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. ©2023 Marilyn Fontaine, The Body is a Universe. Oil on Canvas, 84 x 48 inches. 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 ha ..read more

By now, most of us are familiar with Simon Sinek’s famous TED Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” (2009).  In it, he is evangelizing with a microphone in one hand and a marker in the other—drawing diagrams and emphasizing his points on a large pad of paper. ©Margaret Biggs, Fantasia on a Mountain Theme. Oil on canvas, 30 x 48 inches. He is passionately trying to persuade us of his premise, which is this: People don’t buy what you do, or how you do it. They buy why you do it. I’m not going to analyze that thought in the context of everything else he said because th ..read more

One of the lessons I have inside of my learning center is a module on collaboration because I believe that collaborating is high-level thinking. Successful artists know that they will get further faster with the help of others. 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.  [ See Multiply Your Audience and Expand Your Show's Impact with Jill Powers ] Lori and Susan took it to the ..read more

Your artist mailing list is your most valuable marketing asset. It is the primary tool you use to share your art with the world. It’s your #1 marketing asset. Let me emphasize that by saying it a different way: There is nothing more important you can do to build your art business and career than to nurture your relationships. In reality, most artists have 3 mailing lists, not just 1. Download the transcript + a 3-page Artist Mailing List Assessment ©Jaye Alison Moscariello, Stopping the Noise - Peace I. Acrylic, latex, and graphite on paper, 12 x 16 x .1 inches. What is Your Mailing L ..read more

We know that an awful lot of people over 60 are taking up art. And we know that many of them are thriving. So why isn’t more being written about this phenomenon. Or discussed for that matter? I tried to find answers in Nell Painter’s memoir Old in Art School (2018), which is about her experience going back to art school at age 64—more than 3 decades after receiving her PhD in history from Harvard. But regardless of that title, it wasn’t very enlightening about the topic of being a late-blooming artist. [ This article contains two affiliate links. I'll earn a crazy huge commission on these ..read more

I believe in the power of daily affirmations for artists.  I first used them for myself 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 I 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 ..read more

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. ©Kathy Kehoe Bambeck, Garden Party. Acrylic, gouache, and ink on watercolor paper, 20 x 16 inches. 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 medi ..read more

When I first published this post, I had just hired my first employee, other than myself. Yes, I am an employee of Art Biz Success. I'm not encouraging you to hire an employee. (See employees v. contractors.) But I do think that most artists can benefit from an assistant. Wouldn't it feel great to get help answering emails, sending proposals, and emailing your newsletters? Here are some steps you can take to help you hire an assistant for your art business. I've been blessed with some wonderful team members. Make a List Start with simple list titled Everything I'm doing ..read more

This article is for every artist who is concerned about getting credit for their art. It's not unusual for artists to be concerned about protecting their copyright. Back in the early days of the Internet, I recall many an artist fearful of putting their work online for fear it be “stolen.” Then Pinterest came along and, boy, you would have thought it was the end of the world. Somebody somewhere read the small print in the user agreement and misinterpreted it as Pinterest being able to do whatever it wanted to with your art. Same for every social media platform. The Fear of Someone Stealing ..read more

I want to share a tool I was introduced to a number of years ago that helps me in life and in my business. And it’s helped many of my clients. It’s a life map, of sorts, called Human Design. ©Jahje Ives, Tricia, Gate 11: Ideas. Watercolor and pencil on paper, 11 x 14 inches. My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Jahje Ives, an artist and a Human Design coach and guide. While I have worked with Human Design guides in the past, Jahje is the first artist I have met in this realm. I wanted her insights as to how knowing your Human Design could help with your art and art business. To get ..read more