Tough on Art

Art Practice & Promotion in these Weird Times

Join Jen and members of her artist community for a casual and insightful conversation about creating and promoting art in these difficult times. We discuss how to feel that your work has meaning and purpose in these challenging times, how to keep showing up in the studio when things seem dark, and how to keep promoting your work through it all. After being accused of having Trump Derangement Syndrome by an artist for merely hosting this conversation, the topics discussed have even more meaning and relevance. 

Today I chat with abstract expressionist painter Natalie Dadamio, who has a very special view on art, art making, and the business of art. We discuss a lot about how art and spirituality intermingle, can heal, and the power of vulnerability and authenticity. Natalie embraced the Artist Alliance's 100 Rejections Challenge, and discusses how it empowered her and opened her up to new possibilities and opportunities.

Follow Natalie on Instagram: @Natalie.Dadamio.art

Are you interested in joining Jen Tough's art fair collective?
She's gathering artists together and representing them at ArtExpo Dallas in September, and Red Dot during Miami Art Week. Apply now! www.jentough.com/art-fairs

Join the Artist Alliance!
New benefits: discounts on Art Santa Fe, 12 month marketing program and more
www.JenTough.com/membership

Jen talks with Austin based artist Laura Klopfenstein, discussing what it's like to work full time in the science world, be a mom, and create her strange and beautiful pieces (often that contain teeth!). Laura creates collages and paintings that are intricate and curious, often reflecting her science-based life. Her work can be subtly political and often humorous, with subjects about climate change, American over consumption and cultural commentary. Check out Laura's work on her website, or at Jen Tough Gallery.

Laura Klopfenstein's website: www.laklopfenstein.com

Jen Tough Gallery website: jentough.gallery

Join Jen in Santa Fe in October for a 2.5 day workshop: The Tough Method for Artist Success! Sign up at www.jentough.com/santafe2022

Today Jen Tough dives into the most common mistakes artists make and gives a variety of simple solutions and helpful advice on how to avoid them.

The top mistakes are:
1. Out of date website
2. Confusing online name identification
3. Not networking enough
4. Not entering enough juried shows
5. Not having a spreadsheet to keep track of gallery approaches
6. Not having a simple annual marketing plan
7. Not tracking time spent in the studio and time spent on marketing
8. Not interacting enough with galleries/curators/arts professionals
9. Expecting to be "discovered"
10. Spending the majority of marketing efforts on Instagram

Join the Artist Alliance: https://www.jentough.com/membership

Join Jen in Santa Fe for a live workshop, "The Tough Method to Artist Success" October 10-12 / https://www.jentough.com/santafe2022

Today my guest is Gina Tuzzi, one of my favorite artists (and humans). Gina lives in Blue Lake, California and teaches art at Humboldt State University. Gina was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, has an MFA from Mills College in Oakland, and a BA from Humboldt State University.

Gina's paintings are both magical and energetic: her bright saturated palette with complex detailed and dream-like imagery explore a world rich with symbolism with a touch of the psychedelic. Lush with a mixture of pop and ancient culture, icons of feminism, art and music, her work crafts new stories created through a collage of cultural references paired with lyrics from pop songs, ancient fables and symbolic elements. 

Gina Tuzzi's website: www.ginatuzzi.com

Jen Tough Gallery: www.JenTough.gallery

Jen Tough website: www.JenTough.com

NEW ARTIST WORKSHOPS:

Zoom workshop: "The Tough Method for Getting Galleries" Sun April 24 www.JenTough.com

Santa Fe workshop "The Tough Method for Artist Success" Oct 10-12 www.JenTough.com

1-year Artist Alliance membership with 30 minute personal consult www.JenTough.com

In this episode, Jen Tough answers questions from artists about how to get art galleries. Unscripted and off the cuff!

Sign up for Jen's April 24th live workshop (via Zoom), "The Tough Method for Getting Galleries". You'll have a chance to ask questions relevant to you and your situation, get email scripts, a spreadsheet template, a printable workbook, and more!
Go to JenTough.com to sign up today!

Interested in being part of the Artist Alliance's Instagram Challenge?
Go to JenTough.com to sign up! It's free!

Become a member of the Artist Alliance!
Members now have shows monthly on Artsy.net! Go to JenTough.com to sign up!

On today’s show, I’ll be speaking to Marie Cameron. Marie Iis a realist painter and mixed media assemblage artist living and working in Los Gatos, California. Her work ranges from large scale realist paintings with images from the natural world, some creating a repetitive kaleidoscopic image, others that involve quiet contemplation such as birds perched on dainty teacups. During the pandemic, Marie created and launched her “Rainbow Project”, where she embroidered rainbows on found vintage photos creating new and charming narratives. She invited the world into her studio, one person at a time, to take in her wall of rainbows. At a time when the world felt painfully disconnected, this project created community and optimism amongst a backdrop of isolation and a worldwide pandemic.

NEW:
The Tough Method for Getting Galleries
(a live 5 hour workshop via Zoom) Sunday, April 24
Learn how to get a gallery from a gallerist in an easy, step-by-step method!
Sign up at JenTough.com/getgalleries

Marie Cameron's website: www.mariecameronstudio.com

Jen Tough Gallery website: JenTough.gallery

Laurie Blessen lives in San Francisco and focuses on minimalist, color-field monotypes. Her works are bright and bold, with rectangular or square fields bumping against each other while intermingling with more delicate textures and pattern. Reminiscent of aerial views of landscapes and fields, Laurie says she creates with intuition leading the way. 

She says the “magic happens” when a 1500 pound steel roller presses her designs onto dense paper, and no matter how many prints she pulls, there is always a bit of a surprise.

Laurie's website: www.laurieblessen.com

Works available through Jen Tough Gallery

Become a member of the Artist Alliance at www.jentough.com/membership

Become a member of Kindling, a FREE art marketing community www.kindlingmembership.com

Unscripted and "off the cuff Tough" for episode 9 of Gallerist Q&A!

Questions include:
Making prints, and does it devalue work
Pricing on websites
How to get a gallery
Best online places to sell
Are online shows worth it?
And more!

Submit your own question here and it may be answered on the podcast!
https://airtable.com/shrCGnbW4gHtctcKa

Become a member of one of Jen's artist communities:
Artist Alliance: https://www.jentough.com/communities
Kindling Art Marketing: https://www.jentough.com/communities

Sign up for the MARCH 26 live workshop, "The Tough Method to Getting Art Galleries"
https://www.jentough.com/