Blog - Art Biz Success

The art biz blog features both articles and podcast episodes. To reach podcast episodes only, visit The Art Biz page.

The Art Biz ep. 162: She Knows Exactly How Much Her Art Income Will be Every Month with Kelly Pelfrey

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.

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September 7, 2023

The Art Biz ep. 161: My Money Odyssey and the Evolution of Art Biz Success

I've always thought that my money story was pretty boring. As it turns out, I have some good (and funny) stories around my encounters with money throughout the decades. They involve balancing checkbooks, collecting for charities, perfect accounting scores, starting a business with too little money, and the creation of the income accelerator for artists.

This is from Parker Stevenson's interview with me on The Bottom Line by Evolved Finance podcast.

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August 31, 2023

The Art Biz ep. 160: Overcoming Anxiety about Making Art World Connections with Heather Beardsley

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.

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August 24, 2023

The Art Biz ep. 159: How Do Artists Make Money?

One thing above all else can get in the way of feeling successful: Money. So let's talk about it—starting with income sources. Where does the money come from?

In this episode, I discuss why you might want to diversify beyond originals, how to categorize your income sources, and how to analyze where the money has come from in the past so you can plan for the future.

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August 17, 2023

The Art Biz ep. 158: Following Her Curiosity and Making New Connections After 60 with Jan McCarthy

Discover Jan McCarthy's vibrant life beyond 60, where being an artist is more than painting or drawing. She prefers the term “maker.”

With a diverse portfolio ranging from businesses and fundraisers to artwork and interior design, Jan pursues her passions. We discuss her creativity workshops for corporations, casual yet impactful women's mastermind dinners, and her heart-driven project, Art for the Heart. Jan also reveals her strategies for connecting with interior designers.

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August 10, 2023

The Art Biz ep. 157: Increasing Self-Sales by 400% with Sarah Becktel

Sarah Becktel reveals how she increased her self-sales income by 400% by focusing on 5 indoor art fairs per year—all juried or curated—with different price points, up front costs, and markets.

She talks about her strategy for selecting the work each one: one is for only originals, another for only reproductions and products, and the third is a mixture of the two. Sarah also shares wisdom for other artists.

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August 3, 2023