Thriving Artists Podcast

Time is a big talking point for artists, especially in our community. Many, but not all, of the artists on the Thrive Together Network are caregivers, parents, or have other jobs. It can be challenging to find more time for anything! In Episode #15 of Thriving Artists, Podcast, 5 Ways to Give Your Art More Time, we share strategies to inspire some small changes you can make to get more time for your precious art making.

We hope these small tweaks can yield an abundance of positive effects. Embrace these easy changes and the results just might surprise you! Jamie and Kaylan’s 5 tips for giving your art more time:

Sneak in an Extra Hour:  Pick ONE DAY each week where you will get up 2-3 hours early or stay up 2-3 hours late to get in your precious studio time. Carving out 2-3 extra hours of studio time just once a week adds up to 8-15 extra hours a month! Do a Mini DIY Residency: Book 2 days for yourself, maybe this is once a month or every so often. Block off those two days and plan to do NOTHING but make your art!  Limit Distractions In Your Studio: We are constantly picking up our phones, being interrupted, interrupting ourselves by switching tasks! Be more effective and give your art MORE time by ONLY doing art for stretches of time. Make a Plan for Studio Time: Do the heavy lifting of decision making ahead of time. Before you head in to work, collect your materials, make decisions on scale, your palette, etc. When you plan and prep, your time in your studio will be more focused and therefore better quality. 

Adapt Your Practice to the Time You Have: Adapting your practice to get some studio time in outside those traditional hours means making use of those smaller chunks of time in your life or changing mediums to something that can be picked up quickly and put down as needed. Looking for community? Join us at https://thrive-together-network.mn.co

This discussion is so near and dear to us because we created the Taking Up Space Initiative that asks Thrive Together Network members to host their own art shows in their own communities in the month of May each year. We do a deep dive of just why this is so valuable in Episode #14 of Thriving Artists, Podcast, Why Hosting Your Own Art Show Is Important.

We believe that showing your work on your own terms and not waiting for gatekeepers of any kind can be so empowering!

Jamie and Kaylan’s 5 reasons Why Hosting Your Own Art Show Is Important:  

Your show can be on your terms and on your schedule: You get to be the boss and plan out the show location and timing that works best for the season you are in the goals you are working to achieve.

You will build your network: It can be much easier to meet people in the art world when there is a shared purpose or goal and hosting my art show with other artist can do just that!

You will learn how to promote your work: love it or hate it…. It is so important to learn how to get your work out in the world and to be given other opportunities. 

You will appreciate other people when they sell your work: It can give you deep gratitude and appreciation when others like curators, or gallerists, sell your work. And give you an understanding of all they do for their commission!

You will feel the sweet sweet pride of showing up for your important work: There is nothing like standing at your art show full of people and they are looking at your art and you think I DID THIS! All of this. 

If you want to join the TTN community and put on an art show with us in May you can sign up to the Network at www.thrivetoegthernetwork.com 

All the TUS resources are there and ready for you so you can get started planning your show anytime. 

In this episode, Kaylan takes over the podcast! In Episode #13 of Thriving Artist, Podcast, How to be an Empowered Artist, Kaylan talks about knowing and valuing ourselves as artists.

Encouraging and supporting artists to find confidence in their work and their careers is at the heart of this podcast and Thrive Together Network. It can be so easy to get down on ourselves, to feel lost and without a compass, or to feel lonely and like no one is out there who understands. We want you to have a healthy mindset, to feel confident in your decisions and to live empowered lives as an artist … THAT is how we will influence the art world and our communities around us.

Kaylan’s 5 Tips for being an empowered artist are:

Clarify your Vision + Build your North Star: Make sure your vision for your art career is clear to you right now. Your North Star is your personal mission statement. It's a fixed destination that you can depend on in your life as the world changes around you.

Strengthen Your “Building Boundaries” Muscle: Empowered artists have STRONG  and CLEAR boundaries! We know how we want to spend our time and we make decisions to protect our resources. 

 Make time for yourself that is JUST FOR YOURSELF: Can we really feel empowered as artists unless we have a deep knowledge, understanding, and like for ourselves as individuals? Get away once or twice a year and sleep, nourish your body with good food, and get tuned in with your thoughts.

Surround Yourself with Positive Peers: Be more empowered by surrounding yourself with empowered people! These are people who inspire you, who delight in you, who appreciate you and who support you.

Be Intentional about Closing Your Loops: It is important for artists to not get caught up in cycles of continual production and projects without closing our loops. We need to implement PAUSING and RECOGNIZE the work we have done, and most importantly CELEBRATE!

If this episode resonates with you, head to thrivetogethernetwork.com to join in one of the many ways we work to support you and your art practice. 

As artists, we frequently feel beholden to put our art careers on the back burner, or lower on the priority list below many other things. We want you to kick that mindset to the curb! In Episode #12 on the Thriving Artists, Podcast, How to Let Your Art Take Up More Space in Your Life, we talk about how to fully lean into your identity as an artist, and feel that you and your practice are legitimate and important. There is a big myth out there that we are not a “real” artist unless we are “discovered”.... unless someone else gives us the power or the platform to be one. This week, we put the power back in our own hands to say who we are and live that identity to the fullest.

Jamie and Kaylan’s 5 Tips are:

Declare it: Call yourself an artist! Introduce yourself as an artist, talk with people about your life as an artist, and know in your bones you are one. This title isn’t dependent on gatekeepers giving you approval. 

Commit to it: Time can be a sensitive topic but it is also our biggest resource. If we want our art careers to be important to us, we have to give them time, even if it is just an hour here or there.

Give it Real Estate: The physical space and resources we have to give are in constant flux and vary from artist to artist. Whether that is a desk drawer of supplies you open/close when you want to work or spending $200 a month on a shared studio rent in your downtown, claim space for your work!

Let it Grow: Mentally remain encouraged, positive and in a growth mindset. Think expansively and passionately about your art! Accept your failures and see them as part of the journey, rather than taking them personally.

Exhibit It:  When you show your work with the world you are showing the world that art is important and gives you personal momentum in your practice. Putting together your own exhibit helps build community and reinforces your sense of agency as an artist. You don't have to do this alone! Join our community https://thrive-together-network.mn.co/

In the last episode of the Thriving Artists Podcast, we talked all about why knowing your numbers is important and shared some reasons we want all artists to know their numbers… like we want you to celebrate more and take time off! In Episode #11, 5 EASY Steps To Know Your Numbers, we have broken down steps on how to accomplish this goal.

This episode is going to be useful if you are feeling lost with your money and financial systems or if you are totally new to tracking your money. If you are someone who has a system in place already this episode will be a great check in and reminder to keep going. With these easy steps, you can create a consistent system to track your financial data so that you can be self-empowered to achieve your goals.

Jamie and Kaylan’s EASY steps to know your numbers are:

Book in time: Get out a calendar and give yourself a real chunk of time to get your system in place and organized.

Start with last month: Tracking your money from last month gives you the most recent snapshot of your business money health.

List your expenses: Use a spreadsheet, app, or bookkeeping software to make a list of your expenses. This makes you see and think about exactly where your money is going!

List your earnings: What is important about knowing this number no matter how wonderful or depressing it is, is that we can then make important decisions from this data that lead to concrete goals.Make a commitment: After this initial step, keep it going! This is a living record and your financial app is only useful when the data is updated and used. One month is great but six months or a year really starts to tell a story.

Join the community at https://thrive-together-network.mn.co/

Do you avoid thinking about the financial side of your art practice? Maybe it feels overwhelming or even a lower priority than actually making your work. However, in Episode #10 of the Thriving Artists, Podcast, Why Artists Should Know Their Numbers, we talk about how being on top of the financial side of things can be encouraging and help you avoid losing sight of what you really value in your art practice.

Join us as we share why when artists know the details of their finances, it bolsters their emotional wellbeing and facilitates a stronger studio practice.

Jamie and Kaylan’s 4 reasons to know your numbers are:

So you can take a day off: Knowing your numbers lets you know when you are okay to take a day off, giving you a chance to lean into times of financial security!

So you can say no: Awareness of your finances allows you to say no to things that seem like opportunities, but are actually distractions. Get those “distract-itunities” out of your life!

So you can give: When you know where you stand financially, you are also aware of your capacity to give to others.

So you can celebrate: We love a celebration! When you aren’t pushing your finances to the back of your mind, you are aware of when to take a moment to celebrate a sale or other financial successes. Join the community at www.thrivetogethernetwork.com

In this episode, Jamie and Kaylan share 5 EASY Ways to Increase Your Art Income. Making art is a hard job but then you add in the “selling art” part of the equation and that can feel impossible sometimes. 

What we have realized from working with hundreds of artist over the years is that it is possible to make a living through your creative practice and it also really helps to have a plan to help you take charge and empowered in your business. 

We wanted to share some very easy and quick things you can do right now that are going to help increase your income. Over time these strategies are going to yield big results.

Know your numbers: Know your business and personal monthly financials to help you be in the drivers seat of your business. Start by figuring  your last months business income and expenses. 

Cut unnecessary expenses: Once you know your numbers, go through and cut any unnecessary expenses to increase your useable income. Spend less to keep more in your business.

Audit your offerings list: Do your many offerings serve you and your business. Simplicity is the goal! 

Set goals: Goals that are realistic based on your actual numbers. We want them to be achievable but also stretch and push you as well.

Focus on your current collectors: Cultivate your community and over time and they will become your marketing by sharing your work with others just like them! Join the TTN community at https://thrive-together-network.mn.co/

In this episode of the Thriving Artists Podcast, Kaylan and Jamie share their five money mindset “ah-has” in hopes to help artists cultivate a rich money mindset.

Mindset plays such a huge role in our financial landscape but it is often overlooked. This episode dives into ways that you can regain control over your financial life! 

Here are the five money mindset “ah-ha’s”. Number 1: Know your stories: Our money stories are the deep rooted beliefs and ideas around what money means to you and the role it has or doesn’t have in your life. We must know how we really think about money in order to work on creating an abundant money mindset. Number 2: Money is a tool: Money is not bad or good, it is merely a tool we can use to create the life we want. Number 3: Focus on your artist wealth: Wealth includes many things and we can feel rich in so many ways but first we must define what wealth means to us. Number 4: Set Savings Goals: By focusing on what you are saving versus worrying about what you are spending can help you celebrate the wins but to really do this you need to know your monthly personal and business numbers. Number 5: Find Supportive Resources: Find money books and resources that speak to you and can guide in this lifelong journey of being in relationship with money. 

Making art is important and as always the Thriving Artists Podcast is here to support you! If you want to get more support and a community of working artists all over the world join our online community The Thrive Together network at www.thrive-together-network.mn.co

Do you avoid thinking about the financial side of your art practice? Maybe it feels overwhelming or even a lower priority than actually making your work. However, in Episode #10 of the Thriving Artists, Podcast, Why Artists Should Know Their Numbers, we talk about how being on top of the financial side of things can be encouraging and help you avoid losing sight of what you really value in your art practice.

Join us as we share why when artists know the details of their finances, it bolters their emotional wellbeing and facilitates a stronger studio practice.

Jamie and Kaylan’s 4 reasons to know your numbers are:

So you can take a day off: Knowing your numbers lets you know when you are okay to take a day off, giving you a chance to lean into times of financial security!

So you can say no: Awareness of your finances allows you to say no to things that seem like opportunities, but are actually distractions. Get those “distract-itunities” out of your life!

So you can give: When you know where you stand financially, you are also aware of your capacity to give to others.

So you can celebrate: We love a celebration! When you aren’t pushing your finances to the back of your mind, you are aware of when to take a moment to celebrate a sale or other financial successes.

Join the community at www.thrivetogethernetwork.com

Do you ever find that your motivation and energy dwindle at the end of a large project? Or, perhaps you find yourself not feeling that you’ve fully closed the creative loop on a body of work? Episode #7 on the Thriving Artists, Podcast, How to Finish a Project Well gives you 4 tips on how to feel that you have fully completed a project and that it is DONE WELL. 

While we talk about doing things well, we don’t want you to carry any stigma on being perfect or high achieving. Finishing anything in a normal, regular, or easy way is totally acceptable. Our thoughts on finishing a project well hopefully help you tune in to alllll the work you are doing, slow down and celebrate that work and feel great about it! 

Finishing something well can look different in different circumstances, and we hope these tips help you feel good about your work.

Jame and Kaylan’s 4 tips are:

Reconnect with your why - Look back at the beginning of a project and remember why you were inspired to do it in the first place! Take a moment to notice the ways your motivations might have shifted or evolved during the execution of the project. Consider the growth  - Take stock of the growth you experienced as you completed this project. The final product might not be exactly as you expected when you started out, but the growth along the way is important to recognize. The journey is the point!

Share the project - This could be the hardest one, but you worked hard so make sure someone connects with your work. Share your work with a friend, meet with a mentor, submit to an open call, or post to the Thrive Together Network for encouragement from a supportive community!

Celebrate - Close off your project by relishing in your progress and celebrating what you’ve done!! This could be large or small celebrations and acknowledgements of your work, but don’t skip this one!

If you want to get more support and a community of working artists all over the world join our online community The Thrive Together network at www.thrive-together-network.mn.co