Sally Hirst was born to teach, and she was also born an artist. Like most of us, she adapted to the new reality that she was faced with at the beginning of the pandemic.

Sally and I discuss her income sources before and after Covid, the skills she had to acquire to teach online, how she attracts new students, and how she manages to maintain her studio practice with her busy teaching schedule.

Kelly Pelfrey’s goal in 2020 was to replace her $50,000 teaching salary, but she quadrupled that. Her income has allowed her husband to leave his job to focus on his doctorate, feel comfortable about taking maternity leave, and save for college for her children.

In this episode of The Art Biz, Kelly shares her income sources, which are dominated by sales of commissions, followed distantly by releases of small paintings.

Heather Beardsley has managed to transform her social anxiety into opportunities—realizing that real growth could only happen when she overcame the urge to play it safe by sticking to open calls for entry.

Heather has learned to navigate the art world with intention, which has led to her current solo show at the Chrysler Museum of Art. We discuss funding, being prepared for opportunities, and building authentic relationships.