Proving It's Possible to be an Artist and Mother with Elizabeth LeMaster (ep. 188)
The Art Biz
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...
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How to Guarantee that People Remember You with Skip Hill (ep. 187)
The Art Biz
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...
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The Career Journey of Growth-Minded Artists (ep. 186)
The Art Biz
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...
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Leaning Into Her Roots and Community Art with Marilyn Fontaine (ep. 185)
The Art Biz
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...
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How Your Art Makes People Feel (ep. 184)
The Art Biz
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...
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A Collaboration Between 2 Artists that Led to Creative Growth (ep. 183)
The Art Biz
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...
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Rethinking Mailing Lists for Artists (ep. 182)
The Art Biz
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...
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Spotlighting Artists Who Bloom Later in Life with Janice Mason Steeves (#181)
The Art Biz
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...
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Affirmations for Artists (ep. 180)
The Art Biz
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...
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Virtual Assistance for Your Social Media and Websites with Artist VA Hallie Edlund (ep. 179).
The Art Biz
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...
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In this interview, you will hear Jan talk about:
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The non-linear career path of professional artists, and why determination and vulnerability are two key characteristics.
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Her personal transition from a production artist to a fine artist over the last 10 years.
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More about Jan’s Moon-Lily Silk Mobiles, and what is involved with production and filling orders.
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The many hats she wears in navigating the construction of the mobiles, along with marketing, accounting, etc.
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Why she found it easier to retain and train people as employees rather than interns.
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What led her into production work and the retail business, and how it showed her that it was possible to make a living as a fine artist.
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Why she feels as though production art is tough for artists that want to explore and grow the different facets of their art.
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The point at which Jan knew she needed to begin shifting towards making her own art, and the steps she is taking towards balancing both production work and creation.
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Her commitment to letting her body make the work, and keeping her mind out of it.
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How she got the confidence in herself and her artwork to exhibit it, and what it felt like to put it out into the world.
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The important question artists need to ask themselves: What do I need to make? Not: How do I sell my art?
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The challenges of textile art, and connecting with the right people that will lead to sustainable income.
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The social component of being an artist, and how Jan navigates the world as a self-proclaimed shy homebody, to integrate her personal confidence more into her art.
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The importance of listening, connection, and staying open and present as an artist.
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