We usually start a long-term project with a specific goal or set of expectations in mind. 

Rarely does the project turn out the way we thought it would. More often than not, it’s better than we had imagined.

But before we can get to the point of admitting that the change might have actually led to an improvement in the original plan, we have to struggle.

We question our assumptions.

It becomes clear that we need to ask for more help or more money. In essence, we recognize we can’t continue working in the same fashion as before. We are forced to adjust to outside forces, like a worldwide pandemic.

About a year and a half ago I had Eve Jacobs-Carnahan on the podcast to talk about her project, Knit Democracy Together (ep. 64), which was developed to discuss the U.S. electoral system within the context of knitting circles. Yes, I said knitting circles. And, yes, this was before the 2020 election.

Together, the craft artists would knit blocks that would contribute to a state capitol building sculpture while they learned about the electoral system that runs our country.

I asked Eve to come back on The Art Biz for an update—to look at how such a long-term project evolves. After all, the fragile ground beneath our electoral system has been convulsing. Surely some things have changed since Eve started her project.

And, yes, things have changed. Eve, through her project, has responded to this surreal moment in our country.

It’s difficult to talk about a project in the middle. It’s no longer fresh. The passion might be waning as things evolve. You realize that what you were once sure of is now more malleable than you had planned on. You’re facing options that you didn’t think you had in the beginning or roadblocks you couldn’t have imagined.

So it’s especially instructive to interview people at various stages of their projects.

I was most interested in talking with Eve at this point about judging the effectiveness of her project because it was created to make a social impact. Is it making a social impact? As you’ll hear, a fellowship Eve received is helping her with this process.

Eve outlines the 5 indicators she is using to measure effectiveness. Even if you don’t have a project focused on making a social impact, these indicators will be useful for appraising the successful reach of your exhibition, event, program, or teaching.

Highlights

• 

  “It all took on a new significance.” Eve’s project changed after the 2020 election. (4:27)
• The reasons behind improvements in the knitting circle. (8:11)
• The mindset shift that created positive changes to the project format. (10:02)
• Eve’s preparation helped secure her fellowship. (11:41)
• Collaboration changes and letting go of tight control over the project. (13:28)
• The topics that the project covers now are not the same as the initial intended ones. (19:25)
• 5 indicators to measure effectiveness in any project. (24:44)
• Applying these tools to measure other areas of success. (31:40)
• A look at what’s coming next for Eve. (36:40)
• The evolution of Eve’s expanded exhibition. (39:11)

Mentioned

• The Art Biz ep. 64: Knit Democracy Together (first interview with Eve)
• Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering book
• National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellows
• New England Foundation for the Arts Public Art Grants
• LBJ speech introducing Voting Rights Act in 1965

Eve Jacobs-Carnahan Quotes

• “I have definitely let go of some control, and that’s been good.”
• “I realized that I wasn’t going to be as effective by myself.”
• “I’m talking about what people can do to help strengthen the system so we don’t have chaos, all while knitting.”
• “Change can happen step by step, stitch by stitch and with many people working together.”
• “Artists who want to do social impact work definitely can be using these tools.”
• “Think about the people you know, think about your relationships with them, and be willing to ask for help.”

The post The Art Biz ep. 121: Guaranteeing an Effective Project with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan appeared first on Art Biz Success.

Or just felt icky or incomplete about the whole process?

In this episode (#119) of The Art Biz podcast I talk with Sara Schroeder.

Back in 2018 Sara was just getting into the groove of working in the studio again. She decided to start posting the work to Instagram, and followers began responding to it instantly. Within a year she had 10,000 followers. A few months later, there were 20,000.

Now she has more than 70,000 followers.

It was quick success. And a little unexpected.

You’ll hear the creative way Sara overcame the fear of selling and what she wishes she had known to do differently while in the throes of that success.

For more than a year, Sara has been using tools like journaling and the Enneagram to discover more about herself and explore where she wants her work to go.

Now she wants more. She knows there is more than posting and looking for sales online, so she has stepped back and reassessed. She’s ready for a brave step.

You’ll hear Sara mention the solo show she has scheduled. This is part of a challenge I issue to students in my seasonal programs because I believe that exhibiting in person and by yourself builds your courage muscles and professional chops.

We also discuss why her Instagram strategy has changed and what her new approach is for Instagram and marketing in general.

Highlights

• “I fell in love with making art all over again.” (2:00)
• The value of finding a dedicated space for your art. (7:11)
  

  

• The difference between Sara’s maximum and minimal art. (10:18)
• Sara’s Instagram took off and the success quickly became overwhelming. (12:20)
• When app demands take over making artwork. (18:55)
• The evolution of Sara’s work since pulling back from Instagram. (24:07)
• The process of self discovery through journaling, meditating, and the Enneagram. (28:01)
• Details of Sara’s latest 100-piece collection. (32:00)
• How Sara would have handled her initial success and systems differently. (34:49)
• Sara’s modified Instagram presence and increased in-person collaborations. (39:47)
• Sara’s typical work week and why she starts work at 11am. (46:32)

Mentioned

• Lisa Congdon’s illustration classes
• Andy J. Pizza
• Art:21
• Enneagram
• Natalie Goldberg’s Freewriting
• Artist Planning Sessions

Sara Schroeder Quotes

• “I fell in love with making art all over again.”
• “I was stuck in this pattern of making a lot of less expensive artwork.”
• “I was spending so much time on Instagram that I wasn’t spending much time in the studio making the artwork.”
• “I felt I was being controlled by the app instead of doing what I felt like I needed to spend my time doing.”
• “I’ve given myself time to do things that are important to me rather than scrolling on my phone.”

About My Guest

Sara Schroeder is an abstract painter living and working in Miami, Florida. Her work is gestural, bright, and lively, and addresses the interplay between spiritual and corporeal worlds. Often, a grounding force is represented as well as rhythmic patterns of human existence. Sara finds conversations between our humanity and spirituality endlessly fascinating and uses multiple mediums and the emotive power of color to give visual form to this dialogue.

Follow Sara on Instagram: @saraschroederart

The post The Art Biz ep. 119: Growing Beyond Being an Instagram Artist with Sara Schroeder appeared first on Art Biz Success.

People. You need them.

You need people to buy your art, people to show your art to, people to attend your shows, people to write about your work, and, let’s face it, you need people to support you emotionally along the way.

You need other artists around who “get” you. It’s in these friendships that you will find understanding as well as ideas that challenge you to be a better artist.

The relationships you nurture can sustain you, but you’ll never know to what extent until you start taking them seriously. Until you believe with all of your soul that you can’t do this on your own.

This month on The Art Biz podcast, we’re emphasizing the value of 1-on-1 marketing. I almost hate to call it marketing because it’s really about building authentic relationships. Relationships with other artists, gallerists, writers, curators, buyers, students, collectors, and agency administrators.

You are not alone if this type of personal relationship building doesn’t come easily to you. Many of us were born without that gene, and if this is true for you, it’s not too late. It’s a skill that can be practiced and improved upon over time.

As I said back in episode 107, the not-so-secret secret to higher level growth for artists is in personalizing your marketing. Really caring about humans and having private interactions rather than broadcasting to social media or a large list all of the time.

But what do you do if you move to a new place and don’t know anyone? Or if you’re just getting started? Where do you begin?

In this episode I talk with Laurence de Valmy about how she has used her bonus talent as a writer to make connections in all arenas of the art world.

It all started with the thought that there were people out there who knew more about how to “be” an artist than she did. She trusted that she could learn from them. Even if you aren’t a writer, I think you’ll be inspired by her boldness and creativity.

Highlights

• “This is the place to take the leap.” Laurence reflects on her artist journey. (2:32)
• The birth of The Curious Frenchy blog. (5:42)
• Laurence’s publishing schedule is shaped by the artists she meets. (8:14)
• How to more effectively learn from others while promoting their work. (9:52)
• What was it like interviewing Henri Matisse’s granddaughter? (13:40)
• Embracing the value of personal relationships. (15:30)
• Opportunities that have come to Laurence as a result of her blog connections. (17:05)
• How Laurence leverages and promotes blog content on social media. (21:17)
• The difference that one-on-one relationships can make in your business. (23:29)
• Tools for organizing your connections and contacts. (25:58)
• A look at Laurence’s typical workday and schedule. (27:57)
• How to meet people when you move to a new location. (31:32)
• Simplifying content sharing on social media (32:29)
• Laurence’s advice for artists who are intimidated about reaching out to form new connections. (34:08)
• A look at what’s coming up next for Laurence. (36:16)

Mentioned

• Sophie Matisse
• Dominique Lévy of Lévy-Gorvy Gallery
• Allan Gorman
• French Quarter Magazine
• Femmes d’Art
• Unik Magazine

Laurence de Valmy Quotes

“All I knew was that I didn’t know. And so I had to learn a new job and in order to do so, I started to connect with other artists.”

“I quickly realized that’s how things happen. It’s through the people you know.”

“People work with people that they like.”

“The worst that can happen is that nothing happened. It’s as simple as that.”

“If you are prepared, you will know what to say.”

About My Guest

Laurence de Valmy invites us to reflect on the links between artists through times and the relationship between art and social media today. In her POST paintings, she revisits art history through imagined Instagram feeds of the past. Her recent work explores the place of hashtags in our communication.

Laurence is French American and lives in the U.S. She writes about art on her blog The Curious Frenchy and for art publications.

Follow Laurence on Instagram: @laurencedevalmy

The post Boldly reaching out to art world influencers with Laurence de Valmy (108) appeared first on Art Biz Success.

In this episode of the Art Biz Podcast I talk with Leah Smithson about her path, which kicked into gear after her father suffered a massive stroke and she began researching how creativity works in the brain.

Leah’s interest in learning has led to her nontraditional portrait paintings, jewelry, public art, and murals. You’ll also hear about how she embraces technology and has been teaching herself augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR).

Leah and I discuss how she decides which risks to take on and which projects to get involved with, how she schedules her week, and how her well-meaning husband cajoled her into co-hosting a podcast with him.

Leah has taken many risks in her art career, and I love her point of view: You’ll never know until you try. You can decide to take a risk because even if it doesn’t turn out as you’d hope—even if it’s a disaster—you’ll be glad you did it anyway, if it’s something that fits with your goals.

If you’ve ever considered which step to take next or which opportunities are right for your art business, you need to listen to this advice from an artist who has failed and continues to experience success.

Music by Wildermiss

 Highlights

• Leah Smithson shares her art and the family experience that led her to focus more on her own creativity. (1:19)
• Unpacking the effects of art and creativity on the brain. (5:05)
• The evolution of Leah’s art in the face of emotion and self-expression. (6:46)
• Income streams and the impact that Covid-19 had on Leah’s work. (10:55)
• Taking calculated risks in art and tuning in to what you want for your art business. (14:52)
• Learning from Leah’s failures. (17:10)
• How to identify the right opportunities for your art business. (22:08)
• The role of research in Leah’s art. (27:55)
• Creating digital art experiences with AR and VR. (31:43)
• Leah’s typical workweek balances studio work, social media, podcasting, and community projects. (36:37)

Mentioned

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

Leah Smithson Quotes

• “The faster you get it out there, the quicker you can make progress.”
• “I try to balance an educated decision with being tuned in to what I really want to do, so even if it doesn’t go well at least it was because it was something I wanted to do.”
• “Even when I fail I can still be happy with the decision I made.”
• “I’ve learned that the next time I take a risk, it needs to be something that I really want to do. And even if it’s a disaster, I’m happy I did it anyway.”

About My Guest

Leah Smithson is a Los Angeles-based artist with a surrealistic nature to her work. Having moved around as a kid, her style comes from a patchwork of influences from classical painting to cyberpunk. In her murals, digital works, paintings, and sculpture, she often uses nature & portraiture to express the complexities of being human and our connection to this earth. As a muralist, her goal is to create little rabbit holes of experiences in the cityscape, providing moments of inspiration to remind us that our lives are about more than just surviving.

Leah was born in Tennessee and has also lived in Atlanta and the Bay Area of Northern California. She co-hosts Vessel: Art as a Doorway, a podcast with her husband.

Follow Leah on Instagram: @leahsmithsonart

Music by Wildermiss

The post The Art Biz ep. 94: Calculating Risks in Your Art Business with Leah Smithson appeared first on Art Biz Success.

We are hard wired for self-protection.

The moment we smell risk, our physical bodies start preparing for the encounter. Our mental faculties begin telling us how we can avoid it or, short of that, deal with it.

This is a convenient human feature you were given. It keeps you safe. But it can also keep you small when you give it all the power for decision-making. It can hold you back from becoming the person you dream of becoming and the artist you were meant to be in the world.

Playing It Too Safe

I want to share some of the ways you might be allowing your built-in sensor to rule your life and impede your growth. See if any of these ring true.

You enter the same exhibitions year after year.


When you just started your art business, you began entering juried shows. You found one that was a good fit. You got in. Yay you! That wasn’t so bad. So you enter again the next year. And then the next.

Juried shows are a natural first step for artists, but what I’ve witnessed is that many artists use them like a crutch. They’re easy and comfortable.

You maintain membership in a group whose members are not growing. 


This is similar to sticking to the same shows year after year. You’re comfortable with the people you already know, so it’s easy to stay involved. The problem, of course, is that you get frustrated because the group members aren’t thinking at the same level you are. You become angry and resentful about the time it’s taking up.

There’s no reason to get mad. You can’t expect a large group of people to suddenly change their ways. It’s you who is growing. It’s your responsibility (to yourself and to other members) to move on.

You stick close to friends at art openings rather than meeting new people.


We are all guilty of this. Art openings aren’t a natural place to walk around introducing yourself to new people. But leaving at the end without meeting a single new person is almost a waste of time. Because we all know that nobody attends openings to look at the art. You can always do that later.

You promote your art in the same way, day after day, month after month, and year after year. 


There is much to say for consistency. You have to promote consistently for months in order to gain traction. But how do you know if you might get better results from a different approach if you don’t try? If you don’t tweak your strategies every now and then?

If any of these sound familiar, I challenge you to get a little uncomfortable with your art, with your marketing, and in your life. I challenge you to take more risks.

Listen to this on the Art Biz Podcast

Music by Wildermiss

Growth Demands Risk

Let’s face it. You take a risk whenever you get out of bed in the morning. You don’t know what ominous messages are in your inbox or what the rest of the day holds for you. It’s much safer to stay under the covers.

You take a risk every time you put a batch of pottery into the kiln. I hope they all come out right and nothing explodes or breaks.

Or point your lens to snap a shot. I have one chance to capture this moment.

Or start applying paint to that spendy extra large canvas you wanted to tackle. Here I go!

You take a risk signing up for a new course by an unknown-to-you teacher. It sounds great and, fingers crossed, it will give you exactly what you need. Until you realize that you actually have to do the work. There is no guaranteed transformation and zero chance of growth until you do the work.

I see hope fizzle all of the time with our students in the Art Career Success System. They start out gung ho and then it gets hard. No way no how do I promise a magic pill.

What I do promise is an art business system that is customized to what they need now, but they’re going to have to create it using my lessons, forms, and worksheets. They have to carve out the time to learn in their schedules, face the content one lesson at a time, and show up for our strategy sessions for added support and answers.

It’s a risk that only the most dedicated of artists accept. If you’re willing to do this, I hope you’ll check out our art biz system.

Growth demands risk.

Levels of Risk

Life is full of risks, and nothing is certain. But some things seem to be riskier than others–like leaving a day job to devote time to your art. This is on the extreme end of the spectrum because your livelihood is at stake.

Wait. Maybe leaving a day job isn’t as extreme as it sounds. Uncomfortable moves in your art business that could affect your livelihood—positively or negatively—await your decision every day.

For example … You’ve thought about it for awhile. Your work has matured and you believe it’s time to begin approaching galleries. This is a huge step, and the very thought of it makes you break into hives.

Or you are inspired to begin a multi-year project that is close to your heart and will require you to step out of the studio and get in front of more people. Yikes! But you can do it. Take a lesson from Eve Jacobs-Carnahan’s Knit Democracy Together project.

Or Marilyn Artus’s Her Flag project. As I record this, Marilyn’s flag is hanging outside on the building of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. Both of those artists took massive risks.

But let’s lower the stakes. Even something as innocuous as sending an email to your list strikes fear in your soul when you have neglected staying in touch. This is a much smaller risk, but it seems enormous when you’re in the middle of it.

Assessing Risk

When we talk about taking risks, we have to consider what is actually at risk.

It might be, as mentioned, your livelihood. Your income could plummet.

You might be risking rejection, hurt feelings (yours or someone else’s), jealousy, and even your reputation.

You might be risking opportunities that wouldn’t be available to you if you selected a certain path.

And … It must be said … You might also be risking a shot at more income, attention, a more prestigious reputation, acceptance, deeper connection, and new opportunities.

When looking at opportunities, try journaling about the situation. Sit with your cup of coffee and begin free writing about the decision at hand. Get it all out.

After this, you can organize your thoughts on a new piece of paper. At the top of the page, write down clearly what you’re considering. Then add 2 columns below.

The left column is labeled What I Have to Gain and the right column is, you guessed it, What I Have to Lose. You know what to do next. Start building your lists.

Look them over. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages. Maybe there is a clear winner and you know what to do next.

Or perhaps, as is more likely, there is a clear winner and you are still filled with doubt. It’s probably because you are facing something new and different. There is a bit of fear involved.

You would, ahem, have to take a risk.

The Zone of Discomfort

In what I refer to as the Zone of Discomfort, you seek new ideas, knowledge, and clarity. You want to test what is possible. You want to innovate, improve, increase, enhance. You want to grow.

And, as I said earlier, growth demands risk. Don’t even think about moving up a level without being prepared to face a little risk.

If, after journaling and assessing the risk, you’re still not convinced that you’re ready for the challenge, ask yourself questions that I use in these situations.

What’s the absolute best thing that can happen if I put myself in this uncomfortable situation? How would that feel?

What’s the worst that can happen if I put myself in this uncomfortable situation? If this does happen, can I live with it?

One year from today, looking back, will I be happier if I took the risk or if I played it safe? If the best scenario could happen right now, why would I postpone the results?

Why do I want this? What’s my motive?

I hope you see in these questions that I’m not asking you to take risks simply for the sake of taking risks. I want there to be meaning behind your risk-taking. Purpose in your steps.

Nor do I want you to take too many risks at once. Exercise that risk-taking muscle as if you’re in training. There is no need to stay stay uncomfortable for long, but you do want to be there long enough to stretch your potential.

You can do this. It’s the only way to reap the rewards you seek.

Related Episodes

Artist as Problem Solver with Michael Gadlin

Calculated Risks, Guaranteed Rewards with Leah Smithson

What Your Failures are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney

If you are ready to risk success but don’t yet have the business structure in place that would support your growth and goals, please join me for the on-demand courses, community forum, and live connections with like-minded artists in the Art Career Success System. 

This post was first published on September 1, 2008. It has been updated and expanded with original comments intact.

Music by Wildermiss

The post Are you playing it too safe in your art business? (92) appeared first on Art Biz Success.

One of my favorite art writers, Martin Gayford, wrote a book on this topic titled The Pursuit of Art: Travels, Encounters, and Revelations. It’s as much about the journey to see art, much of it in far-flung locations, as it is about the art itself.

Every so often, I can get my mom interested in accompanying me on one of my art trips. Mom isn’t a huge follower of art, but she likes a good adventure, and it was easy to get her to hop in the car with me last fall to see Under Her Wing was the Universe, an enormous public sculpture by artist and curator Romy Owens that was installed in 2020 in Enid, Oklahoma.

Enid is the 9th-largest city in Oklahoma, with a population of about 50,000, but it doesn’t sit on a major interstate highway. It’s about 90 minutes northwest of Oklahoma City, where Mom lives, and not really on the way to anywhere else. You kinda have to go out of your way to get there.

And that’s what we did. Mom and I had both been following the progression of Romy’s sculpture and donated to its crowdfunding. After following the progression of this enormous endeavor and seeing it for myself, I couldn’t wait to talk more with Romy.

On this episode of the Art Biz Podcast, Romy and I discuss her commitment to raising $100,000 for this outdoor public sculpture and native prairie landscape as a gift to her hometown. As it turns out, $100,000 was just the beginning.

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.

Music by Wildermiss

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 my 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)
• Overcoming 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

Under Her Wing was the Universe
The Pursuit of Art by Martin Gayford
City of Enid, Oklahoma

Related Episodes

Leveraging Location with Ashley Lucas
Knit Democracy Together with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan (multi-year project)
Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus

Romy Owens Quotes

“Whatever your profession is, you want to surround yourself with people within that community. And thankfully in the art community, it really becomes a very cohesive community.”

“When we can cheerlead each other and when we can support each other and we can bounce ideas off of each other, we only become better artists.”

“Any artist who makes anything wants people to just pause for a moment and consider a different point of view.”

“How you measure success for one project may be different than how you measure the success of another project.”

About My Guest

Romy Owens is an artist and curator living in Enid, Oklahoma, who 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 Romy’s 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.

Follow Romy on Instagram: @theromyowens

Music by Wildermiss

The post The Art Biz ep. 76: Crowdfunding a Public Art Project with Romy Owens appeared first on Art Biz Success.

Related Episodes

The Art Biz ep. 30: Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus

Multiply your audience and expand your show’s impact with Jill Powers (27)

Eve Jacobs-Carnahan makes knitted sculpture. Using the comforting qualities of knitting she explores human interactions with nature, democracy, and society.

Eve’s work has been exhibited throughout the United States, receiving regional and national awards. Her work appears in Lela Nargi’s survey of knitted art, Astounding Knits! 101 Spectacular Knitted Creations and Daring Feats. She loves the notion of knitting as a daring act. When not engaged in such audacious pursuits, she can be found digging in her garden or cross-country skiing through the woods. Both activities put her in touch with the plants and birds that appear in her sculptures.

See Eve’s art on her website and visit KnitDemocracy.org to see more about the project.

Follow Eve on Instagram: @ejcarnahan

 

Listen

Music by Wildermiss.

About My Guest

Eve Jacobs-Carnahan makes knitted sculpture. Using the comforting qualities of knitting she explores human interactions with nature, democracy, and society.

Eve’s work has been exhibited throughout the United States, receiving regional and national awards. Her work appears in Lela Nargi’s survey of knitted art, Astounding Knits! 101 Spectacular Knitted Creations and Daring Feats. She loves the notion of knitting as a daring act. When not engaged in such audacious pursuits, she can be found digging in her garden or cross-country skiing through the woods. Both activities put her in touch with the plants and birds that appear in her sculptures.

See Eve’s art on her website and visit KnitDemocracy.org to see more about the project.

Follow Eve on Instagram: @ejcarnahan.

Music by Wildermiss.

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• You could benefit from a weekly structure to keep you on track.
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• You are ready to share struggles and joys with like-minded artists around the world—artists who really get you.

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The post The Art Biz ep. 64: Knit Democracy Together with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan appeared first on Art Biz Success.

She feels helpless, but not for long. Sandra Felemovicius springs into action. She doesn’t think too long or overanalyze. She only knows she wants to make a difference.

That’s how her twice-weekly Instagram Live program, Tap Into Your Creativity, started.

On it, Sandra interviews artists at home in their studios—hoping to inspire and to be a light amid all the darkness. The artists, in turn, agree to donate a 10 x 10 inch painting to be auctioned to benefit Feeding America.

Follow #armyofartists to watch the progress.

Having recently started my own weekly Instagram Live (Wednesdays at 4pm Eastern) I know that there are a lot of logistics around getting guests to join you. Schedules, bandwidth, backgrounds, audio, and lighting. As Sandra says on the podcast, “Anything can happen on live TV.”

Still, when you’re committed to a project, you’ll find a way to make it happen. Listen to how Sandra does it.

Listen Now

Music by Wildermiss.

Highlights

• Sandra and I are both looking for Black artists and people of color to be on our shows — standing offer! (:55)
• Sandra’s background and family in Mexico City (2:29)
• Sandra gets married and moves to Minnesota, where her husband does his residency (6:52)
• How her husband’s life as a doctor during Covid-19 inspired her to take action (9:44)
• Sandra’s life before Covid and her studio in Minneapolis’s Little Soho district (11:21)
• “Once you put it down on paper, you’re committed to something.” (14:09)
• The genesis of Tap into Your Creativity, Sandra’s show on IG Live (15:07)
• The features of Tap into Your Creativity (17:19)
• The whole purpose of the show is to inspire people stuck at home (18:58)
• Raising money for Feeding America (20:10)
• Plans for a catalog (21:28)
• If you don’t ask, if you don’t put yourself out there, your idea won’t happen (22:23)
• How the auction will work (27:38)
• The point at which Sandra decided to hire help (30:49)
• How Sandra is bringing together the artists she’s featuring on her program (32:12)
• Sandra makes sure she gets her studio time in (33.28)
• What Sandra has learned in this process (35:24)
• “If you don’t ask, no one will answer.” (36:03)
• “Anything can happen when you’re on live TV.” (39:02)

Mentioned

• Amy Zaroff’s Instagram
• Tap Into Your Creativity show on Instagram Live
• Feeding America

About My Guest

Sandra Felemovicius 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.

Sandra was born in Mexico City and received her BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1995. Her most recent work can be found in the permanent collection of the US Bank Vikings Stadium, in Manuk Gallery in San Miguel de Allende, Gallery in Los Cabos at The Hotel Esperanza, Rosenthal Interiors and Modernwell in Minneapolis MN.

Music by Wildermiss.

This episode is sponsored my signature business-building program for artists, the Art Career Success System.

All of the lessons you learn in the Art Career Success System are tasks you will address repeatedly throughout your art business and career—like rewriting your artist statement, submitting exhibition proposals, developing content, and nurturing your connections.

In the ACSS you will build a strong foundation that will last throughout your career.

Please join our community of ambitious artists. See http://ArtCareerSuccessSystem.com.

The post The Art Biz ep. 55: An Army of Artists with Sandra Felemovicius appeared first on Art Biz Success.

As an aside, although we no longer offer the Inner Circle, we do continue to support artists through the Art Career Success System and our new small group artist masterminds. But, no matter how hard we try, we can’t make you do the work, whether it’s business or studio based.

And that’s where Suzanne’s story comes in.

What Suzanne wanted to share in this episode of the podcast is critical to every artist’s success.

She and I started talking about the idea of doing less (not more) in order to accomplish your goals, but it turned into a conversation about focusing more. Focusing on what matters. For Suzanne, that meant making a new body of work.

Nothing is more important to your professionalism as an artist than a consistent studio practice. Nothing!

Listen Now

Music by Wildermiss.

Highlights

We discuss the following.

• Why Suzanne felt like she was approaching her art career like an amateur in early 2018.
• The trap Suzanne fell into of thinking that she needed to take advantage of everything that was offered.
• The vast difference in how Suzanne approached her art business over the course of 2 years, and what the turning point was.
• Why doing less = focusing more.
• There’s no such thing as balance.
• How Suzanne prepared for her self-directed studio retreat over the summer to ensure that she maximized her focus and production.
• How she got over FOMO (fear of missing out).
• Why it’s been critical for Suzanne to have trusted artists and friends to support her during this period of growth.
• The motivation Suzanne received from her work that kept her from feeling she was missing out on having her hand in everything.
• How Suzanne’s dedicated practice of journaling keeps her grounded and focused.

Mentioned

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (morning pages)
Art Career Success System
Sketchbook Skool

About My Guest

Suzanne Gibbs is an artist and author based in Portland, Oregon. She creates contemporary abstract portraits exploring the roles of women, in particular homemakers, in society. In 2013 she graduated from Claremont Graduate University’s MFA program. She received her MS in Communication from the University of Portland and a BFA in Design from Carnegie-Mellon University. She also studied drawing and painting at Napa Valley Community College and Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Throughout her career, Suzanne has taught art and creativity workshops to students of all ages in schools, museums, private homes, and from her studio. Her work has been exhibited and collected nationally and internationally.

Follow Suzanne on Instagram: @suzannegibbsart

Music by Wildermiss.

This episode is sponsored my signature business-building program, the Art Career Success System, a program I have perfected after more than 17 years working with artists. Why take time away from your work in the studio to create your own business systems when I have done it for you?

Become part of a community of artists who are forward-thinking and forward-moving while streamlining your business and marketing.

join us Now

The post The Art Biz ep. 40: Focusing on Making Work That Matters with Suzanne Gibbs appeared first on Art Biz Success.

Then, in 2017, Marilyn attended one of my workshops. At the end of two days of masterminding with like-minded ambitious artists, Marilyn had the outline of her multi-state, multi-artist, multi-road-trip project: Her Flag.

Her Flag includes collaborations with artists and public performances in each of the 36 states that passed the amendment. Her first road trip was in June and included the first four states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Kansas. Her next trip begins on July 13.

Marilyn has scheduled 17 trips over a period of 14 months. At the end of the journey, Her Flag will be complete and measure 18-by-26 feet.

It’s an enormous project that involves an incredible amount of logistics and organizing. But Marilyn is up to the task. As she says, she’s psycho-passionate about this project and topic.

I’ve been dying to share this project for awhile and had the thrill of interviewing Marilyn before she left on her first trip. I hope it inspires you to think bigger about what is possible for your art.

Music by Wildermiss. 

Show Notes

In this interview, you will hear about:

• The research and passion that drove Marilyn into this ambitious project.
• Why it was important to Marilyn that the project be open to anyone who wants to celebrate, regardless of race or political affiliation.
• Why Marilyn knew if she wanted this project done, she needed to do it herself and not wait for anyone else.
• How Marilyn selected the 36 women artists in each state to work with.
• Why it was important to Marilyn that she pay the artists.
• The decision to make the flag at Rainbow Pennant, a business in Oklahoma that already employs women to make American Flags.
• A glimpse into the states Marilyn will travel to throughout her epic journey. She will start in Wisconsin in June to travel the path of ratification, and end her trip in Tennessee on August 18, 2020, the anniversary of the date on which the 19th Amendment was ratified.
• The physical details of the 18 x 26 ft flag, and how Marilyn plans to sew everything while she is on the road.
• The team Marilyn has hired to help her work on Her Flag, including one very important full-time project manager.
• The systems Marilyn used to keep their internal and external communication flow organized.
• The need for artists to not be so attached to their original idea that they miss out on something better.
• The decision to feature women of color and focus on women like Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Sojourner Truth.
• The part of the journey that is most uncomfortable for Marilyn, but why it’s important that she do it.
• Marilyn’s big dreams for the finished Her Flag.

Resources

• Her Flag 
• CaFÉ
• Basecamp 
• Fresh Lipstick: Redressing Fashion and Feminism by Linda M. Scott

Quotes

• “All of us need to step in and do what we can for our country right now.”
• “I’m kind of psycho passionate about this.”
• “As a feminist, I refuse to ask a woman artist to work for free.”
• “I’ve always been an artist that’s been flexible.”
• “I want to try and find some ground we can all agree on.”
• “As an artist, I try to be a joy bringer.”

About My Guest

Marilyn Artus explores the female experience within her artmaking practice. She has created shows that explore the suffragist era in the U.S., pay tribute to an assortment of women in American history and most recently uses the American flag as a vehicle for feminist exploration.

She has also been a curator, commercial artist, burlesque promoter, event planner and female artist mentor.

Read about Her Flag and follow the project on Instagram.

Music by Wildermiss. 

Update With Marilyn Artus from July 22, 2020

This was filmed on Instagram Live just before Marilyn finished the final stripe and performance.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Alyson Stanfield (@alysonstanfield)

The post The Art Biz ep. 30: Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus appeared first on Art Biz Success.