To help you determine what makes you an official artist, I’m joined today by abstract painter James Holmes. James is sharing three criteria that he created before he could call himself an artist, and he makes it clear that owning the title isn’t quite as complicated as it may seem.
Highlights
Mentioned
Resources
Quotes
About My Guest
James Holmes is a Denver-based visual artist. As an abstract painter James shared, "I paint from the inside out. I believe painting from the inside out allows me to outwardly communicate my inner life. Everything I internalize, the experiences I have, the people in my life, my hopes, dreams, and faith are all reflected from heart, mind, and soul through the prism of my intuitive lenses resulting in artistic expressions utilizing a variety of media." James maintains a studio in Denver’s Golden Triangle arts district, and exhibits at the Veterans Arts Council Gallery, Centura Health Healing Gallery, and other venues. James is a Trustee of the Denver Art Museum and Executive Director of the Cherokee Ranch & Castle Foundation.
First posted: artbizsuccess.com/artist-mindset-holmes-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
But my conversation today with Lilianne isn't only about the book. It's the story of how the book came to be — which is a lesson in itself — and has its roots in her decision to be a copyist at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, copying Courbet's scandalous painting, L'Origine du Monde (The Origin of the World). She learned valuable lessons, exercised her courage muscle, and became a better artist as a result. The experience led to the writing of the book that so engrossed me. Lilianne and I talk about all of that and how she juggles her art and writing. She also shares tips for pitching to podcasts, which are equally valuable for other media pitches.
Highlights
Lilianne shares the timeline of her artist journey. (3:22)
The difference between a consistent studio practice and making consistent work. (5:56)
The premise and genesis of Lilianne’s book L'Origine. (9:15)
A full list of Lilianne’s reasons not to become a copyist of this scandalous painting. (13:08)
The fascinating rules for being a copyist at the Musée d’Orsay. (16:36)
Overcoming the most uncomfortable aspects of this endeavor, including the unsolicited comments from museum visitors. (20:21)
Main differences between male and female reactions to the painting. (25:43)
The inspiration that comes from writing about your painting. (26:55)
Turning a once-in-a-lifetime artist experience — and the painting that provided it — into a novel. (29:40)
What makes a piece of art timeless and relevant? (35:13)
If this artwork is shocking today, imagine how it was received in the 1800s. (40:20)
Lilianne explains why her copy of L'Origine du Monde is not currently on display. (42:12)
Lessons learned from interacting with such famous and controversial artwork. (43:38)
What does Lilianne’s studio practice look like now? (46:43)
The secret to pitching your idea in a way that gets results. (48:10)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
Quotes
“Writing is like painting with words.” — Lilianne Milgrom
“This painting gave me the sense of empowerment, which at the beginning felt like an embarrassment, and it turned out to be this enormous feeling of liberation and empowerment.” — Lilianne Milgrom
“This certainly changed my life. As far as my art, it's made me fairly fearless.” — Lilianne Milgrom
“The written word and art, they can’t be separated because you’re going to need to express yourself.” — Lilianne Milgrom
About My Guest
Lilianne Milgrom was born in Paris, grew up in Australia, and currently resides in the United States. Milgrom holds two degrees from Melbourne University and an associate art degree from the Academy of Art in San Francisco. She exhibits her artwork around the world and is the recipient of multiple awards. In 2011, she became the first authorized copyist of Gustave Courbet's controversial painting L'Origine du Monde (The Origin of the World), which hangs in the Orsay Museum in Paris and draws over a million visitors a year. After rendering a near-identical copy of Courbet's masterpiece, she spent close to a decade researching and writing L'Origine.
In this episode I talk with Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin about how their Cold Wax Academy got off the ground. They were my guests way back in episode 9 from 2017 when we discussed the publication of their book, Cold Wax Medium. Their collaboration has only deepened since that time, and in this interview you’ll find out what makes their combined efforts work so well.
Rebecca, Jerry, and I discuss the format of Cold Wax Academy, how they make decisions together, how they find new members, and what they would do differently with the benefit of hindsight. We also talk about one of my very favorite topics—systems—and the technology they use to keep their joint venture going.
Highlights
Rebecca and Jerry reflect on the timeline of their collaboration. (2:37)
Rebranding your business with the help of professionals. (6:18)
Making the transition from live teaching to the online Cold Wax Academy. (11:04)
Replacing income lost from cancelled live workshops. (12:37)
The pandemic-induced “oh crap” moment that changed everything. (17:03)
How to know when it’s time to hire help. (20:19)
Collaborating with another person in every important aspect of your business. (24:08)
Tools that maximize your communication efforts. (26:53)
A high level overview of the offerings of Cold Wax Academy. (29:00)
The key to making a paid membership work. (33:57)
How to determine what content to offer for free and what to charge for. (37:58)
Adjusting your offerings starts with knowing what your audience wants. (38:47)
A look at the numbers of the Cold Wax Academy community. (43:37)
Lessons learned from the timing and building of a business. (45:34)
What’s coming up next for Cold Wax Academy. (49:42)
Mentioned
Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin
Episode #9: How Two Artists Self-Published and Are Promoting a Successful Book Together
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
First posted: artbizsuccess.com/collaborating-coldwax-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
Quotes
“We have this great collaboration and I couldn’t have known ahead of time how exciting it would be to develop this program.” — Rebecca Crowell
“Hiring a third person has given us more energy to devote to the business itself.” — Jerry McLaughlin
“What we produce is infinitely better because we’re both doing it together.” — Jerry McLaughlin
“As we go we’re learning more and more about how to interact with people and how to involve members.” — Rebecca Crowell
About My Guests
Rebecca Crowell has been a professional artist for thirty years and is widely known for her innovative painting techniques involving cold wax medium and oils. She teaches these methods both in the US and internationally. Her work is handled by fine art galleries in Chicago, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Telluride, and Dublin, Ireland and is found in hundreds of private, public, and corporate collections. Rebecca holds an MFA in Painting and lives in rural west-central Wisconsin.
Jerry McLaughlin has been a working visual artist for twenty years and has exhibited at galleries throughout the U.S. His work is in collections around the world. An expert in all things cold wax, he focuses his major energies on painting, teaching, and writing. Trained as a pediatric intensive care physician, he also holds a certificate in adult education from the University of Washington. Jerry lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Kelly M. O'Brien has been selling a lot of work since 2015, in a way that surprised her at the time. And while she has continued that work, she has added new work—what she calls emerging work— since deciding to go back to graduate school in 2017 to earn her MFA.
With such great commercial success it seemed like an unusual time to return to grad school, but now that she has been out of school for over a year, Kelly is ready to talk about her decision to take that big step and what she learned in the process. Join our conversation as we talk about the ins and outs of juggling two very different art businesses, what her daily practice is like, and where her work is headed.
Highlights
Kelly M. O’Brien shares her art path and the works that have gone viral. (1:49)
Finding more meaning and depth in your art. (5:47)
Changing the focus of her work resulted in Kelly creating two different practices. (8:08)
Finding the right time and the right approach to return to graduate school. (11:51)
The value of intentional planning sessions to help you grow as an artist. (17:15)
The biggest benefits of returning to school. (20:02)
How to determine if an MFA is right for your career. (23:45)
Balancing money-making ventures with your education. (24:49)
How to respond to the stigma surrounding serious artists who work to make money. (26:27)
Changes in Kelly’s practice as a result of earning her MFA. (28:32)
A look inside Kelly’s approach to her daily practice in the studio. (31:04)
Learning a visual vocabulary that will shape the statement of your work. (34:47)
Kelly shares an overview of what is holding her attention in her studio. (38:18)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
About My Guest
Kelly M. O’Brien is an American mixed-media sculptor who lives and works near Bristol, England. She completed a Master of Fine Art (Distinction) at Bath Spa University in 2019. Kelly is co-founder of A Gathering of Unasked Possibility, a collaborative project fostering active hope through creative practitioners, and runs PaperJoy Studio, offering bespoke paper art originals and hand-embellished prints for hospitality and important residential projects.
First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/mfa-obrien-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
Lea K. Tawd did some of my favorite kind of cleaning out last year. She cleaned out obligations and associations that were taking her away from the work she was meant to do in this world, and the payoffs increase as her income streams multiply. She unlocked the secrets to a more abundant money mindset.
In our conversation Lea and I talked about what she eliminated in 2020 that allowed her to dive deeper into her creativity and step into her art business more fully. We discuss the book she wrote, how she structures her days as a mom with a 6-year-old who has to show up for the virtual classroom, and how she quickly replaced the income from an outside source she had been holding onto out of fear.
Highlights
Lea K. Tawd shares her journey in art, motherhood, and self-care. (1:57)
Getting back on track when you’re feeling off-centered. (6:02)
Lea recounts the various income streams of her pre-pandemic artwork. (11:10)
What happens when you stop doing the work that you are afraid to let go of? (14:40)
How to clean out old obligations in order to turn your ideas into an income stream. (17:44)
Creating spaces, rituals and schedules that will increase your energy. (21:19)
Lea shares the ways that increasing her focus has also increased her income. (23:50)
Advice for letting go of an income stream that you don’t love. (27:58)
How to overcome a big, scary thing so that you can do the work you want to do most. (29:26)
Cultivating the relationships that will support you through the hardest times. (33:17)
Lea shares what is currently holding her attention in the studio. (34:27)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
About My Guest
Lea K. Tawd is an author, mixed media artist and Reiki master teacher. She seeks out the beauty in every woman and uses that vision to create mixed media art that inspires and heals. The finished pieces are a Utopian vision of inner beauty manifested that serve as a reminder to take care of yourself, to find moments of peace, kindness, and self-love. Lea often paints directly on wood, so the wood grains help to inform the finished piece. As a Reiki Master Lea uses Reiki in the creation of her art and combines the two to help others find deep inner healing and recover their creativity in private sessions, workshops, and retreats.
First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/money-breakthrough-tawd-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
Kelly and I scheduled our conversation to discuss her "life edit," which involved getting rid of what no longer served her. It quickly became apparent that ridding herself of stuff when she had to downsize her studio is something she had been preparing herself for in the many years leading up to that moment.
This conversation is about coming out on the other side of a long struggle stronger than you were previously. Join us as we celebrate the triumph of one artist's positive spirit, discover the tools she used to facilitate the process, and hear about the people she relied on along the way.
Highlights
Kelly Milukas reflects on her journey from athletics to music and to art. (1:57)
Kelly works with scientists and starts researching stem cells for a commission for a biopharmaceutical company. (8:30)
A shift in health can create a shift in focus for any artist. (12:15)
Embracing the tools that are available to you can help you get through anything. (16:52)
Forging through the messy middle to come out stronger on the other side. (21:26)
Can 17 seconds or a deeper breath change your mindset? (25:23)
How to know when to power through and when to pull back. (28:55)
The power of giving yourself permission to feel your biggest emotions. (32:48)
Cleaning out physical objects to move your art business forward. (34:50)
Creating an organized studio that works for you on any budget. (41:10)
A look inside all that is keeping Kelly busy in her new studio. (45:00)
Mentioned
Resources
Full show notes including photos and listener comments
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/stronger-milukas-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
If you are ready to deep clean your art business, to release what isn’t serving you and banish all that is getting in the way of your productivity and creativity, then you won’t want to miss the insights and inspiration from these successful artists.
Highlights
April is the month to focus on cleaning out your art business. (0:01)
Is there one single best way to get organized? Heather Powers says no. (2:23)
Tips to help you get started on cleaning out and organizing your spaces. (6:09)
Redefining your relationship with things so that you can let go. (10:41)
How to prepare your studio for a big move. (14:50)
Take control of your business so that it works for you, even if it means emptying out your galleries. (19:16)
Control your income by controlling your inventory. (23:29)
Connecting with buyers outside of the galleries. (27:02)
Releasing old work so you can focus on what is most meaningful. (28:21)
Increasing your creativity begins with cleaning out the cobwebs. (34:32)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
Today’s solo episode focuses on the secret weapon of a successful art business — your art biz handbook. An art biz handbook is the number one way to organize every aspect of your business. If you’re looking for ways to stay on top of the never-ending tasks that every artist faces, this episode is for you. You’ll hear the step-by-step process that will keep you in control of every aspect of your schedule, how I have evolved systems that weren’t working for me, and the satisfaction, productivity, and control that you can come to expect from an art biz handbook that is working for you.
Highlights
An overview of the value of a high-quality, clearly defined art business system. (0:01)
Documenting your systems — why you need an art biz handbook. (2:07)
Your system doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective. (4:56)
Steps that will make your systems more reliable. (6:12)
Practical examples of systems that have simplified processes in my art business. (9:01)
How to prioritize the process of capturing your procedures. (10:11)
Why your art biz handbook will never be finished. (12:35)
Mentioned
Episode 68 — Procedures for Art Commissions with Sema Martin
Episode 78 — How to Increase Your Productivity and Creativity with Art Business Systems
Episode 79 — Tools to Shape Up Your Art Business with Jennifer Printz
Episode 80 — Systems to Effectively Managed a Dizzying Increase in Your Art Business with Betty Franks
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/art-biz-procedures-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
At the time of this recording, Betty has over 120,000 Instagram followers and sells paintings almost as fast as she makes them. In this episode, we discuss the digital and analog systems that she depends on to support her growth. She generously shares her real numbers, the new postage system she just started using, her daily and weekly routines, and how she organizes all of the digital images of her paintings.
Highlights
Betty Franks shares the moment she fell in love with mixed media and decided to start her art career. (2:20)
How to find your own style and way of making art. (7:20)
Staying organized through the process of handling a personal and business name change. (12:25)
Betty shares her business goals that resulted in a 400% increase in sales. (18:20)
A breakdown of Betty’s income streams and marketing tools. (21:03)
How to know when it’s time to hire help for your art business. (28:13)
Developing routines that stabilize your creative and practical routines. (31:10)
Simple systems to help manage your inventory. (35:25)
Building an email list that works for your business. (42:55)
How to know when it’s time to make process changes for the better. (47:37)
A look at what is keeping Betty’s attention in the studio. (52:24)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
About My Guest
Betty Franks was born in Toronto, Canada and raised in San Jose, California. She is a self-taught abstract artist who started painting when she turned 50. Although it seems late in life to take up painting, the timing was just right for her. After a long career in customer service management, Franks was ready to unleash her creative side. Today her work focuses on her love of fields of flowers and flowers in general. She aims to share the emotion she feels about her subject.
First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/managing-growth-franks-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
Not only is Jennifer Printz a practicing artist with an enviable record of exhibitions, but she's also an assistant professor at Florida International University in Miami. She has two full-time jobs. I've watched Jennifer whip her business into shape by getting organized and creating reliable systems.
In this episode, I talk with her about how she compartmentalizes her two jobs. We also discuss the planning process she uses, the digital and paper tools she relies on to stay organized, and why writing by hand is critical for her and her students.
Highlights
Jennifer Printz reflects on the wide variety of her artwork and her work as a professor. (2:02)
The importance of modeling art for Jennifer’s students and the lessons they are learning as a result. (5:53)
Practical tips for separating your day job from your art business. (8:40)
The value of taking time for an artist’s day, connecting with artists virtually, and creating physical space for your creativity. (11:33)
Taking your art business beyond the plateau to the next level with coaching and positive feedback. (16:50)
Planning out a quarter at a time to free up your mental space for creativity. (22:30)
Day-to-day systems that will help you get and stay organized and productive. (27:21)
Jennifer’s process around keeping an updated inventory of her pieces. (33:42)
Strategic organization of all the moving parts of an exhibition. (38:29)
Playing into your personality strengths to maximize your art business systems. (42:35)
What is the first step to take when your systems are breaking down? (45:04)
A look inside the works that are currently holding Jennifer’s studio attention. (47:12)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
Quotes
“When I hit a certain level of success I felt the need to get a more objective viewpoint to help me move to a new level of success.” — Jennifer Printz
“If we’re always doing what we’ve always done and the results are what we always got, then it’s time to reevaluate.” — Jennifer Printz
“It made sense to shift to a new system so I could put more effort into my creative practice.” — Jennifer Printz
“In order to build strong relationships, in order to have a successful exhibition, I need to access other parts of me and not let the part of me that’s against organization get in the way.” — Jennifer Printz
About My Guest
Jennifer Printz unifies photography and drawing to make poetic works that reflect the unseen structures of the universe. In 2004 she was awarded a Puffin Foundation Grant, followed by a Dendo Fellowship in 2016. She has participated in regular residencies in the US, at the Frans Masereel Centre/Flemish Center for the Graphic Arts in Kasterlee, Belgium, St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta, Malta, and La Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France.
Jennifer is also an educator, teaching a wide range of two-dimensional media at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as courses on public art and professional practices. Currently, she is on the faculty of Florida International University in Miami.
First posted: https://artbizsuccess.com/biz-tools-printz-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
Creating a streamlined art business system isn’t hard, it just takes dedicated time.
In this solo episode, I want to help you get started. I’m sharing three powerful benefits to implementing solid systems into your art business and five questions that you need to ask yourself when creating that better system. And to help you see that systems work, I’ll tell you about a few artists who have created systems that work. It worked for them, and I can promise the time you spend on your systems will be worth it as your creativity and productivity in your art business continue to increase.
Highlights
The why behind effective art business systems. (0:01)
Understanding the ecosystem and metasystems within your art business. (2:10)
Three clear benefits of installing systems in your art business. (3:35)
Five questions to ask yourself when implementing a new system. (5:50)
How to clearly define what you want to see happen. (6:38)
Clear timelines create clear results (7:01)
What tools and technology do you need to acquire to create your system? (7:26)
Who can assist you in meeting your goals? (8:13)
What are the exact steps needed to make your system hum? (8:34)
Upcoming podcast guest artists who have successfully implemented systems into their art business. (9:11)
A homework assignment to get you started with your new system. (9:51)
All that the Art Career Success System can offer your art business. (10:58)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
First posted: artbizsuccess.com/organize-with-systems-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
We think we have to post more, research hashtags, invest in advertising, create a lead magnet, learn to write better copy, or forget about a restful night's sleep. It’s true that you probably do have to do some of those things in order to attract more followers and subscribers, but you might also benefit from being open to doing things a little differently to increase those numbers.
In this episode, I talk with Trudy Rice about how she has grown her Instagram and email list by cross-promoting other brands. Trudy uses a platform called Ampjar, but the underlying lesson is to find like-minded people and share each other's art, products, and services. Trudy refers to this as “shouting them out,” and in our conversation, she highlights what it takes to get set up with the service, and how it has impacted her success in a major way.
Highlights
Trudy Rice details her Australian flora and fauna art, teaching, and other current projects. (2:13)
Taking original prints and paintings to a homewares line. (4:28)
Quantifying the growth of a successful art business through a variety of income streams. (6:18)
The primary systems and marketing channels Trudy uses for her sales. (8:25)
Details about the Ampjar mailing system and the karmic aspect to shout-outs. (11:37)
The algorithms behind the Ampjar shout-out system. (13:57)
How to systematically simplify the process of promoting your business. (17:39)
Prompting other artists while promoting yourself. (21:16)
The variety of brands that Trudy promotes through Ampjar. (22:18)
How to connect with new and international audiences through shout-outs. (23:57)
Tracking the success that has come by integrating new systems. (26:08)
The importance of collaborating with other artists with any system that works. (29:23)
How to do the work once and benefit from it over and over again. (30:17)
Trudy shares her project and collaboration plans for 2021. (33:35)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
First posted: artbizsuccess.com/karma-rice-podcast
Let’s do this together: https://artbizsuccess.com/community
Music by https://wildermiss.com
My guest for this episode is Romy Owens, an artist and curator who makes site-specific installations, as well as smaller objects, in reaction to place, community, and transformation. Last fall I had the opportunity to visit Under Her Wing was The Universe, her enormous public sculpture that was installed in 2020 in Enid, Oklahoma.
In this episode I talk with Romy about her commitment to raising $100,000 for that outdoor public sculpture and native prairie landscape as a gift to her hometown. As it turns out, $100,000 was just the beginning, and while it all worked out in the end, it wasn’t exactly easy getting there. Not only did Romy have to raise a lot more money than originally projected, she had to stand up to the naysayers in the community.
Romy is an artist that knows how to effectively measure success. Community collaboration, fundraising, overcoming controversy and yes, using spreadsheets are just a few of the topics that you won’t want to miss in this conversation.
Highlights
Romy Owens shares the leap of faith she has taken with her art and with her community. (3:30)
Conceiving the project Under Her Wing was the Universe. (9:55)
Relationships that informed the piece and Alyson’s reaction to seeing it in person. (12:10)
Naming the piece and finding value in all that is revealed in the universe. (16:06)
Securing space for the project and making the connections that brought city approval. (20:04)
Funding from the city and how Romy planned to cover the rest. (23:50)
Launching a GoFundMe fundraiser. (26:40)
Meeting tight deadlines and overcoming obstacles along the way. (28:26)
Overcome your fear of hearing “no” when raising funds. (30:33)
Handling the controversy that comes with creating interesting art. (33:02)
Key collaborators and supporters in creating a piece of this scale. (36:27)
Keeping track of your progress with a system that actually works. (41:09)
Measuring success and setting goals in specific and meaningful ways. (43:24)
Ideas for generating interest in your art. (49:32)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
About My Guest
Romy Owens is an artist and curator living in Enid, Oklahoma. She makes site-specific installations, as well as smaller objects, in reaction to place, community, and transformation. Her curatorial work attends to a similar focus. Both Owens' artistic and curatorial practices are presently centered around community art designed to impact social change, using art as a method to broaden our understanding of specific issues.
This week, my guest is Simonne Roy, a contemporary American impressionist painter grounded in the plein air painting tradition. For years, Simonne has been inviting VIPs into her home, which she had transformed into a gallery, for a one-night party. The money and effort she invested in the event resulted in good sales and relationships. Each year's success built on that of previous years.
When Covid struck, her hopes for a successful home gallery show in 2020 were dashed, until, like many scrappy entrepreneurs, Simonne found a different way to make it happen. She decided to hold the VIP appreciation without the party.
In this episode, you'll hear how Simonne gave people a private experience that few people get to have with art, which she calls the Quiet Gallery Experience. If she measured its success by the amount of sales only, she could have counted it a success. But sales were almost secondary because Simonne measures her success by the goodwill she created with her subscribers and collectors.
Listen closely to hear what she did to set the stage and make it special, what she would do differently next time, and how she netted the same amount of money from the participation of fewer people.
Highlights
Simonne Roy shares the journey that led to her art business and her current income sources. (2:28)
Transforming a house into an intimate, personalized home gallery. (7:10)
The inspiration that saved Simonne’s gallery experience during Covid. (13:42)
How can greater vulnerability result in more meaningful connections? (20:05)
Scheduling a full day of showings and Simonne’s goal for each visitor. (21:51)
Preparing any space for a full gallery experience. (25:22)
Results from the gallery included sales, a teaching offer and increased connections. (29:29)
Reducing overhead for an event can still result in positive net sales. (34:10)
Marketing an event and creating a thoughtful gift for your customers. (36:14)
Simonne shares the lessons she learned for next time. (38:11)
A peek at what is holding Simonne’s attention in the studio now. (38:34)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
About My Guest
Simonne Roy describes herself as a contemporary American impressionist painter grounded in the plein air landscape painting tradition. She is also a Francophile, and has lived in France for extended periods over the years—adding quintessential French subjects such as pastries, breads, and cheeses to her nature-inspired paintings.
A lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, Roy lives in Lewisburg, where she maintains her studio and home gallery.
Confronting numbers can be intimidating, but it is an essential step to growing both yourself and your business. It forces you to be realistic about where you are, including your weaknesses, and it challenges you to make up for any lost ground.
This month we are looking into measuring success and today I want to share with you the tracking procedure that has helped grow my business by up to 40% every single year. I’ll share ideas to help get you started on your own monthly business report, highlight some of the fun and surprising areas you need to track (beyond just the sales) and tell you how to download a copy of a monthly report for your art business.
The numbers definitely won’t tell the whole story, but if you’re looking for an effective and telling way to measure your efforts, your satisfaction, and your success, this is the place to start.
Highlights
What numbers should you use to measure your success? (0:01)
How I learned the true value of being authentic in my business. (1:26)
The importance of confronting numbers when you’re ready to grow yourself and your business. (3:37)
The number one thing to include in your monthly business report. (5:12)
Report the monthly numbers and then find insights in them. (5:38)
The value of making cool connections every month. (6:53)
The most productive and enjoyable approaches to promoting and sharing your art each month. (8:30)
Upcoming interviews that will elaborate on the theme of measuring success. (10:22)
How to download and customize your own monthly art report. (11:58)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
My guest is Lisa Goren, an artist whose work took a surprise U-turn when the pandemic hit last year, and she went for it.
Lisa Goren works in watercolor to show an unfamiliar landscape in a new light. By using vibrant colors and taking risks with different surfaces, she makes the viewer reevaluate their understanding of both the landscapes and their beliefs in the potential of the medium. Her works create questions about the nature of abstraction and our planet as many of her pieces are representations of unfamiliar, threatened terrains. More recently, Lisa has begun painting animals who had started showing up in unusual places during the pandemic.
In our conversation, Lisa shares the artist residencies and serious work reflecting climate change that she was making before Covid hit. But when she was no longer able to travel to photograph and paint the wildlife and melting ice around Antarctica she turned her attention to the delightful animals that were visiting museums, aquariums and towns. Lisa shares her success dilemman: the new work was taking off and taking over. Her new journey is to regain control over where the work is headed while being open to whatever the future holds.
Highlights
Lisa Goren details the path — and thick skin — that led to her successful art business. (2:25)
Painting ice, bones, and deep blue colors in Antarctica, Alaska, and Iceland. (6:04)
The importance of creating artist support groups in your art business journey. (9:07)
Lisa reflects on the plans she had for 2020, how the pandemic changed it all, and the pivoting point that led to a new success. (12:17)
Inspiration can come from anywhere, including free roaming penguins in museums. (17:47)
Creating and pricing high-demand art that you didn’t intend to sell. (19:45)
Responding to a call for art during the pandemic created additional interest in Lisa’s work from The Washington Post. (22:16)
Handling the “problem” of success and why you might consider selling low-priced originals instead of prints. (26:45)
Making connections with buyers and offering hope through art. (31:24)
How to adjust your pricing to better control your schedule. (33:33)
Lisa details the assignment that led to her return to painting penguins. (34:41)
Transitioning from the artist you may be known as to the artist that you currently are. (36:54)
Lisa details her marketing channels, how she connects with the photographers that inspire her work, and whether she replaced her lost income in 2020. (40:31)
If the pandemic ended tomorrow, would Lisa continue painting animals? (45:24)
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Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
About My Guest
Lisa Goren was born in California and raised in NYC, and yet she has dreamed of Polar landscapes since she was in her teens. Her first trip took her to Antarctica where she was inspired and captivated by the landscape. Her watercolors show an unfamiliar landscape in a new light. By using vibrant colors and taking risks with different surfaces, she makes the viewer reevaluate their understanding of both these landscapes and their beliefs in the potential of the medium.
Dawn Williams Boyd makes figurative textile paintings that reveal stories—not always pretty ones—about the American experience. Dawn’s work has an unapologetic socially activist message that speaks volumes about the Black experience and this country’s politics.
In today’s social and political climate, there aren’t enough hours in the day for Dawn to convey all of the messages she wants to share in her art. She has to carefully plan the body of work she is going to make throughout the year. She takes charge of her production for the entire year.
In our conversation, Dawn and I discuss her process for plotting out which pieces she will make each year. We also talk about why now is not the time to make art that matches the couch, conversations she wants people to have around her work, and how she makes the valuable connections that are helping her reach her most ambitious goals.
Highlights
Dawn Williams Boyd responds to her daughter’s statement that she is a righteous badass. (3:45)
Art that represents the effect of the history of the United States on the African American community, created by an African American woman. (6:14)
What interested Dawn most in her Art History class is reflected in her own work. (9:30)
Dawn reflects on the big plans that she had for exhibiting her work in 2020. (12:47)
The good things that can happen when you have nowhere to go and no one to see your work. (16:06)
“The List” and how it influences Dawn’s productivity and creativity every year. (18:02)
Now is not the time to make art that matches the couch. Dawn explains the opportunity of artists to use their voice to influence others. (21:32)
A look inside Dawn’s notebook, including the details, fabrics, facts and titles that drive her work. (26:15)
Questions that Dawn asks herself in the planning stage of each new piece. (31:10)
The criteria that guides Dawn’s ability to set goals and plan her work out a year in advance. (34:10)
Dawn reflects on her 2020 goals, the pieces that she actually created and how she is constantly preparing for what is coming next. (36:50)
What kind of conversations does Dawn want people to have around her work? (43:50)
Understanding the worldwide problems that are depicted in the imagery in Dawn’s piece, All Through the Night: America’s Homeless. (48:03)
The overarching business and career goals that guide Dawn’s work every single day. (53:10)
How can an ambitious artist ensure that their art is being viewed by the right people? (57:08)
A peek into all that is in store for Dawn in 2021. (59:00)
Mentioned
Resources
Intro and outro music by Wildermiss
About My Guest
Artist Dawn Williams Boyd makes figurative textile paintings that reveal stories—not always pretty ones—about the American experience. Her latest series, The Trump Era, specifically focuses on xenophobia and immigration, but her work has also explored feminine sexuality, the Black American experience, as well as forgotten moments from American history.
2020 was a year of great loss of so many aspects of the art business. Venues were closed, live workshops were canceled, and many businesses suffered major losses. Regardless of these disappointments, so much of these results were never in your control in the first place.
Today I want to focus on what IS in your control. You have control over your art. You get to choose how you will spend the next 24 hours. You can choose how you will invest in your business and you are in control of so much more.
As you enter this new year I want you to consider setting a new kind of goal that may just be smarter than any goal you’ve set before. And it all starts with taking total responsibility for all of the things that are in your control.
Highlights
New year, new goals. But what is really in your control? (0:01)
The best goals for your art business may not be all that SMART after all. (1:24)
A new approach to setting goals for your art business. (2:48)
You can’t control outcomes, but you can still take charge. (4:21)
Empower yourself by taking total responsibility in these areas. (8:06)
How to connect with others to increase motivation, creativity, and support. (8:24)
The importance of owning your life, your decisions and your career. (9:30)
The value of project-centred planning rather than goal-centred planning. (10:39)
A peek inside all of the offerings of the Art Biz Community. (11:12)
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Chris turns feathers into intricate art. Working with delicate tools, he carves into feathers to create images of the very creatures that shed them. His unique feather sculptures are recognized by art collectors, bird lovers, and a variety of people from around the world.
In this episode, I talked with Chris about finding balance in life as well as in making and marketing art. He shares the secret behind his seemingly successful quest for balance, how he approaches requests for commissioned pieces, and the systems that he uses to stay on top of it all.
Balance may seem elusive, and, yet, we all need it in order to be our most creative and successful selves. Whether you’re currently searching for balance in your work or have already homed in on what the perfect balance means to you, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Highlights
Mentioned
Resources
About My Guest
Oregon artist Chris Maynard combines his strong backgrounds in biology and ecology to pay homage to nature through the plumage of birds — using feathers acquired from legal sources such as zoos and private aviaries all naturally shed by birds. Working with delicate tools, he carves into feathers to create images of the very creatures that shed them, inventing poetic and playful compositions of birds in flight. His unique feather sculptures are recognized by art collectors, bird lovers, and a wide and interesting variety of people from around the world.