Members Interview
The final week to be part of the Women in Arts Network’s “Birds” virtual exhibition is here! Don’t miss your chance to share how birds inspire your creativity, your stories, and your dreams. Women-identifying and non-binary artists worldwide, submit by October 9, 2025, and let your work take flight on a global stage.
Have you ever caught yourself daydreaming about earning money without constantly painting, drawing, or hustling exhibitions? You know, that fantasy where someone buys your art while you sip coffee in your PJs? Well, that dream isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Thanks to the digital age, artists like you can actually turn their skills into passive income, and yes, that includes selling digital downloads and tutorials. Here’s the thing: passive doesn’t mean zero work. You still have to put in the time upfront to create something valuable, a digital print, a…
Filipino-born and California-based painter Airies Bagalawis-Olaes talks about her path from painting as a refuge to showing her work in international exhibitions. In this conversation, she shares her approach to balancing life and studio time, what makes a painting come alive, and her hopes for the future of her work as a dialogue on resilience and identity.
Have you ever stared at a grant application and thought, “How on earth do I make them see my work the way I do?” You’re not alone. Many artists focus on writing proposals and filling forms, but forget that the portfolio you submit is just as important, sometimes even more. It’s the first thing reviewers will look at, and if it doesn’t immediately communicate your vision, your skills, and your project’s potential, it doesn’t matter how polished your proposal is. A portfolio isn’t just a collection of pretty pictures. It’s a…
Ever scroll through your feed, see an artist you admire with thousands of followers, and think, “That’ll never be me”? But what if that following didn’t appear overnight? What if, bit by bit, step by step, those “fans” were built one morning post, one story, one comment at a time? That’s exactly how many artists go from feeling invisible to having their work noticed, shared, and even loved. The thing is, growing an online audience isn’t magic, it’s patience + consistency. It’s sharing the tiny wins: a sketch that catches someone’s…
Have you ever opened your inbox and found an opportunity sitting there that makes your heart skip a beat? Maybe it’s an open call for a group show, a collaboration invite from another creative, or a last-minute chance to display work at a local café. You feel that rush of excitement, the kind that whispers, “This could be it.” But then another voice shows up too, the one that makes you hesitate. It asks, “Do I have the time? Will this actually move me forward? Or will I just burn myself…
In this interview with Women in Arts Network, hyperrealism painter Cher Pruys talks about her lifelong journey in the arts, from sketching as a child to building an internationally recognized career. She shares how she finds inspiration in everyday objects, balances family and studio time, and continues to paint with the same curiosity that first drew her to art.
Five painters who submitted for our virtual exhibition Birds showed us that birds are never just creatures in the sky they are symbols of freedom, memory, and imagination. Through their submissions, we see how birds can be playful, fragile, majestic, or deeply symbolic. Each work reflects personal vision, reminding us that while our experiences differ, the wonder birds inspire is universal. This feature is not about selected finalists, but about honouring the generosity of artists who shared their worlds with us. Their stories enrich the growing archive of this exhibition, which…
Tell me if this sounds familiar. You finally finish that sketch that’s been sitting half-done on your desk, or you actually get around to washing your brushes before bed instead of leaving them in the jar, or maybe you hang that painting that’s been leaning against the wall for weeks. You pause for a second, feel a tiny spark of satisfaction, and then… shrug it off like it doesn’t really matter. After all, it’s not a gallery show, or a feature in a magazine, or a massive commission. So it can’t…
Have you ever noticed how you can look at a piece of art, like it, and then suddenly love it once you hear the story behind it? It’s a bit like seeing a necklace in a shop window that looks nice, then finding out it was handmade by someone’s grandmother , suddenly the emotions hit harder. That simple backstory shifts the way you see it, and it’s no longer just an object, it’s a memory, a piece of someone’s life, and it feels more valuable instantly. That’s exactly what happens with…