The Art Biz

There are many ways for artists to make money, but more income sources don't always lead to more income.
In this episode, host Alyson Stanfield looks at the difference between an income source and an income stream—and why that distinction matters when you're deciding what belongs in your art business.
You'll also hear about:
Why adding a new income source can mean building a separate business
The time, energy, marketing, and systems each source requires
Why so-called passive income is a myth
How to evaluate profitability, potential, and return on your time
Questions to help you decide whether to add, keep, or let go of an income source
The goal isn't to have as many income sources as possible. It's to understand what each one requires and decide whether it deserves a place in your art business.
Read more and get links and resources on the extensive companion post.
Email me to discuss strategic consulting for your long-term career goals.
Think you'd make a good guest on The Art Biz? Read This
The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

In this episode of The Art Biz, host Alyson Stanfield makes the case that research is not an academic exercise. And it's not separate from your art practice, but part of it.
She encourages you to think of it as leading with curiosity, which strengthens the work and builds confidence.
Alyson draws on her background as an art historian and her own current investigation into timelines to show what this actually looks like in practice.
Alyson reveals:
Why "I've always been drawn to this" isn't a good enough answer, and what happens when you push past it
The difference between work that is beautiful and work that is about something
Why you mustn't research to find the right or best answer, and why you cannot rely on Google and AI for a true research practice
How a serious inquiry practice changes your artist statement, collector conversations, and confidence in the work
What it means to make curiosity a practice rather than a phase you move through before a project begins
Read more and get links and resources on the extensive companion post.
Email me to discuss strategic consulting for your long-term career goals.
Think you'd make a good guest on The Art Biz? Read This
The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

Every artist wants to know "how much time?"
How much time on the business side, how much time making the work, and how long before any of it pays off.
In this episode of The Art Biz host Alyson Stanfield gives straight answers to the two questions that matter — including a number you might not want to hear — and offer a better question to ask yourself instead.
She covers:
Why "how much time?" is the wrong question, and what to ask yourself instead
The difference between your daily time and the longer stretch it takes to establish yourself
Why willingness and commitment matter more than the number of hours you have
How much of your working time goes to business and marketing when you're serious about income
Why more success means more business, not less
The timeframe to expect for the hard work to pay off and why steady work matters most
 
Read more and get links and resources on the extensive companion post.
Email me to discuss strategic consulting for your long-term career goals.
Think you'd make a good guest on The Art Biz? Read This.
 
The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

Making a living from your art takes more than passion and talent. In this solo episode, Alyson Stanfield walks through the real considerations — from committing to your studio practice to making friends with marketing — for artists who are serious about turning their practice into a livelihood.
It starts with a question worth considering: is this really for you?
In this episode, Alyson covers:
Why marketing your art too early can undermine everything you're working toward
The financial math many artists avoid, and why ignoring it is not an option
The old stories that hold you back and what it means to let them go
Why your artist community is a valuable asset
The difference between being busy and being productive
Structure is what makes creative freedom possible
Why you need to make friends with marketing.
Read more and get links and resources on the extensive companion post
 
Email me to discuss strategic consulting for your long-term career goals.
Think you'd make a good guest on The Art Biz? Read This
 
The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

Venues aren't looking for artists who need them, they're looking for artists who are ready.
Host Alyson Stanfield introduces the attraction method: a way of building genuine relationships with venues long before you ever make an ask. For alternative venues, the timeline from first contact to a yes can be weeks instead of years.
In this episode, Alyson covers:
Why readiness is more than finished work, and what signals to a venue that you're prepared
How alternative venues operate on an entirely different timeline than galleries
The research and in-person visit steps that show a space you're worth talking to
What separates "Can I show my art here?" from an opener that actually starts a conversation
Why consistent, genuine presence means venues sometimes do the asking before you do
Visit this episode's page for all resources
MENTIONED
Beyond White Walls workshop
Elevate Your Art workshop
RELATED EPISODES
The artists who don't wait to be chosen (264)
Use the attraction method for art venues before you make the ask (265)
 
Email me to discuss strategic consulting for your long-term career goals.
Think you'd make a good guest on The Art Biz? Read This
 
The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.