Stop Waiting for Opportunities and Start Shaping Them with Ebony Iman Dallas (252)
The Art Biz
host: Alyson Stanfield In this coaching-style episode, host Alyson Stanfield coaches Ebony Iman Dallas through the challenges of building a sustainable public art career while navigating motherhood, a regional market, and the fear of rejection. Ebony makes 90% of her income from public art but struggles with systems, marketing that highlights events instead of her work, and waiting for opportunities instead of creating them. If you've ever felt stretched between creative work and life responsibilities—or stuck in a local market—you'll recognize yourself here. HIGHLIGHTS 01:30 Ebony's...
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Beyond Information: Why Artists Need Frameworks (251)
The Art Biz
What happens when you realize the way you've been working isn't sustainable? When you've built something successful but it's costing you sleep, peace of mind, and the very things you set out to protect? In this solo episode, host Alyson Stanfield gets really vulnerable with a question most artists face at some point: Who am I if I change the way I've always done things? It's about the pressure to maintain what you've always done because that's what you identify with, the FOMO that makes you say yes when your gut says no, and the overwhelm that comes from adding more and more to your plate....
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From Relief to Revenue: 5 Years into Her Art Business with Dawn Trimble (250)
The Art Biz
host: Alyson Stanfield In 2020, Dawn Trimble was laid off from her interior design job during the pandemic while navigating a divorce—and she felt relief. That moment became a turning point. Within months of painting full-time, she launched her first collection, which sold out in days and matched her corporate paycheck. Dawn talks about the practical steps she took to build momentum, what she brought from her design background into her art business, how she thinks about creativity as service rather than self-expression, and why she believes the most important thing any artist can do is...
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Artist Friendships that Lead to Collaborative Exhibitions and Opportunities (249)
The Art Biz
host: Alyson Stanfield Alicia Bailey and Melinda Laz are part of a four-artist collaborative group in Denver that's been working together for years because it's made them better artists. In this conversation, they share the practical realities of collaboration: the systems that keep things organized, the communication that prevents problems, and the trust that makes it all possible. If you've ever wondered whether working with other artists is worth the effort, this episode will show you what's possible when you get it right. 🔦HIGHLIGHTS 01:50 How their friendship evolved into collaboration...
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Being the Artist I Want My Son to See with Stephanie Brown (248)
The Art Biz
In part one of this conversation (episode 247), Stephanie Brown shared how she strategically funded her education and built her early career foundation. Now it's time to talk about what happens next: the messy, real, day-to-day work of sustaining an art practice. Stephanie breaks down her actual income streams with host Alyson Stanfield—sharing her five-year vision for gallery representation and explaining how becoming a mother made her bolder and more focused rather than holding her back. 🔦 HIGHLIGHTS 03:50 Stephanie’s income percentages from consulting, speaking, art sales,...
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The Strategic Artist: Zero Debt Art Degrees with Stephanie Brown (247)
The Art Biz
Too many artists graduate from art school with crushing debt and then spend years figuring out how to make money while trying to maintain a studio practice. Stephanie Brown did the opposite. She graduated from a private art school debt-free, secured a fully funded MFA, and has been treating her art career like a business from day one. In this conversation with host Alyson Stanfield, Stephanie breaks down exactly how she did it, and why being strategic about money doesn't make you any less of an artist. 🔦 HIGHLIGHTS 02:00 Why interactive art transforms viewers into participants and creates...
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Are You Undermining Your Art's Value? (246)
The Art Biz
Your art doesn't exist in a vacuum. Where and how you show your work shapes how people perceive its value before they even look closely at the piece itself. The venue, the lighting, the labels, the other work nearby—all of it sends signals about whether your art should be taken seriously. In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield explores what falls within your control and what doesn't, and why understanding that difference can transform how collectors see you and your work. She encourages you to vet opportunities before committing, establish non-negotiables to establish for...
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Strategic Networking and Visibility Beyond Art World Centers with La Vaughn Belle (245)
The Art Biz
host: Alyson Stanfield La Vaughn Belle is a visual artist based in St. Croix whose interdisciplinary practice explores colonial histories and Caribbean identity. Host Alyson Stanfield talks with La Vaughn about building a thriving art career outside traditional art centers through strategic networking, intentional collaboration, and the bold decision to hire a publicist for her monument project I Am Queen Mary. La Vaughn reveals How she built strategic networks that expanded her reach beyond her local community Why collaboration with people outside her discipline opened unexpected doors The...
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Mutual Respect Between Artists and Galleries with Katherine Hébert (244)
The Art Biz
Working with a gallery means putting your art, reputation, and trust in someone else’s hands. That relationship can be transformative (or tense) depending on how it’s managed on either side. In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield talks with Katherine Hébert, founder of Gallery Fuel, which helps small and mid-size galleries strengthen their businesses. Katherine has seen both sides of the artist–gallery dynamic and knows what helps these relationships thrive: communication, transparency, and mutual respect. You’ll hear: What mutual respect between artists and galleries...
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What to Do With 400 Paintings: Artist Legacy and Economic Reality with Alissa Quart (243)
The Art Biz
When Alissa Quart's 90-year-old mother received a terminal diagnosis, she faced a daunting question: what to do with 400 paintings created over three decades. Her solution was unconventional, distributing the work directly to neighbors, friends, and anyone who wanted to live with her mother's art. The story she shares with host Alyson Stanfield touches on something much larger: what artists actually need to sustain their practice and how we think about legacy when the traditional art world isn't an option. You’ll learn: How to approach inventorying and distributing an artist's work when...
info_outlineYou 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 blog content and gave her the confidence to be more intentional moving forward. She breaks SEO down in a way that’s accessible and artist-friendly—even if it’s not your favorite thing to think about.
We discuss:
- The two things you must own online (spoiler: Instagram isn’t one of them)
- How search engines work and what they’re really looking for
- Where and how to use keywords on your site and images
- What alt text is (and how to write it)
- Whether blogging is still relevant in 2025
- Analytics to pay attention to—and how often to check them
Your Action Step
Take just one small step to improve your online presence. Update alt text, rewrite a product description, or add relevant keywords to a page. Share your progress with me on Instagram @alysonstanfield and use #artbizsuccess.
🔶 Want help building a better content structure? 🔶
Join me inside Essentials for Artist Success, where we’re about to kick off The Artist’s Content Compass workshop. You'll get the tools and support to make your content work harder—without burning out.
📖 To read more, see images, find resources mentioned, and leave a comment, visit https://artbizsuccess.com/casebolt-seo
⭐️ Connect with Meg, find her podcasts, and learn about Content Love Lab: https://loveatfirstsearch.com/
🎧 RELATED EPISODES
These episodes feature stories about artists’ success online:
Presenting Yourself Professionally on Your Artist Website with Jessica Burko (174)
The Key to Success on Social Media with Cathy Nichols (ep. 154)
Stop Incessantly Feeding the Social Media Algorithms with Kamal X ****(ep. 172)
Technology Is Your Colleague in the Studio with Iris Scott (ep. 203)
⛰️ 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/