My guest today has one of the most unusual career paths. A British artist who is completely self-taught, Chris began painting following two separate incidents of cancer, and a work-related back injury which saw him unable to work for many months. These life-changing events forced him to take stock and re-evaluate his life and career. Today, Chris is a prolific painter with a loyal international client base. His story is not only moving and inspiring, but it also demonstrates that where there is a will, there is always a way.   

Conversation Highlights:

• Why discipline is a key component in producing art
• How “rejection” can actually help you move forward
• Why being an artist is not a job (although you can make a living out of it)

PLUS: A new way to look at perfection! 

Links and resources:

Website: https://www.chriscyprus.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriscyprus/

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In today’s episode of The Artist Entrepreneur Podcast, James Miille and Alex Mitow, founders of Superfine! Art Fair, talk openly about why art fairs should be part of any professional artist’s marketing plan. With Catherine, they walk us through what makes an art fair interesting for artists and collectors alike and also talk about what artists should look for when choosing an art fair to sell their work. James and Alex are very generous throughout the show, sharing tips and ideas of what works and what doesn’t when you present your work at art fairs. Get your pencil and notebook ready because this is a value-packed episode!

Conversation Highlights:

• Why connecting with your potential buyers in person is so important
• How participating in art fairs becomes a long-term process
• How to show up at art fairs and be successful

PLUS: A very important tip about your pricing!  

Links and resources:

Website: https://www.superfine.world/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superfineartfair/

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If you want others to believe in you and your art, you’ll have to believe in yourself first. Do you often notice doubt, resistance, and procrastination arising in your art practice? Do you even sometimes catch yourself having negative thoughts about… yourself? All those occurrences are a waste of time and energy. They bring you down, prevent you from growing, and slow your progress… to the point of killing your motivation and ability to follow through on your projects and dreams. There are ways to overcome all that. In this solo episode, Catherine shares very concrete steps you can take to dig yourself out of this mess and bring more confidence to your art business and career.

Conversation Highlights:

• Why you need to stop comparing yourself with others
• What to do with your never-ending list of to-do’s
• Why willpower alone won’t do the trick

PLUS: What “accountability” can do for you.

Links and resources:

• Follow Catherine on Instagram: @catherineorer
• Check out The Artist Entrepreneur for more info and resources!

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How can one person pursue a passion for art, architecture, design, and college football? We answer that question today with our very special guest, Brandon Surtain! Throughout his college years, Brandon developed many fields of interest and was able to invest himself in each of them… with success! Although Brandon seems quite calm, he assures us that not all of it happened gracefully. Listening to everything he’s achieved and is currently working on will surely inspire you to pursue your own projects as a multi-passionate artist-entrepreneur.

Conversation Highlights:

• How art and sports have cohabited throughout Brandon’s studies
• Why it’s OK – and even essential! – to take risks
• Why you should put yourself out there and how to get others on board with your ideas

PLUS: Security is an illusion!

Links and resources:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonjuansurtain/

Website: https://www.brandonjuansurtain.com/

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This is the second of a series of episodes on the subject. Because there are many styles of collectors! In this episode, my guest also happens to be a close friend and we discuss together her different experiences on her path to buying art. Rosemarie Brodeur started by collecting postcards in museum shops and now collects art by artists worldwide. She is more of an emotional collector than a rational one. Hear her tell it like it is.

Conversation Highlights:

• What does a collector like Rosemarie look for in art
• Why the process of buying art is almost equally as important as the art itself
• Why you should never think that your art is too expensive

PLUS: The reason people buy art is often the same as your creative WHY!

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Many artists and creatives have a negative perception of “selling”.  They believe it means being pushy and salesy.  But who said it had to be this way? Selling can and should be about “serving” - engaging with people with a service-oriented mindset, building relationships, and listening to their needs. In this episode, Catherine Orer talks about how artists can become good at selling, and it has nothing to do with becoming someone you are not.

Conversation Highlights:

• Why you should be clear on who you are and what you do
• How you can prepare for any sales conversations
• Why you absolutely don’t need to be a great talker to be a great salesperson

PLUS: Discover the art of following up!

Links and resources:

Follow Catherine on Instagram: @catherineorer

Check out The Artist Entrepreneur for more info and resources!

Don’t forget to follow Catherine and The Artist Entrepreneur on social media, and subscribe to the newsletter to get updates, advice and free resources!

Don’t you wish you didn’t have so many tasks to tackle in your creative business? There is no “one size fits all” answer when it comes to task management, and no tips & tricks will do the job for you. In this episode, guest Emily Doyle – Lead Coach and Director of Programming at Run Like Clockwork – explains what you should reflect on, and why when it comes to organizing your marketing tasks and recommends a few exercises that can help you look at your tasks in a different, more efficient way.

Conversation Highlights:

• Discover the QBR concept and how it applies to you
• How delegating part (or all) of some tasks can actually turn into more money
• Why tracking what you spend your time on can help you focus on what’s important

PLUS: What is your time worth?

Links and resources:

Website: www.runlikeclockwork.com
Podcast: www.runlikeclockwork.com/podcast
Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/clockworkcommunity

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… and continue to work on my own vision (instead of someone else’s) is the question Catherine received and is answering today in this solo episode. Whatever stage you are at in your art business, this episode will guide you when it comes to establishing a viable business, even if you have already started one. Here, Catherine is inviting you to ask yourself a few simple questions that will help you reach new heights of clarity.

Conversation Highlights:

• Why it is essential to have a business plan
• Why you should initially have a professional body of work
• What it means to really “show up”

PLUS: Getting into the habit of thinking like an entrepreneur!

Links and resources:

• Follow Catherine on Instagram: @catherineorer

• Check out The Artist Entrepreneur for more info and resources!

Don’t forget to follow Catherine and The Artist Entrepreneur on social media, and subscribe to the newsletter to get updates, advice, and free resources!

Today’s guest Dakota Nyght grew up surrounded by creative people. She started her career in journalism, then moved into technical writing. Now, she enjoys being an editor and content creator, helping artists and creatives get their message across clearly, passionately, and professionally. In this episode, Catherine and Dakota focus on what makes a website impactful and efficient.

Conversation Highlights:

• What your Landing Page (Home) and About Page should say
• Where to put your Opt In – and why!
• The difference is between writing in the first vs the third person

PLUS: Mistakes to absolutely avoid!

Links and resources:

• Website: https://dakotanyght.com/
• Instagram: @DakotaNyght  
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DakotaNyght/

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In today’s episode, Catherine is sharing five tips that can help you worry less. Because… when was it in your life that “worrying” has been really helpful? When did you tell someone “You should worry more”? Chances are the answer will be “never”. It can be a waste of precious energy to worry too much – energy that could be better employed elsewhere as you are building your art business + career.  It could mean the difference between struggling and feeling successful.

Conversation Highlights:

• Why a routine can help reduce anxiety and resistance
• How “celebrating” wins can help you move forward
• Why you should be your no.1 priority

PLUS: Catherine challenges you!

Links and resources:

• Follow Catherine on Instagram: @catherineorer
• Check out The Artist Entrepreneur for more info and resources!

Don’t forget to follow Catherine and The Artist Entrepreneur on social media, and subscribe to the newsletter to get updates, advice and free resources!