Artists Soar (TM) is a podcast for artists by 3 artists! We discuss all aspects of being an artist - the good, bad, and the ugly. The goal of each podcast is to provide solutions so artists can focus on creativity and rise above.
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat with star Spoonflower seller, Carrie Cantwell who share with us her experiences on how to succeed on spoonflower.
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Key Talking Points
- Carrie is another lovely artist who took a leap of faith to leave a stable job to create something of her own.
- She discovered Spoonflower as a result of wanting material to cover her chairs! She loved the quality!
- She was buyer and became a contributor.
- Spoonflower is a great place to get your patterns seen and get found through the challenges.
- To help get found, research your tags to see what is doing well and why - all this is available on spoonflower. Evaluate what tag is selling.
- Spoonflower is how Peppermint Magazine found Carrie.
- The key is to create the work you want to create and use the same work to create different colorways.
- Learned how to master Photoshop and keyboard shortcuts to speed up the process.
- Carrie's class available on skillshare is fantastic to learn how to create a half-draw pattern in 15 minutes. It didn't start off that quickly, experience and looking for shortcuts is key to speed.
- Ordering proofs from spoonflower is a must to ensure your patterns are working seamlessly. This ensures integrity for the customer.
- To help keep down the cost for the proofs, Carrie will wait until she has 42 designs and then will create a cheater quilt/patchwork print.
- She'll use the patchwork quilt as gift wrap! What a great idea!
- Raspberry Creek is another fabric print-on-demand site.
- Benjamin Moore and Pantone have colors of the year to help you find the colorways for trends.
WHEW! That was a lot of fabulous information!!!
We'd love to hear from you, what questions do you have for us three girls with the gift for gab? Email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For more information from Carrie, be sure to go to:
https://www.carriecantwell.com https://www.instagram.com/carriecantwellart https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoa3wtyAse-qCwcxDni9eUg https://skillshare.eqcm.net/3P47Qn
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
In this art podcast Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat about what to do with old art supplies, artwork that you've collected, and more.
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Key Talking Points
- Sometimes we get drained, so we just chatted about what perked us up. Shout out to Pizzelle's Chocolate.
- How many art supplies do you keep? And when do you let them go?
- What do you do about artwork that you want to display?
We'd love to hear from you, what are your thoughts on what we chatted about, Email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat with Jess Miller!
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Key Talking Points
- Jess made her Instagram account in 2020 as a result of losing her job during the pandemic and started taking Skillshare classes to get a creative outlet.
- Grew her Instagram from 0 to 92k since 2020.
- Curate your feed. Treat your Instagram like a Portfolio.
- Use Keywords, including your name and what you do when you name yourself and your bio.
- How does Jess work in Collections:
- Colors are consistent because of Jess's style.
- Directors like to see collections.
- Share your process, you don't have to show your face. You don't have to dance.
- When filming - just re-draw an aspect. By Shop Canvas Co
- Check out the Trends using Planoly and Later.com
- Use Mockups to show how the designs would look on products. such as Creative Market, Creatsy, FreePik, Canva, and Placeit.net.
- Print-on-demand providers also do a good job of creating mockups.
- Participate in drawing challenges.
- Host your own drawing challenge.
- If Content is King, then Engagement is queen! - tell the story behind the art.
- Be Authentic.
We'd love to hear from you, what questions do you have for us three girls with the gift for gab? Email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
Companies and resources mentioned:
- Skillshare - fabulous place to learn new skills.
- American Greeting Company
- Logan Elliot - The Flammible Entrepreneur
- The Kernference
- ShopCanvas.co - for filming using your camera
- SocialBee - social media scheduler
- Planoly.com - great to see trends
- Later.com - great to see trends
- Creative Market - mockups
- Creatsy - mockups
- Placeit.net - mockups
- FreePik- mockups
- Canva - mockups
- Contrado - leather print on demand
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For more information from Jess Miller, be sure to go to:
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat about the best books for artists that inspired their art or art business.
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Artist Spotlight
Lucia Heffernan - Fabulous animal artist with adorable naming conventions and amazing realistic oil paintings.
Key Talking Points
Note: the following is a list of books with an amazon affiliate link, so while this costs you nothing, if you choose a link to purchase a book we receive a commission from Amazon. We consider this a tip and thank you for valuable information.
Our Top 3 Artist Books (if we had to just pick one)
- Artists Way by Julia Cameron
- Art, Money, Success by Maria Brophy
- Picasso's War: How Modern Art Came To America by Hugh Eakin
But other artist books we LOVE
- War of Art by Steven Pressfield
- I'd Rather Be In The Studio by Alyson Stanfield
- The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
- Launching Your Art Career by Alix Sloa
- Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
- The Secret (book or movie) by Rhonda Byrne
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro
- Legal Roadmap for Your Creative Business by Kiffanie Stahle
- Oil and Marble by Stephanie Storey
- Letters of Vincent Van Gogh by Mark Roskill
- The Art Collectors Daughter: A Stylish Historical Thriller by Derville Murphy
We'd love to hear from you, what questions do you have for us three girls with the gift for gab? Email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
Wednesday Feb 22, 2023
In this episode, we chat about the Power of Saying No. We found that when you say no to what doesn't serve your "why", you'll experience an increase in energy and you'll protect your energy to enable you to drive toward your why!
Join in on the conversation with Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie two other podcasters and artists:
- Jessica Libor from the Inspired Painter Podcast and
- Katrina Berg from the Candy Colored Studio
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Key Talking Points
- When you say no you are preserving your energy to work toward your why.
- Be intentional with what your why is and preserve your time toward what matters to you. And say no to what doesn't serve your why.
- Saying no is a way of creating boundaries.
- You don't want your excellence to suffer. When you spread yourself thin you aren't able to produce the level you want.
- Sometimes it is a hard choice.
- Jessica talks about How to increase your energy.
- trampolining - she listens to some great music and bounces for 15 minutes to gain a ton of energy.
- dancing - energizes Jessica for days.
- Rachel discovered that what feeds your soul feeds you energy.
- Jules loves to do headstands to get her blood flowing differently.
- Called Feetup.
- What questions should you consider when you need to decide yes or no?
- What does your body say?
- What is in your gut?
- Will this expand your experience?
- Take a minute "that's an interesting opportunity, let me get back to you in the morning".
- How much energy is the client going to zap from you? Do you need to add a PETA fee (pain in the 'A' fee :) )
- Do you like the way the relationship is going?
- Set standards as to who you will take on as a client.
- Always say no to art scams. Those fabulous emails we all have seen "I can send you a check". "stormed onto your artwork"...
- Give it a timeline for what you'll focus on and evaluate it at the end of the timeframe. There may be some trial and error.
- Saying no to lowering your prices.
- Provide direction to your end-of-year sale/offers.
- As an artist, is our job to educate our collectors.
We'd love to hear from you, what questions do you have for us three girls with the gift for gab? Email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For more information from Nathan, be sure to go to:
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat with SEO (search engine optimization) expert Nathan Hughes!.
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Key Talking Points
- Search happens in Pinterest, Google, Youtube, and even Etsy. Search Engine Optimization is the criteria within the content that tells Google or the other search engines that your article/product is relevant to the search.
- Google my business profile is a profile that a local business - great for brick-and-mortar or local search results. Which is local SEO.
- Keywords are what people search for. To find out what people are searching for, use tools like:
- hrefs, ubersuggest, or Google keyword search tool
- What is the best way to enable your images to be found when searching?
- Put the search keywords into the file name.
- Use Alt Tags to help Google crawl the images and serve up content that is better aligned with helping visually impaired individuals.
- Links back to your website is a great indicator to Google that this is valuable content and can help you rank higher in Google.
- For image optimization:
- make sure it is the size that is actually needed by the webpage.
- Tinypng.com can help you compress an image to help the image load faster.
- Canva will allow you to compress and alter the file pixel size before you download.
- 72dpi is the recommended image size for web pages.
- Imagify is a Wordpress plugin and is available on their webside.
- Use PNG if you flat colors or hardline images.
- Paid vs. Organic SEO
- Paid ads are bidding against other people to be at the top of the page. That said, the ad still needs to be relevant to the search.
- If you do paid ads, you want to use high-search keywords.
- 301 Redirects - when you change a URL, you'll need to set up a redirect to the newer content or a relevant piece of content or the homepage. AKA SEO Link Juice.
- Some additional resources:
- Beginner's Guide To SEO - MOZ.com
- Advanced SEO - Diggity Marketing - The Affiliate Lab
- Advanced SEO - Authority Hacker - Affiliate SEO
Three things to do right away for artists' search engine optimization:
1. Be clear on your goals and who you want to target.
2. Determine what your target audience is searching for.
3. Consider the buyer's intent when defining keywords: are they just investigating buying options, or informational?
4. With the informational content, get them onto their email list.
5. Investigate who else is writing content with that keyword and what they are saying in their article. Look at the headings, this is what Google also looks at.
6. Tools to help determine the SEO Keywords: SurferSEO.
WHEW! That was a lot of fabulous information!!!
We'd love to hear from you, what questions do you have for us three girls with the gift for gab? Email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For more information from Nathan, be sure to go to:
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie answer your questions about art and art business in their inspired way.
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Artist Spotlight
Ali Kay - she creates gorgeous vibrant paintings!
Key Talking Points
- Check out Rachel's new artist shop!! Show her some LOVE!!! https://rachelbelleart.com/
- Listener question: What can Denise do to move towards the style she would like?
- Search for these challenges in Instagram:
- DTIYS (Draw this in your style challenges)
- June in Bloom
- Jules is having a spring challenge so follow Jules at juliemstudios so you'll be the first to know.
- Sign up for Cat Coquillette for her weekly challenge.
- Courses like Matt's Portfolio Bootcamp
- Make Art That Sells
- Skillshare classes to practice drawing
- Challenge yourself to try different styles, different color palettes, mediums
- Tom Froese. The style class - a four-hour class to help you find your style.
- Paint it twice, the first time with the reference image and the second time without the reference image.
- Switch to your non-dominate hand.
- Use a big brush with a limited palette.
- Turn on different types of music or a podcast to see what happens with your style.
- Search for these challenges in Instagram:
- Listener Question: I would like to have some real-life artist friends to chat with to like you; what would you recommend I do to meet people like you?
- Special Note: it takes some time to find the group that you mesh well with who are like-minded/like-hearted.
- Find a local artist community/league.
- Find some groups on Facebook that might resonate with you and make a connection.
- Make a connection within a class or retreat.
- Make connections by directly interacting with someone on social media, authentically.
- Networking groups like BNI.
- Look into local stores that have creatives who sell products and reach out to them.
- Special Note: it takes some time to find the group that you mesh well with who are like-minded/like-hearted.
We'd love to hear from you, what questions do you have for us three girls with the gift for gab? Email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For the Art Business Checklist go to: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/art-business-checklist
- Art Pricing Calculator - the calculator is available to Art Business Program Members. The book will be released in June at the latest. You can pre-order yours now at artpricingcalculator.com
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat about art pricing and how the old ways are no longer serving today's artists.
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Artist Spotlight
Remington Robinson - he does these amazing miniature paintings in Altoid Tins!
http://www.remingtonrobinson.com/
Key Talking Points
- The book artpricingcalculator.com to get on the waitlist to get the Art Pricing Secrets: Ethically Price Your Artwork. The Formula That Works.
- There are two types of artists: a hobbyist and a professional. A hobbyist mentality is different from a professional one. Hobbyists want to get paid for the piece, the professional wants a profit to live off of.
- Art is a skill set that is worked at and should be compensated.
- Show the process to get your collectors involved so they know the value the artist puts into the piece.
- Stephanie talks about how the square-inch model is failing today's artists.
- 50% of your work is just creating your artwork, if you don't do the remaining 50% of work to do the promotion.
We'd love to hear from you, what have you learned about pricing your artwork where do you stand on pricing your artwork, email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For the Art Business Checklist go to: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/art-business-checklist
- Art Pricing Calculator - the calculator is available to Art Business Program Members. The book will be released in June at the latest. You can pre-order yours now at artpricingcalculator.com
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat about why they have different websites and multiple URLs for their art and art business(s).
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Artist Spotlight
Jaanika Talts - from Dublin, Ireland, an acrylic abstract artist
https://www.instagram.com/jaanikatalts/
Key Talking Points
- A different who and/ or different why then have a separate website. But if the audience and/or purpose is the same then keep one website.
- You can have multiple URLs that will lead the user back to one website. URLs help lead patrons to certain segments of Stephanie's brand.
- Sometimes the functionality the website provider provides dictates whether you'll need multiple website providers. Example: shopify handles taxes for goods, while Kajabi handles subscription-based fees for a membership program.
- Before you determine what you need, you first need to define your purpose behind the site: portfolio, teaching, selling etc.
- Steps:
- Determine Why you want a website?
- How do you want it to function which includes:
- Who is it designed for?
- Where do you want them to go?
- What do you want them to do?
We'd love to hear from you, what different product offerings or income streams you have, email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For the Art Business Checklist go to: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/art-business-checklist
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Jules, Rachel, and Stephanie chat about what steps they take to define their goals (BTW Stephanie and Jules have managed multi-million dollar projects and continue to use these skillsets to manage their art businesses).
If you have a question you'd like us to discuss feel free to email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Artist Spotlight
Tahlia Stanton, is a fabulous mixed-media artist! https://tahliastanton.com/
Key Talking Points
-
- Julie and Stephanie look at goals as a long-term vision, with smaller steps that will take us to meet our long-term vision.
- We use SMART goal framework to define our goals and use clickup and a coach to hold us accountable (resources below).
- Say no to the things that don't drive you toward your goals.
- Finding a balance between Financial, Spiritual, Physical, Family, and entrepreneurial is a constant balance and sometimes you are simply going to have to focus on one aspect of that spoke of the wheel of balance.
- Give yourself whitespace and grace to avoid burnout.
- Multiply what you think the task should take by 4 (if you think it should take 1 hour, make it 4 hours).
- Ask yourself every time, will this task serve my goal?
We'd love to hear from you, what do you do to create SMART goals and what your goals are, email us at hello@artistssoar.com
Rise with us! On Artists Soar!
For More Information and Fabulous Resources:
- For the Art Business Checklist go to: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/art-business-checklist
- SMART Goal Worksheet
- ClickUp - Fabulous project management and task list tool.
- Planning Mindfully For Creatives - Class available within the Art Business Program.
- JMA Planner - fabulous planner to document your goals, daily and weekly tasks and more.
Our Websites and Shops
Are you an avid reader? Then sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: https://bubblybibbly.com/
Love illustrations and bright colors? Then sign up for Jule's newsletter here: https://www.juliemstudios.com/
Want to learn how to paint, or be part of a growing and active community? Or just love painting? Then sign up for Stephanie's newsletter here: https://www.stephanieweaverartist.com/artist-newsletter
Got a Listener Question?
Email us at: hello@artistssoar.com