Daniel Sipe and Karlë Woods share how they built Lights Out from scratch with no money, no connections, and a willingness to take risks—plus why they invested in track lighting and marketing before almost anything else.
The post Building Community Through Art: The Lights Out Model (255) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Daniel Sipe and Karlë Woods didn’t plan to start an arts organization. They just wanted to interview artists during lockdown.
One video per week, every single week.
That scrappy commitment in 2021 became Lights Out, a Maine nonprofit that, as of this recording, has produced 95 artist documentaries and 18 popup exhibitions across the state.
On episode 255 of The Art Biz, they share the origin story that captures their philosophy perfectly: a power outage hit their first apartment art show in 2019. Instead of canceling, they brought in generators and contractor lights. When the lights go out, you figure it out and keep going.
Even when money was tight, they made strategic investments. Daniel spent $800 on track lighting and prioritized marketing dollars for postcards and Facebook ads. That commitment to quality and visibility set them apart immediately.
Their funding model is impressively diverse: monthly donors, state grants, foundation support, art sales, and unexpected contracts like a $170,000 vaccine equity project. That last one required fronting expenses on personal credit cards while waiting months for state reimbursement—scary, but necessary for growth.
Pay attention to how Lights Out works with galleries and institutions as collaborators, not competitors. As Daniel says, “It’s an ecosystem, and when we work together, it’s a lot more effective.”
For artists wanting to support—and find support from—organizations in their communities, the answer is simple: show up, engage, and if you can, donate.
Listen
Lights Out Suggested Action for You
Start by getting to know what’s available in your community—the arts organizations, galleries, and coalitions doing work you believe in. Then show up. Not just once, but consistently. Daniel and Karlë built something powerful by treating their local arts scene as an ecosystem rather than a competition.
What would shift for you if you approached your community the same way?
Lights Out Quotes
Daniel Sipe
“I don’t think we thought we should start an arts organization. That’s not how we got started. We started pretty much just kind of playing in a way.”
“The lights are gonna go out, then you have to figure out and pivot and make the thing happen regardless. The show goes on.”
“We knew how important it was to send postcards out, to do Facebook advertising, to reach audiences in different ways…. I think we did a really good job of figuring out where to spend the little bit of money that we had.”
“We really see this ability to work collaboratively with so many artists and so many institutions that already exist as kind of our power.”
“You can’t build something like what we’re doing without taking a large number of risks.”
Karlë Woods
“The power went out on the entire peninsula in Portland, so it was kind of the only thing going on. We got a generator, contractor lights, lit candles, invited everybody in. It was a splash. That was the first time the lights went out. That’s where the name comes from.”
“Our strength is that all of our disciplines, all of the things that we’re really good at, are very different. That’s a nice symbiotic relationship because we need each other. We’re also all very creative in terms of idea generating, and we’re all very excitable and passionate.”
“When people come to our shows, when people come to our volunteer days, or just engage with us in any way, we’re here to help. Being brave and showing up is a big thing.”
The most recent artist interview video from Lights Out Gallery.
About Karlë Woods and Daniel Sipe
Karlë Woods and Daniel Sipe co-founded Lights Out in 2019, along with Reed McLean.
Passionate about amplifying the voices of artists from all corners of Maine, both are recipients of the Maine Biz 40 Under 40 award for their leadership in the nonprofit sector and share a commitment to relationship building and grassroots community work.
Karlë Woods is a mixed-media artist and graphic designer with a degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic. She leads Creative Direction for Lights Out.
Daniel Sipe holds a degree in Marketing, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship from the University of Maine Business School. After falling in love with the art world while traveling and selling art with the Hidden Ladder Collective, he now leads fundraising, event planning, and promotion for Lights Out.
The post Building Community Through Art: The Lights Out Model (255) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>He shares why learning business skills helped him bypass permission structures, redefines what success actually means, and explains why artists talking to each other threatens the people who benefit from keeping you isolated.
The post Art world gatekeeping forces artists to compete with Damien Davis (254) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>What if the barriers keeping you from opportunities aren’t actually necessary?
What if the scarcity you’re experiencing is manufactured to keep you competing with other artists instead of connecting with them?
Damien Davis, a visual artist, writer, and educator, has spent years examining the power structures that shape the art world. His work includes:
Writing: Articles for Hyperallergic and other publications that expose gatekeeping mechanisms like application fees and the systems that keep artists competing instead of collaborating.
Studio practice: Colorful sculptures made from laser-cut acrylic and industrial hardware that draw viewers into conversations about erased histories.
Teaching: He calls himself “the bookends,” teaching freshman sculpture students to fall in love with being artists, then delivering harsh truths to seniors about working in the field. He recently moved to NYU Tandon to teach students how to put on professional exhibitions.
In this episode of The Art Biz, Damien shares how his master’s degree in visual arts administration—learning grant writing, fundraising, and strategic planning—gave him the tools to stop waiting for gatekeepers to decide he was good enough.
He explains why his definition of a successful artist has nothing to do with galleries or museums and everything to do with simply continuing to make work.
But the most powerful part of this conversation is Damien’s assertion that opportunities are actually abundant, and the people at the center of the art ecosystem benefit from keeping artists in perpetual competition. When artists talk to each other, share resources, and build community, that’s when the power shifts.
Listen
If you were inspired by this conversation with Damien, start by questioning one “rule” you’ve been following in your art career. Is there an application fee you’re hesitating to pay? A gatekeeper whose approval you’re waiting for? A definition of success that isn’t actually yours?
Now reach out to another artist and talk about it. Share what you’re questioning and ask what rules they’ve been following. That conversation—artist to artist—is how we start recognizing the abundance Damien talked about instead of staying stuck in competition.
Damien Davis Quotes
“I think that art school has a tendency to sort of flatten roles for people.”
“My definition for a successful artist has always been someone who just keeps making art. Someone who doesn’t give up, someone who doesn’t let the system tell them they can’t be creative in whatever way makes sense for them.”
“If being an artist for you is painting flowers in your grandma’s attic for like 30 years, that makes you a successful artist because you did it for 30 years.”
“As artists … we all should be striving towards identifying our own personal constellation of artists, historical movements, conceptual movements that actually frame who we are individually as creative people.”
“There’s all these systemic barriers that don’t actually need to exist that make it harder for artists to do their work, for artists to find each other, and for artists to gain access to the information, knowledge systems, communities that are gonna push their careers forward.”
“Playing this game of who gets what exhibition or who gets what fancy fellowship or grant—all it does is put us in this perpetual state of feeling like we’re in competition with each other. And that’s where these people not at the center of this ecosystem, that’s how they win.”
“Keeping us constantly at odds with each other, keeping us constantly competing for resources, time, energy, opportunities that should be and are abundant—that’s how they win.”
“I think the more that artists talk to each other, the more that we can recognize the abundance that we can create for ourselves and for each other.”
“I didn’t have to wait for the gatekeepers to decide that I was good enough.”
Mentioned
Project for Empty Space Studio
Some of Damien’s greatest hits in Hyperallergic:
Related Episodes
On a similar theme … In her 2025 Sate of the Product Industry Survey, Katie Hunt found that the respondents were tired and burned out.
About Damien Davis
Damien Davis is a Newark-based artist, writer, and educator whose practice explores cultural representation, abstraction, and systems of power. Working across sculpture, installation, public art, and writing, he recontextualizes symbols from architecture, digital culture, and diasporic histories to interrogate visibility and institutional narratives. His work has been exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, and the Whitney, and he is a contributing writer to Hyperallergic. Davis teaches at New York University.
Follow Damien on Instagram: @damiendavis
The post Art world gatekeeping forces artists to compete with Damien Davis (254) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>to guide her multidisciplinary practice.
In this conversation, she shares how she balances clay, textiles, and other mediums
while trusting the creative process. Malene also talks about designing work that holds memory, the role of community and kinship, and why artists should share their process as a way to connect.
The post Community, kinship, and career stability with Malene Barnett (242) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>When artist Malene Barnett discovered that enslaved Caribbean women once created and sold pottery to sustain their families, and in rare cases, purchase their freedom, clay became more than a medium. It became a way to honor those who survived.
This connection between material and memory drives Barnett’s entire practice. Working across textiles, ceramics, and rugs, she transforms her Caribbean and West African heritage into art you can touch, use, and live with.
Each piece doesn’t just reference ancestry; it continues a conversation with it.
But Barnett refuses to be confined to one medium.
Clay demands patience—weeks of drying, hours in the kiln—so she fills the waiting with photography, printmaking, and video work. It’s not restlessness, it’s rhythm. Each medium operates on its own timeline, and she’s learned to orchestrate them.
She’s also uninterested in the gallery pedestal. Instead of isolated objects behind glass, Barnett creates immersive environments where textiles, ceramics, and imagery converge. Her installations invite you into a world shaped by the objects she crafts.
That same expansiveness defines how she moves through the art world. In 2018, she founded the Black Artists and Designers Guild, building the support network she wished existed when she was starting out. Her 2023 book, Crafted Kinship, profiles over 60 artists of Caribbean heritage, the resource she searched for in graduate school and couldn’t find, so she made it herself.
Her advice to emerging artists is deceptively simple: build enough stability that your creativity has room to breathe. And then, no matter what, keep making.
Listen
Malene Barnett Quotes
“I made a pact with myself early on that whatever I create would be grounded in my ancestry and identity.”
“Clay is not just material. It’s a tool for liberation.”
“In the Caribbean, enslaved women used clay pots not only to nourish families but also to buy freedom.”
“I don’t want to be defined by one medium. I am multidisciplinary.”
“I’m more interested in creating environments than in showing one-off pieces on a pedestal.”
“You don’t have to wait for a finished piece to share. Share your process—the tools, the research, the works-in-progress.”
“Community is central to everything I do.”
“The good things are coming. They’re already planned, so you don’t have to worry. Just keep making.”
About Malene Barnett
Malene Djenaba Barnett is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, textile surface designer, and community builder. She holds an MFA in ceramics from Tyler School of Art and Architecture and undergraduate degrees in fashion illustration and textile surface design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. In 2022–23, she received a Fulbright Award to serve as visiting artist at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston, Jamaica.
Malene is the founder of the Black Artists + Designers Guild, which supports independent Black makers globally. When she’s not traveling the world researching Black diasporic aesthetics, she’s based in Brooklyn, New York.
Follow Malene on Instagram: @malene.barnett
The post Community, kinship, and career stability with Malene Barnett (242) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>In this episode of The Art Biz, we discuss how art fosters connection, how Samra built a community around her work, and why sharing art in real-life spaces matters. Listen now and explore the power of art to bridge cultures.
The post Community Liaison, Translator, and Glass Painter with Samra Bashir (217) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Art has a unique ability to transcend language, evoke emotion, and bring people together across cultural divides.
This idea is embodied in the work of Samra Bashir, whose glass paintings celebrate the rich traditions of South Asian and Islamic art while inviting a broader audience into their intricate beauty.
Samra’s journey as an artist began as a personal escape—something she turned to during challenging times. But over the years, her work evolved into something much larger. Through her use of glass paint and light, she has built not just an art practice, but also a powerful means of storytelling, connection, and cultural education.
In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Samra about:
- How her creative journey started and what led her to glass painting.
- The role of light in her work and why it’s an essential element.
- How she uses art to foster community and bridge cultural gaps.
- The importance of stepping out from behind the screen and sharing art in real-life spaces.
Samra’s story is a reminder that art doesn’t just exist in isolation—it thrives in conversation, connection, and shared experiences.
Listen
After hearing about Samra’s experience, I challenge you to take a moment to reach out and forge a new connection in your own community.
Whether it’s starting a conversation with a fellow artist, attending a local art event, or simply sharing your creative journey with someone new, take that first step. If you’re brave, whip out your business card and take the new contact to the next level.
If you are intimidated by any of this, please look into my Essentials for Artist Success classes. We don’t have just the lessons to ground you, we also have a vibrant, supportive community.
Share your brave steps in a comment below or with me on Instagram, where you’ll find me @alysonstanfield. And use the hashtag #artbizsuccess when you take action.
Watch
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Samra Bashir Quotes
“My art is more about storytelling, about informing people about other cultural traditions.”
“ Five years ago I decided to take take charge of my life.”
“The more [I teach glass painting] , the more I’m learning about it.”
“Everyone should be able to create or do something to express themselves.”
“I would just tell them, I’m an artist. This is what I do. And I will just give them my card.”
“Art doesn’t have any barriers. No doors, no windows, like people just connect with each other just on the basis of being an artist.”
Mentioned
Samra Bashir is a Pakistani-American artist based in Chicago, Illinois, known for her work seamlessly blending traditional Islamic patterns with contemporary techniques and vibrant South Asian influences.
With a Bachelor’s in Studio Art, she specializes in glass painting, celebrating her rich cultural heritage through intricate, captivating designs. Her art has been showcased at numerous events, highlighting her unique ability to merge tradition with innovation. Samra is also dedicated to community engagement, offering workshops to inspire creativity and self-expression. Her art reflects her immigrant journey & a deep connection to identity & heritage.
Follow Samra on Instagram: @glasscalligraphy
Don’t miss new articles, podcasts, programs, and some of my favorite discoveries.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter.
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]]>We end with a conversation about how, with so many commitments, Julie prioritizes her art.
The post Finding Your Artist Voice through Mentorship with Julie deBoer (ep. 201) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Artistic style is something most artists struggle with when starting out. There’s a lot of pressure to find your own voice so that you’re not cranking out work that looks like that of your teachers.
I don’t think that a consistent style is as important as it was even 20 years ago, but I know it’s still worth pursuing.
In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with artist Julie deBoer, founder of Mastrius, a mentorship platform for artists. While we do discuss Mastrius in the second half of the show, I was most interested in talking with Julie about how she developed her painting style with the help of a mentor—primarily because she resisted what was coming from her hands for so long.
We discuss:
- Why she feels it was a mistake to try to go it alone rather than embrace the resources that were available for her to grow as an artist.
- Her decision to leave her galleries to focus on self-sales.
- Finding your creative edge, which led Julie to finding her personal style.
- Embracing what naturally wants to flow from your hands.
- The value of a mentorship, receiving feedback, and being part of an artist community.
- How Mastrius is structured for artist mentoring.
- The episode wraps up with one of my favorite discussions: how Julie finds the time to fit everything in while prioritizing her art.
Listen
Mentioned
- Mitchell Albala
- David Langevin, Julie’s mentor
- Growth Edge
Julie deBoer Quotes
“I just felt like I was hitting my head against the wall for a couple years, not enjoying the process. So that’s when I decided just to cut that out and just let it happen.”
“We can stare at our own work day after day after day … and struggle and not know what the issue is that we’re struggling against. And all it takes is someone to take a quick look and say, Oh yeah, it’s right there.”
“Being in relationship with other artists really opened my mind to, Oh my goodness, there’s many, many different ways to do this journey. There’s many different definitions of success.”
“You don’t know how badly you need community and connection until you have it, and then you realize, Oh, I’ll never go without again.”
“We really aren’t in competition with each other…. We’re running the race side by side and we just go farther, faster, and it’s much more enjoyable and life giving.”
Related Episodes
These episodes are about a commitment to the work in the studio.
About My Guest
Julie deBoer, founder of the global mentorship community for artists, Mastrius, is celebrated for her bold, stylized, whimsical paintings that flow and dance across the canvas. Best known for her large, stormy sky landscapes, her new work explores the movement and story of fire and smoke.
Though self-taught and isolated for many years, she found her greatest success once she stepped out of her studio and into mentorship and relationship with other artists. She’s an avid believer that we find success and joy faster when we work together, shoulder-to-shoulder, in non-competitive, goals focused, and supportive community.
Follow Julie on Instagram: @julie.deboer.art
The post Finding Your Artist Voice through Mentorship with Julie deBoer (ep. 201) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Kelly also discusses her latest solo show and her engagement with her new community, how she maintains a robust art presence both in the US and the UK, and funding sources.
The post Using Her Superpower and Biomaterials with Kelly M. O’Brien (ep. 196) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>One thing is certain about the art business: There are more artists making more art than ever. Where is it all of that art ending up? Where will it be in 5, 10, or 30 years?
Knowing that not all art will be or should be preserved forever, I have become increasingly aware that the materials many artists are using in their work are harmful to our environment. (I know … I’m pretty slow to the party.)
Maybe not in the short term, but what happens to the works or the scraps from their making in the future?
My guest for this episode of The Art Biz has taken this concern to heart and completely changed how she makes work.
Kelly M. O’Brien grows and uses biomaterials for her sculpture.
In this fascinating conversation, we discuss:
- What biomaterials are and how they show up in Kelly’s new work.
- The aesthetics of biomaterials.
- Why Kelly isn’t concerned about the work lasting forever.
- What you can do to incorporate more sustainable sources in your work.
We also discuss Kelly’s recent solo exhibition and why community interaction is a key piece of her exhibitions, and how she funds her non-commercial practice.
[ For some background, listen to my earlier interview with Kelly: Returning to Grad School for an MFA]
Listen
Scroll down to watch the video interview.
Highlights with Audio Timestamps
02:02 Kelly makes a big move from the UK to Upstate New York
04:03 The shift to sustainable art practices
05:51 Understanding biomaterials
09:27 Kelly’s recent solo exhibition
15:36 The role of research in Kelly’s approach to her art
18:25 Exploring the potential of biomaterials
24:50 Public programs and community engagement [ See Multiply Your Audience and Expand Your Show’s Impact with Jill Powers ]
26:11 The Reading Circle and Mend & Tend for the exhibition
27:45 The importance of connection
30:38 Building a network as an introvert
32:57 Maintaining overseas connections
36:59 Challenges of biomaterials in art
41:38 Resources for artists interested in exploring biomaterials
43:07 Kelly’s upcoming projects
Mentioned + Resources
- Byrdcliffe Artist Residency Program
- Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant
- The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry (publication also of the same name)
- When I Am Among the Trees read by Mary Oliver
The Material Way: the course Kelly took in 2023 to expand her biomaterials palette—it has since evolved)
TU Delft in the Netherlands: the academic research on mycelium for making
- Materiom
- Bioplastic Cook Book by Margaret Dunne
- Dezeen
- Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) Artist Toolkit: practical ideas, actions, and resources to support artists in addressing the climate crisis
- The Artist Resource Index (part of the GCC Artist Toolkit): a Notion-organized set of biomaterials resources and ideas for creating a more environmentally sustainable practice
- Artist Care & Repair: Kelly’s ever-evolving resource collection of books, articles, podcasts, and videos
Kelly M. O'Brien Quotes
“I am very driven by wanting to do less harm to the environment and to myself.”
“It’s the immersion in the woodlands and in nature that really held me together. And it was the beginning of a spell against despair.”
“I spent so much time outside during the pandemic and felt very cared for. A lot of solace in that.”
“I had to look outside of fine art to see who was making things that are enduring and working.”
“I’m interested in connecting the dots between paying attention to something and falling in love with it and wanting to take care of it.”
“I don’t feel like we can just sit back. It feels to me really urgent that we take whatever our superpower is and use it.”
Related Episodes
These episodes center around the artists’ studio practices.
About My Guest
Kelly M O’Brien is a mixed media artist with two strands to her practice: contemporary fine art sculpture and a commercial line that serves the hospitality art industry. After living overseas for 12 years, she recently returned to the US to settle in the Hudson Valley, New York.
Kelly completed an MFA in 2019 and received the Royal Society of Sculptors Gilbert Bayes Award for high-potential sculptors in 2023. She exhibits her work in the US and UK, and her commercial work is in corporate and hospitality projects worldwide.
Follow Kelly on Instagram: @kellyobrienart
The post Using Her Superpower and Biomaterials with Kelly M. O’Brien (ep. 196) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Marilyn and I talk about the work she does within her Afro-Carribean community in East London, including how it is funded and why her growing network is essential. We also discuss her studio rituals, leaning into the discomfort of rejection, and learning to let go.
The post Leaning Into Her Roots and Community Art with Marilyn Fontaine (ep. 185) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Some artists are fine working by themselves in their studios.
Other artists need to move their art beyond the studio walls and into the public in order to be fulfilled.
My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is one of those artists who finds gratification in involving others in her art.
[ See Multiply Your Audience and Expand Your Show’s Impact with Jill Powers ]
Marilyn Fontaine is a multidisciplinary artist who lives and works in East London.
Her work is spiritual with a strong foothold in feminine themes. She has begun marrying that work to the history of the local community—in particular, the stories of those who share her Afro-Caribbean roots.
Marilyn and I talk about the work she does within her community, including how it is funded and why her growing network is essential.
We also discuss:
- Her ritual upon entering the studio for a day’s work.
- Why she’s leaning into rejection and learning to be curious about negative reactions that some people have to her work.
- How she is learning to let go—to not hold too tight to the idea that she wants something so badly—and to allow it to come by creating that space.
Listen
Mentioned
A Proud Inheritance commission at the Tate & Lyle Sugar Refinery on Royal Docks in Newham
A Proud Inheritance exhibition and community photo album
London Docklands Development Corporation
Committed to Telling Native Stories Through Her Art and Activism with Danielle SeeWalker (The Art Biz ep. 153)
Book: The Sugar Girls: Tales of Hardship, Love and Happiness in Tate & Lyle’s East End
Marilyn Fontaine Quotes
“Whenever I went to [Catholic] church, I never saw images that reflected who I was, but I love the magical and the mystical aspects to religion—the iconography of the religious images with the halo.”
“I’m like the keeper of the stories that have been passed down.”
“I got these commissions because it’s not so much the resume, it’s because I’ve got a footprint of work.”
“I never sway what I’m doing. So whenever a commission comes, I always say, ‘How can my body of work fit in with this commission?’”
“My practice is always to stretch myself. As an artist, I’m trying to be a bit more disruptive.”
“It’s so funny because I think we can push for something and it never happens. And when we let go, these things come.”
“But the joy—and I always forget about this—is when I see the younger members of the public, especially sometimes Black children that haven’t been exposed to an artist, and they see me and their faces light up with a proud inheritance.”
Related Episodes
These episodes focus on artists who tell stories with their art.
About My Guest
Marilyn J Fontaine is an East London-based mixed-media artist who creates magical, intense narratives with mystical and cultural overtones.
Marilyn’s work is often intense, bold, juxtaposed and ironic with strong cultural references and an ethereal aesthetic. The artist feels strongly connected to nature, ritual, community, and the human experience.
Her work embodies esoteric and human cultural themes including human values, heritage and our connection and relationship to each other and something greater. Marilyn is currently exploring audio, film and larger-size paintings as part of her current artistic practice.
Follow her on Instagram @mjfontaineart
The post Leaning Into Her Roots and Community Art with Marilyn Fontaine (ep. 185) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>We talk about all of the opportunities that have come Barbara's way because of her blog, how she gets things done, and the sweet ritual she shares with her husband.
The post The Art Biz ep. 146: Remember The Many Opportunities We Have Because We’re Online with Barbara Muir appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>If you’re old enough … think back with me on a time before the Internet. A time when artists were completely dependent on others to show and sell their work.
We need to take a moment every now and then to be grateful for having the world at our fingertips. For being able to instantly send images of our art out into the world. For friends around the globe we would never have met 30 years ago.
In this episode, I talk with artist Barbara Muir, who is unabashedly happy about being online. I wanted to have her on the show to remind us of all the good things that happen because we are so connected.
Here’s what came up:
- A brief rundown of the opportunities that have come Barbara’s way through her blog.
- Commitment to a blogging habit—now boasting more than 3,000 entries.
- Her practice of making a daily list of 6 things.
- The sweet ritual of leaving nightly letters to her husband.
Listen
Mentioned
Jean-Philippe Grélaud on Instagram: @jeanphi68
Liza Hirst on Instagram: @lizahirstpainter
Harry Stooshinoff is the Canadian painter who paints in his car: @harrystooshinoff
Quotes
“The more authentic you are (in business communication) the better you’ll do.”—Barbara Muir
“Sometimes we’re working, we’re writing, we’re putting stuff out there, and we don’t think that anyone cares or that it matters and the chances are really good that it’s mattering to someone.” —Alyson Stanfield
“if you haven’t done anything that they could see in a while, they are wondering when’s it coming?”—Barbara Muir
“I can pretty much go anywhere and meet someone that I’ve met online.”—Alyson Stanfield
“Everything exciting in my art life started from when I started blogging.”—Barbara Muir
“You need to remind yourself about what is good in your life and how incredibly lucky you are.”—Barbara Muir
“When I get a series, it’s good because I can anchor to that one thing and still do other things.”—Barbara Muir
Related Episodes
These episodes focus on online marketing.
Growing Your Art Business on Instagram with Jeanne Rosier Smith (ep. 67)
Growing Your Audience with Good Karma with Trudy Rice (ep. 77)
Increasing Art Sales with Online Events with Patricia Griffin (ep. 97)
About My Guest
Barbara Muir is known for landscapes featuring dramatic clouds, water scenes, sensitive portraits, and high key still life. She grew up spending summers by a northern lake in Ontario, Canada, where her love of nature began. Her paintings have been featured in the Florence Biennale, the Louvre in Paris, and in exhibitions in New York City, the Netherlands and her hometown, Toronto. She attracted media attention in North America appearing on the Oprah Winfrey TV show, and in TV spots in Canada. Barbara studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design, and at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada.
Follow her on Instagram @barbaramuir.art
The post The Art Biz ep. 146: Remember The Many Opportunities We Have Because We’re Online with Barbara Muir appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>My conversation with Rebecca Welz centers around how she sees her art as part of the continuum, and how she encourages her students to think holistically about their careers. We invite you to do the same.
The post Focusing on the art, not the art business with Rebecca Welz (133) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>I’ve had all kinds of guests on The Art Biz podcast. I’ve welcomed artists who talked about their collaborations, social media accounts, goals, vulnerable situations like rejections or grief, legacy projects, and much more.
But today’s episode is a first.
In this episode I talk with Rebecca Welz, who, when I asked what aspect of her art business she might be interested in discussing, said, “I’m not so interested in the art business.”
Any other host would have taken that as a sign and cut short any possibilities of having a discussion for the program. The title of the show is, after all, The Art Biz. We kinda need to talk about art business.
But I was certain that Rebecca, with her many accomplishments, had something to share. I was right.
And so this is the first episode with a guest who admits to not being interested in the art business. But don’t leave!
Our conversation centers around how she sees her art as part of the continuum, and how she encourages her students at Pratt Institute to think holistically about their careers.
We discuss meditation, biomimicry (which I’d never heard of but makes tons of sense), her projects in Guyana and Guatemala with her students, and why she’s uninterested in the art business.
Shoutout to Laura Petrovich-Cheney for the introduction to Rebecca. Thank you, Laura!
Listen
📄 This Week's Assignment
Your art biz assignment this week, thanks to inspiration from my guest, Rebecca Welz, is to consider how your work is connected to forces outside of itself. How is it connected to art history? to other artists?
And then, and this might blow your mind, think of all the people who make your art possible. Who made your supplies? Not the companies, but the people behind the companies.
Who gathered natural pigments or precious materials? Who mixed the paints, spun the yarn, stretched the canvas, stocked the paper, or assembled the camera?
Who are the people supporting your efforts?
Highlights
- “It’s like drawing in space.” Rebecca’s sculpture and gallery representation. (2:44)
- Teaching art students and exploring the unknown through meditation. (6:22)
- Thinking is the most important part of the creative process. (11:15)
- Finding art inspiration in Guyana and Guatemala. (17:04)
- Biomimicry—innovation inspired by nature. (22:10)
- The importance of experiencing inspiration from cultures outside your own. (25:35)
- Taking a holistic approach to your art. (31:13)
- Rebecca isn’t all that interested in the art business. Here’s why. (36:24)
Mentioned
Rebecca Welz Quotes
“Meditation gives me a lot of peace and equanimity and helps me deal with being a human on the planet.”
“Good artwork comes from that place of the unknown.”
“I can’t just focus on my art career because there are so many other things that I’m interested in.”
“How are you tapping into your own continuum and how’s that working for you?”
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Willie Cole collaborates with name brands and insists on enjoying life and work.
I discuss seeking validation and earning credibility.
About Rebecca Welz
Rebecca Welz makes steel sculptures inspired by natural wonders and ecological processes that combine to give us biodiversity.
She is represented by June Kelly Gallery in New York City, where she has had numerous solo exhibitions. She has also shown at Grace Borgenicht Gallery and Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, also in New York.
Rebecca’s sculptures have been in solo and group exhibitions in venues such as the Oakland Museum of California, the Heckscher Museum of Art (Huntington, NY), Butters Gallery (Portland, OR), the SciArt Center (Easton, PA), the Cherrystone Gallery (Wellfleet, MA), and Sculpturesite Gallery (San Francisco, CA). Her work can also be found in private and corporate collections, including those of Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, Merck, Prudential Life Insurance Corporation, and Sabre Corporation.
Follow her on Instagram @RebeccaWelzSculpture
The post Focusing on the art, not the art business with Rebecca Welz (133) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Michael waxes philosophically about the life of an artist. Deep stuff. We talk about the lessons he learned from other working artists, the artist's collaboration with viewers, why it's important to be part of a community, and much more.
The post Artist as problem solver with Michael Gadlin (93) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Many artists take risks in their businesses and in their art without even thinking about it. They are hard wired to experiment. To stretch the boundaries of what is possible.
Artists are innate problem solvers.
My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is one of those artists. The list of what Michael Gadlin has done to earn a living as a working artist for more than 20 years is impressive. He sells originals, consults, teaches, designs, builds websites, and even hosted a show on public television. He has also sat on boards and committees in his local Denver art community.
Michael is gifted with what seems to be an endless supply of energy. I came at him with one topic and his mind connected it to numerous other experiences. The result is a wide-ranging interview.
Michael waxes philosophically about the life of an artist. Deep stuff. We talk about the lessons he learned from other working artists, the artist’s collaboration with viewers, gallery representation, why it’s important to be part of a community, and much more. There are plenty of gold nuggets in this interview.
Music by Wildermiss
Highlights
- Michael Gadlin reflects on his journey as an artist and the key role of mentors along the way. (1:32)
- The lessons Michael learned from reaching his first major studio goal. (6:28)
- The payoff that comes with showing interest in every opportunity that crosses your path. (9:34)
- Michael describes his approach to both figurative and non-representational art. (12:23)
- Experimenting, problem solving creatively, and collaborating with the art community. (18:55)
- You cannot be a one-person band and succeed in your art business. (27:00)
- Figuring out who you are as an artist (beyond the art that you make). (29:20)
- What does it mean to be an integral part of the art community? (31:24)
Michael in action in his studio. - Positioning yourself in the places that will allow you to shape the decisions that are being made in your community. (37:28)
- When can you truly consider yourself an artist? (43:18)
- Creating a legacy with your art and with your life. (46:01)
- Constant hustling—Michael shares his multiple income streams. (47:36)
- Staying organized and getting things done starts with finding the right tools. (52:13)
Mentioned
Michael Gadlin Quotes
- “I went into this clueless about what I would end up learning, but I don’t have any regrets.”
- “You have to fail in order to succeed.”
- “The art business can be up and down but the one steady thing you can do is share your vision.”
- “The most interesting people that I’ve learned from are the ones who fail, get back up and learn to navigate just by pivoting a little.”
- “Understanding who you are as an artist will undoubtedly help you understand your business as an artist.”
About My Guest
Michael Gadlin began his art education at the Art Students League of Denver, followed by Metropolitan State University, Denver, and New York’s prestigious Pratt Institute of Art & Design in Brooklyn. He was awarded a residency at La Napoule Art Foundation in France.
Gadlin sits on the board of directors at both Denver’s MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) and PlatteForum, an artist’s residency in the city. He has won numerous awards throughout his career as an artist, including the youngest artist ever to win Best of Show at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Gadlin’s work now hangs in the permanent collection f the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, among other city and government collections.
Follow Michael on Instagram @contemporary_vision
Music by Wildermiss
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The post Artist as problem solver with Michael Gadlin (93) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
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