The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell

Episode 204: Jason Matias Interview - The Art of Selling Art

January 15th, 2022  |  39 mins 18 secs

art, branding, business, creativity, fairs, jason matias, marketing, pricing, rebecca crowell, selling art

Today we are excited to welcome Jason Mathias to the Messy Studio. Jason is an experienced professional artist, an author, and an educator, who lives in a loft in the woods outside Seattle, Washington. Following seven years of military service, Jason pursued a bachelor's degree in business and a master's in organizational leadership and began to apply what he learned to his passion for photography. These days, in addition to his creating his own artwork, Jason runs the online teaching platform The Art of Selling Art, a membership site that teaches business skills, strategies, and practical approaches to the business side of art practice. His aim is to demystify the art world so that artists can sell more art. We're going to find out much more about what he has to offer other artists in today's episode.

This interview is available on both audio and video versions on our Facebook page.

Episode 201: Social Media: Friends and Followers

December 17th, 2021  |  39 mins 55 secs

art, brand, business, creativity, personal voice, rebecca crowell, social media

Many of us enjoy social media as a convenient way to share our art with others, for the sense of community it offers, and the easy way it lets us keep up with people we seldom see in person. But artists who are not enthusiastic about social media can feel pressured into participating because of the benefits it offers, yet squeamish and awkward when they do. Today we’ll talk about the role of social media in art practice and how to find a comfort level with participating if you’ve been avoiding it.

Episode 196: Open Studio Events: Pros and Cons

November 15th, 2021  |  39 mins 35 secs

art, art tours, business, creativity, rebecca crowell, sales, studio tours

At some point in their art careers, many artists are offered the opportunity to take part in an Open Studios event or Art Tour in their communities. These events can be lucrative and exciting --and provide many new contacts to help spread the word about your work. They also entail a lot of preparation and time taken away from normal studio life ---and several intensive days of meeting the public and handling all the details of selling work directly during the event. Today we take an inside look at this experience and consider the pros and cons of participating in an Open Studio or Art Tour in your own community.

Episode 195: Our Many Hats

November 6th, 2021  |  35 mins 56 secs

art, business, creativity, efficiency, multitasking, outsourcing, rebecca crowell, workflow

The behind-the-scenes aspect of almost any job is surprising, and that of a working, professional artist is no exception. So much goes on that has little if anything to do with actually making art. Maintaining a studio, tracking inventory and expenses, photographing work, keeping up a website, engaging with social media, answering email, staying in touch with galleries, and handling countless other details of art practice—all of these tasks are time-consuming and each requires its own skillset. Most artists do all of this on their own without assistance, learning as they go, and over time they find what works for them. Today we look at the frustrations and rewards for artists as they constantly change out their many hats.

Episode 185: Approaching Galleries and More: Interview with Jason Horejs:

July 5th, 2021  |  41 mins 8 secs

art, business, creativity, galleries, interview, jason horejs, marketing, rebecca crowell, sales

We interview Jason Horejs of Xanadu Gallery and RedDotBlog.com on the best way to market yourself and your work to galleries.

Episode 182: Dealing with Disrespect

June 13th, 2021  |  39 mins 33 secs

art, business, career, creativity, disrespect, personal development, rebecca crowell, respect

Anyone who cares about the work they perform wants to have that work appreciated and respected. And while certain professions and high-level positions can elicit that respect almost automatically, people in many other fields have to build that regard from others over time. They need to constantly reinforce respect for what they do-- and most importantly, feel it within themselves in order to create it. Those in creative fields may have special challenges in building respect in a society that tends to look at what they do as unimportant, a hobby or sideline, or something they do simply to please themselves. Or their work may be regarded for its commercial or decorative value only. Today we’ll take a look at the ways artists and other creative people struggle to establish respect in the circles in which they move

Episode 181: Respecting Your Artist Self

June 5th, 2021  |  35 mins 14 secs

art, business, career, creativity, personal development, rebecca crowell, respect

Self-respect is one of the central ingredients for a healthy mindset yet can be one of the hardest to achieve. As artists, we may lose our grip on it when encountering the larger art world or lack of self-respect may interfere with our art practice itself, keeping us from dedicating time and resources to our work, or behaving in ways that undermine our success. Is your self-respect as an artist firmly in place or does it waver or fade in some situations? Today we’ll talk about ways to build and maintain your self-respect inside and outside the studio.

Episode 173: Keeping Records: The Stress and Mess

April 10th, 2021  |  31 mins 39 secs

art, business, finances, inventory, lifestyle, organization, personal development, rebecca crowell, record keeping, taxes

There probably are a lot of artists who are able to keep accurate, up-to-date records of their inventory, sales, expenses, materials, and contacts. They have systems that are efficient and neat, and any information they need about their art careers can be easily retrieved from a file. Then there are those who fail miserably at organization, and whose records--if they exist--are in total confusion. A question about the location of a certain painting, or the need to put together images of work for a presentation is cause for panic. Are you somewhere in between these extremes, or do you identify with one or the other? Today we take an honest look at the challenges of record-keeping for artists.

Episode 171: Challenges and Risks

March 27th, 2021  |  36 mins 15 secs

business, career, challenges, cold wax academy, jerry mclaughlin, painting, rebecca crowell, risks

As artists, we are often presented with situations that ask us to say “yes” to something that feels challenging or risky. This could be as small as the need to rework a painting to as large as agreeing to a major solo exhibit. Accepting any challenge requires a commitment and it may feel stressful, and bring on self-doubt. Yet successful artists always take some risks that lead to growth and new possibilities—in their careers and in the studio. Today Rebecca and her partner at Cold Wax Academy, Jerry McLaughlin, talk about why it is important to take on challenges and risks in your art practice--along with a few stories about their own related experiences.

Rebecca and Jerry recorded this episode on video as well as audio, so if you'd like to see the video version, please visit the Messy Studio Facebook page or the Cold wax Academy Facebook page. That’s www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast or www.facebook.com/coldwaxacademy.

Episode 141: How Others See You

September 5th, 2020  |  50 mins 35 secs

art, business, marketing, personal brand, personal development, professionalism, rebecca crowell, reputation

We create our art and conduct our art careers mostly from within the bubble of our own point of view. But our reputations are important to our success and they are defined by the way other people see us. From within our own perspectives, we can lose sight of how we come across to our colleagues, collectors, students, galleries and others who define us in the outside world. Today will be talking about shaping your reputation as an artist, and why it is important.