Startist Society

This week Laura and Nikki talk about how important it is to take the time to celebrate your wins – big or small. With all the comparison traps we find ourselves caught in, we tend to rush past our successes and jump right to the next hurdle we want to conquer and don't congratulate ourselves for what we've accomplished.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of celebrating, the mindset you need to create in order to do so and share some of our recent wins and what we did to celebrate.

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/wins

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This week we interview Crystal Marie, an artist and author with a passion for teaching others how to find and discover their own unique voice. Crystal has an established career as a professional artist with gallery representation, a published book on the art of collage, and she's currently writing a book about the intuitive voice. She teaches online workshops and runs a community for creatives called Canary Rising.

You'll want to listen closely as Crystal share so many great insights about listening to your intuitive voice and pushing through fear to find the gold. I know you're going to love Crystal as much as we do.

• Crystal's Startist story beginning her art career in her 30s after a nervous breakdown
• How a co-worker transformed her life with one simple action
• How Crystal rediscovered her inner artist and gave herself permission to play
• How she started selling her art and connecting with others through eBay and blogging
• Her shift from whimsical collages to abstract collage
• Crystal's exposure to art retreats and how she began teaching at them
• How Crystal got an offer from a publisher attending an art retreat and how long it took her to submit a book proposal
• Crystal's process of writing and photographing her first book, The Art of Expressive Collage
• How Crystal got gallery representation
• How to move past fear and go after what you want
• How Crystal ended up giving Nikki her first encaustic teaching gig in Paducah
• Living as an artist with chronic illness and autism and how they can affect your ability to teach/work
• Creating her community, Canary Rising, on Facebook (shifting from Patreon)
• How Canary Rising grew during Covid when Crystal moved to teaching online, starting with free workshops in her Facebook group
• Her new website canaryrising.com and the shift to her own teaching platform
• And finally, Crystal's best advice for artists getting started and following their intuition

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/crystalmarie

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

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Nikki and Laura share some fears they both have in relation to their creative careers… and not just Nikki's fear of running out of bourbon! Listen to 6 fears that can stop you in your tracks and some tips for getting past them.

Do you relate to any of these? Share your experience with us in the Startist Society Facebook group!

TOPICS DISCUSSED

1. What if I'm not good enough?
2. What if I have nothing original to say?
3. I'm afraid someone will steal my work.
4. I'm afraid to put myself out there and really be seen.
5. Fear of success.
6. Fear of the unknown.

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/fear

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/

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In this week's episode, Laura and Nikki interview artist, illustrator, musician, self-proclaimed mad scientist and D&D geek, Tyler Thrasher.

Tyler has an undying love for nature and its respective curiosities, and there are few things Tyler's brain isn't obsessing over. Between his pursuits to crystallize the world, opalize everything and hunt down some of the most unique plants, his passion to combine art and science every step of the way is his fire and fuel. He applies his brand of hopeful, angry optimism to everything he does.

As you'll hear during this interview, Tyler has the ability to take his curiosities and quickly turn them into amazing products... from crystalized cicadas to plant-growing journals, custom art t-shirts and even plushies! He sees what's missing in the marketplace, courageously takes action, and puts his work out in the world for all of us to enjoy.

We know you'll love our conversation with him and be inspired to see where your own curiosities will lead you!

• Tyler's Startist story
• How he began combining his interest in art and science and developed his unique crystallized insects
• What happened to Tyler's Instagram after requesting an art trade with an illustrator he loves
• Being spontaneous vs. planning things out
• Using Kickstarter and pre-sales to fund products
• Working with DFTBA for fulfillment, shipping and creating new products
• Making, selling and shipping t-shirts to raise money for The Bail Project and other black causes
• What Tyler's online community did when his house burned down
• How people react on social media when you focus on one thing vs following many different passions
• The process of designing his cicada plushie and the ridiculous number he sold in one week!
• Asking for what you want to grow your career
• Getting real about his anxiety and insecurity and how he doesn't let that stop him from following through with his ideas… which led to his existential discussion with his cicada!
• Tyler shares a few product ideas he's working on, including a whole bunch of plushies, his plans for a bigger lab and conservatory in partnership with a nanotech scientist in Tulsa.
• And caves, Tyler loves caves!
• Tyler shares his obsession with sour candy and Nikki gives him a brilliant idea for a new product!
• And finally, Tyler shares his best advice for people who are just getting started.

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/tylerthrasher

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

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Laura and Nikki talk about the limiting beliefs that can have a significant impact on the way we live our lives and can determine what's actually possible for us in our lives and art careers. If you spend all of your time worrying about all the things you don't have yet, what you can't do yet, or how you compare to other artists (and similar thoughts of a fixed mindset), it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. But if you approach things from a growth mindset, the world begins opening up and delivering some pretty incredible things.

In today's episode, we present 10 excuses that artists often use and give you ideas about how to turn them around and take away their power to limit your growth!

TOPICS DISCUSSED

1. I don't have time to create
2. I don't have any good ideas
3. I have too many ideas and can't pick one to focus on
4. I didn't go to art school (see episode 10)
5. I don't know how to draw
6. I don't have space to make art
7. I can't afford good art supplies (see episode 9)
8. I'm not good enough/I'll never make any money
9. I'm waiting for inspiration (see episode 14)
10. There are so many artists that are better than me (see episode 6)

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/excuses

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/

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Laura and Nikki chat with Mary Beth Shaw, a fabulous artist, product creator, educator and author who Nikki met over a decade ago.

Mary Beth has been a full time artist for 20 years; she's participated in indoor and outdoor art fairs, juried competitions and gallery shows. She's the founder of StencilGirl where she produces and sells stencils of her own designs and those of many other artists. She's also the author of Flavor for Mixed Media and StencilGirl, two books that she wrote, and is a columnist for Somerset Studios Magazine. She teaches workshops and many mixed media techniques and finds pleasure helping her students find their own voice.

We know you'll love her great advice for getting started and adapting your business as it grows and opportunities come your way!

• Mary Beth's Startist story
• Moving from San Francisco to St. Louis and starting her art career with outdoor fairs and mixed media collages
• How Nikki met Mary Beth through the encaustic world
• How Mary Beth started making and selling her own stencils
• How she grew her stencil empire from six designs to thousands and how she became "StencilGirl" (picture her with her StencilGirl superhero cape!)
• How she began working with other artists to create their own stencil designs and how you can apply!
• Dealing with quick business growth and expanding her family team
• How Mary Beth started (reluctantly!) writing books
• How COVID impacted her business
• Growing her online/social media presence, especially through YouTube and live streaming
• StencilGirl's creative team and Mary Beth's "genius assistant"
• Her product release schedule and the creation of her monthly stencil membership
• The importance of growing your community
• Mary Beth's advice for our listeners who are just getting started
• Mary Beth's Multimedia Art Journal Workshop in Italy

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/stencilgirl

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/

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In this episode, Laura and Nikki talk about a question a lot of us are thinking about these days: Is it too late for me to start taking my art career seriously? Am I too old?

After you hit the big 4-0 mark (or perhaps the 5 or 6-0!) you might question your relevancy in a world that is constantly changing and seems to reward youth, energy, vibrancy, new technologies, etc. You begin to wonder if you're too old to learn all the tech needed to run a successful business or too old to grow a following on social media when it seems to be full of young, beautiful women.

We are here to show you some great examples of people who didn't let that fear stop them from starting and growing their art careers later in life!

• Does age matter?
• Reasons you might think you're too old to be taken seriously or be able to do all that is required to be a successful artist
• Shifting your mindset by looking at examples of artists who started later in life or gained success when they were older
• The flip side - can you be considered too young to be taken seriously as an artist?
• An example of an artist that made 6 figures by the time she was 21
• The benefits and advantages of being older and what that experience can bring to your art and career

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/toolate/

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/

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Laura and Nikki speak with the amazing Flora Bowley (who Laura met during her Bloom True painting retreat in Bali eight years ago). Flora is an artist, a gentle guide and author of four books, Brave Intuitive Painting, Creative Revolution, Fresh Paint, and The Art of Aliveness.

Blending over 27 years of professional painting experience with her background as a yoga instructor, healer and lifelong truth seeker, Flora's popular in-person retreats and online courses have empowered a global network of brave painters while creating a new holistic movement in the intuitive art world.

In her latest book, The Art of Aliveness, Flora explores the vast ways in which the principles of creativity can serve as fuel for a more alive and awakened way of living. No paintbrushes required.

• Flora's Startist story, from her initial realization that she could make a living painting to becoming a full-time artist
• The process of teaching her first intuitive painting workshop
• How she was approached for her first book deal
• The connection between the intuitive painting process and living
• Getting out of your comfort zone and breaking free from a rut
• The importance of authenticity
• Embracing the layers in both art & life
• Examples of how you can add contrast to your art & life
• Giving yourself permission… letting your life be art
• Being committed while open to change
• Adding aliveness into your everyday
• How Flora is weaving together her own art practice, courses, retreats and books
• Making the in-person Bloom True retreat experience available to everyone at home through REUNITE (begins Aug 4th, 2021!)
• Flora's shift towards teaching the concepts from her latest book, The Art of Aliveness
• Flora's upcoming retreats in Santa Fe, Morocco, and The Omega Institute in NY
• A little hello from Flora's studio companion, Pearl

Get 20% off of Flora's Aug 4-8, 2021 REUNITE online retreat using coupon code "STARTIST20"

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/florabowley

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/

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Laura and Nikki introduce you to Liz Kohler Brown, an artist, designer, author and top Skillshare teacher who not only has 50 plus courses on Skillshare, but teaches others how to become a course creator. She's been painting, collaging and drawing since she was old enough to hold scissors and pencils without adult supervision. Liz earned an MFA in art in 2013 and since then, she's been teaching around the world online and in person.

In this episode, Liz shares great advice about getting started teaching online and diversifying your income streams through courses, print on demand, licensing, and book publishing. We know you'll be inspired by her incredible Startist journey!

• Liz's Startist story, going from teaching students 1:1 to becoming the powerhouse online educator that she is today
• Filming and editing her first class in a 1-bedroom apartment in Thailand
• Growing her course catalog after discovering iPad art
• Juggling a new baby with a creative career
• Getting her first book deal
• Diversifying income through Print on Demand websites
• Filling a gap in the marketplace on Spoonflower
• Getting found on Print on Demand sites (using techniques from her Society6 Skillshare class).
• Liz's Course Creator's Masterclass that shows you exactly how to create online classes from start to finish (and Laura's review of it!)
• The importance of multiple income streams (and a breakdown of Liz's income sources throughout the year)
• How the pandemic affected her business
• Advice for those just getting started and where to focus your time and energy when marketing
• Can you be a course creator if you don't have a background in teaching?
• Will anyone want to watch my classes when there are so many others on the topic already out there?

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/lizkohlerbrown

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/

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Laura and Nikki talk about whether or not artists should work for free. As artists, we tend to be generous and want to see our work out in the world, but others don't always see our art as work – and we often don't value our own work as much as we should. How can we reframe this view?

In this episode, we talk about the impact of working for free and give examples of times we think artists might benefit from working for free versus when we won't.

• Should artists do spec work?
• Responding to requests for work with no up front payment
• Doing it for exposure
• Pricing too low
• Design contests
• Donating art
• Free work to gain experience or grow your portfolio
• Volunteering for a good cause
• Barter or trade

Read the transcript and find links to all mentioned resources in the

STARTIST SOCIETY SHOW NOTES: startistsociety.com/freeart

JOIN THE STARTIST SOCIETY FB GROUP: facebook.com/groups/startistsociety/

FOLLOW STARTIST SOCIETY ON INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/startistsociety/

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