In this first part of a powerful two-part conversation, Stacie sits down with the creative and deeply introspective Andy J. Pizza, illustrator, speaker, and host of the beloved Creative Pep Talk podcast. They dive headfirst into the personal side of creativity, exploring how neurodivergence, mental health, and family background shape the way we show up in our art.

Andy and Stacie share candid moments about their diagnoses (ADHD and OCD), how their creative rhythms differ from traditional productivity models, and why embracing your authentic self is the first step to making art that truly matters. From deep dives into therapy and self-compassion to reflections on parenting and redefining success, this episode is a masterclass in building a creative career that honors your whole self.

Today on Art + Audience:

• The origin of “Andy J. Pizza”: Why Andy chose this name and how it became unexpectedly perfect for his work with kids.

• Navigating neurodivergence: A candid look at how ADHD and OCD influence both Andy’s and Stacie’s creative lives.

• Strengths-based psychology: Andy explains how shifting focus to what works (instead of what’s broken) changed his outlook.

• Self-expression and self-love: Why Andy believes you can’t make meaningful art if you don’t like yourself first.

• Redefining productivity: Letting go of rigid systems and learning to work with your brain instead of against it.

• Rethinking success and permission: Is creative freedom something you earn, or something you allow yourself to have?

Connect with Andy J. Pizza:

• Website: andyjpizza.com

• Instagram: @andyjpizza

• Podcast: Creative Pep Talk Podcast

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this special episode, Stacie brings together a panel of alumni from her signature program, Leverage Your Art. These artists, from illustrators to surface pattern designers to product-based business owners, share their honest experiences, big “aha” moments, and how the course helped them grow thriving creative businesses. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your art career, this conversation is packed with encouragement, practical advice, and powerful stories from artists who have walked the path before you.

Today on Art + Audience:

• “Does this work for me?”: Alumni answer the most common questions, Can this course help traditional artists, non-digital artists, or international artists?

• The Mindset Shift: Why rethinking how you view your art, and how it can live in the world, is the first step to building a sustainable business.

• One Idea, Many Products: How alumni learned to maximize one piece of art across multiple income streams.

• International Success Stories: Why location isn’t a barrier in art licensing, and how artists from Canada, Australia, and beyond are thriving.

• When You Don’t Have a Big Portfolio Yet: Why you don’t need hundreds of pieces to start, and how design briefs inside the course can help build a powerful portfolio.

• Confidence, Pitching & Cohesion: Alumni share how they tightened their brands, gained the confidence to pitch, and landed licensing deals and wholesale accounts.

• Life-Changing Takeaways: Each alum shares their biggest “why this course changed everything” moment.

Connect with the LYA Alumni:

• Ashley Paggi (Ash Cascade Design): ashcascade.com

• Kelsey Weigl: kelseyweigl.com

• Laura (Laura Sevigny Design):  laurasevignydesign.com

• Mable Tan: mabletan.com

• Megan Stringfellow: @stringfellowart

• Shirlee Fisher (Quiet Lines Design): quietlinesdesign.com

• Tiffany Grimes (Posterity Paper): posteritypaper.com

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this enlightening episode, Stacie sits down with surface pattern designer Juliana Tipton to talk about launching a creative career in your 40s, navigating art licensing, and staying grounded through the highs and lows of the design world. From graphic design and higher education to licensing with top retailers like Target and Barnes & Noble, Juliana shares how she pivoted careers, learned to trust her gut, and built a successful business centered around authenticity and perseverance.

Today on Art + Audience:

• Juliana’s Unconventional Start: How she launched her surface design career in her early 40s after two previous careers.

• Leveraging Graphic Design: How her background gave her a solid foundation but also revealed the challenges of working solo.

• Licensing Lessons: From being ghosted by a fabric company to finding better partnerships—what she learned and would do differently.

• Pitching and Portfolios: The importance of following up, crafting one-sheets, and using classes from Bonnie Christine and Shannon McNab to hone her process.

• Navigating Red Flags: How Juliana discerns between fear and instinct when evaluating licensing deals—and why good communication is non-negotiable.

• The Truth About Money: Why licensing isn’t always lucrative at first and how Juliana balances surface design with graphic design work.

• Honest Talk About Contracts: What Juliana looks for in licensing agreements and how she scrutinizes the fine print.

Connect with Juliana Tipton:

• Website: julianatipton.com

• Instagram: @jultipdesign

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this inspiring episode, Stacie chats with Carrie Cantwell, a graphic designer turned licensed artist, Skillshare top teacher, podcast host, and creative coach. Carrie opens up about her transformative journey from the high-pressure world of film graphics to finding her artistic voice through art licensing. Her story is one of courage, reinvention, and learning to lean into the things that come naturally. Together, Stacie and Carrie dive deep into the realities of self-doubt, the power of creative bravery, and the freedom that comes with not needing external validation.

Today on Art + Audience:

• From Film to Freelance: Carrie opens up about leaving a prestigious film career to pursue art that reflects her true creative vision.

• Discovering Her Artist Identity: Through trial and error, and a little spaghetti-throwing, Carrie found her style and embraced life as an artpreneur.

• Bravery Grows With Age: Carrie explains how courage isn’t innate, but something that builds with life experience, perspective, and choosing to show up anyway.

• Rejection and Resilience: A ghosted agency deal became a pivotal lesson in honoring boundaries, feeling disappointment, and choosing self-compassion.

• Confidence Is a Learned Skill: Stacie and Carrie discuss how confidence grows through repeated action, not through waiting to feel “ready.”

• Comparison and Social Media: A powerful story about Stacie’s daughter reveals how early artists can navigate self-worth in a digital world.

• What’s Next for Carrie: She’s setting her sights on editorial illustration, art that reacts, uplifts, and brings meaning to current events.

Resources:

• Book: Don't Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen

Connect with Carrie Cantwell:

• Website: carriecantwell.com

• Instagram: @carriecantwellart

• Podcast: Two Cranky Creatives

• Carrie’s Editorial Portfolio: carrie-cantwell.cargo.site/editorial-illustration-portfolio

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this episode, Stacie reveals the system behind her two creative companies generating a combined $5 million in annual revenue: the STAR Productivity Method. Drawing from humble beginnings at her dining room table to leading a powerhouse team, Stacie shares the weekly rhythm that has guided her journey. Whether you're a side hustler or full-time creative, this episode provides an actionable framework to gain clarity, stay focused, and make meaningful progress even with limited time.

Today on Art + Audience:

• The Origins of the STAR Cycle: How Stacie developed the method during her early side hustle days with only five focused hours per week.

• A Peek into Her Themed Work Week: Discover how Monday through Friday is structured to maximize creativity and minimize chaos.

• The STAR Framework Explained:

• S – Strategize: Set goals and dream big.

• T – Think & Create: Dive into the creative process.

• A – Adapt: Refine, polish, and prepare.

• R – Reach Out: Share, launch, and gather feedback.

• Real-Life Examples: How Stacie used the STAR cycle to plan product launches and build a new mini course.

• How to Apply STAR to Your Own Projects: Implement the cycle on a personal project, complete with a free printable worksheet.

Resource:

• Download the printable STAR Cycle worksheet at staciebloomfield.com/blog

• Pre-Order Bonus: Get two copies of The Artist’s Side Hustle and receive Art That Works, Stacie’s flagship art critique course. Just email your receipts to [email protected]

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this episode, Stacie answers real listener questions and dives into how artists can move from feeling overwhelmed by possibilities to finding strategic clarity. She offers empowering advice on balancing multiple passions, making smart licensing choices, and evolving your artistic style without confusing your audience. Whether you're at the start of a creative pivot or deep into the licensing world, Stacie's thoughtful insights will help you take confident, intentional steps forward.

Today on Art + Audience:

• Overcoming Creative Overwhelm:

• Sarah, a graphic designer, dreams of transitioning to a business that includes pattern design and needle felting.

• Stacie shares how to focus: Keep the steady income source, choose one creative passion to grow first, and use a newsletter to build community.

• The power of speaking to your future self and building one revenue stream at a time with intention.

• Licensing Wisdom – Finding the Right Markets:

• Mackenzie asks about the most profitable markets for art licensing.

• Stacie outlines top licensing markets: home decor, fabric, gifts, stationery, apparel, and big box retail.

• Key deal terms to watch: royalty rates, exclusivity, territory, and brand fit.

• Why licensing is just one slice of your business pie—and not the whole pie.

• Creative Expansion – Managing Multiple Styles:

• Hachiko, an illustrator, wonders how to present and market two different art styles.

• Stacie encourages embracing creative range: distinguish collections, tell your audience your story, and focus on the through line that ties your work together.

• Reassurance that your audience can follow your growth, and your art can hold more than one style.

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

Today on the show, Stacie is joined once again by her long-time business partner and sister, Angie Classen. Together, they pull back the curtain on how consistent email marketing helped grow their handmade brand, Gingiber, from a $100k Etsy shop to a multimillion-dollar enterprise. This episode is a deep dive into ditching the fear of self-promotion, showing up authentically, and embracing email as your most powerful marketing tool. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your product-based business, Stacie and Angie break down actionable strategies and candidly share the mindset shifts that made all the difference.

Today on Art + Audience:

• The Myth of "Annoying Emails": Why creatives need to let go of the fear of bothering people—and start showing up consistently.

• The 5-4-3-2-1 Strategy: A simple and wildly effective email campaign that boosted Gingiber's sales around Mother's Day.

• Email is for Everyone: How indie makers, not just big brands like Anthropologie, can win with email marketing.

• Work Once, Use Often: How Angie turned one blog post into five effective sales emails.

• Product vs. Education: The critical difference in strategy when selling physical products vs. online courses.

• Facing Unsubscribes: Why it’s okay when people opt out—and how it helps you refine your ideal audience.

• Slow Growth = Strong Business: A refreshingly honest look at building a profitable business without debt, flash, or burnout.

Resources:

• Ideal Customer Avatar Generator: A brand-new tool available exclusively inside Leverage Your Art. It walks you step by step through identifying who your art is for based on your unique style and generates a detailed customer profile to guide your marketing, product development, and more. Available when the course reopens in August 2025.

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this episode, Stacie is joined by fine artist and educator Emily Jeffords for a deep, transparent conversation about building an art career that honors both creativity and sustainability. Emily shares her journey from selling her first paintings for just a dollar to creating a thriving business centered on fine art and artist mentorship. Together, they explore the emotional and practical realities of showing up authentically online, navigating burnout, and learning how to align personal values with business decisions.

Today on Art + Audience:

• Emily’s early pricing model missteps: Hear how her unorthodox approach shaped her understanding of value and pricing.

• Starting small: Emily explains why having a tiny audience at the beginning is actually a gift, offering creative freedom and space to find your true voice.

• Voice over volume: Discover why developing a clear, authentic message matters more than chasing followers and how the algorithm often rewards that clarity.

• Surviving burnout: Emily opens up about the personal cost of success, including a health crisis and divorce, and the steps she took to rebuild from the inside out.

• Content strategy for creatives: Learn Emily’s method for defining core content pillars, making it easier to share consistently and with purpose online.

• Reclaiming creativity through pleasure: Why embracing joy, play, and new experiences is essential for long-term creative and emotional sustainability.

• Reinvention and resilience: Stacie and Emily share how they’ve redefined their brands after major life and business changes and what they’ve learned in the process.

Connect with Emily Jeffords:

• Instagram: @emily_jeffords

• Website: emilyjeffords.com | emilyjeffordslearn.com

• The Creative Stability Workbook: how to sell your art in any market and season

• The EJS (free) Resource Library: all of our top recommended resources for creatives 

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August 2025.

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this solo episode, Stacie opens up about a hard truth many creative entrepreneurs face but few talk about: what to do when your art business hits a plateau. Sharing a vulnerable and candid story about a product launch that flopped, Stacie reframes business stagnation not as a failure, but as a signal for evolution. With practical steps and heartfelt encouragement, she walks you through how to diagnose the root of business slowdowns, how to reignite momentum, and why a plateau might just be the push you need to evolve into your next chapter.

Today on Art + Audience:

• Facing the Quiet After the Launch: Stacie shares the story of launching a candle line that didn’t meet expectations, despite all efforts. What felt like failure was actually vital feedback.

• Understanding Business Plateaus: Why stagnation isn’t punishment, but an invitation to rethink and grow.

• Step-by-Step Through the Stuck:

• Step 1: Diagnose the real issue – is it the product, audience, or messaging?

• Step 2: Make a bold move – shake things up, even in small ways.

• Step 3: Recommit with a sustainable rhythm – avoid burnout with intentional action.

• Personal Evolution: How pivoting into teaching reignited Stacie’s passion, showing that evolving roles can breathe new life into your business.

• The Five-Hour Week Framework: A balanced approach for creatives to move forward without overwhelm.

• Call to Action: Encouragement to reflect, try something new, and trust that you haven’t peaked—you're just getting started.

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561

In this dynamic season two opener, Stacie is joined by her sister, business partner, and fellow creative force, Angie Classen, to talk about all things business at Gingiber. The duo dives into what’s actually working in today’s economy for product-based art businesses. Sharing the strategic pivots they made during their Mother’s Day sale, Angie and Stacie reveal how they grew sales and profits—despite fewer transactions and a tricky retail climate. From discount fatigue to smarter ad spend, and why knowing your numbers might be the most creative move of all, this is a must-listen episode packed with tactical advice and heartfelt entrepreneurial truth.

Today on Art + Audience:

• Real Talk on Revenue: How Gingiber increased gross sales with fewer orders by raising their average ticket price.

• Smarter Sales Strategy: The pivot from a flat 20% discount to a minimum-spend model—and why it worked.

• Ideal Customer Deep Dive: Meet "Charlotte," their model buyer, and learn how defining an ICA changed everything.

• Organic Traffic Wins: Angie shares her SEO and Pinterest strategies for driving high-quality, unpaid traffic.

• Learning from the Past: The indigo ink disaster, flopped sea creature towels, and the lessons that shaped future launches.

• Email Marketing & Funnels: Why their 60% new customer rate matters and how they plan to keep those buyers coming back.

Resources:

• Your Profitable Art Launchpad: Free email course with pricing calculators and business strategy tools.

• Leverage Your Art: Stacie’s signature course, opening again this August.

• Ideal Customer Avatar Generator: A brand-new tool available exclusively inside Leverage Your Art. It walks you step by step through identifying who your art is for based on your unique style and generates a detailed customer profile to guide your marketing, product development, and more. Available when the course reopens in August 2025.

Connect with Stacie Bloomfield:

• Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast

• Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com

• Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart 

• Facebook: @ShopGingiber

• Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber

• Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561