Alyson Stanfield

Collage-style painting of a tan and red dilapidated brick building with weathered green shutters and a palm-like plant growing from the roof.

How much time will your art career take? (267)

The artists who ask me “how much time?” are usually the ones still deciding whether they’re in. How much time should you spend on business versus making art, and how long before any of it pays off?

In this episode of The Art Biz I answer both truthfully — including a number you might not want to hear — and offer a better question to ask yourself instead, one that has less to do with hours and everything to do with commitment.

How much time will your art career take? (267) Read

Still life painting of a bowl of vibrant oranges, a detailed Portuguese tile with a blue and orange pattern, a small blue and white bird, and a solitary skeleton key hanging on a nail

Making a living from your art (266)

Making a living from your art requires more than talent and desire. It demands financial clarity, the right mindset, and a community of artists who pull you forward. It means committing to your studio practice above all else, embracing structure, and showing up for marketing consistently.

If you’re considering taking the leap, here’s what that actually looks like.

Making a living from your art (266) Read

Christie Marks oil and acrylic painting of a large pink and white lotus flower with dramatic, dripping rich colors like magenta, turquoise, and yellow in the water’s reflection

Use the attraction method for art venues before you make the ask (265)

So many artists reach out to venues too soon — before the relationship exists and before the venue has any reason to say yes.

Introducing the attraction method for building visibility with a space manager/director/curator long before you make an ask. It removes the awkwardness and allows you time to ensure a good fit. When the time comes to ask for a show, you’re not a stranger.

Use the attraction method for art venues before you make the ask (265) Read

Abstract acrylic painting by Gail Salzman of a combination of large geometric blocks and curved, organic elements in earth tones of olive green and ochre contrasted with softer tones of peaches and tans.

The artists who don’t wait to be chosen (264)

Waiting for gallery representation or other opportunities to cross your path is a common theme I see among artists, but it’s not a good strategy.

In this episode, I make the case for taking control of where and how your work is seen, with real examples of artists who showed up in unexpected places and made it work. If you’ve been cycling through juried shows or hoping a gallery will find you, this one is worth your time.

The artists who don’t wait to be chosen (264) Read

Save the date announcement from Chester County, Pennsylvania Studio Tour.

How to write an art show invitation: announcing, commanding, or inviting?

An art show invitation has two jobs: give people everything they need to know about the event, and use a tone that makes them actually want to come.

Here’s how to decide between announcing, commanding, and inviting, what to include when space is tight versus when it isn’t, and the common mistakes artists make on their announcements and invitations.

How to write an art show invitation: announcing, commanding, or inviting? Read

Marie Bender Still life painting of a black crow perched on a dish surrounded by rocks, a pitcher of rocks, nuts, pears and floral elements

Why the lone artist mindset keeps you small (263)

Going it alone feels easier. No coordination, no compromise, no communication overhead. But the artists building the careers you admire are rarely doing it alone.

In this solo episode, I make the case for collaboration as a strategic habit, not a one-time favor. I shares real-world examples, explain what makes them work, and offer a question to ask the next time you’re planning a show or a new body of work.

Why the lone artist mindset keeps you small (263) Read

This artist turned 5 partnerships into a sold-put gallery show with Meredith Nemirov (262)

Getting buy-in for an ambitious exhibition idea means giving people a reason to say yes before you walk in the door.

In this episode, Colorado artist Meredith Nemirov shares how she built a sold-out show by approaching a national nonprofit before she called her gallery, giving collaborators options rather than demands, and activating the show across multiple events. The result was six invested partners and a show that sold out by the end of the summer.

This artist turned 5 partnerships into a sold-put gallery show with Meredith Nemirov (262) Read

Miwa Gardner emotive watercolor portrait of a woman surrounded by birds and with vine-like markings on her face. The subject is wearing a high-necked garment adorned with intricate gold filigree patterns.

What are you waiting for? The real costs of postponing strategic work in your art business (261)

The daily work of running an art business — making art, posting, responding, shipping — always feels urgent. The strategic work doesn’t. So it waits. But postponing that deeper evaluation isn’t neutral.

There are five specific costs that accumulate when you keep the strategic work on the back burner, quarter after quarter. None of them announce themselves. And that’s precisely what makes them so damaging.

What are you waiting for? The real costs of postponing strategic work in your art business (261) Read

Cindy Rassche ceramic model of a boat

The art business self-assessment every artists should do (260)

Before you can decide what to do next in your art business, you need to know what you actually have. In episode 260 of The Art Biz, I walk through the three-zone framework I use with every private client: Outreach, Presence, and Systems.

It’s a structured self-assessment that gives you a clear, honest picture of where your business stands, so you can stop guessing and start making decisions that actually move things forward.

The art business self-assessment every artists should do (260) Read

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