If you want a sustainable art business, making great work is only half the equation.
The other half? Building an audience that believes in you—and staying committed to that connection over the long haul.
Noelle Phares understood this from the very start. Instead of waiting for the “right” opportunities to appear, she actively created her own—through strategic shows, studio events, a strong print business, and personal relationships with collectors.
Her audience didn’t just show up overnight. It grew because she kept showing up first.
In this episode of The Art Biz, a continuation of episode 224 , Noelle pulls back the curtain on what real audience-building looks like behind the scenes. She shares how she chose where to show her work, set smart boundaries with galleries, and structured her business to keep growing without losing her creative focus.
We dive into the systems she’s built—including how she uses assistants, manages multiple income streams, and maintains direct connections with the people who support her art. Through it all, Noelle’s commitment to audience-building has given her the freedom to evolve as an artist without compromising her vision.
If you’re tired of feeling like you’re waiting for permission to grow your art career, this conversation will show you how powerful it is to take control—and why nurturing your audience is one of the smartest investments you can make.
Listen or Watch
Make sure you caught part 1 of my interview with Noelle.
Your audience won’t build itself.
Choose one action you can take today—send an email or DM, write a thank-you note, or reach out to a supporter—and start nurturing the connections that will sustain your art business.
Noelle Phares Quotes
“I’ve been able to say no to commissions because it’s more important to me to create work that goes together and is seen by a larger audience.”
“I built a brand around something that I was really passionate about, and I think that will hopefully continue for the rest of my life.”
“I want to be able to have my artwork in the homes of people who can only afford to pay $50 for a print. So there are some galleries who are not okay with that, and that’s fine. I can’t work with those people.”
“It takes a lot of work to grow technically and creatively, but also to keep building and nurturing your audience.”
“I feel like I need to interpret my work with words—whether that’s through email, on my website, or on social media—for the storytelling component to come through.”
“A thriving art career requires momentum. You have to have an audience if you’re going to sell artwork.”
“You really have to be the number one advocate for your own work.”
Mentioned
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Listen and read more about artists being smart with business systems.
About Noelle Phares
Noelle Phares brings a fresh perspective into her contemporary landscape paintings through examination of the tension between organic and synthetic. As an environmental scientist by training, she allows the same topics that drove her work in the natural sciences to now guide her creative endeavors.
Her body of work combines landscape elements with structural geometry to create fractured architectural landscapes that explore the ever-encroaching presence of humanity into previously pristine open spaces.
Follow Noelle on Instagram: @noellephares
