The Art Biz

Latest Episodes:

Proving It's Possible to be an Artist and Mother with Elizabeth LeMaster (ep. 188) May 09, 2024

Show notes

host: Alyson Stanfield

Elizabeth LeMaster, my guest for this episode of The Art Biz, has, like so many of us, more to balance than her studio practice and business. She has a family. A young family. A big family. A growing family.

How do you find time for working on your art when you have 6 kids under the age of 8? 😳

Elizabeth and I talk about how she has done it because she wanted to share her tips with all artist-mothers out there. She is also very honest about the bumps along the road.

Here's my special Mothers' Day Conversation with Elizabeth LeMaster.

HIGHLIGHTS

06:12 Selling her art through a focused audience and relatively small subscriber base 10:06 Adapting art practices around motherhood 15:44 Strategic systems for productivity 19:51 Embracing the artist's life while parenting 36:28 Elizabeth's Artisan Christmas magazine 40:32 Elizabeth's future plans

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Raising Prices on Your Art, Valuing Community, and Balancing Motherhood with Bri Larson (ep. 166)

She Knows Exactly How Much Her Art Income Will be Every Month with Kelly Pelfrey (ep. 162)

Running an Artist Residency Alongside a Studio Practice with Shannon Amidon (ep. 151)

Injecting Personal Narrative into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes (ep. 131)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit artbizsuccess.com/motherhood-lemaster

⭐️ Connect with Elizabeth and see more of her art on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemasterartistique/

🔶 Does your art business need a boost or a refresh? Please see my comprehensive art-marketing program, Essentials for Artist Success 🔶 full of tools, strategies, and process you need to establish your professionalism and increase your visibility. For those with beginning and emerging art careers and those who need to approach their business with more thought and intention.

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

How to Guarantee that People Remember You with Skip Hill (ep. 187) May 02, 2024

Show notes

host: Alyson Stanfield

My utter bliss is to help artists make business systems that streamline their lives so they can spend more time in the studio. So when Skip Hill said he needed a system for following up with his collectors and important relationships, I knew I wanted to help.

In this encore episode of The Art Biz, I walk Skip through the steps to create a plan for nurturing his relationships.

We go through these steps to create his plan:

What do you want to happen?
By when does it need to happen? Or … How frequently does it need to happen?
What do you need to have/acquire/learn to make that happen? And/Or what tools and technology will you use for the process?
Who do you need to enlist to help?
What are the exact steps needed to make this system hum?

The steps in that last question provides the fuel. Miss a step, and your system crashes.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Tools to Shape Up Your Art Business with Jennifer Printz (ep. 79)

Systems to Effectively Manage a Dizzying Increase in Your Art Business with Betty Franks (ep. 80)

How to Squeeze More Time from Your Busy Calendar (ep. 152)

📖 To read the exact steps we created for Skip, see images, and leave a comment, visit

https://artbizsuccess.com/skip-hill-encore

⭐️ Connect with Skip and see more of his art: SkipHillArt.com

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

The Career Journey of Growth-Minded Artists (ep. 186) Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

host: Alyson Stanfield

I want to talk about something that I think gets in the way of how you think about what a successful art business is or can be.

I want to help you reframe your daily decisions, actions, and results (or lack thereof)—to embrace the volatility of an artist life. To understand that there will be highs and lows, and that just comes along with the territory.

One of the most-used business metaphors is the ladder of success, which is problematic for two reasons:

Nobody reaches the top of anything in life by going straight up.
What happens when you get to the top?

I have a different vision. Your art career is a circle consisting of 3 areas:

Inspiration+Research, Studio Practice, and Business+Marketing.

You're a sphere (okay, a ping pong ball) bouncing back and forth from one area to the next as you grow your art career.

Let me explain …

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Calculating Risks in Your Art Business with Leah Smithson (ep. 94)

What Your Failures Are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney (ep. 95)

Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (ep. 114)

How to Feel Like a Successful Artist (ep. 165)

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

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

Leaning Into Her Roots and Community Art with Marilyn Fontaine (ep. 185) Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

host: Alyson Stanfield

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 is Marilyn Fontaine, 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, which is always a favorite topic of mine.
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.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Injecting Personal Narrative Into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes (ep. 131)

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

How Your Art Makes People Feel (ep. 184)

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

⭐️ Connect with Marilyn and see more of her art: https://marilynfontaineart.weebly.com/

🔶 Please join me for THE PEOPLE PLAN 🔶 a planning workshop to identify, establish, and nurture stronger relationships with buyers, collectors, curators, students, gallerists, and more. May 7-9, 2024. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

How Your Art Makes People Feel (ep. 184) Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

Host: Alyson B. Stanfield

For so long, I asked artists Why they make art.

Some artists have a Why.

For other artists, being asked why they make art is unfruitful—even debilitating. They feel unworthy if they can't come up with a good Why.

A better strategy is to focus on the people who will be viewing, talking about, and living with your art.

How does your art make people feel?

Bernadette Jiwa says, "People don't buy why you do something. They buy how it makes them feel." If you think about it, this, ironically, leads to your Why: Connection.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Episodes that focus on your relationships:

Following Her Curiosity and Making New Connections After 60 with Jan McCarthy (ep. 158)

Being Seen—Networking for Artists (ep. 148)

How to Guarantee that People Remember You with Skip Hill (ep. 147)

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

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

A Collaboration Between 2 Artists that Led to Creative Growth (ep. 183) Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

Host: Alyson B. Stanfield

In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Lori Sokoluk and Susan Purney Mark, who met in my coaching group many years ago and started a collaboration during the pandemic.

When I teach about collaboration, I'm usually talking about an exhibition or event. Lori and Susan took it to the next level and collaborated on the artwork itself—resulting in a two-person exhibition that recently closed.

I wanted to know what the artmaking process was like when you're presented with someone else's marks on the canvas. I think you'll enjoy hearing about it and what they discovered during the process

We also discussed:

The parameters of the collaboration.
The challenges they faced, such as Lori's physical limitations.
How they titled the pieces together (a fascinating theme and process).
How they divided up the business stuff.
How the exhibition was organized.
How it has affected their individual work.
The advice they share with any artist who is open to collaboration.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Here are a few more episodes about collaboration:

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

Knit Democracy Together with Eve Jacobs-Carnahan (ep. 64)

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

Expanding Your Skillset to Respond to Opportunities with Detour (ep. 128)

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

⭐️ Connect with Lori and Susan and see more of their art:

https://lorisokoluk.com

https://susanpm.com

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

Rethinking Mailing Lists for Artists (ep. 182) Mar 21, 2024

Show notes

Host: Alyson B. Stanfield

Your list is something unique to you and your career. No one has this same list. No one makes art like you do; no one knows the same people as you do; and no one has the exact vision that you have. Nobody! Your list is almost worthless to anyone else, yet it's invaluable to you.

It is the primary tool you use to share your art with the world. It's your #1 marketing asset, but worthless if you're not using it.

The definition of a mailing list isn't as clear cut as it sounds.

I have a philosophy around this 2-word phrase that we frequently take for granted:

You don't have a single list. You have multiple lists.

I use the term mailing list as an umbrella term, but, in truth, you have three lists that I define as follows:

1️⃣ Your email list

2️⃣ Your VIP list

3️⃣ Your online followers

In this episode, I describe the difference among them and why you need to remember all of them when you're thinking about your mailing list.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Self Sales, Open Studios, and Relationships with Interior Designers with Carol MacConnell (ep. 171)

She Knows Exactly How Much Her Art Income Will be Every Month with Kelly Pelfrey (ep. 162)

Following Her Curiosity and Making New Connections After 60 with Jan McCarthy (ep. 158)

📖 To read more, see images, download the transcript + mailing list assessment mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/your-lists

🔶 Put your mailing list to better use in THE PEOPLE PLAN 🔶 a planning workshop to identify, establish, and nurture stronger relationships with your lists. May 7-9, 2024. https://artbizsuccess.com/peopleplan

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

Spotlighting Artists Who Bloom Later in Life with Janice Mason Steeves (#181) Mar 14, 2024

Show notes

Host: Alyson Stanfield, Art Biz Success

My guest is Janice Mason Steeves, author of Bloom: On Becoming An Artist Later in Life. Which, as I say in our interview, is "a lovely mix of insights from a questionnaire, gentle guidance from someone who teaches and leads artist workshops all over the world, and wisdom from academics, professionals, and spiritual advisors."

Janice has been in my orbit for a long time and I have been dying to talk with her about this book, the seeds of which she mentioned to me about 4 years ago. It's a book that needed to be written and proves that we have a lot more to talk about this topic.

But let's kick off the conversation.

Janice will share her background and the realization that the students in her workshops tended to be in the 60 to 80 age groups. This piqued her curiosity about taking up art later in life.

We spend the first half of our conversation talking about how the book came to be. Then we discuss the advantages, benefits and challenges of becoming an artist after age 60.

I, of course, want to know about how artists over 60 approach the business of art, but that's not Janice's concern. (And I have some experience that perhaps will lead to a different episode.)

🎧 RELATED EPISODESThese are episodes with other artist-authors >>

Secrets from Copying a Masterpiece with Lilianne Milgrom (ep. 87)

Publishing a How To Book for Artists with Carol McIntyre (ep. 37)

How Two Artists Self-Published and Are Promoting a Successful Book Together (ep. 9)

Mentioned: How Do You Know You're an Artist? with James Holmes (ep. 181)

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

⭐️ Connect with Janice and see more of her art: https://janicemasonsteeves.com

If you want to learn about or improve your art marketing skills, 🔶check out my Essentials program. 🔶 It's for beginning and emerging artists as well as artists who just need a reboot. artbizsuccess.com/essentials

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

Affirmations for Artists (ep. 180) Mar 07, 2024

Show notes

I believe in the power of daily affirmations. I first used them a number of years ago to increase my income and it worked. I increased my income 40% that year. And while I am not now as dedicated to reciting them daily, I know should be! I attribute the majority of my success back then to these affirmations.

What possessed me to stop? 🤷‍♀️ I do not believe that reciting affirmations alone will move the needle. You must have the commitment to your goals in the first place and take appropriate action to move forward. I encourage you to try them as a proven business accelerator tool. It can't hurt! I read through these affirmations slowly. Then I take a break and repeat them. Use what lands for you—changing the wording to make them your own.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES

Raising Prices on Your Art, Valuing Community, and Balancing Motherhood with Bri Larson (ep. 166)

6 Ways to Be [Even] Happier About Running Your Art Business (ep. 155)

Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (ep. 114)

What Your Failures Are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney (ep. 95)

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

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

Virtual Assistance for Your Social Media and Websites with Artist VA Hallie Edlund (ep. 179). Feb 29, 2024

Show notes

If you're like a lot of the artist-clients that I work with at Art Biz Success, you would love someone to help you with social media. Or your website. Or maybe anything else to help lighten the load.

Having any kind of help sounds like a dream. It may seem like an impossible dream. You might be looking for someone like my guest for this episode of The Art Biz: Hallie Edlund, a virtual assistant for artists.

We discuss how she started doing this work and how she helps artists with social media and their websites.

We touch upon how she uses A.I. and her advice for using it in your art business.

And you know I couldn't resist asking how she stays organized. Her system of keeping everything for her clients in Gmail folders left me with my mouth hanging open, which luckily you can't witness on a podcast.

Hallie has a new Instagram course for artists and generously shares two tips for that platform near the end of our conversation.

If you're looking to hire someone to help with your art business, I suggest checking out the related episodes and articles posted below as well.

🎧 RELATED EPISODES & ARTICLES

How to Hire Someone to Help with Your Art Business

Let It Go: Delegating Responsibility

Someone Else Could – What To Delegate in Your Art Business

Trusting Another Artist to Help You Run Your Art Business with Angela Fehr and Robin Edmundson (ep. 104)

How to Work Successfully (and Sanely) with a Relative with Trudy Rice (ep. 105)

Learning How to Be a Boss with Ali Manning (ep. 106)

📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit

📧 To inquire about working with Hallie, please email her.

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

~ ~ ! ATTENTION INDIGENOUS ARTISTS and BIPOC ARTISTS ! ~ ~

This is an invitation to all Indigenous and BIPOC artists, wherever you are in the world, to share your story here on The Art Biz. Here's how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/

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