What a Commitment to Audience Building Means to Noelle Phares (225)
The Art Biz
Building a sustainable art business requires more than just making good work. It requires showing up consistently, connecting with the right people, and staying true to a long-term vision—even when that means setting difficult boundaries. In this conversation, Noelle Phares returns to talk with host Alyson Stanfield about the structures she’s put in place to support her thriving art career. From smart use of assistants and art festivals to strategic decisions around galleries and commissions, Noelle has built her success by staying fiercely committed to audience building. Here’s what’s...
info_outline
Beauty, Rigorous Research, and Purpose with Noelle Phares (224)
The Art Biz
Building an art career with intention doesn’t always start with a plan. Sometimes it starts with a gut feeling that something isn’t working. That was true for Noelle Phares, who left behind a structured science career to follow her creative instincts—eventually leading to a solo museum exhibition and a thriving, self-directed art business. In this episode (part 1 of 2), host Alyson Stanfield talks to Noelle about how she transitioned from environmental data science into full-time painting, and how her rigorous research background continues to shape her studio practice. The conversation...
info_outline
The Investing Artist: Art, Real Estate, and Legacy with Mary Erickson (223)
The Art Biz
host: Alyson Stanfield It’s easy to think that being a full-time artist means struggling financially. But painter Mary Erickson is proof that with discipline, long-term thinking, and a deep love of both art and business, it’s possible to build a creative life that’s both fulfilling and financially secure. In this conversation, recorded several years ago and lightly edited for re-release, Mary shares how she transitioned from painting before and after work at a frame shop to selling 500 watercolors, managing 8 gallery relationships, and investing in real estate—all while keeping her...
info_outline
What Artists Need to Know About SEO with Meg Casebolt (222)
The Art Biz
You work hard on your art. You want people to discover it. But if you’re relying entirely on social media to be found, you're building on shaky ground. Search engines like Google, YouTube, and even Pinterest remain powerful tools for helping people find you and your art—but only if you’re strategic about how you show up there. In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield talks with her go-to SEO coach, Meg Casebolt, about what artists need to know about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how to take ownership of your content online. Meg helped Alyson make sense of 20+ years of...
info_outline
Comprehensive Guide for Writing an Effective Artist Statement (221)
The Art Biz
Writing about your art isn’t easy—but it’s one of the most important things you can do to clarify your vision and connect with others. In this solo episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield walks you through a comprehensive guide to writing an effective artist statement that truly reflects your work. You’ll hear why artist statements still matter, how to approach the writing process without getting overwhelmed, and what to avoid in your final draft. She also shares specific journaling prompts to help you uncover what’s most essential about your art—and how to put your finished...
info_outline
Safeguarding Your Art Career with Ruby Lopez Harper of CERF+ (220)
The Art Biz
Guest: Ruby Lopez Harper, Executive Director of CERF+ In this episode of The Art Biz, Ruby Lopez Harper, executive director for CERF+ (the Craft Emergency Relief Fund) joins host Alyson Stanfield to discuss the vital work CERF+ does to support artists before, during, and after emergencies. As CERF+ celebrates its 40th anniversary, Ruby shares the history of the organization, its spirit of mutual aid, and how it has expanded its services over the years. Most importantly, Ruby and Alyson want to encourage artists to research, plan, and prepare in order to protect their art businesses—sharing...
info_outline
The Artist’s Guide to Confident Decision-Making (219)
The Art Biz
As an artist, you have the freedom to shape your career—but with that freedom comes the challenge of making decisions that align with your goals and values. Decision-making can feel overwhelming, especially when every opportunity seems promising. In this solo episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield breaks down the Artist’s Decision-Making Framework to help you prioritize what truly matters. She shares practical strategies for assessing opportunities, trusting your instincts, and using policies to protect your time and energy. Alyson discusses: Why decision-making is one of the...
info_outline
From Two Years of Zero Sales to a Thriving Art Business with the Two Faced Twins (218)
The Art Biz
Building an art business takes more than just talent—it takes determination, adaptability, and a willingness to keep going, even when success feels out of reach. Stella and Gemma Stevens, the artists behind Two Faced Twins, know this firsthand. Their work—bold, colorful, and joyful—now has a dedicated following, but their path wasn’t always easy. For two years, the Stevens twins struggled to sell a single piece. They faced creative differences, self-doubt, and even a gallery robbery. But instead of giving up, they leaned into their vision, their roles as artists, and their belief in...
info_outline
Community Liaison, Translator, and Glass Painter with Samra Bashir (217)
The Art Biz
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...
info_outline
The 4 Core Beliefs That Lead to Art Business Success (ep. 216)
The Art Biz
host: Alyson Stanfield If you’ve followed my work, you’ve likely noticed some recurring themes—guiding principles that shape the way I advise artists. These aren’t just casual suggestions; they are the foundation of everything I do. In this episode of The Art Biz, I’m sharing the four core beliefs that define my approach and help artists build sustainable, thriving careers. You’ll hear why your art must always come first, why you must learn to communicate clearly about your work, why your network is your #1 marketing asset, and why business systems will help you grow faster and...
info_outlineWe’ve spent many months worried about inflation and a possible recession that may not ever happen. It would be terrific if we didn’t have to concern ourselves with such things, but the economy affects everyone’s business in one way or another.
Today’s guest on The Art Biz is Elaine Grogan Luttrull of Minerva Financial Arts, a company devoted to building financial literacy and empowerment in creative individuals through education and coaching. We recorded this episode several months ago when the economic landscape seemed a little bleaker than it does now. This is a lesson in economics and how your art business is affected by the larger economy. We define and discuss inflation, recession, the Consumer Price Index, and Gross Domestic Product. We talk about your revenue mix, why selling lower-priced items might not be the way to go right now, bundling, and raising your rates and prices.
First posted: artbizsuccess.com/economy-luttrull-podcast
Highlights
-
Defining inflation and its effect on every aspect of pricing. (1:50)
-
What exactly is a recession and what role do rising interest rates play? (5:35)
-
The impact of these economic factors on artists. (12:48)
-
Combating uncertainty with effective business strategies. (15:32)
-
Your target client in times of economic uncertainty. (20:05)
-
Opportunities that are presented in challenging times. (24:16)
-
Consider potentially terrible ideas to get to the good ones. (33:03)
-
Seven strategies for artists to use during inflation and recession. (33:04)
This Week’s Action
Your first action for the week is to look at your expenses and see where you might be able to save. I suggest keeping a list of all ongoing subscriptions as well as regular expenses and reviewing it every so often.
Your second action is to check out Elaine’s $15 course on inflation and recession by following the link below.
Mentioned
Resources
Quotes
-
“Inflation is not always a pleasant topic. It’s scary, it takes up our brain space, and it’s a distraction from what we really need to be doing creatively in our businesses.” — Elaine Luttrull
-
“All of the strategies we typically think about for coping with the uncertainty of the arts are suddenly being impacted too.” — Elaine Luttrull
-
“Think carefully. Do your research and talk to peers about how things feel in the art market right now.” — Elaine Luttrull
-
“When the market is doing interesting things is the moment to really focus on the community aspect.” — Elaine Luttrull
-
“Anything we can do to reassess and tighten our spending without compromising quality or making our lives harder is a really good strategy right now.” — Elaine Luttrull
-
“Artists are better than pretty much anyone else at navigating uncertainty, so we’ll navigate all of this as well and keep making really incredible work too.” — Elaine Luttrull
About My Guest
Elaine Grogan Luttrull, CPA-PFS, AFC® (she/her) is the founder of Minerva Financial Arts, a company devoted to building financial literacy and empowerment in creative individuals through education and coaching. Her workshops and presentations have been featured nationally by groups that support the arts, a variety of state and regional arts councils and commissions, and colleges and universities where creative students thrive.
Elaine spent 10 years in academia, teaching at the Columbus College of Art & Design and serving as the Department Head for Business & Entrepreneurship from 2014-2018. Before that, Elaine served as the Director of Financial Analysis for The Juilliard School and in the Transaction Advisory Services practice of Ernst & Young in New York. Elaine is the author of Arts & Numbers (Agate, B2 2013), and she contributes regularly to industry guides, including those from the Center for Cultural Innovation and the Joan Mitchell Foundation. She also serves on the boards of the Short North Alliance and Healing Broken Circles.