This week's episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about the business of live wedding painting with Stephanie Gaffney. 

Stephanie shares how she built a thriving career painting weddings live, charging $5,000+ per piece—far above the national average. She dives into her marketing strategies, from leveraging social media and SEO to growing her reputation through word-of-mouth.

We also discuss the backend of her business, including how she uses Honeybook to streamline client communication, contracts, and payments. Let me know what you think of this week’s episode with Stephanie and how her journey inspires your own art business! 

This week's episode on the Artist Academy Podcast, we’re exploring the strategic approach to raising your prices as an artist.

Determining when and how to increase your rates can be challenging, especially when faced with fears of losing clients or undervaluing your work. In this episode, I break down the key indicators that signal it’s time for a price adjustment, the mindset shifts necessary to overcome self-doubt, and the long-term benefits of charging what your work is truly worth.

Ask yourself:

Are you wanting to raise your prices but you’re scared of the reactions you might get?

Are you consistent with your promotional efforts?

Do you have somewhat consistent work coming in the majority of the year?

Do you feel like you are undercharging and spending way too much time for what your current projects are worth?

If these questions resonate with you, it may be time to reassess your pricing strategy. I also share my own experience in growing a six-figure art business through intentional pricing strategies and value-based confidence.

Learn how to price your work with confidence, attract higher-quality clients, and position your business for long-term success.

Artist Academy Mural Meetup Info

This week’s episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about tackling social anxiety as an artist. If putting yourself out there feels overwhelming—whether on social media, video, or in person—you’re not alone! I’m sharing my own journey of overcoming shyness and social anxiety, along with practical tips to help you build confidence and promote your work.

We’ll talk about the power of practice, pushing through discomfort, and how small steps can lead to big progress in your art business. If self-promotion has ever held you back, this episode is for you!

This week’s episode on the Artist Academy Podcast takes a closer look at using the Apple Vision Pro for mural painting. I’ll walk you through how this headset works as a projection tool, demonstrating its features with the DaVinci Eye app for image placement, resizing, and opacity adjustments.

We’ll also compare it to traditional projectors and other AR/VR options like the Meta Quest to see if it’s worth the hefty price tag.
Beyond the tech, we’ll talk about where this industry is headed—will AR tools for artists become more accessible soon?

Tune in to explore the future of mural-making with augmented reality!

This week's episode on the Artist Academy Podcast features UK artist Louise McNaught. Louise is an environmentally conscious wildlife artist whose passion shines through every canvas she paints.

I reached out to Louise back in 2019 for her first interview on this podcast (see her first interview HERE), so this episode provides an updated look at how her art business has changed post-COVID.

Louise still sells through art galleries but now primarily focuses on social media to make sales. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with a fellow animal (cat) lover and talking about the different ways to sell canvases, which is something I rarely manage to do.

For me, selling a customizable wall mural is so much easier than selling a canvas painting that comes purely from my own creativity. It’s also really tough for me to push myself to be creative in my own way, with no customer insight required. Louise lends her perspective on both of these challenges, drawing from her many years of experience.

Let me know what you think of this week’s updated episode with Louise McNaught!

Does outreach seem scary/foreign/confusing? Let me help… 

This week's episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about how I’m gaining mural customers from reaching out to businesses via email/DM and how you can get started too. 

Outreach can be a pain in the a$$ if you don’t know what you’re doing. I know, because I’ve been spending the past few months figuring it out. I’m pretty new to this still, but there are a few things I’ve come to learn that I think you’ll find interesting. 

For those who don’t have the time or the want to sit down and gather contact info of potential customers, I have something for you…

Done-For-You Outreach

What you get: 

You essentially get to borrow my already trained Virtual Assistant and have her create an excel sheet with 500 contacts of companies you want to work for in your area (apartments, dentist offices, schools… any category) to then pitch to them. 

+ 1 month of small group coaching on the subject of outreach to support you through it! We meet every Tuesday for 1 hour. 

Total price = $497
5 spots available. 
DM Andrea on IG (or reply to this email) to save your spot! 

This is for you IF:

This week’s episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about pricing your art and mural projects with confidence.

Figuring out how much to charge can feel overwhelming, but it’s one of the most important aspects of running a successful art business. In this episode, I’m breaking down my pricing strategy—from $20 to $65 per square foot—and explaining exactly what factors go into those numbers.

I’ll share real examples from past mural projects, highlighting how details like surface type, complexity, and location affect the final price. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your rates, this episode will give you the knowledge to price your work fairly and profitably.

Tune in for actionable insights on setting your prices, communicating value to clients, and getting paid what you’re worth!

This week’s episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about simplifying your social media strategy as an artist. Should you create a separate account for each art niche, or is it better to keep everything under one profile? I’m sharing my personal approach and the pros and cons of both, so you can decide what works best for your brand.

We’ll also dive into the type of content that performs best on different platforms—how to grab attention on Facebook, what’s trending on Instagram, and why high-quality, original artwork will always be your biggest asset. Managing social media doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and with the right strategy, you can make it work for you instead of the other way around.

Tune in for actionable insights to refine your social media presence and grow your art business!

This week's episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about understanding the true cost of running a mural business. From essential tools like projectors, iPads, scaffolding, and lift rentals, to ongoing expenses such as marketing, software, and website maintenance, we’re breaking down the financial side of being a professional muralist. 

I’ll take you behind the scenes of my own business, breaking down everything from supplies like brushes, paint, and scaffolding to the recurring expenses that keep things running smoothly, such as Kajabi, Dropbox, and VA services.

We’ll explore what it takes to build a sustainable art business, from maintaining a website to running marketing campaigns and ensuring operations run efficiently. We’ll chat about how to price your work effectively, ensuring you cover both tangible and hidden costs—such as materials, marketing, business operations, and the time you dedicate to your projects. 

Tune in for actionable insights that will help you price your work appropriately and avoid costly mistakes, putting you on the path to building a profitable mural career. 

Check out my Mural Supply List here.

This week’s episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about mastering sales strategies. When pitching your mural services to potential clients, crafting the perfect pitch can make all the difference in landing the right opportunities.

I’m joined by my husband Ryan, who brings his expertise from the world of insurance sales. He shares practical tips on customizing scripts, understanding client needs, and knowing when it’s time to walk away from difficult clients. We’ll also break down an email pitch template tailored for general contractors, discussing how personalization and brevity can dramatically improve your response rates.

Plus, we dive into the best strategies for following up without feeling pushy—whether that’s with a personal phone call or a Calendly link.

Tune in for actionable insights on staying confident in your outreach in order to grow your art business.