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Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
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Do galleries and art sales really come down to luck… or are they built through systems and follow-through?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, gallery owner, author, and Professional Artist Association Faculty member Jason Horejs is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Jason has spent decades on the business side of the art world, helping artists understand how galleries actually work, how collectors make buying decisions, and why most artists lose opportunities simply by failing to follow up.

In this deep dive, Jason breaks down how to approach galleries in a way that gets real responses, the follow-up systems most artists never implement, and how consistent communication turns interested viewers into long-term buyers and collectors.

Rather than relying on chance, Jason explains how artists can create momentum through repeatable systems, broader exposure, and professional relationship-building.

” If you're looking for exposure, galleries should certainly be a consideration, and if you're not in galleries, you're missing out on the opportunity to have people who are seeking art see that work.”

— Jason Horejs

Timestamps

00:01 Introduction
01:47 Jason’s Core Message on Exposure
02:54 Galleries and the Internet as a Hybrid Career Strategy
03:41 Building Digital Portfolios and Using Email + Online Approaches
04:51 Gallery vs Direct-Sales Tension and How It Gets Managed
06:39 Benefits of Cultivated Audiences for Artists and Galleries
07:40 Clear Plan for Getting Representation: 100 Target Galleries
08:13 Submission Strategy: Persistence, Follow-ups, and No-Response Handling
09:05 Follow-up With Collectors: Turning “I’ll Think About It” Into Sales
13:55 Consistent Email Marketing Frequency and Using Content in Parallel
15:38 Newsletter Growth: Staying in Front of People Over Time
19:22 Follow-up as the Missing Sales Piece + Practical Purchase Rate Examples
22:38 Long-Term Impact of Ongoing Follow-up

Connect with Jason

Website: https://reddotblog.com/about/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reddotblog/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Ready to take the next step in your art career?

We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.

Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…

…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.

Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free

Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.
---

Do you really need a large following to make money from your art online?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter and sculptor Kasia Frankowicz is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Based in Melbourne, Kasia creates bold work infused with humor. Alongside her original pieces, she has built a consistent income stream through prints… making her work accessible while expanding her collector base beyond high-ticket sales.

Rather than relying on a massive audience, Kasia focused on visibility, proving that print sales can become a reliable part of an artist’s business.

In this deep dive, Kasia breaks down how to generate consistent income through prints, what actually drives sales (and where most artists go wrong), and how showing up across platforms creates steady demand over time.

” Art should be for everyone and I don't subscribe to the idea that prints make your work less valuable.”

— Kasia Frankowicz

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
01:22 "Wild Westie" artwork
02:38 Starting Over During COVID
07:28 Growing Up in Western Sydney
08:42 Why Kasha Sells Prints
10:02 Documenting Work for Print Sales
11:59 Pricing Prints
13:11 Getting Your Work Photographed
14:56 Using Ads to Drive Sales
16:36 "Kitchen" artwork
17:33 Showing Up Everywhere Online
18:54 Building Connections Through Art Fairs
20:46 "1999" artwork
21:33 Staying Grateful as You Grow
22:39 Advice for Artists Who Don't Fit In

Connect with Kasia

Website: https://kasia-studio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kasia.artist/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Ready to take the next step in your art career?

We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.

Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…

…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.

Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free

Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.

---

What does it take to build an art career from scratch in a country where you don’t even speak the language?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Gabrielle Reeves is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Gabrielle is an American artist working between the United States and Turkey, who made the unconventional decision to move abroad and pursue her career without an established network, local connections, or even fluency in the language.

Starting from zero, she built her career step by step through persistence, visibility, and a willingness to put herself in uncomfortable situations.

In this deep dive, Gabrielle shares how she created opportunities without waiting for permission, what actually led to exhibitions and gallery representation, and how consistent, small actions compound into real momentum over time.

“ I have had people tell me: you're crazy to move to a foreign country and work as an artist. But I knew it's what I wanted to do.”

— Gabrielle Reeves

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
01:32 Building an Art Career From Scratch Without a Network
01:38 Art-Making Process: Materials Lead the Way
03:41 Working in a Detailed-Realistic Style with Surrealist Qualities
05:45 Career Choice: Music vs Painting and Becoming Serious About Art
06:10 Influence of Wyoming and Istanbul on Her Work
07:26 Travel and Study Abroad as the Path to Moving to Turkey
08:54 Moving to Istanbul Without a Network: Openings, Outreach, Residencies
10:53 Learning Turkish and Expanding Connections Through Language 1
5:59 Running a Career Across Continents: Logistics of Transporting Work
17:11 Shipping vs Carrying Artwork Personally (Packing Strategies)
19:49 Financial Responsibilities: Tracking Sales/Expenses and Filing Taxes
23:04 Coaching Program: benefits

Connect with Gabrielle

Website: http://gabriellereeves.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielle_reeves_art/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Ready to take the next step in your art career?

We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.

Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…

…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.

Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free

Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free.

---

Does talent get you opportunities as an artist… or does something else drive a career forward?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, paper artist Eric Standley is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Eric is a professor of Studio Art at Virginia Tech whose multi-layered paper works have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world.

His process is extraordinarily time-intensive and that relationship with time turns out to be central to everything he has built professionally.

Rather than spreading his attention across every possible avenue, Eric has developed a sharp sense of where his effort belongs and which opportunities are actually worth pursuing.

In this deep dive, Eric breaks down how international gallery and museum relationships are built and sustained over time, why opportunities rarely come from talent alone, and how the discipline of protecting your attention shapes the trajectory of a career.

This episode is a candid look at how professional artists navigate the gap between making meaningful work and building the relationships and structures that bring that work to the world.

“I try to think as big as possible, and I also try to think as big as possible in choosing those goals.”

— Eric Standley

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
01:40 Committing to a Single Idea Over Time
01:53 Rule-Based Practice and Creative Constraints
03:18 Paper as a Medium
04:10 Accidental Discovery of Layered Paper
05:57 Building Depth Across Layers
08:22 International Gallery Relationships
11:21 The Omnia Commission
13:09 Working Outside the Frame
16:13 Balancing Commissions with Other Work
17:25 Working with Museums
19:14 The Irreducible Installation
21:17 Consciousness, Quantum Thought, and the Work
23:33 Urgency, Time, and Artistic Focus
25:01 Working from the Heart

Resources

Irreducible(book) by Federico Faggin: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/essentia-books/our-books/irreducible-consciousness-life-computers-human-nature

Connect with Eric

Website: https://www.eric-standley.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eric.standley/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

Why doesn’t making strong artwork automatically lead to a career… and what actually bridges that gap?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, contemporary artist Daryl Thetford is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Daryl left a career in psychology to build a full-time art business supported by galleries, corporate commissions, and top-tier art festivals.

Rather than waiting to be discovered, he developed a system that creates consistent opportunities and income over time.

In this deep dive, Daryl breaks down how to build multiple income streams, why reaching higher-level art festivals changes your earning potential, and how thinking like a business owner is essential to sustaining your work.

“There are just so many ways to make money, depending on what you're willing to do or not do, in the art field.”

— Daryl Thetford

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:46 Introduction to Daryl Thetford and Episode Focus

01:57 Building Paintings from Collage Elements and Urban Materials

03:51 Research-Driven Themes and Contemporary Intent

04:00 Career Shift: From Mental Health Work to Full-Time Art

06:12 Leaving Psychology: Logistical and Psychological Transition to Selling Art

07:00 Early Artwork Approach: Iconic Images and Space-Driven Composition

08:21 Sustainable Career Foundations: Festival Strategy and Multiple Revenue Streams

10:36 Main Revenue Model: Festivals, Selectivity, and Top-Tier Entry

11:00 Working With Art Consultants: How They Find Artists and What to Provide

13:09 Being Easy to Work With: Responsiveness, Timeline Commitments, No Overpromising

14:29 Creative Direction from a Fragment: “Man in a Boat Alone” Concept Development

16:09 Choosing Paths: Galleries vs Festivals and Making a Living as an Artist

17:20 Landing Major Public Commissions: Showing Capability (Loveland, Colorado)

22:55 Navigating Client/Committee Relationships in Large Projects and Settings

Connect with Daryl

Website: https://darylthetford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darylthetford/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Ready to take the next step in your art career?

We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.

Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…

…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.

Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

Are art festivals a gamble… or a reliable way to build income as an artist?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, fine art photographer Marisa White is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Marisa has built a thriving career through a strategic approach to the art festival circuit, turning what many artists see as unpredictable into a consistent and scalable income stream. By refining her booth, presentation, and show selection, she’s learned how to maximize both visibility and sales in high-traffic environments.

In this deep dive, Marisa breaks down how to turn festivals into real income -not just exposure - what makes people stop, engage, and buy, and how to choose the right shows so you don’t waste time or money.

“I can safely say that, in one weekend, I sold as much as I had in my entire art career up to that point.”

— Marisa White

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:58 Artwork “Number Nine” and Flow State in Creation

03:13 Self-Portrait Photography Process

05:03 Skills and Turning Points in Marissa’s Photography Practice

07:30 From Hobby to Business: Exhibitions, Galleries, Full-Time Work

08:49 Relocation Story

12:04 How a Specific Festival Opportunity Changed Everything

14:00 Selecting Shows: Applying, Waitlists, and Last-Minute Booth Solutions

16:43 Sales Results and Scaling Up Shows

18:15 Art Festival Costs Breakdown and Strategic Budgeting

21:29 Pricing Strategy

23:20 “Most Favorite Piece” Inspiration

25:47 Sustainable Career: Coaching and Business Guidance

27:34 Coaching Takeaways

Connect with Marisa

Website: https://www.marisaswhite.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marisa_whitesparks/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Ready to take the next step in your art career?

We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.

Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…

…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.

Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

Is selling art on Instagram really about followers… or is it a skill you can learn?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Maggi McDonald is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Maggi is a Sydney-based artist who has built a full-time career through vibrant paintings and a highly intentional approach to social media.

Instead of relying on luck or viral moments, she treats Instagram as a system: one that consistently attracts collectors from around the world.

In this conversation, Maggi breaks down what’s actually working right now when it comes to selling art on Instagram, how she built a global audience through consistent and strategic posting, and how she converts attention into sales without feeling pushy or inauthentic.

This episode offers a practical look at using Instagram as a tool and how artists can turn visibility into a sustainable income stream.

“ If you are wanting to reach a global audience, and sell your art all over the world, then you need to use Instagram to your advantage”

— Maggi McDonald

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:59 Midnight Garden Creative Process (Intuition vs Thinking)

04:42 Color as Therapy (Mental Health + Mood Lift)

05:34 Art as a Survival Skill Through Grief and Trauma

06:41 Turning Creativity into a Full-Time Profession

08:35 Building a Global Instagram Audience

12:15 Planning Content with Strategy

12:26 Research, Insights, and Tracking Performance Metrics

13:50 Calls to Action and Non-Salesy Selling on Instagram

14:49 Sales Tracking and Website Landing Strategy

16:55 Finding Your Unique Style and Maintaining a Posting Mindset

20:35 Boundaries, Burnout Prevention, and Time Management on Instagram

22:23 Marketing Funnels and Turning Followers into Collectors

Connect with Maggi

Website: https://www.maggimcdonald.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggimcdonaldart/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

What if you didn’t need galleries or perfect timing to build a successful art career?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, mixed media artist Dayo Johnson is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

For over 30 years, Dayo has built a sustainable career outside the traditional gallery system… through festivals, commissions, and direct relationships with collectors.

Starting with $50 booths and small local shows, she steadily grew her audience, income, and opportunities through consistency.

Rather than waiting for recognition, Dayo focused on showing up turning each sale into momentum for the next opportunity.

In this episode, Dayo breaks down how she turned small art shows into a full-time income, how commissions became a reliable part of her business, and the unconventional way she funds future shows through her collectors.

“ Even during times, when it feels like it's not working, continue on, keep going because there's going to be something that breaks through that allows you to do what you want to do.”

— Dayo Johnson

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
02:16 Wild Child with Sunflowers: Story and Origin of a Piece
05:47 Before Painting: Career Transition from Vocal Performance to Visual Art
08:39 Turning Art into Livelihood: $50 Shows and Keeping Going
10:10 Translating Music into Visual Art (Venus de Milo)
12:13 Vulnerability in Selling Art and Advice to Artists
13:49 Building the Business Over Time: Festivals First, Galleries Later
15:10 What Sustains an Art Career: Shows vs. Commissions Timing
16:29 Commission Approach, Volume, and Managing Big Assignments
18:26 Unconventional Funding: Collectives Program for Show Season
24:08 Commission Freedom and Creative Direction in a Door Piece
25:40 Staying Grounded and Avoiding Burnout Through Love of the Craft

Connect with Dayo

Website: https://www.dayoart.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayoart

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.