audience for it. But sometimes we are lucky enough to make the art we want, then tweak it just a bit so we can broaden our audience. My guest today has found a way to do just that. Ashley Lucas (aka Lady Lucas) is an artist whose work features smartly dressed animals and other sweet anthro...

By now you may have picked up on the fact that I am a sucker for a reliable system. My signature program is called the Art Business Success System for a reason — systems work. They provide you with a framework that, once in place, you can return to repeatedly and update to match where you are at any given moment in your art business. I love figuring out systems, maybe even more than I love followi...

So many artists have benefitted from Instagram — it's a topic that comes up frequently in these interviews, but it's been difficult to pinpoint one key lesson to devote an entire episode to, until now. Jeanne Rosier Smith made a conscious decision to focus on using Instagram to grow her following and expand her art business and it has definitely paid off. Jeanne has been focused and deliberate in...

Blogging may seem like an art form of years gone by, replaced entirely by the quick and simple posts of Facebook or Instagram, but my guest today has proved that nurturing a blog can be one of the most beneficial and rewarding outlets that an artist can pursue, both personally and professionally. Lisa Call dove headfirst into the blogging world years ago and created such an excellent blog that I h...

Introducing yourself as an artist is a topic I never could have dreamed up while I was working in art museums. It wouldn't have occurred to me that artists would have a hard time introducing themselves. It seems like all you have to do is say, "I'm an artist" and the conversation opens wide. But what I've learned in the years since working in the museum bubble is that it isn't always that easy to...

At the intersection of craftivism and the world of campaign finance is Eve Jacobs-Carnahan. Eve is taking the historical practice of knitting circles and re-envisioning them as modern craftivist assemblies. While bringing artists together to craft the building blocks of a characteristic state capitol building, she's also leading conversations about changing the role of money in election campaigns....

I'm not crazy about the word "pitch" but I'm going with it. I use it in the sense that you are making an argument for something.  You're making an argument that I should pay attention to who you are and the art you make. I'm more likely to pay attention to your art if you have a compelling story than if you ask me to buy, buy, buy. What I share in this special bonus episode will not only help you...

Fun isn't a word used very often when we think of marketing or business tasks. Still, it's one of the criteria I suggest considering when you're thinking about whether to add something to your busy schedule. When lockdown started, Brooke Harker threw her fears about doing live video out the window and created Saturday Night Live Art Shows—because she thought it would be fun. It started with just h...

Just a mention of the word critique can bring back painful memories for some artists. Or downright fear from those who have never participated in a professional critique. Artists who have been part of formal and ongoing critique groups find them invaluable to their creative development. In the latest episode of the podcast, I talk with Patricia Miranda, founder of The Crit Lab. She's been leading...

I'm a planner, and I like helping artists plan. I'm good at it! If you've taken any of my courses, or even read my book, you anticipate that there will be at least one plan involved. This is one of the special episodes I'm adding since Covid hit—a topic that will help you stay in control of your art business. In talking with my students and clients, I realize how devastating this year has been. Tr...

Four and a half years ago I hired the best assistant I have ever had at Art Biz Success. She has been loyal, prompt, and 200% dependable. She was 21 years old at the time—about to turn 22—and had just graduated early from college. After making many hiring mistakes in the past, I was determined to do it right this time And I did. I hit the jackpot. Mesa is moving on to new professional opportunitie...

Why wouldn't you make it easier for people to buy art directly from you? That's what Lynn Goldstein thought. She built a shopping cart for her website earlier this year. And the sales rolled in immediately after the March launch. To date, Lynn has sold 18 original paintings and about a dozen reproductions directly from her site, and I wanted to find out how. It must be said that neither Lynn nor I...

Adri Norris was born in Barbados and raised in New York and New Mexico. A former U.S. Marine, she says she was raised to be a leader—to help people and improve lives. Adri is on a mission to tell stories of women who have made history. She does so through her art, her teaching, and her speaking. She is especially interested in shining a spotlight on women of color that have been overlooked in our...

One of the first steps an artist makes when turning professional is to decide on an art business name, and many new artists make this more complicated than it should be. Allow me to bottom line this entire podcast episode: If you are a fine artist, your first choice is to always use your given name for marketing your original art. I understand it isn't always this easy. There are sometimes reasons...

Sandra was born in Mexico City and received her BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1995. She uses lines, marks, patterns, and textures to speak metaphorically and poetically of things that make no reference to the physical world. Her art constructs a sensual surface that weaves a path between process and narrative, mark and meaning, intention and abstraction. When Covid-19 struc...

This is a special episode of the Art Biz Podcast, which features my recent comments about #BlackLivesMatter on social media and to my students and subscribers. I don't know where I'll be going from here, but, as I said, I won't be silent. And, what I know is that I'm not the person you should be listening to about this topic. However, I am the person who is happy to ask questions of those you shou...

Born in California, raised in Mexico City, Carmen Mariscal had been living in Paris for many years when our paths crossed. She's been sheltering in place with her family in the north of France during Covid, but will soon be returning to London, where they resettled a couple of years ago. I've watched Carmen's career soar as she devoted herself to serious projects and exhibitions. Along the way, it...

For the past 11 years, Jan Heaton has been grieving at the same time she has had an active art career. First was the 10 years of her daughter's illness. Then, in 2019, her daughter's passing. I felt it was a good time to discuss the topic of grief since so many artists are grieving during Covid-19. Artists share grief over lost plans, opportunities, studio spaces, human connection, routines, and t...

On the Art Biz Podcast I usually talk with artists who have a studio practice and a business lesson to share. But I've been changing things up during Covid-19, as I've wanted to focus on what you can do now to stay in control of your art business. This control is important since there are so many things that are out of your hands. Join in this conversation using #ArtBizNow on Instagram. This episo...

In this episode I want to talk about a document you can revisit (or perhaps face for the first time) that gives you power (control) over how your art is perceived. Yes, I'm talking about your artist statement. Don't be scared! This is important. And if you don't want to listen, you can read every word at YourArtistStatement.com . This pandemic has caused so many people to be introspective. If you'...

Daryl D. Johnson gathers inspiration for her paintings of clouds from kayaking, gardening, and motorcycling. The views are familiar, but the subtext is the underlying chi, the sweeping momentum. She was the first girl to take mechanical drawing in her high school, having to plead with the guidance counselor for permission to enroll. She likes to tell the story of her first day in class when Mr. Ru...

During the Covid-19 outbreak, the Art Biz Podcast will focus on what you can do now to stay in control of your art business. Before you can even begin to think about business at a time like this, you might need to come to grips with the existential questions: Why make art at all? Why is it important to keep making art now? In this episode, I share at least 5 reasons why it's important to keep maki...

During the Covid-19 outbreak, I am taking a break from the usual format. The Art Biz Podcast will focus on what you can do now to stay in control of your art business. This episode has a huge happiness factor because it's about using real mail: Why you should use it, who to send it to, and what to send. I need you to be part of the conversation. I need to hear from you! Please join me on Instagram...