Planning for Sales and Collectors with Nadine Prada
Is it possible to plan for the results you want and actually experience them? Nadine Prada thinks so — in fact she knows so. She is coming off what she’s calling her “Goldilocks” year. For Nadine, it has been the best year yet for her art business. She participated in more shows, sold more art, and established […]
Tuning Out Distraction & Nourishing Artistry with Marissa Boisvert
What’s it like to show up each day for your creative work? Are there certain distractions you’ve learned to avoid, dismiss and totally tune out? Or is it a losing battle to gain focus? Truth is, when you are your own boss (part-time or full-time) you learn a lot about yourself. And that self-awareness turns into the […]
Why do You #LYCWFY? Creating Magic with Peter Bragino
No matter where the inspiration comes from, there’s something that compels creative people to pursue creative work. For some, it’s a magnetic force pulling you into the studio each day. For others, it’s an ingrained way of life that fills the spirit and gives to the world. To learn what inspires people to live a creative life, I sent out a […]
Why do YOU #Let Your Creativity Work for You?
During my recent work-meets-pleasure trip to the Pacific Northwest, I posed this question to the creative do-gooders and unconventional professionals I met: Why do you do what you do? For the daring artist, forging ahead on a path of self-employment, the question then became: Why do you let your creativity work for you? It’s not […]
Breaking Art Calendar Records & Deadlines with Elaine O’Neil
Elaine O’Neil is an award-winning textile collage artist, a stellar client, Spring Into Action Bootcamp student and 2015 Essential Edge Live attendee. Her signature Luv This Place® North Carolina art calendar, which supports the N.C. Cancer Hospital, is carried by retailers such as Crook’s Corner, Quail Ridge Books, Lynn’s Hallmark, and A Southern Season. This year, Elaine unveils her Luv […]
Planning & Pursuing Your Passion with Shannon Johnstone
Shannon Johnstone received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and MFA in photography from RIT. She is the recipient of numerous awards including “Pause, To Begin” artist, Critical Mass Top 50 (2009, 2010), and Honorable Mention in Lens Culture’s 2010 International Exposure Awards. Shannon Johnstone photographs shelter dogs every week. […]
Diversifying Your Creative Offerings with Kyle T. Webster
Kyle T. Webster is an illustrator, designer, digital product maker, and slightly better-than-average amateur card magician. He is now officially dipping his toe into the wonderful world of writing and illustrating children’s books, as well. Kyle has collaborated with The New York Times, The New Yorker, TIME Magazine, NIKE, NPR, and many other fun clients. He is […]
Cultivating Community with Artist, Greg Lindquist
As a self-employed artist, you get to enjoy the benefits of being your own boss, working from anywhere, anytime, and making artwork that lets your heart sing. But, the key to artistic success that must be present for your creative work to fly, is other people… Greg Lindquist, a multi-media artist who scales his work up—we’re […]
Crafting a Brand You Believe In with Melissa McKinnon
Melissa McKinnon is a Canadian artist with a recognizable style. Using a palette knife, she shapes acrylic paint on canvas to create almost magical scenes. She describes herself as a “Mother of two spirited girls,” who loves to paint in vibrant colors and thick textures. Melissa is featured in my book in Chapter 8, “Crafting a […]
Elevator Pitches & Short Attention Spans with Jason Hoelscher
If you ask Jason Hoelscher what kind of art he makes, he’ll tell you: “I paint short attention span paintings for short attention span culture.” He’s a minimalist, but not everyone on the proverbial elevator would understand his pitch. So he sums it up with a catchy sentence that intrigues the listener just enough to ask […]