Some artists are fine working by themselves in their studios. Other artists need to move their art beyond the studio walls and into the public in order to be fulfilled. ©2023 Marilyn Fo… Read More

By now, most of us are familiar with Simon Sinek’s famous TED Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” (2009). In it, he is evangelizi… Read More

One of the lessons I have inside of my learning center is a module on collaboration because I believe that collaborating is high-level thinking.Successful ar… Read More

Your artist mailing list is your most valuable marketing asset.It is the primary tool you use to share your art with the world. It’s your #1 marketing… Read More

We know that an awful lot of people over 60 are taking up art.And we know that many of them are thriving. So why isn’t more being written about this ph… Read More

I believe in the power of daily affirmations for artists. I first used them for myself a number of years ago to increase my income and it worked. I incr… Read More

If you’re like a lot of the artist-clients that I work with at Art Biz Success, you would love someone to help you with social media. Or your website… Read More

When I first published this post, I had just hired my first employee, other than myself. Yes, I am an employee of Art Biz Success.I'm not encouraging yo… Read More

I want to share a tool I was introduced to a number of years ago that helps me in life and in my business. And it’s helped many of my clients.It’… Read More

There isn’t much certainty around how to price your art, but two things are clear when it comes to pricing.First, it’s a struggle for most artist… Read More

You will often hear me say that your art isn’t complete until someone else experiences it. Until you’re standing in front of it and talking about… Read More

I feel like there is this big secret in the art world. It’s about how things work and how to be successful. Everyone but me seems to know wha… Read More

So many artists are down on their galleries and considering leaving them.There are absolutely many reasons not to stick with your gallery, but that&rsqu… Read More

Your artist website is your portfolio these days. It’s usually the first place people go to get a full picture of you and your art.They might init… Read More

Seeing January 1 on the calendar is enough to get almost anyone’s blood pumping.The thrill of starting fresh! The anticipation of creating new ben… Read More

This post might be for you or, as you’ll see, it might be a gift you share with another artist.This isn’t for artists who want to dabble and… Read More

I am fascinated by how we decide on areas of research or subject matter for our art.Why is one artist endlessly engaged with the landscape while another… Read More

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. My guest toda… Read More

As we learned when diagramming sentences in 4th grade, verbs are where the action is. No verb in the sentence, no action.The first iteration of my newsl… Read More

“Art was my way to manage my depression and anxiety, and heaven knows, I had tried to return to a more normal life several times only to end up in… Read More

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… Read More

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 there are many other… Read More

Having a sale of your art might be unpalatable. It feels as if you are cheapening the work you put so much effort into, and I get it. In just the last e… Read More

There are only a few things that break my heart more than seeing an artist give up her career when she has children. And it is usually a her. My sadnes… Read More

I have had a lot of successful artist-clients over the course of my career, and one thing I can say for certain is that not one of them looks like the o… Read More

Years ago I was teaching in a small mountain town and popping into cute shops, art galleries, and boutiques during my free time.In one of these spots, a… Read More

This episode is a remix of The Art Biz episode 36 from 2019. It is such an inspiring interview that I wanted more people to hear it.Adele Sypesteyn has… Read More

Lately, I’ve been diving into money on The Art Biz.As much as I do NOT want to talk about money, I know it’s necessary. I also know it&rsquo… Read More

We all have a money story. Some are more interesting than others.Maybe you made your riches and gambled it away for an MFA. Or you grew up in a house wh… Read More

Heather Beardsley’s art has been influenced by extensive travel and residencies in diverse cultures. This started with her year in Vienna as a Ful… Read More

Today I want to start a conversation about one of those things that can get in the way of feeling successful: Money.This isn’t an easy topic for a… Read More

Jan McCarthy describes herself as a maker because, in her eyes, that term encompasses more than the word “artist.”Jan has made business… Read More

Like many artists early in their journeys, Sarah Becktel focused on building her resume after art school. She was painting and showing in increasingly p… Read More

Approach the making of the wall labels you place next to your artwork with thoughtfulness and common sense… Read More

Like so many artists, Kimberly Santini began thinking differently at the beginning of the pandemic—out of necessity. Her calendar, like all of… Read More

It’s no secret that we love some parts of our business more than others.There is no way I can say with a straight face that I enjoy marketing and… Read More

You already know that your art won't resonate with everyone, but have you truly embraced the almost unpalatable concept that there are a ton of people o… Read More

Ready to dive into some fun fiction about art and artists? I have some novels for your summer reading. (I say your but this list is as much for me… Read More

Native American stories are too frequently told from a historical perspective, but Indigenous communities never left.We just drowned out their voices fo… Read More

As an artist and 1-person business owner, you are the talented maker, gregarious promoter, delightful conversationalist, and head honcho. All. At. T… Read More

Artist residencies, in whatever form they take, are invaluable to an artist’s growth.But there are barriers to doing residencies—primarily t… Read More

I don’t know exactly what it’s like to move your art from the safety of the studio and put it on view for the world to see. As a non-practic… Read More

If you are an artist who loves to travel and explore new places, this is for you.Artist residencies are something I’ve been wanting to dig into fo… Read More

Your artist newsletter is for keeping your list warm. It's not for making sales.By way of explanation, a definition is first required… Read More

Your email list is a means for nurturing trust, for building relationships, and, if you teach, for demonstrating your knowledge.Your list is, as I&rsquo… Read More

Meeting new people and being able to introduce yourself as an artist is essential to growing your art business.The more people you know, the more people… Read More

Meeting people and building relationships is the most important thing you can do for your art career, especially when your goal is to be a full-time art… Read More

My utter bliss is to help artists make business systems that streamline their lives so they can spend more time in the studio.So when Skip Hill said he… Read More

If you’re old enough … think back with me on a time before the Internet. A time when artists were completely dependent on others to show an… Read More

There is so much pressure when you're making new connections.I get it. You want to hit a home run when you contact someone about your art. You don't wan… Read More

In art school, teachers and professors give provocative assignments to help students explore materials, methodology, and subject matter. To push them.Af… Read More

I have an art documentary group.Think book club. But instead of reading books, we watch documentaries.Art documentaries, in our case.And to call it a gr… Read More

What will happen to your art and studio after you're gone?What instructions are you leaving to make it easier on your loved ones?We tend not to concern… Read More

Are you waiting for opportunities to come to you?Are you waiting to be asked to participate?Are you hoping someone will see your art, buy it, or gi… Read More

We’ve spent many months worried about inflation and a possible recession that may not ever happen. It would be terrific if we didn’t have to… Read More

Guest blogger: Barbara MuirFor artists, making art is life’s main goal, so what happens when we quit producing?When my 13-year-old dog died in Sep… Read More

Why do we, in the art world, often think that sales is a dirty word?Heck, it’s not just in the art world. Many of us associate sales with somethin… Read More

Every day you are faced with new opportunities.Should you invest in social media advertising? Or should you focus on being more consistent with your pos… Read More

There are so many ways you can sell your art.So many different avenues for earning money from your talents… Read More

It’s time to tie a bow around 2022 and organize your systems for 2023.The tasks below should take less than 1 hour, and they will bring peace… Read More

This is one of those rare episodes when I just want to share what's going on at Art Biz Success… Read More

There's no fancy introduction for this episode because I want to take you straight to the informative conversation I had with Melissa Messina… Read More

You've spent the year honing your craft and learning how to be a better businessperson at the same time.Before you go thinking about plans for the New Y… Read More

I’ve had all kinds of guests on The Art Biz podcast. I’ve welcomed artists who talked about their collaborations, social media accounts, goa… Read More

In his book, Blink, author Malcolm Gladwell makes a convincing case that you have exactly two seconds to make an impression.And remember that you only g… Read More

Anyone can open up a gallery—real or virtual—and start selling art. I mean anyone.You don’t have to hold a degree or pass a test. You… Read More

I’m a huge fan of the photographer Sally Mann who, in the documentary about her work titled What Remains, said that it never occurred to her to lo… Read More

There is no denying the import of video these days. Whether you’re chasing the Instagram algorithm for reels, streaming live on YouTube, or pullin… Read More

Artists crave validation by others. You want your work to be appreciated. This is perfectly normal. Absolutely fine. You wouldn’t be human if you… Read More

The history of art is a history of artistic breakthroughs. Consider these significant achievements: Scientific perspective Oil painting, and t… Read More

I didn't know who had the spray paint cans in their hands when I stumbled upon the painting of the George Floyd mural in Denver. I wasn’t sur… Read More

The art world is notorious for being opaque and aloof.Art is shown and sold without a price made public and galleries train their salespeople to ignore… Read More

In 2000 I had been working in art museums for 10 years and had a great job as a director of education.And I was miserable.It wasn't just my job and I wo… Read More

There’s always plenty to be learned from artists who have been making a go of it for decades. Just think about how much has changed in 30 years!In… Read More

There are all kinds of opportunities for you to show and to sell your art.It's thrilling when a new opportunity comes your way. You want to jump on it… Read More

I’m fascinated by legal cases about art.Thefts. Forgeries. Copyright infringement. Gallery dealers and so-called experts who end up in front of a… Read More

In all the years I’ve been helping artists build their careers, I can say with a good deal of confidence that there are 4 clear steps to kick-star… Read More

There are thousands of people out there who can teach you how to make art. Here’s how you throw a pot. Here’s how you make a mold. Here… Read More

If you've ever wanted to shoot the breeze with a gallerist, this one’s for you. ©Jack Richard Smith, Portrait of Jere… Read More

Every month I select a new theme for members of the Art Biz Connection community, which gives us a common point of discussion.This month's theme is &ldq… Read More

The resources you have at your fingertips for art business and career development are endless. In that respect, you are incredibly fortunate c… Read More

Contents Making a living as an artist isn&rsqu… Read More

Are you avoiding art business tasks because you “don’t feel like it?” ©… Read More

We usually start a long-term project with a specific goal or set of expectations in mind. Rarely does the project turn out the way we thought it wo… Read More

The Art Biz ep. 120: Always Looking for the Next Opportunity with Alicia Goodwin Some artists just kn… Read More

Have you ever been successful beyond your wildest dreams and realized it wasn’t what you thought it would be? Or just felt icky or incomplete about the whole process? ©Sara Schroe… Read More

Your exhibition is over. Now what? ©Sara Drescher, Culture. Watercolor on paper, 18 x 30 inches. The breathing room feels good for a few days, until you realize that you have no thought… Read More

You are not alone. It may seem like you are at times because you do so much work by yourself in the studio, but the art ecosystem is enormous. And you are not alone. RedLine’s 2021-202… Read More

Ten years ago I published a post pleading you to write about art. Not your own art, though that’s a given, but the art of other artists. I was alarmed at the large numbers of arts writ… Read More

If you intend to follow your life’s calling to be an artist, your top priority is to work consistently in the studio. It’s not trying to get more followers on social media. It&rs&hell…Read More

Members of the general public enjoy their visits to art centers and museums without much thought as to how the art got into those spaces in the first place. Installation view of the Art of t… Read More

It's difficult to curate a show of your own work—to separate your complex feelings following the creative process. It might be helpful to think about your art like a museum thinks abou… Read More

Last week I made my case for you to become an arts writer/reviewer. Judging by the comments, a number of subscribers are now on their way to starting their art-writing journeys. Today I want… Read More

Writing your artist statement is a rite of passage. Your artist statement will be requested by everyone from gallery dealers to show promoters to curators to art writers, bloggers, and podca… Read More

For too long I have been noticing artists posts things like this on social media. Fresh off the easel! What do you think? I'm experimenting with . Let me know what you think. Thinking of doi… Read More

You’re overwhelmed. Your head is about to burst, your stomach is fluttering, and your chest feels tight. You’re feeling like you can’t get all of your tasks done in the tim… Read More

We like a sure thing. The desire to eliminate risk has birthed many a promise in marketing messages. Because we keep looking for magic bullets. We continue to hope that the 1 thing that will… Read More

Why is it so hard for us to take care of ourselves? To do what's good for us? We get busy. We feel a sense of urgency to keep up and do more. If we're honest, we realize that very little is… Read More

Many years ago I heard poet and critic Dana Gioia speak to a group of arts leaders. At the time he was head of the National Endowment for the Arts and found himself in the position of making… Read More

What are you doing to take care of yourself? To keep up your energy? To maintain a positive mindset? To balance out the hours in the studio and on the computer? There it is. The B-word. Bala… Read More