Art Biz Podcast

In this episode of the Art Biz Podcast, Alyson talks with Adele Sypesteyn about the trail she blazed, including her decision to pull out of her galleries and focus on expanding her teaching practice into a major source of income.

Since 2016, Lorraine has evolved from an assistant professor of art to running her own workshops and retreats. Through the process, she has learned a great deal about teaching as a significant source of her income. In this episode, you’ll hear Lorraine and Alyson talk about how she has set up her workshops and retreats, how she finds venues, the pros and cons of doing for-hire workshops, the tools she uses to stay organized, and how she balances teaching with her studio practice.

Miriam Schulman discovered a gift secondary to her art—a curiosity about how the art business works. Combined with the fact that she loves to talk and ask questions, Miriam found her calling in her weekly podcast, The Inspiration Place. But it was a lot of work to start, and it’s a lot of work to keep up. If you have ever considered starting a podcast or sharing your story on a podcast, this episode of the Art Biz Podcast is for you.

In 2014, Ali Cavanaugh had 11 galleries representing her work throughout the U.S. and even overseas. It was all she could do to paint fast enough to supply these galleries with new work. What a great problem to have, right? But something wasn’t sitting right with Ali. So she asked each of the 11 galleries to return her work. One by one they sent back what few paintings remained in their inventories. She had begun to reconsider not just what her business model looked like, but the art itself.

We think we know what it means to be successful, but then we’re asked to define if for ourselves and we are at a loss for words. At least I am. I’ve been digging into the word “success” for several months now, and in a new bonus episode of the Art Biz Podcast, I share my thoughts with you. My purpose isn’t to come up with a neatly packaged definition that will fit all artists. Instead, I prefer to start a conversation that will encourage you to think about your art career and business at a deeper.

Sean VanderVliet is the artist behind Fenway Clayworks based in Denver, Colorado, and in just a few years he has created a brand and a buzz around his functional pottery. A number of Denver’s finest restaurants commission Sean for their signature dinnerware. Sean also sells to retail stores and directly from his website. Sean joins the show to discuss his background, how he got started with his pottery business, how he plans to grow, and where he's headed next with experiential retail spaces.

The fact that we are approaching the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the19th Amendment did not escape the attention of Oklahoma-based mixed media artist Marilyn Artus. For years, Marilyn had been wondering what art project she could possibly do that would be grand enough to match the significance of the occasion. She came up with one—Her Flag—and joins the show to talk about it. It includes collaborations with artists and public performances in each of the 36 states that passed the amendment.

Tampa Bay area artist Leslie Neumann had a real sweet deal going with Firebird Restaurants, until it stopped. She rose to meet the challenge and joins the show today to share her experience and provide a cautionary tale to others. Leslie talks about how she started working with Firebirds, and how she found a way to not only stay afloat but succeed when 50-60% of her income went away.

What would it be like to pack up your art supplies and live in an entirely new country? Today’s guest, Marcus McAllister, left the United States over 20 years ago to live in Paris, and has been making a living as an artist there for the past 17 years. In this episode, Marcus talks about his decision to live abroad, his sketchbooks, the sources of his income, and the importance of relationships.

Jill Powers is a sculptor, installation artist and educator who creates art related to ecological issues. Jill discusses how her events educate, delight and challenge the viewer, and how she came to seek out unique collaborations with area businesses, organizations and experts. Jill also describes the many programs she has organized, and how she did it while balancing her own artistic commitments. You’ll hear about how she worked with dancers, scientists, and restaurants beyond gallery walls.

Chicago painter, public artist, and creative placemaker Lynn Basa joins the show today. She discusses making the art you want to make and the varied ways that artists are intersecting with public life. Lynn, author of The Artist’s Guide to Public Art, also talks about the legacy she is creating with The Corner Project and how public art has changed over the years.

Missy Graff Ballone, artist and founder of Wellness for Makers, joins the show to discuss the importance of taking care of your most precious asset for making art: your body. She shares her own background as an artist, massage therapist and yoga instructor, and why she saw a need to provide resources that help artists take care of their bodies so they can make more art, and in turn, run their businesses. She also gives tools artists can use to get started in their new journey towards better health.

Gwen Fox, a professional artist, instructor, and coach, joins the show to talk about building confidence. We discuss the difference between a belief and a truth, silencing our inner critic, how to overcome setbacks and deal gracefully with unwanted commentary. Gwen shares some of her own affirmations and gives specific ways in which we can use goal setting and visualization to create a life we may have never even dreamt was possible.

One artist’s journey is never the same as another’s. Not only do you have to be creative in what you make, but also in how you get it out there, connect with the right people and situations, and create a sustainable living. There is no perfect blueprint on how to make money or create a sustainable career, but for Jan R. Carson, the focus is on the quality of the work.

Many artists have a desire to open their own gallery, but few know how much work and thought actually goes into it. In today’s episode, artist and gallerist Tracy Miller shares her experience of running the Tracy Miller Gallery for the last 7 years.