Writing on Substack Can Be Integral to Your Creative Process with Ann Miller (ep. 210)
Release Date: 11/21/2024
What You're Not Doing: 7 Mistakes Artists Make (231)
The Art Biz
The biggest mistakes artists make arenāt about doing the wrong thingsātheyāre about doing nothing at all. Avoidance. Waiting. Hoping something will change on its own. In this solo episode, host Alyson Stanfield revisits and reframes one of her most popular articles, updated with a decade of insight and experience. These are not dramatic failures, but subtle patterns of inaction that can quietly keep your art business stuck. Alyson shares 7 common mistakes, grouped into 3 themes: Mindset. Connection. Structure. Each is paired with a powerful inquiry to help you take honest inventoryāand...
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Creating Artist-Centered Opportunities with Jennifer Steck (230)
The Art Biz
A retired police captain turned artist, Jennifer Steck realized she didnāt have to wait for opportunities to come to herāshe could create them. Seeing a gap in what was available for artists to sell their work, Jennifer founded Artburst Studios, an online gallery thatās part pop-up show and part community hub for artists. She had zero experience running a gallery, but that didnāt stop her. Armed with curiosity, a clear vision, and plenty of determination, Jennifer (at the time of this recording) has helped over 80 artists sell more than $174,000 of art in just a few years. In this...
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The Awesome Responsibility of Titling Your Art with Fran Gardner (229)
The Art Biz
What if titling your art is actually part of your creative practice? One that helps you better understand your work, connect with your audience, and prepare your art for life beyond the studio? Thatās the beautiful perspective offered by artist and writing consultant Fran Gardner. In this episode, host Alyson Stanfield talks with Fran to explore the idea that titles arenāt just labelsātheyāre bridges. They link your creative intention to the viewerās experience and give your work a voice when youāre not there to speak for it. Fran shares her own turning point with titling, walks us...
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22 Tactics to Thoughtfully Invite People to Visit Your Art Website (228)
The Art Biz
Itās easy to assume that people will visit your artist website once itās built. But websites donāt always attract attention on their own. You have to give people reasons to show up. In this solo episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield shares 11 simple, low-effort strategies to guide more people to your siteāplus a way to download the full list of 22 ideas. These are real, artist-friendly actions that work in the background of your art business to increase traffic over time. In this episode, youāll hear: Why waiting for people to discover your website isnāt a strategy 11...
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Married to a Single Art Project Forever with Michelle Fung (227)
The Art Biz
What does it take to stick with one creative project for more than a decadeāand still feel inspired by it? Michelle Fung has been immersed in The World of 2084 since 2015. What began as a vivid dream in a coffee shop became a sprawling, interdisciplinary art project imagining five futuristic nations and their cultural, ecological, and political identities. In this conversation with host Alyson Stanfield, Michelle shares how she builds these imagined worlds through woodcut painting, animation, books, and researchāand how her commitment hasnāt wavered in 10 years. She talks openly about...
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What Galleries Want: Preparing Your Art and Yourself (226)
The Art Biz
Getting gallery representation isnāt just about having great workāitās about preparation, professionalism, and relationships. At Gabba Gallery in Los Angeles, those values are at the heart of how things run. For more than a decade, owner and director Jason Ostro has led the galleryās mission to elevate emerging and mid-career artists, while curator and manager Elena Jacobson makes sure every show runs smoothly. Together, they bring a practical and deeply human perspective to the artist-gallery partnership. In this conversation, host Alyson Stanfield talks with Jason and Elena about: ...
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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 visionāeven when that means setting difficult boundaries. In this conversation, Noelle Phares returns to talk with host Alyson Stanfield about the structures sheās 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. Hereās whatās...
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Beauty, Rigorous Research, and Purpose with Noelle Phares (224)
The Art Biz
Building an art career with intention doesnāt always start with a plan. Sometimes it starts with a gut feeling that something isnāt working. That was true for Noelle Phares, who left behind a structured science career to follow her creative instinctsāeventually 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...
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The Investing Artist: Art, Real Estate, and Legacy with Mary Erickson (223)
The Art Biz
host: Alyson Stanfield Itās 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, itās possible to build a creative life thatās 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 estateāall while keeping her...
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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 youāre 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 artābut only if youāre 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_outlineThis episode is for you if you enjoy writing or aspire to do more of it.
Host Alyson Stanfield interviews Ann Miller, who has found a powerful way to merge her creative passions with her love for writing while growing her audience. Using Substack, she refines ideas for books, shares insights into calligraphy and design, and engages her audience with educational content.
Substack has become integral to her process, helping her manage projects, organize thoughts, and extend her teaching. By offering free content to build community, and exploring paid options, Ann balances creativity with income generation.
01:14 Ann's Art Journey
02:22 Diversifying Income Streams
05:31 Teaching and Workshops
07:42 Starting a Substack
13:05 Writing Process and Tools
21:59 Monetizing Substack
25:42 Advice for Artists Who Are Considering Substack
š§ RELATED EPISODES
Imperfect Journaling for Artists with Cynthia Morris (ep. 51)
Guidelines for Your Artist Statement (ep. 50)
Publishing a How To Book for Artists with Carol McIntyre (ep. 37)
š To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/substack-miller
āļø Connect with Ann Balaam Miller, subscribe to her Getting Inky Substack, and see more of her art: https://pennib.com
š¶ Does your art business need a boost or a refresh? Please see my comprehensive art-marketing program, Essentials for Artist Success š¶ 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.
ā°ļø 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. Hereās how ~~~~> https://artbizsuccess.com/pitch-podcast/