She Built a Global Art Career by Staying True to Her Style

How to Get Curators Interested in Your Art

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. --- Do curators discover artists… or do artists create the opportunities to be discovered? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, figurative painter Alia El-Bermani is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join]), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Alia's work has been exhibited in museums and galleries across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Rather than waiting for opportunities to find her, she built a career by intentionally connecting with curators, staying in touch over time, and creating professional relationships that led to long-term collaborations. In this deep dive, Alia shares what it actually takes to get on a curator's radar, why rejection is often the beginning of new opportunities, and how thoughtful outreach can grow into long-term professional relationships that shape a career. “You need to continually find curators that will help support you and put you in places that you never even dreamed of.” — Alia El-Bermani Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:38 The Futures We Behold: Dreaming Beyond the Patriarchy 03:24 Income Streams and Studio Structure 06:38 Playing the Long Game: Career Advice to Her Younger Self 07:54 How to Get a Curator Into Your Studio 10:09 The First Outreach Email 11:10 Vessel: Grief, Loss, and the 2019 Solo Show 14:36 Applying for Grants 17:14 Hear Me: Community and Peer Support 18:27 Final Advice Connect with Alia Website: https://alia-fineart.com/ [https://alia-fineart.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliapainter/ [https://www.instagram.com/aliapainter/] Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply [https://professionalartist.com/apply] Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join] Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter [https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator [https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator] Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

Building an Art Career Without Art School (What Actually Works)

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. --- What if the biggest advantage in building an art career has nothing to do with art school? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, geometric artist Nima Nabavi is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join]), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Nima spent 15 years building businesses before becoming a full-time artist. Without a formal art education, he applied entrepreneurial thinking to his creative practice… ultimately building a career that includes sold-out exhibitions, museum acquisitions, and large-scale public installations. In this deep dive, Nima shares the unexpected business decision that helped launch his career, why talent alone rarely creates momentum, and how understanding business fundamentals gave him an advantage when approaching galleries and collectors. This episode offers a practical perspective on building an art career from the ground up… and why the skills that create opportunity often extend far beyond the studio. “The very beginning was the hardest part. And so if you can do anything to extend the lifespan of your career in the very beginning, I think there's a big payoff down the line.” — Nima Nabavi Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Roswell 2223: Scale and Creative Freedom 04:22 From E-Commerce to Art: Finding the Practice 08:24 Posting the Work and Getting the First Show 11:02 Signal: The Museum Projection Piece 14:44 Pricing Strategy for a Sold-Out First Show 21:25 Noon : Collaborative Work with Jason Seif 24:24 Top lessons Connect with Nima Website: https://www.nimanabavi.com/ [https://www.nimanabavi.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nimanothome/ [https://www.instagram.com/nimanothome/] Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply [https://professionalartist.com/apply] Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join] Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter [https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator [https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator] Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment.  We read every single one.

How Artists Build Long-Term Gallery Careers

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. -- How do artists build gallery relationships that last not just years… but decades? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Betsy Eby is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join]), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Betsy began her career painting in her basement while working day jobs.  Today, she is represented by galleries across the United States and in London, with exhibition schedules booked years in advance. Her career has been built through long-term gallery partnerships, consistent exhibitions, and a deep commitment to her studio practice. In this deep dive Betsy shares what keeps galleries invested in an artist over the long term, why relying on a single gallery is rarely enough to build a sustainable career, and how artists can grow the business side of their practice without compromising the work itself. “ I was painting in my basement, I held various day jobs … and then a gallery picked me up in Seattle. Right now my exhibitions schedule is booked until 2029.” — Betsy Eby Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:44 Isles: Encaustic Process 05:01 Music, Health Crisis, and the Work's Evolution 10:04 Building a Career in Seattle 12:57 Sustaining Long-Term Gallery Relationships 13:53 Chromatic Frequencies: The Painting Process 16:00 Why Museums Matter 17:00 Working with Multiple Galleries 19:39 Scriabin's Mystic Chord: Grief and the Dark Palette 22:35 When to Leave the Day Job 24:39 The Red Paintings and Evolving Past Success 25:20 Final advice Connect with Betsy Website: https://www.betsyeby.com/ [https://www.betsyeby.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betsyeby/?hl=es-la [https://www.instagram.com/betsyeby/?hl=es-la] Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply [https://professionalartist.com/apply] Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join] Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter [https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator [https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator] Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

How to Build an Art Career Without Selling Out

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. --- Can you build a successful art career without compromising your artistic vision? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Vincent Desiderio is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join]), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Vincent is one of the most respected figurative painters of his generation.  His work is held in major collections including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum, yet his career was never built around chasing trends, market demands, or recognition. Instead, Vincent devoted himself to a different pursuit: making the strongest work he was capable of making. In this deep dive, Vincent shares why pursuing recognition can pull artists away from their best work, how he built a career without compromising his standards, and what he learned after achieving the success that many artists spend years chasing. “Enough people every day sell themselves out. They do exactly what will make them rich. I wouldn't jeopardize my one chance to actually do the best I can be as an artist.” — Vincent Desiderio Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction  01:50 Cockaigne: Art History as Self-Portrait  04:48 Painting Against the Culture of Speed  09:21 Dead White: When a Painting Finds Itself  11:15 Breaking Into the Art World  13:48 Advice for Artists at Any Stage  17:06 Theseus: When the Concept Evolves  19:51 Closing Thoughts Connect with Vincent Website: https://www.vincent-desiderio.com/ [https://www.vincent-desiderio.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vincent_desiderio/ [https://www.instagram.com/vincent_desiderio/] Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply [https://professionalartist.com/apply] Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join] Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter [https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator [https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator] Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.

It Takes 10 Years to Become an Artist (No One Tells You This)

Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. What happens after art school when the exhibitions, opportunities, and recognition don't arrive as quickly as you expected? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Melanie Vote is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join]), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Based in New York City, Melanie has spent more than two decades building a career through residencies, grants, exhibitions, and a sustained commitment to her studio practice. Rather than following a path of early recognition or rapid success, her career has unfolded gradually through long-term growth. In this deep dive, Melanie shares what many artists discover after graduation but rarely talk about: the uncertainty of the years that follow. She reflects on the gap between expectations and reality, how a transformative residency reshaped her understanding of success, and why comparing your timeline to others can be one of the biggest obstacles to creative growth. ”There's a lot of emphasis on you get out of grad school, and then you have to just get your work into a gallery, and if you didn't, it's over. But my story wasn't like that” — Melanie Vote Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction  01:38 Metamorphosis  04:22 Growing Up Around Makers  06:18 First Shows and the Years After Art School  09:30 The Wash House Series  11:54 Grants, Residencies, and the 10-Year Myth  16:30 How to Apply for Residencies  19:06 Bioluminous  21:49 Final Advice for Artists Connect with Melanie Website: https://melanievote.com/ [https://melanievote.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanievote/ [https://www.instagram.com/melanievote/] Resources Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation: https://www.elizabethgreenshieldsfoundation.ca/ [https://www.elizabethgreenshieldsfoundation.ca/] Pollock-Krasner Foundation: https://www.pkf.org/ [https://www.pkf.org/] Vermont Studio Center: https://vermontstudiocenter.org/ [https://vermontstudiocenter.org/] Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply [https://professionalartist.com/apply] Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join [https://professionalartist.com/join] Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter [https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator [https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator] Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free [https://professionalartist.com/free] If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.