The direct result of losing someone or something you love is profound grief. And that hollow, meaningless feeling that accompanies loss does not lead to art.
Yet we know art is the answer.
Here are eleven ideas that helped guest blogger Barbara Muir work through her grief. Perhaps they might help you feel your way back to your studio.
Working Through Grief and Returning to the Studio Read
Will art sell when it’s focused on the artist’s personal narrative? Sara Lee Hughes is deep into a body of narrative paintings with that is steeped in her personal story.
We discuss the genesis of this body of work (It’s a great story!), how Sara Lee focuses on the long game, how she keeps her ideas, and how she balances motherhood with her studio practice.
The Art Biz ep. 131: Injecting Personal Narrative into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes Read
Detour doesn’t want to be limited by what he currently knows, so he’s learning how to use new technologies to help him land complex opportunities. He isn’t afraid to discover that the best way to approach an artistic problem is something he hasn’t done before.
Big on presenting himself in the most professional light, he says, “You never know who is watching.”
The Art Biz ep. 128: Expanding Your Skillset to Respond to Opportunities with Detour Read
This is inspiration for when you feel like your art becomes work and there’s little to look forward to.
Willie talks about the faith he has in his practice as a result of being consistent throughout the years, why he prefers to approach his studio in the spirit of play, and how he uses visualization.
To know what a real artist’s life looks like on a daily basis, you have to study and talk to those artists. Short of visiting their studios, you read their biographies. Watch their videos. Listen to them on podcasts, like The Art Biz.
That’s what this conversation is about. Geoffrey Gorman talks about how he approaches his work and the rapidly-evolving art market.
The Art Biz ep. 124: Being an Artist with Geoffrey Gorman Read
Without the art, you are not the artist. It’s as simple of that. By definition, an artist is someone who makes art.
Too many artists put marketing before making. If you aren’t making art, you have no business prospects and certainly no need to worry about attracting more Instagram followers or growing an email list.
If you don’t make art, you have nothing to share. Your gifts remain hidden. Your dreams unfulfilled.
Your Primary Job Is In the Studio Read
The subject line in my inbox said Podcast Pitch. Oh no, another one of these, I thought.
But this had an addition. It included a reference to one of my clients after the words Podcast Pitch. One of my favorite clients. This one I have to pay attention to.
The podcast pitch in question came from Lilianne Milgrom, who had just finished writing a book. (Again, the thought of “oh no” entered my head. Another artist-turned-author.) You can see that I was skeptical, but her pitch was perfect. I get tons of podcast pitches, but none have been better than hers. It was right on target.
I gave her book a go and, truthfully, couldn’t put it down. I looked forward to reading it every night. I didn’t want to finish. It was that good.
It contained art history, intrigue, sex, and scandal. How could it not be fascinating?
My conversation with Lilianne in this episode of the Art Biz Podcast isn’t only about the book. It’s the story of how the book came to be—which is a lesson in itself—and has its roots in her decision to be a copyist at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, copying Courbet’s scandalous painting, L’Origine du Monde (The Origin of the World). She learned valuable lessons, exercised her courage muscle, and became a better artist as a result. The experience led to the writing of the book that so engrossed me.
Lilianne and I talk about all of that and how she juggles her art and writing. She also shares tips for pitching to podcasts, which are equally valuable for other media pitches.
⚠️ WARNING: This post and interview contain art (and what some might see as imagery and conversations for adults only)
The Art Biz ep. 87: Secrets from Copying a Masterpiece with Lilianne Milgrom Read
Back in 2015, Kelly M. O’Brien started selling a lot of work, in a way that surprised her at the time. And while she has continued that work, she has added new work—what she calls emerging work—since deciding to go back to graduate school in 2017 to earn her MFA.
Since Kelly was experiencing such great commercial success, I wondered at the time why on earth she wanted to return to grad school. Now that she has been out of school about a year, Kelly is ready to talk about her decision on the Art Biz Podcast.
I’m tying this to the theme of adjusting your approach. Tweaking this or that. Looking at new possibilities. Or even turning your art business and career upside down and returning to school like Kelly.
We make these adjustments to get better results in our business and lives, to make us feel more fulfilled, or just to bring a greater sense of happiness.
Listen to hear what it was for Kelly. You’ll hear about how she juggles two very different art businesses, the biggest benefits of grad school for her, and what her daily practice is like.
The Art Biz ep. 85: Returning to Grad School for an MFA with Kelly M. O’Brien Read
I live to track down art off the beaten path—traveling to out-of-the-way places to see works of art that delight and inspire, or even confound me. I like knowing that 1) there won’t be a huge crowd or line to get in and that 2) I’m one of a small(ish) group of people who have actually visited that spot.
One of my favorite art writers, Martin Gayford, wrote a book on this topic titled The Pursuit of Art: Travels, Encounters, and Revelations. It’s as much about the journey to see art, much of it in far-flung locations, as it is about the art itself.
Every so often, I can get my mom interested in accompanying me on one of my art trips. Mom isn’t a huge follower of art, but she likes a good adventure, and it was easy to get her to hop in the car with me last fall to see Under Her Wing was the Universe, an enormous public sculpture by artist and curator Romy Owens that was installed in 2020 in Enid, Oklahoma.
Enid is the 9th-largest city in Oklahoma, with a population of about 50,000, but it doesn’t sit on a major interstate highway. It’s about 90 minutes northwest of Oklahoma City, where Mom lives, and not really on the way to anywhere else. You kinda have to go out of your way to get there.
And that’s what we did. Mom and I had both been following the progression of Romy’s sculpture and donated to its crowdfunding. After following the progression of this enormous endeavor and seeing it for myself, I couldn’t wait to talk more with Romy.
On this episode of the Art Biz Podcast, Romy and I discuss her commitment to raising $100,000 for this outdoor public sculpture and native prairie landscape as a gift to her hometown. As it turns out, $100,000 was just the beginning.
While it all worked out in the end, it wasn’t exactly easy getting there. Not only did Romy have to raise a lot more money than originally projected, she had to stand up to the naysayers in the community.
Romy is an artist that knows how to effectively measure success. Community collaboration, fundraising, overcoming controversy and yes, using spreadsheets are just a few of the topics that you won’t want to miss in this conversation.
The Art Biz ep. 76: Crowdfunding a Public Art Project with Romy Owens Read
Taking charge of your art business isn’t only about bookkeeping, inventorying the work, and promoting your art effectively.
Taking charge of your art business is about assuming 100% responsibility for your actions—all of your actions, especially in your studio.
We all want to increase our productivity and creativity, and Dawn Williams Boyd has mastered doing exactly that by planning ahead.
Dawn makes figurative textile paintings that reveal stories—not always pretty ones—about life in America. Dawn’s work has an unapologetic social activist message that addresses the Black experience, feminine sexuality, social issues, and this country’s politics.
In today’s social and political climate, there aren’t enough hours in the day for Dawn to convey all of the messages she wants to share in her art. She has to carefully plan the body of work she is going to make throughout the year. She takes charge of her production for the entire year.
In our conversation for the Art Biz Podcast, Dawn and I discuss her process for plotting out which pieces she will make each year. We also talk about why now is not the time to make art that matches the couch, what kinds of conversations she wants people to have around her work, and how she makes the valuable connections that are helping her reach her most ambitious goals.
The Art Biz ep. 72: Planning a Year’s Worth of Artwork with Dawn Williams Boyd Read
Get a transcript of episode 182 of The Art Biz (Rethinking Mailing Lists for Artists) followed by a 3-page worksheet to evaluate the overall health and usage of the 3 types of artist lists.
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