Alyson Stanfield, Author at Art Biz Success

The Art Biz ep. 172: Stop Incessantly Feeding the Social Media Algorithms with Kamal X

It’s easy to chase the algorithm these days. It’s more difficult to remain true to yourself and your art.

Kamal X started a collection of photographs after the murder of George Floyd—risking his health at the height of Covid because, he says, the moment was bigger than him. Kamal wants you to remember the light you have inside you, and that you can visualize and create something bigger for yourself.

The Art Biz ep. 172: Stop Incessantly Feeding the Social Media Algorithms with Kamal X Read

The Art Biz ep. 171: Self Sales, Open Studios, and Relationships with Interior Designers with Carol MacConnell

A lot of artists say they’d like to work with interior designers, but few artists have been able to crack the code for doing so. Carol MacConnell is one of them. In this episode, we discuss her income streams, how she, as an artist who is legally deaf, navigates conversations, and how she finds, nurtures, and works with interior designers.

You’ll also hear me plead my case for contracts. Always.

The Art Biz ep. 171: Self Sales, Open Studios, and Relationships with Interior Designers with Carol MacConnell Read

The Art Biz ep. 135: Your Life is a Work of Art — Annual Review

[ Post republished for 2023. ] Before you go too deeply into planning for the New Year, take time to review your most recent journey around the sun with The Artist’s Annual Review.

Reflect on your experiences.
Remember what you accomplished and encountered.
Record your reflections and memories.
Return to your record in the future when you want to …
Remind yourself of how full the year was for you.

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The Art Biz ep. 170: 7 Essential Verbs for Artists to Embrace

Action builds confidence, and you need verbs for action.

Look back on how your confidence as an artist has grown over as a result not only of reading about something or hearing about it, but of actually doing it. Making more art. Having more shows. Submitting to more opportunities.

With this in mind, I have 7 verbs to embrace, which you might not normally associate with your art career.

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The Art Biz ep. 169: Leaning Into Art to Battle Depression with David Sandum

David Sandum’s journey through depression led him to the works of Vincent Van Gogh and Edvard Munch—finding solace and a deep connection with their expression of raw emotions.

We discuss how art continues to be a lifeline in his struggle with depression, the tension between making art for yourself and surviving in a commercial market, and how and why he started the international Postcard Art Exhibit.

The Art Biz ep. 169: Leaning Into Art to Battle Depression with David Sandum Read

Artist Catalogs: Why You Need Them, What to Include, and How to Use

A catalog of your art can be a snapshot of your career at a moment in time or a retrospective documenting your entire life’s work.

With the advent of on-demand, inexpensive publishing, every artist should be using catalogs to promote their art.

And, yes, I recommend print catalogs before electronic versions.

Artist Catalogs: Why You Need Them, What to Include, and How to Use Read

The Art Biz ep. 168: Impacting Artists First in a Curatorial Project Focusing on Empathy with Nanci Hersh

It’s so much easier to make art by yourself and show it and sell it by yourself. And this approach works for many artists, but not for everyone.

In this episode I talk with Nanci Hersh about a big curatorial project that align with her values of connection and community. We discuss its benefits, what she’d do differently next time, and the ripple effect caused by impacting the artists first.

The Art Biz ep. 168: Impacting Artists First in a Curatorial Project Focusing on Empathy with Nanci Hersh Read

The Art Biz ep. 167: How to Have a Sale of Your Art and Feel Good About It

Discounting your original work might be unpalatable, but there are reasons for doing so, including the fact that unsold work is taking up space and energy. (Promotion might be a better word than sale.)

In this episode and article, I discuss the psychology and process around having a sale of your art or any products 6 options for structuring it and 3 mistakes you don’t want to make.

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The Art Biz ep. 166: Raising Prices on Your Art, Valuing Community, and Balancing Motherhood with Bri Larson

Bri and I started exploring the topic of why she raised her prices significantly, and it soon became clear that seeing herself as a new mother and role model for her daughter contributed to that decision.

We discuss how she leans on her artist community, structuring her days into pockets of time around her baby’s schedule, and how she overcame the mindset that her art needed to be affordable.

The Art Biz ep. 166: Raising Prices on Your Art, Valuing Community, and Balancing Motherhood with Bri Larson Read

Delight Someone (Everyone)

Of course your art will delight some people immediately upon introducing yourself. But how can you take an extra step to see that they’re also delighted by you as a person?

In order to delight someone, there must be an element of surprise. It’s a gift that seeks nothing in return but the light in recipients’ eyes.

Delight Someone (Everyone) Read

Alyson Stanfield

Your Artist Mailing List: Rethinking + Assessing