Only for ambitious artists (272)
Waiting has very little relationship to ambition. It feels like it because you want more, you’re hoping for more, you can picture the version of your career where it all breaks open.
But wanting isn’t the same as moving. Ambition without movement is just longing. Real ambition is smaller and steadier than waiting or hustling. It looks like your next move, and the move after that. Here’s how to find it.
Why artists should (and shouldn’t) blog
There are so many reasons why artists should maintain a blog, chief among them is that blogging helps you understand your work better—if you are honest in your writing.
But before I encourage any of my clients to blog, I first need to know that they’re okay with writing. Blogging is only for you if you want writing to be part of your practice.
Why nobody came to your art show (271)
You did the work. You finished the art, delivered it on time, and hung the show. So why did only a handful of people show up to your opening?
In this episode, I walk through the most common reasons artists lose attendance at exhibitions, open studios, and art festivals, and what you can do differently next time. It has less to do with the event or how many times you post to social media and everything to do with relationships.
The obvious salespeople you’re not using (270)
You spend a lot of energy chasing new buyers and collectors. But some of your best advocates are already in your life, and they’re ready to help.
In this episode, find out who they are, why they genuinely want to help sell your art, and how to make it easy for them to do it — physically and digitally — without feeling like you’re begging.
Do you have too many income sources in your art business? (269)
There are many ways to make money as an artist, but adding more income sources doesn’t necessarily lead to more income. Each one requires time, energy, research, marketing, and systems.
In this episode, I clarify the difference between an income source and an income stream, examine the real cost of diversification, and offer questions to help you decide whether a source deserves a place in your art business—or needs to go.
How curiosity and research deepen your studio practice (268)
Research isn’t only an academic exercise — it’s a commitment to following your curiosity, and it’s inseparable from making strong work.
In this episode of The Art Biz, I make the case that the artists who build enduring careers are the ones who keep asking questions: about their subjects, their materials, and anything else that attracts them. Here’s what that looks like in practice, and why it matters even beyond the studio.
