Your Art Matters
Hello! I am Michelle Lloyd founder of United ArtSpace, and I'm bringing you the Your Art Matters Podcast. I believe there is a place for everyone in the art world, and it is possible at any stage and any age to bring your creative passions alive. Every week, I will bring you a dose of inspiration, with thought-provoking and motivational conversation, so you can make art you love and turn what you love into a living. So together, let's get motivated, inspired and make art!
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165 | Making A Full Time Living From Art With Summer Paradiso
09/09/2024
165 | Making A Full Time Living From Art With Summer Paradiso
Summer found us a few years ago at a time when she wasn’t sure why she just couldn’t seem to sell her art. She loved creating, that wasn’t an issue - but she was forever finding it difficult to make money doing what she loved. We are celebrating hard as just a few months Summer made the leap to full-time selling artist and makes more money now than when she was employed full time!!! She has built an incredible life, making money from what she loves. Summer took part in our 7 Keys program and that’s when she started to break through blocks and learn the next steps she needed take. Guess what, she doesn’t stick to the same subject matter either !! She paints all sorts of things - listen in to find out how she is able to do this. Despite all the crazy set backs, and she had a lot of those !! Listen to the full story now! Click here to learn more about of 7 Keys to Make Art A Living course:
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What Does Making Art A Living Mean?
08/27/2024
What Does Making Art A Living Mean?
What does it mean to make a living from art? Does it mean pay the bills? Does it mean it has to come only from art sales? This is what I talk about in today’s episode. What making art a living means Whether you can make art a living The different ways you can make money and impact from your art If you want my step-by-step framework so you can learn how to make art your living, I am running a free workshop from September 2 to September 9. Here are the details:
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How Did my Book get To Number 1 In Less Than 12 Hours?
08/19/2024
How Did my Book get To Number 1 In Less Than 12 Hours?
My book Your Art Matters hit the number one best-seller list within 12 hours of releasing it! Firstly, thank you if you were one of the people who bought it - you helped make this happen!! I have been asked, how did you do it? If you are launching a book, selling art, or having an artwork in a public space that took a lot of work and you want people to know about it, then you need people. Fact. People are everything. I built a strong village of people around me during the whole book writing and marketing process. Now, I did create some fun activities during the launch of the book with prizes and made it fun - but ultimately, this only worked as there were a group of people who believed in me. This is where it all starts - growing your village. I talk about this in today’s episode, and we will be doing this together in my next FREE workshop: Make Art Your Living which starts on 2nd September.
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E162 | How Do I Sell My Art?
08/16/2024
E162 | How Do I Sell My Art?
This was a question that came in last week, and I receive this same question on a weekly basis. When you ask this question, it’s so broad - it’s like asking, how do I travel? There are so many answers depending on where you are and where you want to go. So, to answer this question, you must dig deeper under the surface. ‘You can’t be seen until you learn how to see’ - Seth Godin This is a quote from my new book, Your Art Matters, which explains it beautifully - we have to look inwards. I explain this in today’s podcast and also invite you to join our next free event: Make Art Your Living.
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E161 | From Sleepless Nights to Starry Heights: How Kristine Richer turned midnight hours into a thriving art career
07/30/2024
E161 | From Sleepless Nights to Starry Heights: How Kristine Richer turned midnight hours into a thriving art career
From Sleepless Nights to Starry Heights: How Kristine Richer turned midnight hours into a thriving art career. Join us for a live podcast talk with Kristine Richer, a Milky Way photographer who transformed late-night parenting challenges into a flourishing career. In this episode of 'Your Art Matters,' Kristine shares he remarkable journey going from selling prints for $50 to $2000!! Kristine will share how she found her voice and purpose through an unexpected twist of fate, turning sleep deprivation and homebound evenings into opportunities for creative growth. She'll reveal the steps she took to build her niche in Milky Way photography and how she's now helping others do the same. Expect practical insights on: Embracing life's constraints to fuel creativity Finding your unique artistic perspective Building a successful career from an unusual starting point Scaling your art business from hobby to full-time income Educating and inspiring others in your field Whether you're an aspiring artist, a parent juggling responsibilities, or someone seeking inspiration to pursue your passion, Kristine's story will light the path to turning challenges into opportunities. Connect with Kristine Richer: Website: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinerosephotography
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E160 | To Niche or Not To Niche?
07/22/2024
E160 | To Niche or Not To Niche?
Should you stick to drawing one thing? Or creating art only using pencils? This is a topic that can make people really angry! I understand why because some people think that niching down artwork means focusing on one thing for the rest of your life and nothing else. But it doesn’t have to mean that. I saw someone share a post the other week saying, ‘DON’T NICHE YOUR ARTWORK’. This is such a broad statement that it really doesn’t mean anything. If you want to niche your art and become known for something specific, do it. If you don’t want to focus, you don’t have to. I talk more about this in today’s episode.
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E159 | Live Q&A - Why It's Important To Understand Why Your Art Matters
07/18/2024
E159 | Live Q&A - Why It's Important To Understand Why Your Art Matters
Today’s podcast is a little different. I hosted it live and made it an open Q&A. I had no idea what we would talk about, which is always a nice surprise. The conversation ended up going in the direction of: What happens when you don’t quite believe you are good enough to write, make art, or whatever you create - and you feel you have extensive areas of improvement? What happens when you pour your heart and soul into your work and the fear of it being criticised - or just the fear of sharing it full stop can make you feel incredibly anxious? Whether critique sessions actually work Why it’s important to understand why your art REALLY matters. We also talked about how external pressures can influence the work we create and we pondered this question together: If you could make any art without fear, judgement or external pressures - what art would you really make??? I don’t actually know the answer to this myself, but when I ponder this question, I do know that there is a part of my art-making or creativity that hasn’t been released. I know there is a part of me that would make art against the norm—whatever that is. A seed has been planted for sure.
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E158 | Making the Impossible Possible
07/04/2024
E158 | Making the Impossible Possible
Have you ever felt like one of your goals is just impossible? A money goal you just can’t seem to achieve, or a level of standard in your work you just can’t get close to? Last week, I had an experience with a mattress that really got me thinking about how to make impossible goals possible. When you feel you repeatedly hit a wall, and then BAM - the answers present themselves. I share this in today’s episode, plus two ways to immediately start moving from impossible to possible. Enjoy!
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E157 | How To Deal With Scammers
06/21/2024
E157 | How To Deal With Scammers
Have you ever worried about falling victim to an online scam as an artist? We share a real story from our community about a member who fell victim to a scam but handled it with remarkable resilience. We discuss practical steps to identify and avoid scams, such as verifying email domains, checking for legitimate websites, requesting references, and using secure payment methods. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of staying engaged and building trust with potential buyers while encouraging artists not to let fear prevent them from sharing their work. Join us as we offer guidance, support, and inspiration to help you navigate these challenges and continue thriving as an artist. P.S: This is where you can get more support and information on , this is a UK site but the advice is relevant to all.
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E156 | 10 X Your Goal And See If This Happens
06/18/2024
E156 | 10 X Your Goal And See If This Happens
In the book 10X Is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and another co-author, the idea of aiming for goals that are ten times larger than your current ones is explored. This concept challenges you to think and act on a much larger scale, whether it’s creating more artwork, earning more money, or collaborating with more people. Applying this to my own goals, such as selling 5,000 copies of my book, I found the idea both exhilarating and intimidating. The fear of aiming higher reveals internal barriers that might also be hindering smaller goals. By setting a 10X goal of 50,000 copies, I started asking different questions, considering new strategies, and thinking creatively about reaching larger audiences. This shift in mindset normalizes the original goal, making it seem more achievable. Even if the 10X target isn’t reached, the process of aiming higher transforms your approach, potentially leading to greater achievements than initially expected. I challenge you to 10X your goal. Reflect on the thoughts and fears that arise, and explore how you could make the seemingly impossible possible. Share your journey with friends or within your accountability group, and let’s support each other in breaking through our self-imposed limits.
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E155 | 3 Reasons You Are Not Hitting Your Goals And How To Change
05/20/2024
E155 | 3 Reasons You Are Not Hitting Your Goals And How To Change
I‘ve had the same big financial goal for the last 3 years, and for a long time, it has felt like I’m getting further away from it than closer to it. Have you ever experienced this? You set a financial, art-related or personal goal, and you just can’t seem to hit it. It might be that you want to make your first sale, be more visible, or make more money. I reflected on this extensively in January and significantly changed how I approach my financial goal. I am starting to see a shift and am getting closer to hitting it. Three big factors have helped me, and I shared them in this week's podcast. You can watch or listen here
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E154 | BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Book release date and in-person book launch details
05/07/2024
E154 | BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Book release date and in-person book launch details
The BIG day has arrived. The publication date of my book, Your Art Matters is 6th August. Our official book launch event is 16th August - we would love you to join us for this. In this episode, I share the importance of understanding why your art matters as it relates to the work you make, your purpose in life, who you connect with and how you sell. This is why I am so passionate about this book that will help you find your voice, purpose and people. I explain the book, the event and how I overcame the barrier to create an event in this episode.
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E153 | Is A Subscription Membership Right For Your Art?
04/15/2024
E153 | Is A Subscription Membership Right For Your Art?
Being paid to: Have a community of people around you. Make art all day. Use your studio space. Learn from you. Have a break. These are some of the ways you can create a membership platform where people pay you on a monthly, quarterly, 6 monthly, or annual basis. I know this sounds incredibly daunting and scary to many, as it did for me when I first started! I have had many questions about knowing if a membership is the right decision for you and your art - so I am giving the download it today’s episode. I also take you through the steps Sharon took to create a pop-up membership that earned more that £15,000 in one month. Stu’s Full Membership Experience Course has opened for enrollment, click to learn more:
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E152 | Becoming An Artist With Bonny Snowdon - LIVE
04/09/2024
E152 | Becoming An Artist With Bonny Snowdon - LIVE
Wow - this was a bumper LIVE episode as we talked with artist, Bonny Snowdon. Bonny broke down her whole journey from not making art in 30 years to self-taught, fully booked artist with thousands of students. Bonny kindly shared how she managed to increase her pricing by building a waitlist and managed to exit her fulltime job to fulltime artist within 12 months. Celebrating £ 1 million in turnover this year, Bonny has overcome challenges and set backs but found success as she works daily on her mindset and beliefs. Bonny spoke of her success and credits her mindset and the people she has around her. This was such a great episode, we may have to bring Bonny back for a round 2 as we could have kept talking. If you want to learn more about Bonny, click here: Want to learn to draw an otter in 7 days? Bonny is hosting a coloured pencil week where you will do just this :)
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E151 | How To Make Extra Income From Your Creativity
04/03/2024
E151 | How To Make Extra Income From Your Creativity
This was a live podcast where I brought in my mentor, Stu McLaren. We talked about my past and how Stu has impacted my life in the most profound way ever. We talk about how you can use your creativity to impact others and make money at the same time. Imagine being paid to make art? With money coming in month after month. I get paid to make art, and I don’t have to sell it - how crazy is that ? This episode is super special to me as Stu has shown me ways of living I never knew possible and I have a feeling some of you need to hear this - so enjoy. Here are what others are saying about this episode: I am SO GRATEFUL I didn’t miss this - Nikki McDiarmid I discovered you during a painful moment in my life 4 years ago, you have helped me believe that my art not only matters to me but to others too. I am following your recommendations and growing as an artist. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart - Lia Pintaryrelajar2206 (YouTube)
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E150 | The Free Training That Changed My Life And Income
04/01/2024
E150 | The Free Training That Changed My Life And Income
In today’s podcast, I set out to talk in-depth about how a free training I took back in 2016 changed my life in the most profound way. Although I do talk about it - I don’t go into detail as I find it emotional to talk about. To think that back in 2016, when I signed up for a free workshop with Stu McLaren, and how my life is unrecognisable now moves me to tears. I spent years in emotional turmoil, lost and struggling financially. Stu taught me not only how to create a membership platform, but how to find myself, teach others, build confidence and armed me with incredible knowledge. In today’s episode I share insights into how you can use what Stu teaches to not only make more money from your creativity, but to enrich your life
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E149 | How My Son Sold His First Artwork
03/18/2024
E149 | How My Son Sold His First Artwork
My son was getting quite angry and upset as he wanted to buy an Xbox but didn’t have the money. We can all relate, I am sure - there are many things I want but don’t have the money :) So, our motto is every problem has a solution - and so we created a project plan and worked out how he could earn the money. He decided to sell his art and we broke down the steps of how he could do it. I share behind the scenes today of what we created as the lessons here relate to us all as it comes down to setting a financial goal and finding a way to hit it.
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E148 | Your Mistakes are Adding More Value to Your Art
03/11/2024
E148 | Your Mistakes are Adding More Value to Your Art
What if I told you the mistakes you make are increasing the value of your art? We often disregard our mistakes, which can impact our confidence negatively. Yet, our trials and errors are what make our art great. This is what I talk about in today’s episode. What if you are a beginner? With no trials and errors? Does this devalue your work?? Nope, I also talk about this in the episode.
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E147 | Making Art that sells
02/27/2024
E147 | Making Art that sells
Making art that sells - a term some people love and for some it brings feelings of guilt, shame and a sense of selling your soul. This week, I explore this topic as it relates to making art with the intention of selling. For me two primary considerations contribute towards sales: Making art (or anything) that is like you - by this I mean leaning into what makes you unique. Your art reflects you, and the more you understand this, the more you can communicate this. This applies to what you make, identifying what makes your work different to everyone else, and also leaning into your story - as there is a story behind every artist and every artwork. Learning what people want - this means either getting to know your audience, if you have one and learning what sells. A particular frame?? A certain animal?? Or if you don’t have an audience, it’s about looking at a particular area of art you are interested in and looking around to see what works. Taking note of scale, frames, patterns, colours and so on. This what I talk about in today’s episode. If you haven’t signed up to the next FREE art workshop called The Art Of Your Life, click to register: This workshop is run by Nicholas Wilton and it starts on 4th March. It’s delivered over 3 days and replays are available. It is an entire week of teaching from Nicholas, designed to help you make art that is stronger and more like you. A lesson in how to make art that stands out from the crowd.
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E146 | Bringing your Art to life
02/19/2024
E146 | Bringing your Art to life
I remember looking at my painting and wondering what was wrong with my creation. It didn't seem right, but I couldn't determine why. It was like when I had found an inspirational image and tried to replicate what I saw but failed miserably. I've taken courses in drawing, acrylic, life drawing, watercolour, textiles, collage, ceramics - the list goes on. The one thing I have learned over time is that art is a language. It doesn't matter how many courses you take; if you don't learn the fundamental elements that contribute to what art is, you will always struggle. I’ve learned this is a surprisingly common challenge… So common, in fact, that my friend Nicholas Wilton has decided to address it in his upcoming FREE workshop. Click to save your seat in the free Art of Your Life Workshop! Specifically, he will be covering the first 3 (and most important) stages in the Art2Life Process, including DESIGN: Why so many people with lots of education, degrees and experience still struggle to make art they love How to master composition in a way that will quickly elevate your art VALUE: How to strengthen your discernment — that internal compass — that tells you when to go further, pivot, or pull back with your art How to create a beautiful kind of depth and balance in your art COLOUR: How to add a vibrant new level of dimension AND subtleness to your work with a perspective on color you haven’t heard before! How to feel more confident in your creative choices — so you can begin making art MORE like YOU.
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E145 | Artist Talk - Success since becoming a member of United ArtSpace
01/30/2024
E145 | Artist Talk - Success since becoming a member of United ArtSpace
A wonderful talk with artists as we delve into the success they have experienced since working with us. We discuss hoe they use the Best Year Yet process and how their journeys have evolved over the years from taking action. Lisa shared how she was shaking like a leaf when it came to sharing her only drawing with us - this was 3 years ago. Today, Lisa sold work and sat in her studio on the call. You can learn more about today’s featured artists here: Simone Paterson Jane Powell Lisa Potter Jenny Stevenson Enjoy
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E144 | How other artists design their lives using Best Year Yet
01/24/2024
E144 | How other artists design their lives using Best Year Yet
A wonderful live podcast episode where we bring in artists who share how they plan their year ahead. We talk about having goals, not having goal, having a calendar, not having a calendar and all the different ways you can adapt our best Year Yet training to design your life in your own way. A super session if you are keen to do more of what you love in 2024.
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E143 | The art of getting what you want
01/16/2024
E143 | The art of getting what you want
I know this title may make some people feel uncomfortable - those who give give give and never put themselves first, for example. However, when we break this down - it’s simply connecting with what truly matters in life and focusing on this. You can do more of what makes you happy. It’s not about greed or hurting people along the way so we can satisfy our needs only. When you feel content, fulfilled and happy - this will impact everyone around you. In this episode, I will share the steps I take when ‘getting what I want’. I will talk about Wishing and Dreaming Planning and focusing How to have faith when you don’t believe How to handle fear IF YOU WANT TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE EVENT, HERE IS THE
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E142 | Reflecting on 2023 together - Recorded Live
01/08/2024
E142 | Reflecting on 2023 together - Recorded Live
Let’s reflect on 2023 together. One of the best ways to move forward and achieve success is by reflecting and today’s podcast was recorded live. We took time to: Consider what you want and don’t want. Get clear on what you really want in 2024. Learn from mistakes and from what went well. Most of all, paying attention to how far you have come. When you reflect on what’s happened, you can do more of what works, do less of what doesn’t work, and aim for what you REALLY want. If you want to download the reflection worksheet that accompanies this episode, you can sign up to Best Year Yet and receive instant access here:
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E141 | Happy New Year: 2024
01/02/2024
E141 | Happy New Year: 2024
Last year I bought a house, which was a big deal for me. As a single parent, who used to be in masses of debt and unemployed for years - to get to this point today in my life is mind blowing. For years I struggled and found life difficult. Art was my saviour. Art has taught me so much and that is why I am so passionate about helping others understand why art matters. This year I am going to be talking about this topic A LOT!!! This year is the year my book will be published and unveiled to the world. Owning my own house and writing a book have been on my vision board for a LONG time, and they materialised because I never gave up. I have always been very intentional about designing my life and stepping out of my comfort zone. This has come from years of practice and this is what I want to share with you in my FREE workshop, Design Your Life and Have Your Best Year Yet. This is the process I follow: Reflecting Creating a vision Making a plan Focusing on the right tasks Taking action I can’t want to share these steps with you and take the course myself!! Here is this week’s Vlogcast where I share my insights from my new living room :)
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E140 | I want you to always be happy, but that's not going to happen
12/26/2023
E140 | I want you to always be happy, but that's not going to happen
In this final Vlogast of 2023, I want to wish you a very healthy and ‘happy’ end to the year. I know it’s not an easy time for some people. I was reflecting on how I want everyone to be happy. I want my members, followers, children, friends, family - all to be happy. I strive to make people happy and fulfilled, but this isn’t always possible. It’s not realistic. In this episode, I talk about the term happiness and how it comes and goes in my own life. Thank you for all of your support in 2023.
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E139 | Making connections with no expectation
12/20/2023
E139 | Making connections with no expectation
I always say you are one person away from an opportunity. Suvi is a UAS HUb member and last week, she shared her surprise as she was invited to exhibit next year, and it came from a simple act with no expectations. Suvi had created some lovely cards featuring her artwork and decided to give them to local shop owners as a seasonal greeting. One of the shop owners contacted Suvi and asked if they could exhibit the work for 3 months during their busiest season !! I talk about this in today’s episode, as it has got me thinking about the power of creating digital and physical cards
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E138 | The 3 most important questions to ask yourself
12/12/2023
E138 | The 3 most important questions to ask yourself
When you begin to take control of your life to feel more fulfilled and happy, you often realise it’s not about the house, the amount you earn or the studio you have. These goals are great, but true fulfilment comes from inside. I know this can sound a little wishy washy, but this has been the biggest lesson towards me finding tons of contentment and happiness in my life. No matter how many goals I set and achieved, there was always a feeling of not having enough, or fear of it being taken away. When i work on what really matters - the internal - this is when my life starts to feel easier. In today’s episode I share a great insight from Mid valley as they share the 3 most important questions to ask yourself when it comes to designing your life. What do you want to experience ? How do you want to grow? How do you want to give back to the world? The key is to answer in 90 seconds and not overthink. You can tune into today’s episode, where I talk more about this: If you want to go deeper into this process, you can follow the steps on the Mind Valley website:
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E137 | The view of a few
12/05/2023
E137 | The view of a few
Your art won’t sell You should paint flowers, you will make more money You are not good enough People aren’t buying art right now Have you ever taken a different direction because of the view of a few?? By this, I mean a couple of people out of the billions of people in the world gave their view, which diminished your dream—diminishing your confidence? Or did they influence a change of direction that doesn’t feel right? We have to be careful not to accept the view of a few when we have a goal or destination we are passionate about. Unless the view of a few are aligned with our mission and have great advice. But, even then - someone who may appear to be in the know and have fantastic insight can be wrong. I want to talk about this in today’s short bite-sized episode.
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E136 | How do you really want to live your life?
11/27/2023
E136 | How do you really want to live your life?
If you could live on your own terms with no money, worries, or responsibilities- how would you be REALLY living?? It amazes me how many people live a life they think they should live. Myself included. I fall into the trap year after year of making decisions based on what is expected or what I think others will like. I intentionally reframe this thinking and check in with what I REALLY desire. This is a question I ponder at this time of year. I love the cycle of coming towards the end of a year. It’s time to shed old skin, relight fires that burnt out and re-navigate my compass. I love reflecting on how I design my life going forward. I can feel shifts in my own life that have been brewing for a long time, and 2024 is going to be a time of change for me - I have some exciting plans - but these plans are only coming to fruition as I spend time going through the Best Year Yet program!! I would love you to join me - the event starts on. 18th January 2024 But, when you sign up, you get access to the Best Year Yet Prep immediately. Best Year Yet is a process of designing your own life. You can learn more :
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