Tag: art career planning
You can’t fix what you don’t measure. It’s one of those unglamorous truths of being a working artist , the creative part might keep you inspired, but the numbers keep you afloat. Every sketch, sale, or submission eventually ties back to how you manage what comes in and what goes out. Yet most artists push this side of their practice to the very end of the to-do list, right next to updating their portfolio and replying to overdue emails. An annual audit isn’t just a finance exercise, it’s a form of…
They say the smartest artists don’t just apply, they study. And not in an academic sense, but in a deeply practical one. They look at who’s behind the decisions before they ever hit submit. That single habit can turn what feels like a guessing game into a strategy that actually works. Most artists treat applications like sealed envelopes , send, wait, hope. But if you’ve ever wondered why some artists seem to get shortlisted again and again, it’s rarely luck. They’re reading between the lines. They notice who’s on the jury,…
At some point in your art journey, your work finally leaves the studio. Maybe it’s wrapped up for a show, maybe it’s headed to a collector who found you online, or maybe it’s just your first sale ever. It feels good, right? But here’s the part most artists don’t really think about , that sale is just the beginning of your artwork’s story. What happens next, who resells it, and how its price changes over time, that’s where the art world starts to get interesting. There are basically two worlds your…
Walk into any gallery quietly and just watch for a moment. Notice how the walls don’t feel neutral at all , they hum with a kind of personality. The way pieces are hung, the rhythm of the room, even the pauses between artworks say something about what that space values. Some walls whisper restraint, others pulse with risk, and a few shout with unapologetic boldness. If you pay attention, you realize galleries are speaking long before you ever meet the curator. Now imagine sending your portfolio into that space without first…
So here’s the thing: starting an art career as a woman comes with a whole manual of unspoken rules that no one bothers to hand you. Professors might talk about composition and critiques, but they rarely cover what to do when a gallery offers you “exposure” instead of a paycheck, or when you realise your male peers are charging double for work that’s the same size as yours. It’s not that women artists aren’t talented or driven; it’s that the system comes with invisible speed bumps you only notice once you’ve…
Updating your art portfolio regularly sounds like something only superhumans do… or people who somehow enjoy spreadsheets. But for the rest of us (who maybe have 37 unfinished paintings, two open calls bookmarked, and no idea what year our artist bio was last updated), it can feel like a lot. So, what if we made it… not stressful? What if your portfolio timeline felt more like a cozy studio ritual than a looming admin task? This guide isn’t about turning you into a marketing robot. It’s about crafting a flexible rhythm…