The Thriving Artist Podcast

Kristin Levier is a sculptor and a 2018 Executive Fellow with CHF’s Art-Business Accelerator Program. After two decades as a molecular biologist, she became a full-time studio-artist 13 years ago. As a wood sculptor, Kristin makes work at the intersection of art and science that connects us to the “extraordinary, strange beauty of the natural world.” In this episode, she discusses how she developed her brand story, noticed trends in the art world, and found the audience for her work—all with the support of a network of like-minded artists.Crossing the Bridge Between Science and Art“My brand story is that I’m trying, with every single object that I make, to create work that’s at the interface of art and science. I think I’m opposed to this idea that people can only be right-brain dominant or left-brain dominant, and science and art are two separate worlds. I feel like there’s so many commonalities and there is just such a strong intersection.”“I think it is fairly uncommon, but I know a handful of artists who

Rachel Berg is a New York City-based Art Advisor. She is the director of curation at Museum Editions, which specializes in placing art in hotels, restaurants, and corporate environments. She’s also president of Live Artfully, their in-house atelier for custom artwork. Rachel has a visual arts degree from Princeton and a master’s of art and art education from Columbia. An artist herself, Rachel enjoys the collaboration process and is committed to good relationships with artists, as well as transparency in art-licensing projects. In this episode, Rachel discusses how she selects art; works with hotel architects, designers, and vendors; and how artists can navigate the process.The Art of Art Advising“What you have to look for when you’re working with art consultant, is a culture that is there to protect the artist and make sure that the artwork has its integrity intact when it gets to its end…”“Museum Editions works whichever way the artist and art works, because it’s our incentive to make a beautiful space. It’

Nadia Fairlamb is a sculptor who works with wood and mirror glass, and she also teaches art to young people through various educational programs in Hawaii, where she is based. Her work speaks to the integral link between culture and environment, and she carries that focus into the business side of her practice as well, collaborating with designers and hospitality managers to infuse her community with art. In 2017, she won a CHF Business Accelerator Fellowship, and this year she progressed to the next level of the program, as an Executive Fellow. In this episode, Nadia talks about her impressive trajectory, and how her focus on art-entrepreneurship boosted not only her career but her creativity as well.The Journey to Becoming a Profitable Artist"I decided that the only way I could be profitable with my business is if I tried. In other words, for about three years I gave up almost all other work to see if I could become a full-time professional artist.""I started by trial and error, by putting myself physically

Todd Scalise is the founder and CEO of Higherglyphics, a creative placemaking firm that manages large-scale public art projects from start to finish: funding, art, design, construction, and merchandising. An artist himself, he knows the importance of generating publicity and brand awareness. In this 55-minute episode, he discusses the enormous economic contribution that artists bring to their communities, framing art as a service that's worth funding and publicizing.How Art Benefits the Community"In 2012, arts and culture production contributed over $698 billion to the US economy, which is about 4.3% of the US gross domestic product.""It's a statistical fact that public art (creative placemaking) attracts potential investors in business to communities.""Property values did go up slightly, but also occupancy rates went up dramatically around these environments.""I learned to look at the return on investment aspect of the Sistine Chapel ceiling---I don't know what Michelangelo got paid, but he certainly did not

Is it realistic for artists to think "One day, I'll retire"? Christina Empedocles knows about the financial concerns of artists. A working artist represented by several San Francisco-based galleries, Christina also runs Insight Personal Finance, a company that aims to improve the financial health of creative entrepreneurs. In this episode, Christina acknowledges the financial hurdles that artists face--fluctuating income, being responsible for your own raise, lack of benefits---and provides specific strategies that artists have successfully employed to overcome them.Overcome Mental Hurdles About Money"There’s a lot of baggage around art and money, so a lot of people have a hard time looking at what they make, and think 'I should be making more.'""What first established your relationship with money? It can be really be powerful to think about, and help eliminate engrained money behavior that isn’t working for us.""When you’re doing this yourself, you have to pull all the levers and it can feel like a burden. B

Building a brand means creating an expectation and giving your audience a chance to anticipate and desire what you’re making. We cover a lot of ground in this episode with Dr. Jenny Darroch, dean of the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. Jenny gives us a 30,000-foot-view of the art world, as well as the issues facing those who aim to bridge art and business. Host Daniel DiGriz and Jenny discuss the brand development challenges that visual artists face, tackling the question: “Do I define my brand, or do I let my brand evolve?”, as well as the principles of marketing, project management, keeping up with a changing market, and connecting with an audience. Check out the highlights below, and then download or stream the full hour-long episode.On Strategic Audience Development:"If there’s an expectation of what modern art should look like, do you become one of the many who can produce art of that kind, or do you make a bold statement and actually redefine how we look at contemporary art

Alice Loy is the co-founder and CEO of Creative Startups, an accelerator program with a presence in the US, the Middle East, and Asia. An expert in the creative economy, she recognizes that creative entrepreneurs are an undeniable force in the business world, and offers unique insights into founding and funding a growing startup. In this episode, Alice tells us about navigating the hurdles that all entrepreneurs face, identifying investment opportunities in the creative economy, and what convinced the Creative Startups team that Meow Wolf was going to be a success.Creatives Change the Business World:“Creatives can, and should, own the companies that creatives work at---creative people are uniquely suited to understand opportunities and problems and therefore develop solutions for market opportunities.”"Society has thought of artists as people who either work on their own, or get a job at a company, and we question that assumption.""Creative entrepreneurs have the unique ability to build a more compassionate a

Do working artists need art fairs, even after securing representation? An artist himself, Ray Beldner explains the decision-making processes of developing stARTup Art Fair, as well as the important considerations for artists participating in any fair. In addition to running an impromptu cost-benefit analysis of art fair attendance, Ray and Podcast Host Daniel DiGriz discuss how to take the reigns and control your own career, the complexities of online selling, and the importance of a multi-pronged sales approach. Check out the show's highlights below, and then listen to the full 45-minute episode.How Do Artists Benefit From Fairs?“Having one-on-one face time with an artist is what the viewer wants, it’s a good way to sell art and look at art.”“Fairs are a great place to test ideas, to test your market, to learn how to make sales.”"You learn how to gauge interest, how to read buyers, close a sale, and how other artists pitch themselves and present their work---it can be an incredible learning experience,

Steve Pruneau serves as the Chairman of CHF's Board and is the founder of Free Agent Source Inc., a management consulting company that applies sharing-economy principles to client engagements. In this episode, he and host Daniel DiGriz discuss how to use the 'best practices' employed by successful entrepreneurs. If you’re struggling to identify the next step in your business, or find direct-to-audience selling a challenge, you’ll find this episode illuminating. Read on for highlights, and download the hour-long episode now to enjoy this conversation in full. Sales Myths and Realities:"Selling is finding a solution for someone---a solution that they welcome into their lives.""Most people come to organizations like CHF because they get it: they need to grow an audience, and they want to know how.""The bottom line is, sales get done on that emotional sense of confidence we inspire with our audience.""My emotional hang-up was this myth that people are natural salespeople, which put a dependency in my li

Aaron Laux is an artist who makes 100% of his income from his art—a rarity in the profession. In this episode, Aaron and podcast host Daniel DiGriz discuss Aaron’s business model and the Business Accelerator Program. A recent graduate of the fellowship’s first year, Aaron explains how he expanded his business to explore and utilize more avenues of sale. Listen to the 45-minute episode for Aaron’s ideas on the new and emerging art world models that favor working artists.On Accelerator and Business Development“Being able to wear two different hats and switch back and forth between different ways of thinking—it’s something that I wasn’t doing when I was young; I was more focused on the art and the adventure.”“What’s been great about this whole process is creating a momentum which involves all of the Fellows, and the ongoing evolution of business concepts.”“My goals have evolved. I was at a transition point, and Accelerator pointed me in the direction of other avenues of sale and different approaches; f

Arree Chung is an author, illustrator, designer and art director in the gaming industry, and founder of Storyteller Academy. In this episode, Arree and Daniel discuss a storytelling approach to branding, how to build one business that leverages another, and how Arree navigated failures and big breaks to become an illustrator and entrepreneur.Use the resources that fit your needs:“In today’s world, you can study on YouTube, but you’re looking for the best information, and for the thriving community that supports you, so you grow together.”“The things that art school doesn’t prepare you for? I’d say it’s really business and marketing—I have so many friends that are artists and they all say that they wished they learned more business.”“The best way to learn business is to start doing it.”“We’re taught to get jobs, but not how to start a business or be entrepreneurial.”“The truth of business is that you not only need a great service or product, but you need a marketing machine that gets you out there an

John Furth is the CEO of the advisory group Furth & Associates. A consultant for over 26 years, he has held senior positions as the head of strategy groups at Hitachi Consulting, Discovery Communications and Sony Corporation. John is also author of a forthcoming book, Fearless Disruption: A Guide to the New Realities of Business and Leadership in the 21st Century. This show’s topics include:Evolution of the CEO:“There has been a shift, and with that shift business people have learned that the softer side of life plays a huge role in non-success and success–that’s become a much more prominent part of business in the last 40 years.”“What makes a great leader, great CEO, a great artist—the common thread is that they are committed to continuous learning. They’re on a mission to not let themselves get blindsided by things they don’t know.”“Successful people say ‘Yeah, I failed, but I did learn, and this is how I’ll apply it to the next thing I do.'”“You have to disrupt your m

Eric is the Chairman, Publisher, and CEO of Streamline Publishing, Inc. which publishes Fine Art Connoisseur and PleinAir Magazine. A career entrepreneur, Eric has 30 years’ experience launching companies and media brands, as well as a decade in the art industry, working with collectors and organizing art conventions. In this episode, Eric discusses the difference between digital and analogue consumption of art, how to meet the needs of the market while staying true to your vision, and advice for artists navigating the gallery world. Here are a few highlights:On weathering art market changes:“I believe that the Masters of today who are still relatively young—the Jacob Collins’ and Grayden Parrish’s and people of that ilk—they’ll see a surge in pricing in their paintings. Younger people following in their footsteps will have thriving careers in their lifetime. This movement is driven by doing something different and not being part of the mainstream.”“We’re getting a sens

Alexis Clements is a Brooklyn-based artist, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Her writing has appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, Salon, Bitch Magazine, The Brooklyn Rail, The Guardian, Nature, and she is a regular contributor to Hyperallergic. She has led workshops and moderated panels exploring labor issues within the arts. In this episode, Alexis and podcast host Daniel DiGriz discuss the economic realities of arts labor. Alexis provides a careful and nuanced examination of the forces impacting payment for visual artists, organizing efforts in the US and beyond, and philanthropy in the arts.The myths about how artists make money:“There’s an enormous amount of shame around money, particularly when people aren’t earning a lot of it, and there’s shame around excess money—in the art world, you have both groups meeting up against each other: at the top you have people spending huge sums of money to purchase artwork, and at the bottom, people are ash

Seth Hopkins is the Executive Director of the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA. In this episode, Seth and podcast host Daniel DiGriz discuss how artists get involved with museums—securing shows and becoming part of the permanent collection—as well as catching the curator’s eye and boosting an art career. See below for highlights, and listen to the hour-long show for a detailed look at museum collaboration.The Economics of Promoting Living Artists:“We push the boundaries of Western art and expose our audience to new artists they may not be aware of, and balance that with more familiar artists.”“An Ansel Adams show creates fast growth of our membership, which gives way to shows by other artists.”“Zoe Urness shot some very provocative images at the Standing Rock protest, one of which was considered for a Pulitzer, and this will be the first museum show of her work—that’s the bookend to an Ansel Adams show.”“We can make the market bigger so that more artists can make a living.”Coll

Dr. Catherine Futter is the Director of Curatorial Affairs at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. Starting her career as a decorative arts curator, she now focuses on contemporary art, and projects that explore how visitors participate with works of art. Catherine provides listeners with an in-depth look at the ways artists and curators execute an exhibition, and what it’s like to work with a museum curator. Listen to the episode and leave a review to let us know what you think. Initiating the exhibition:“Something sparks your interest, you find an artist who touches a nerve. There’s something about the work that you want to show to the public, that will open the visitor’s eyes and make them see the world in different ways.”“It’s about having the conversation: ‘are you still following this path, is there something you’ve always wanted to try?’—it’s those conversations that lead us to the exhibition.”“There’s that excitement of seeing work you’ve never seen before, and working

Holly Van Hart is a visual artist based in Silicon Valley, and a Clark Hulings Fund Business Accelerator Fellow. In this episode of the Thriving Artist Podcast™, Holly and Daniel discuss the ins and outs of building a sustainable business practice: deciding on the direction to take your business, standing out in the online marketplace, and how collaboration benefits a business plan.Navigate Strategically, Network Intelligently:“I sell my work through galleries and licensing, interior designers, and directly to buyers. With each of these, I get to know the players, which one is a match, and pay attention for when they’re ready to take on new artists.”“It’s important to stay connected with all the people in the art world you want to work with, but also other artists with similar tracks.”“With multiple artists, I’ll have phone calls to trade ideas, referrals, best practices—sharing specifics so I can learn from them in a way that’s beyond what I could read in a book—real life examples of what

Stephanie Birdsall is a painter who has exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London and the National Arts Club in New York. She has received over 60 awards in national and international juried exhibitions, including Best in Show at the Bridgeport Museum of Arts and Science, and her work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of the Everglades. When she isn’t traveling to paint en plein air, she teaches painting workshops and is the producer of two DVDs on painting.On Belonging to a Painting Group“When you’re around master painters, you can’t help but learn from them, but it’s really about putting in the miles, getting the work done.”“When Richard invited me to join the Putney Painters, that was a massive confidence boost because it meant that what I was doing was real.”“When you have support and people believe in what you’re doing—and that can come from a painting group—that makes a difference.”Finding the Right Representation“One thing I say

Gregg Chadwick is a Santa Monica–based artist who has been painting for three decades, and his work has been exhibited in national and international galleries, art fairs, and museums. He’s given many lectures on the arts, including speaking engagements at UCLA and Categorically Not—a forum that examines the intersection of art and science. Gregg is also a Fellow in The Clark Hulings Fund’s 2017 Business Accelerator Program.Art and social justice:“All art has a political stance whether it’s on the surface or boiling underneath.”“Every day something new happens in the world and art is really primed to look at those global changes and shifts.”“The history of oil paintings is so deep that it allows artists to address issues with a very subtle touch.”Developing a virtual network:“If you’re in your studio by yourself, people aren’t going to come looking for you. If you’re on social media, you’re communicating globally, and there are things that can only happen in that forum.”“I’ve had a number o

Ron Whitmore co-owns and operates Artisan, an art-supply store that serves as a community hub for artists in its two locations—Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Ron also spearheads the largest artist material expo in New Mexico, featuring more than 100 workshops, and is the host of Art Fusion, a radio show that brings together musicians and visual artists to talk about their creative processes.Building an Arts Community:“In the store, we have our own radio show. We’re giving artists press, offering yoga classes, art workshops. We have a life-drawing class and free demos. We offer services that are interesting to artists.”“Artists are sharing their knowledge with us in the store all the time. It makes shopping an experience instead of just getting the cheapest thing online.”“We run the materials expo every two years, we have stayed with it and have relationships with all these manufacturers, most of whom are friends.”Marketing Art Online:“The digital age has changed the way artists a