In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, hyper-realist painter Denise Stewart-Sanabria is featured by the Professional Artist Association (ProfessionalArtist.com/join), the world's fastest growing global community for committed fine artists.

She shares the mindset and methods that have helped her sustain a long-term career in the art world. In her strikingly detailed works, Denise explores themes of desire, history, perception, and human psychology. Her paintings are held in permanent museum collections, including the Tennessee State Museum and the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Denise doesn’t hold back when it comes to practical advice. From building visibility and navigating gallery relationships to sharpening your self-awareness through critique, this episode is packed with tools artists can use to grow with intention and professionalism.

“The biggest thing is just to do your own critiques. Is your work on the same level as what you're looking at in these other galleries?”

– Denise Stewart-Sanabria

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:17 The Importance of Self-Critique and Practical Advice for Artists

02:25 Godzilla Plus Two and Themes in Denise’s Work

06:33 Building Relationships in your Art Community

07:43 Visibility Through Juried Shows, Art Fairs, and Gallery Representation

13:14 18th Century French Pastoral Toile Culture Shock and Museum Acquisitions

16:16 Networking, Volunteer Work, and Peer Support

20:40 Residencies and Publications for Career Growth

24:40 Conclusion: Persistence, Visibility, and Meaningful Connections

Access the members-only full unabridged conversation here.

Links to artworks discussed:

1. Godzilla Plus Two, 18th Century French Pastoral Toile Culture Shock, and Untitled can be seen in the YouTube version of this podcast here.

Resources:

• Tennessee State Museum: https://www.tnmuseum.org/
• Evansville Museum of Art: https://www.emuseum.org/
• Knoxville Museum of Art: https://knoxart.org/
• University of St. Francis Gallery: https://stfrancis.edu/artgallery/
• Art Fields (Lake City, South Carolina): https://www.artfieldssc.org/
• ArtPrize (Grand Rapids, Michigan): https://www.artprize.org/
• How to Become a Successful Artist, Magnus Resch (Book)
• Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: https://beautifulbizarre.net/
• Vermont Studio Center: https://www.vermontstudiocenter.org/

Connect with Denise:

• Website: https://stewart-sanabria.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisestewartsanabria_/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

• Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration: https://professionalartist.com/letter
• Join ≈1,000 committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Free training and resources:

• Free training on how to find art buyers without a big following here.
• Free insider report on how Painters, Sculptors, and Fine Art Photographers make their art income stable and consistent here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.