Overcoming Anxiety about Making Art World Connections with Heather Beardsley (#160)

Heather Beardsley’s art has been influenced by extensive travel and residencies in diverse cultures. This started with her year in Vienna as a Fulbright Scholar and then continued for several years until the pandemic shut down her residency in Kyiv, Ukraine. Like everyone else, Heather had to pivot upon returning to the U.S. She used the downtime to her advantage by getting organized and shaping her career path. In our conversation in this episode of The Art Biz, you’ll hear how she managed to transform her social anxiety into opportunities—realizing that real growth could only happen when she overcame the urge to play it safe by sticking to open call entries. Heather has learned to navigate the complex art world with intention while connecting with institutions and curators to propel her career. She shares her experiences of the following: Securing exhibition fees, grants, and residencies while managing expectations. The importance of being organized and ready for opportunities. Using Microsoft OneNote to organize opportunities and deadlines. Building authentic relationships within the art world where so much can seem transactional. You’ll also hear about Heather’s current solo show at the Chrysler Museum of Art and how it came about.