In this episode, I talk with Kimberly Santini about a variety of topics, including how she used Covid as a sabbatical to figure out what she really wanted from her art.

We also touched on her dedication to blogging and why she continues the habit after so many artists have given up or neglected their blogs.

The bulk of our conversation focused on how Kim uses Patreon to teach and build a community of artists.

We discuss:

• What she charges for her Patreon patron tiers.
• What each tier receives for their patronage.
• What her workflow is like.
• Why it’s important that what she shares on Patreon is closely aligned with what she is doing in the studio.
• How she differentiates the content for patrons from the content she creates for her blog, newsletter, YouTube, and social media.

✴️ COMING UP: THE MONEY PLAN

If you aren’t clear about where your money is coming from, I strongly encourage you to figure it out. It’s only with that clarity that you can plan properly for the future. I can help with that.

Soon after the release of this episode I’ll be leading The Money Plan artist success workshop. Seating at the live sessions of the workshop—where you can ask questions and interact with other artist-planners—will be limited, and there will also be a replay available. But if you want to attend live, you need to get on the interest list. You can hit pause right now and go to artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan to make sure you don’t miss it.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

These episodes have teaching as a primary focus:

• Making a Living as a Teaching Artist with Elizabeth St. Hilaire (ep 4)
• Collaborating on Your Art Business with Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin (ep 86)
• Gaining Marketing Skills Quickly by Leading a Creativity Challenge with Kristen O’Neill (ep 145)
• The Key to Success on Social Media with Cathy Nichols (ep 154)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/santini-patreon

⭐️ Connect with Kim and see more of her art: https://kimberlysantini.com

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

I can say with confidence that artists who happily embrace their role as CEO of their businesses do better than artists who fight it and wish they didn’t have to deal with the grind. Wishing won’t make it go away. It only makes you more frustrated, anxious, or resentful.

This doesn’t mean that you need to fake joy whenever you’re paying bills.

It means that you accept that it comes with the territory. You rise to the challenge because you know it’s a necessary step toward achieving your goals.

There are ways to be happier about running a profitable art business, but first you must decide that you want a business on top of making work in the studio.

Not every artist should turn their art into a business. But if you choose to go the route of earning money from your art, do it wholeheartedly.

You can be pouty and grumble about all of the hard work necessary for something you said you wanted. Or you can find ways to enjoy the journey.

How would you rather go through life?

💡 IDEAS

In this episode I expand on these 6 ideas to make you happier about running your art business.

1. Go complaint-free.
2. Raise your prices.
3. Collaborate more often.
4. Find your (artist) people.
5. Encourage someone else.
6. Get your art and yourself out of the studio.

💵 CHECK OUT THE MONEY PLAN

September 2023 live success workshop to help you earn more income.

Get your name on the interest list!

https://artbizsuccess.com/moneyplan

✴️ FIND YOUR ARTIST PEOPLE

If you have been missing that community of artists, but haven’t found your people, we’d love to have you join us. See what we’re all about and dive in today. ArtBizConnection.com

🎧 RELATED and MENTIONED EPISODES

Multiply Your Audience and Expand Your Show’s Impact with Jill Powers (ep 27)

Collaborating on Your Art Business with Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin (ep 86)

Play Tops Work, Connection Tops Solitude, and Confidence Tops Fear with Willie Cole (ep 126)

Putting Artists First in Curatorial Projects with Melissa Messina (ep 136)

Being Seen—Networking for Artists (ep 148)

Committed to Telling Native Stories Through Her Art and Activism with Danielle SeeWalker (ep 153)

📖 To read more, see featured artists, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/be-happier

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

While not everyone will be interested in your art, you can choose to focus on those who genuinely love your work. To embrace what is rather than wishing for it to be different.

In this episode Cathy Nichols went from 5,000 to 107,000 Instagram followers in 3 years by researching who they were and why they were following her. She shares valuable insights about how she continues to grow her art business with joy and authenticity.

We discuss:

• How Cathy researched who her followers were.
• What she started doing differently to grow her audience.
• How her teaching offerings changed as a result of what she learned.
• What’s coming up next for Cathy.

✴️ BONUS FOR LISTENERS

Tired of trying to figure out the strategies for growing your art business all by yourself? Please join my coaching community, the Art Biz Accelerator. When you are one of the first 5 new people to sign up and mention you heard about it on episode 154 of The Art Biz, you will receive a bonus, private consultation with me.

All of the details are here: https://artbizsuccess.com/accelerator

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Growing Beyond Being an Instagram Artist with Sara Schroeder (#119)

Growing Your Art Business on Instagram with Jeanne Rosier Smith (#67)

Who Are The People On Your List and What Are They Doing There? (#102)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/nichols-audience

⭐️ Connect with Cathy and see more of her art: https://cathynichols.com

⛰️ The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.