Art + Audience

In this insightful and inspiring episode, Stacie chats with illustrator Brooke Glaser. Brooke shares her journey from handmade greeting cards to becoming a professional illustrator with her work featured in major retailers like Target. She discusses how failures—like an expensive trade show with no immediate sales—became powerful lessons that propelled her career forward. This episode is packed with practical advice on refining your art, navigating uncertainty, and growing your creative business with intentionality and resilience.   Today on Art + Audience: Meet Brooke Glaser: Brooke’s path to becoming a sought-after illustrator and online educator who has empowered over 270,000 artists through her classes. Starting Small: The early days of Brooke’s career selling handmade greeting cards and the challenges of scaling a product-based business. The Expensive Trade Show Failure: What Brooke learned from an unsuccessful trade show and how curation and quality trump quantity in art. Strategic Thinking in Art: How Brooke shifted her mindset to create targeted, meaningful work that resonates with clients and their audiences. Creative Problem Solving: The importance of reworking and reusing art strategically for different opportunities without compromising artistic integrity. Finding Your Flow: Embracing uncertainty and focusing on what truly aligns with your goals and values. Advice for Beginners: Surround yourself with a supportive community and seek constructive feedback to grow as both an artist and entrepreneur.   Connect with Brooke Glaser: Instagram: @paperplaygrounds Website: brookeglaser.com Brooke’s free resource for aspiring artists: The Beginner’s Guide to Drawing Anything   Connect with Stacie Bloomfield: Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart  Facebook: @ShopGingiber Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561 Get the free 5-day email course at artlicensingplaybook.com  

In this solo episode, Stacie shares an exciting personal milestone—she’s writing a book! Stacie pulls back the curtain on the journey of how her upcoming book, The Artist’s Side Hustle, came to fruition, including moments of serendipity, setbacks, and sheer determination. Reflecting on her creative path, Stacie offers inspiration for artists chasing big dreams, even in the face of self-doubt.   Today on Art + Audience: A Major Announcement: Stacie reveals her secret project—The Artist’s Side Hustle, a book to help artists build their creative businesses in the margins of their lives. The Power of Vision Boards: How a Vision Board from 2018 planted the seed for Stacie’s book-writing dreams. Facing Setbacks: Stacie opens up about how her first book, Give Yourself Margin, wasn’t the commercial success she had hoped for—and how that nearly derailed her future publishing aspirations. Doors That Opened Unexpectedly: The serendipitous connections and bold actions that led to her signing with Hay House, with distribution by Penguin Random House. A Scottish Escape for Creative Focus: Why Stacie is flying to Edinburgh to focus on writing, and how this creative retreat ties into her artistic growth. A Reminder to Dream Big: Stacie reflects on overcoming criticism and doubt to chase a dream she once thought impossible.   Resources: Vision Board Connect with Stacie Bloomfield: Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart  Facebook: @ShopGingiber Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561 Get the free 5-day email course at artlicensingplaybook.com  

Today, Stacie is joined by Mable Tan, a surface designer from Melbourne, Australia, who transitioned from photography to art licensing. Mable candidly shares her journey through major career pivots, the impact of closing her successful Etsy shop, and the painful yet invaluable lessons she learned about managing finances as an artist. Their discussion dives into overcoming tax-related missteps, vetting accountants, and the critical need for structure in a growing art business. This episode serves as an empowering reminder for artists to take themselves seriously and build strong business foundations.   Today on Art + Audience: Meet Mable Tan: From her early days as a photography enthusiast selling prints on Etsy to becoming a surface designer with work featured in major retailers like Target and Nordstrom. The Costly Mistake: Mable recounts the devastating experience of being hit with an unexpected $80,000 tax bill due to a poorly vetted accountant during lockdown. This moment shifted her approach to finances and sparked growth. Resilience in Action: How Mable tackled her financial setback, found a reliable accounting partner, and restructured her business to prevent future issues. Lessons in Business Growth: Advice for emerging artists on when to hire professionals, maintaining separate business accounts, and treating an art career as a true enterprise. Stacie's Own Accounting Struggles: Stacie shares a personal anecdote about a similar experience with financial mismanagement, reinforcing the need for careful selection of financial advisors.   Connect with Mable Tan: Instagram: @mabletandesigns Website: mabletan.com Connect with Stacie Bloomfield: Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart  Facebook: @ShopGingiber Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber Get the free 5-day email course at artlicensingplaybook.com

In this episode, Stacie welcomes the vibrantly passionate Shelly Kim, the artist behind Letters by Shells. Shelly shares her incredible journey from discovering art as a stress-relief hobby to building a thriving business that has embraced a multitude of creative outlets, including lettering, digital art, and DIY projects. Discover how Shelly navigated periods of burnout, found joy in artistic exploration, and learned the invaluable lesson of outsourcing to sustain her passion.   Today on Art + Audience: Shelly’s Art Origin Story: How art transformed from a simple hobby into a full-fledged career. Initially, Shelly began lettering to unwind from work stress and found joy in creating without constraints. The Evolution of Craft: Shelly explains how experimenting with various art mediums, from watercolors to digital iPad drawings, helped rejuvenate her love for creativity, especially during the pandemic. Authenticity Over Niche: Insights into why Shelly chose not to confine herself to a single artistic niche, allowing her work to evolve organically and leading to unexpected opportunities like press-on nail collaborations and partnerships with major brands like Michaels. Outsourcing and Support: Shelly candidly shares the turning point when she realized the necessity of asking for help to prevent burnout. She highlights her initial struggle with accomplishing tasks  and how hiring a video editor and virtual assistant has positively impacted her workload and creativity. Lessons from Mistakes: The importance of not overloading oneself and learning to delegate effectively—crucial takeaways for any creative entrepreneur. Advice for Artists: Shelly’s encouragement for artists to celebrate their achievements, no matter how small, and to stay connected to the joy that sparked their creative journey.   Connect with Shelly Kim: Instagram: @lettersbyshells Website: lettersbyshells.com Connect with Stacie Bloomfield: Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart  Facebook: @ShopGingiber Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber Join the Creative Powerhouse Society and build a profitable art business with Stacie Bloomfield, visit leverageyourart.com/membership or email [email protected]