Free Inspiration
Being Called To Be An Artist
What does it mean to have a ‘calling’ as an artist? Who’s calling you? What exactly are you being called to do? Artists aren’t the only ones who feel called. When a person dedicates their career
The One Word That Changed Everything
Like so many artists, I was working hard. Submitting, proposing, applying. But it seemed nothing was going my way and I was totally stressed. Have you ever felt like this? I phoned my Guardian Angel. It
Squashed: 7 Artist Myths
For as long as artists have been creating there have been myths about what it means to be a professional artist. Stereotypes of the ‘starving artist’ or the ‘eccentric weirdo’ seem to follow us wherever we
How Working Artists Survive Rejection
Rejection is an important part of being an artist – or any creative field actually. So it’s something that you need to learn how to handle with some resiliency. As an artist and as a writer,
Artists and Day Jobs: A necessary evil or liberating opportunity?
The vast majority of artists I work with are looking for ways to sell art online and off. They dream of one day becoming a full-time artist and having their artwork pay their bills. Are you
My Experience with B-School
When I worked as an art dealer, my schedule was relentless with travel, openings, and sales. I didn’t have time to make my own art. Instead, I wrote all my hopes, dreams and creative aspirations into
Other Artists. How to Handle the Competition
It’s hard to believe it was just over seven years ago that I began working as an artists coach. When I first seized upon the idea of teaching my bootcamp-for-artists online, I did my due diligence to
How I Learned To Be An Artist By Going To Church
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been curious about the religions of the world. I started visiting different churches when I was a kid. I wanted to explore the beliefs and rituals and stories
The First Artist I Ever Met
I told Andy about the special place where I ride my bicycle each day. It’s a tiny island in the middle of a pond. I explained how it’s been my destination for years; it’s where I
Do They Like Your Art?
My favorite college professor taught art history. He’d started out life as a photographer, a lifelong dream since he’d mixed his own chemicals in a homemade darkroom under his parents’ stairway. As a young man he’d
The Artist’s Mantra
There are several definitions of artists that I personally subscribe to, but my favorite is this: artists are alchemists. During the Middle Ages, an alchemist was known as someone who could transform base metals into gold. I
The Procrastinating Artist
Is procrastination preventing you from creating a successful art career? Here’s how to fix it. Many artists I know (including myself occasionally!) struggle with procrastination. Especially when it comes to doing the boring stuff that
Do You Hear That? It’s Life Asking You A Question.
What do you want to do when you grow up? Do you think we ever stop asking ourselves that question? It seems to be one of life’s great mysteries. When I was young I yearned to
The Artist’s Dance
We all know artists who do incredible work, but fail to achieve their professional goals. It’s tragic and feels unfair. At the same time, I’ll bet you can also name several artists who enjoy great commercial
To Stop Wishing And Start Doing
For years I wished that I could be a writer and an artist. I wished on every shooting star, straining my neck from the constant upward gaze. I threw a small fortune of pennies into wishing
Framer to the Stars
Though he called himself “Framer to the Stars,” I never saw any stars in Bill’s Custom Frames. But I did see plenty of artists. Every artist has their favorite framers, and ever since I was in
The Best New Year’s Resolution for Artists
I don’t know about you, but 2021 has taught me some painful lessons. These lessons marked my soul so deeply that they should be tattooed into my very flesh. They are the lessons of faith, grace,
A Christmas Story: How One Artist Found Her Way
A few years ago, I donned an apron as I shared my tragically funny story with a wonderful crowd at Phoenix’s very cool RPela Gallery. It’s the true tale of what happened when I decided to