An Art To It

We all measure or success in different ways, yet we still seem to compare ourselves to others and what they're achieving. In this episode I share my personal thoughts on success.

My online course for artists and makers: An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success opens for booking on 16th October and you can discover more about it here.

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/pages/courses-and-coaching

To find out more about the Byre gallery you can follow us on Instagram @thebyregallery

And visit our website https://thebyregallery.co.uk

Liz Francis has run the hugely popular and successful Padstow Gallery in north Cornwall since 2018. Since then it has gained a deserved reputation for the high calibre of work it exhibits in its changing and permanent beautifully curated exhibitions.

In our chat Liz shares her journey from studying in an entirely different field (pardon the pun, tune in to discover more!) to finding her dream job in running a gallery. We talk about her vision for Padstow Gallery, what she looks for in the art and contemporary craft that she exhibits, and of course the highs, lows, joys and frustrations of running a commercial business in a creative community.

https://padstowgallery.co.uk/

This is the final episode in this first series of An Art to It, if you've enjoyed it I would be so grateful if you could please leave a review and a star rating, and please do tell your friends. I plan to be back with series 2 in October so do make sure you are following us so you don't miss an episode.

You can find out more about my online course for artists and makers, An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success here: https://thebyregallery.co.uk/pages/courses-and-coaching where you can also sign up for the Waitlist. Anyone signing up before 30th September will receive a 10% discount when they enroll on the course.

It was the allure of Cornwall's palm trees that convinced Imogen Bone that moving south for art college in Falmouth rather than her native Scotland was the right move; and she's never looked back.

In our chat we talk about how choosing to study illustration rather than Fine Art gave Imogen a work ethic and structure that has contributed to her success as both an artist, and a creative business; commercialism is not a bad thing - whatever art colleges might tell you; and how galleries still play a vital part in the creative economy.

You can see Imogen's work in galleries in Cornwall and the Isle of Scilly including:

https://tamariskscilly.co.uk/collections/imogen-bone

https://padstowgallery.co.uk/collections/imogen-bone

https://www.tresco.co.uk/enjoying/gallery-tresco/artists/imogen-bone

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/collections/imogen-bone

For more about her teaching at Newlyn School of Art

https://www.newlynartschool.co.uk/tutors/imogen-bone

And she's on Instagram at: imogenboneart

Carin Lindberg swapped her Swedish homeland and a science background for the life of a jewellery designer maker creating stunning pieces from her North Cornwall coastal studio.

In this episode Carin and I talk about how buying a few beads to have a 'play' took her to being a full-time jeweller; how a background in science plus working in mobile phone and website technology has given her a precision mind that has aided her creative business journey; and how keeping a balance between work, home and other hobbies is the key to her success with her business - and her enthusiasm for it.

You can see Carin's work on her website https://carinlindbergjewellery.com/ and follow her on instagram at @carinlindbergjewellery

Sharon Bruster swapped a career in the NHS for the life of a sea-inspired Cornwall visual artist and has never looked back. She is also the co-founder (along with friend and fellow artist Maggie Cochran) of Prime Women Artists, a support, networking and exhibiting membership for women artists (of a certain age!) In Cornwall.

In this episode we talk about Sharon's transition from pursuing a hobby of capturing the coast and sea in her art, to declaring herself an artist; her love of talking about her art but her dislike of promoting and selling of her own work. We also discuss the difficulties of pursuing a professional creative career when you are over 50 - and the general invisibility that being age can bring - and how it inspired her to launch Prime Women.

You can learn more about Prime Women at https://primewomenartistscornwall.co.uk/ and @primewomenartists

And see Sharon's work https://sharonbrusterart.co.uk/ and follow her on @sharon_bruster_artist

For more details about my course for artists and makers 'An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success' and to join the waitlist go to:

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/pages/courses-and-coaching

Emily Tapp is the founder and creative behind EOT ceramics, which in under five years has carved itself an impressive reputation for its elegant forms and stylish glazing. With regular sell out online 'shops' and collections for sale in the prestigious Tate St Ives' shop, EOT is a brand to watch. And as Emily is only 27, she is a creative entrepreneur to watch out for.

In this episode we talk about studying Fine Art at Falmouth University - https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/ - and Emily's change of direction after graduation to pursue ceramics; she also shared how learning early to budget, save and do a tax return helped her with her ceramics business; the power of staying small, how being a control freak is a good thing… and going to see Taylor Swift in concert.

Emily also talks about being inspired in her business by fellow ceramics who are running small pottery studios: @pottery_west and @_rebeccaproctor

You can see Emil's ceramics at eotceramics.com and follow her on instagram @eotceramics and @emilyoliviatapp

For more information on my support for artists and makers, including my upcoming course 'An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success' please visit

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/pages/courses-and-coaching

Tara Leaver describes herself as an artist and an aquaphile so not surprisingly in episode Three of An Art to It we discuss Tara's love of swimming and how it counts as research for her underwater inspired paintings.

We also talk about Tara's Artist Membership 'The Happy Artists' Studio' a community and coaching platform where in her role as a 'Creative Encourager' she says that if you are creating art, you should proudly call yourself 'An Artist'. Tara also reveals how she balances running her membership with her own creative practice; the creatives and the coaches who've encouraged her, and what impact a puppy called Poppy has had on her life and work.

Tara's work: taraleaverart.com

Her art Instagram account: www.instagram.com/taraleaverart

Her teaching website: taraleaver.com

Megan Auman: www.meganauman.com

Moira Fuller: www.moirafuller.co.uk

For more information on my support for artists and makers, including my upcoming course 'An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success' please visit

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/pages/courses-and-coaching

In episode two I talk to ceramicist Judy McKenzie who, after a life long love of 'playing' with clay decided to pursue a BA and then a Masters degree at the Royal College of Art and now in her 60s is a successful ceramicist showing her stunning Nerikomi work at galleries throughout the UK.

We talk about being allowed to be selfish after a life of looking after others; imposter syndrome, being the 'token' oldie amongst a group of talented young creatives with 'sharp elbows' and how chocolate really does help.

Find Judy on Instagram @judymckenzieceramics

https://www.judymckenzie.com

Judy did her Masters degree at the Royal College of Art

https://www.rca.ac.uk/

Judy talks about spending time with ceramicist Katharine Morling during her degree @katharine.morling

You can see Judy's work for the Byre Gallery here

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/collections/judy-mckenzie

For more information on my support for artists and makers, including my upcoming course 'An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success' please visit

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/pages/courses-and-coaching

In the first episode I share my journey to becoming a curator and gallery owner; my career in PR in Scotland and London and how my desire to be a creative never really found the right outlet until I discovered I could unleash my artistic enthusiasm by styling other creative's work.

As well as talking about running the gallery I discuss my online course for artists and makers: An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success

https://thebyregallery.co.uk/pages/courses-and-coaching

Find us on Instagram @thebyregallery

Visit our website https://thebyregallery.co.uk

Come and see us in Cornwall, we're easily accessible from all parts of the southwest by road, rail and ferry. PL10 1AJ will be bring you right to us.

When does your passion become your profession? Can you take a love of making and creating and turn it into a successful business? This is the podcast where I talk to artists and makers who, whatever their discipline, are all fortunate to have turned their passion for creating into their occupation. As we discuss their journey to being professional artists and makers we explore inspirations, imposter syndrome, what success really means and of course, if there IS an art to running a flourishing creative business.

I'm Elaine Dye, I'm the owner and curator of Cornwall's Byre Gallery, I'm also a creative business mentor and coach, and the creator of the course, 'An Insider's Guide to Gallery Success.' As the Byre Gallery celebrates its 10th anniversary I thought it was the ideal opportunity to chat to some of the fascinating creatives I've got to know over the past decade and to explore what it means to be in the business of doing something you really love.