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Episode | Date |
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How to Build a Robust Creative Economy That Rewards Everyone—including Artists
38:01
How do we live in a robust culture? How do we produce a robust culture at a time when we are fracturing, polarized, and creative enterprise is an afterthought? Let's remind ourselves of where we are. If you look around, you see political fragility, economic uncertainty, and general unhappiness. That's depressing. That's the point. As a people, we ARE depressed. You don't look back at 2021, let alone what's going on now, and go, "it's a happy time." We're not happy and we have to face it. We've got essentially a global war, and a recession only partly driven by that war. We've got a big economic bubble. We have a politically fractured culture at a global level. Totalitarianism, never the friend of a creative culture, is coming back in vogue. We're at each other's throats. We're not happy. The beast is slouching toward Jerusalem. The earth is heating up. We're settling into (if we're lucky) a mere detente as two nations living in one national entity. Arguably, we began going in that direction in 1945 when we settled into the Cold War and that generated the Korean war, the Vietnam war, El Salvador... and we decided to live in a state of permanent animosity, driven by munitions manufacturers, the intelligence apparatus, and munitions and chemical industries that profit from it. There was a huge amount of money to be made. Those chemical makers clean your baby and make for a sparkling kitchen and they also do deforestation in Laos. All of that to say that we're now in an understandable state of fragility when it comes to the role of creativity in our lives. We have a tenuous relationship with art. We do not even now dream so much anymore. Our dreams are smaller. We don't dream of a world that flourishes and we haven't been given a mechanism to build better dreams. The material on CHF's site is basically an insistence that there is another path—that we're working to solve that problem in a robust way. How do we get a robust and flourishing culture in the first place? That's the entrance to the conversation we are creating. As a culture, we tend to put creatives in a box. And even the goal of showcasing artists as essential workers and ensuring they're well-paid is not yet dreaming big enough. I think even those dreams are too small. I don't want to be a useful cog in someone's wheelhouse. I don't want to work for somebody because I have the skills. I want to work for somebody because without creative enterprise, we don't 'make it' as a culture. We must move away from the merely theoretical lament toward a vision of doing something practical and economically powerful. Without that, We don't build a robust creative culture. We must build a road for artists to thrive, and creativity to flourish, and it has to be done at the economic and investment level. Anything less creates the same problem we had all through the cold war, which is the starving artist syndrome. Only the 1% of artists can be famous and only those who know the right people and happen to gain the approval of the taste-makers can make any money. Everybody else is dirt poor and living on their cousins' sofas. What we're doing at CHF isn't sexy in a theoretical way, but it's actionable and practical. We're asking people to dig deep into the thought process of how we get a culture that we want to live in. And we are starting from the premise that you don't get a robust creative culture without a thriving creative economy. I don't think we've widely connected the dots between these big questions—first, daring to ask them and then to dream of the ubiquitous, middle-class artist. How do you actually do it? What is the day-to-day? How do you actually implement it? And that's where we actually do have an answer. It starts at the mindset and knowledge level. We foster a conversation around art as a business, and we empower art-entrepreneurs with the business training all other... |
Jul 27, 2022 |
Virtual & Analog Art—Daniel DiGriz
16:13
“We’re going to need more art—all of it—to solve the world’s challenging problems. Creative intelligence is what it takes to inject life into the culture, to drive effective leadership, to drive new ideas. We don’t have to choose. We can have one foot in the world of visceral taste and touch and another foot in the digital world without having to split ourselves in half.” This is a bite-sized The Thriving Artist™podcast episode with Daniel DiGriz’s perspective on art news and cultural change. As you may know from previous episodes, Daniel peruses the art news of The New York Times. This time, a couple of headlines really stood out! The first one is 50 years of Taking Photography Seriously. The synopsis: When the Photographer's Gallery opened in London in 1971, few saw the medium as suitable for exhibitions. Today everyone does. The second article is Hands Off the Library's Picture Collection! The synopsis: Cornell Spiegelman and Warhol browse the famous collection of images in the New York Public Library. Now a century of serendipitous discovery will come to an end if the collection is closed off to the public. This episode is courtesy of Shirley Lemmon. |
Nov 26, 2021 |
Clark Hulings—Archetype of the Independent Artist
54:00
James D. Balestrieri is the Clark Hulings Foundation’s Writer-in-Residence. He is currently working on a new book on Hulings, Clark Hulings: Quantum Realist. Jim is the proprietor of Balestrieri Fine Arts, a consulting firm that specializes in catalogue research and arts writing, estate and collections management, and marketing and communications for museums and auctions. Jim has a BA from Columbia University, an MA in English from Marquette University, an MFA in Playwriting from Carnegie-Mellon, and was a Screenwriting Fellow at the American Film Institute. He served as Director of J.N. Bartfield Galleries in New York for 20 years and has published over 150 feature essays and reviews in a wide variety of national arts publications. In this episode, Jim gives us an in-depth look at the themes of the upcoming Hulings book, and discusses how Clark Hulings’ career strategy applies to working artists today. Inspired by Hulings’ successes both within—and outside of—art tastemakers’ approval, Jim and Daniel question who gets to decide which artists matter, and how the canon does and does not serve the best interest of the arts, or artists. Hulings’ accomplishments, both as an artist and a small business owner, call to his deeper understanding of the dignity of work—from running a market stall to the act of making a living as a painter—as a way of belonging to the world. A Painter of Work
Travel Beyond Tourism
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Mar 24, 2021 |
Stock Art Can Go to Hell: Corporate Art Without Compromise
01:20:17
Artist and illustrator Melissa Whitaker works full-time for companies across the US, bringing her signature pop-graphic-noir style to their branding and storytelling. Melissa’s clients include Madpipe and Free Agent Source. Commissions include food and beverage, real estate, and medical industries—as well cover art for authors and musicians. Her work has been exhibited in LA, San Francisco, KC, and St. Louis. If you happen to be her part of the world, look for her new billboard for the Arts Council Southern Missouri; it’s a satisfying full circle from when she was featured on that same billboard years ago as a real estate agent. Whitaker made the commitment to a full-time art career later on as an adult: she kick-started her art-business skills with CHF and never looked back. itsallintheart.com The Thriving Commercial Artist
Collaboration: The Artist’s Voice in Commercial Work
Technique & Composition: from Walls to Web
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Jan 26, 2021 |
Virtualize Your Art Career: Part 2
35:05
In the second episode of this two-part podcast, Carolyn Edlund weighs-in on how artists can shift their sales strategies and build an art business that will weather these tough times, as well as being resilient to future changes. Contrary to popular belief, collectors are buying art right now, and artists can zoom in on their relationships, update their platforms, and define or redefine their target markets to make this work in their favor. Carolyn is Sales & Events Director at CHF and our faculty subject matter expert on Sales Strategy. She is the founder of ArtsyShark—and brings a background as an artist, former ED of the Arts Business Institute, years in art-publishing and licensing, and extensive experience in curriculum development and seminars for artists. Work with Carolyn & the CHF Faculty online at the Virtualize Your Art Career™ Conference October 19-30. What a Sustainable Art Business Looks Like In Today’s Environment
Leverage Your Art and Your Collectors For That Repeat Sale
Embrace Your Power as an Individual Artist
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Oct 14, 2020 |
Virtualize Your Art Career: Part 1
53:44
Carolyn Edlund is the Sales & Events Director at the Clark Hulings Foundation, and our resident subject matter expert in Sales Strategy. In the first episode of this two-part podcast, Carolyn joins us to answer questions about making a creative career virtual. Artists and makers, you can make a great decision to thrive during the pandemic and beyond: learn with Carolyn and the CHF Faculty in real time by registering for the online The Virtualize Your Art Career™ Conference Oct 19-30th. Carolyn is the founder of ArtsyShark—a popular blog that publishes features on artist portfolios and articles on the business of art—and the former executive director of the Arts Business Institute. An artist herself, Carolyn pivoted to sales in the art-publishing business—she learned the world of price points, merchandising, building collections, and closing deals, by working a territory and becoming a top rep. She has designed curriculum for multiple art-business platforms and has presented hundreds of live seminars for artists and makers. Selling Art During the Pandemic
Opportunities & Challenges of Selling Online
What Does Virtualizing Your Art Career Mean?
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Sep 30, 2020 |
Selling Art in The New Normal: Marketplace, Native Communities, and Virtual Reality
01:19:18
The Virtual Edition of The Santa Fe Indian Market offers an amazing atmosphere of delight and awe at a time when most of us are cooped up in our own worlds of social distance. SWAIA Executive Director Kim Peone joins CHFs Executive Director Elizabeth Hulings, Artpsan Founder & Director Eric Sparre, and leader of the Vircadia Implementation Project & CHF Board Member, Steve Pruneau. Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion lead by host Daniel DiGriz about how all four organization are actualizing possibilities for collaboration and community in the digital world, how Native Artists are poised to flourish in this year’s market and beyond, a profile of the events and gallery spaces in NDN World, and how all of these partner organizations are championing artists as they emerge as leaders and innovators in our changing economy. To purchase the artists’ work, visit swaia.artspan.com. Beginnings: How Virtual Edition of SWAIA’s Indian Market Started
Working with Native American Artists
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Aug 29, 2020 |
Build Your Own Future With Or Without The Establishment
30:57
Artist Ashley Longshore has never waited for industry gatekeepers to open doors for her: she’s a wildly successful, self-made entrepreneur. Owner of The Longshore Studio Gallery in New Orleans and two high-traffic Instagram profiles, her partners, collaborators, and collectors are a who’s-who of upscale brands and celebrities: Dianne Von Furstenburg, Bergdorf Goodman, Gucci, Rolex, Miley Cyrus, Blake Lively, Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, and Eli Manning. Ashley’s been described as a “modern Andy Warhol” for her pop art sensibilities. Rizzoli New York has recently published her second book I Do Not Cook, I Do Not Clean, I Do Not Fly Commercial. In this episode, Ashley weighs-in on instinct, strategy, and other lessons learned in the art business—and discusses being a working artist during the pandemic. Keep your ears open for some very funny, candid, and insightful one-liners. Artists Are Entrepreneurs
What It Takes To Be Successful
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Jun 08, 2020 |
Lockdown: Artists Double Down on Building Robust Businesses and Self-Help Networks
50:08
It’s a timely moment to be interviewing the team from CERF+, a leading nonprofit focused on safeguarding artists’ livelihoods nationwide. Founded in 1985—by and for materials-based artists and craftspeople—their core services are education programs, advocacy, network- building, and emergency relief. Key players in the recovery of creative industries after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, CERF+ also responded to artists impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, assisted after the California wildfires, and are actively engaged in a Covid-19 response. Their advocacy for artists is ongoing—both in times where planning and prevention are the emphasis—and in providing support in recovery from a crisis. Cornelia Carey is CERF+’s Executive Director and the founder of the National Coalition for Arts Preparedness & Emergency Response. Carrie Cleveland is their Education and Outreach Manager. Thanks to Jerry’s Artarama for their support of CHF and The Thriving Artist™ podcast. About CERF+
Advocacy for Artists
Helping Artists... |
May 01, 2020 |
These Artists Graduated Training But are Entrepreneurs for Life
01:06:17
Find out how working artists become thriving artists. This is the biggest podcast we’ve ever recorded, featuring 18 voices: the graduating class of our most recent Art-Business Accelerator cohort, their Advisors, and CHF team members Daniel DiGriz and Elizabeth Hulings. 1:25-3:00 is a “walk across the graduation stage” celebration moment for each Fellow. The episode is packed with the artists’ insightful observations about the triumphs, challenges, community, and skill-building involved in developing a successful creative career, and the role CHF has played in the process. Elizabeth Hulings says: “We’re seeing some major projects here that have legs and are going to be important. I really do believe that these artists are going to continue to build on the momentum that they have, and achieve some of these big goals. And that’s really exciting.” The Value of Artist-Peers & Teams
What Does A CHF Accelerator Fellow Artist Do After Graduation?
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Feb 19, 2020 |
Data Science in the Arts: Report on the Working Artist
37:40
Two years in the making, CHF’s Report on the Working Artist (ROWA) is a truly groundbreaking piece of research: the first of its kind demonstrating artists’ pivotal role in our changing economy. In this engaging conversation, CHF’s data analysis team Daniel DiGriz and Lily Dulberg sit down to discuss the methodology and significance of the Report, the documented demand for entrepreneurial training for artists, the gaps in existing research and traditional art education—and how we now have solid and replicable data that supports artists’ ability to make measurable contributions to our economy and the culture at large. Finding a Pattern: The Bottom Line for Working Artists
The Gap: Business Education for Artists
How We Collect and Analyze Data
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Nov 21, 2019 |
Infiltrate the Business World in the Name of Art
56:52
Noah Scalin is an artist based in Richmond, Virginia, whose sculpture, installation, and photography use everyday items reassembled in new contexts. Noah did a major installation in Times Square in the winter of 2019, and is working with The Krause Gallery in New York City. He is also a corporate consultant at Another Limited Rebellion with his sister Mica Scalin. The firm specializes in using art and creativity in leadership development, and clients include Coke, General Electric, and Intuit. Noah was the first artist-in-residence at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business, where he is now an adjunct professor. Discover A Market Through Creative Practice
Top Companies Want To Learn About Creativity
Creativity in Business Begins With Education
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Aug 17, 2019 |
Artists Are Solving Atomic-Level Problems
59:35
Cyndi Conn is the Executive Director of Creative Santa Fe, a non-profit arts and community development organization that emphasizes innovative collaboration between diverse groups of people with varying skills, knowledge, experiences and opinions. She serves on the Advisory Boards of The Black Mountain Institute, the National Parks Arts Foundation and the N-Square Innovators Network. In 2018 she co-chaired Mayor Alan Webber’s task force on job creation in Santa Fe. Cyndi has been a curator, gallery founder, and creator of art advisory firm LAUNCHPROJECTS. She has lived in Paris, Mexico City, Austin, and New Orleans. About Creative Santa Fe
Problem-Solving with the Arts
Economic Impact of Artists
Art: Influencing Outcomes
Re-Embedding Art Into Everyday Life
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Jul 12, 2019 |
Classical Skills for Modern Art Careers: The Case for Training and Tradition
32:36
Mandy Theis @mandyfineartist is a figurative painter and art educator, and graduate of the Aristides Atelier. She is the president and co-founder of The Da Vinci Initiative—a foundation that supports skill-based learning in K-12 art-classrooms. Mandy is Director of the School of Atelier Arts which provides atelier training and resources to art teachers through online classes, workshops and conferences, and keynote speaker services. She is also an Academic Director at the Florence Academy of Art and runs the MA in Studio Arts Degree Program in a partnership between FAA and School of Atelier Arts. Mandy is an advocate for visual literacy and figurative work in the contemporary art market. Atelier Training & Visual Literacy
A Missing Piece in Art Education
The DaVinci Initiative
Skills-Based Art as Counterculture
Figurative Art in A (Post) Post-Modern Climate
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Jun 15, 2019 |
Fearlessly Take On The Big Daddy Ugly Goal
45:34
Willy Bo Richardson is a painter based in Santa Fe, New Mexico and an alumnus of CHF’s Art-Business Accelerator program. Visually, his work is abstract and colorful, with a repeating motif of stripes. Willy subtracts the trappings that condition our response to art—the frame, the pedestal— and weaves art into the setting itself. The Albuquerque Museum recently acquired one of his pieces for their permanent collection, and he’s currently working with Richard Levy Gallery— while pursuing corporate projects that include wall-art licensing, and mid-size installations in European health care and gerontology settings. Willy’s long-term goal is to create totally-immersive corporate environments. CHF’s Program Results
Art in Corporate Environments
Ecological Responsibility
Licensing in the Corporate Market
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May 29, 2019 |
If You Build It, They Will Ignore It. Unless…
50:09
Mary McBride is the chair of the Arts and Cultural Management and Design Management graduate programs at Pratt Institute School of Art in New York City. An executive coach, a frequent international speaker, and a visiting professor in Spain, Turkey, India and Russia, she is also Editor of Catalyst—an online publication focusing on leadership in the 21st century. With an artistic background herself, Mary is in a unique position to see the creative aspects of business design and entrepreneurial decision-making in fields ranging from arts and culture, to publishing, financial services, technology, retail store development, apparel and packaging, and product and strategy design. Beyond the MBA
Designing Strategy
Sacrifice and Value
Quantifying the Value of your Art
The Entrepreneurial Mind & Innovation
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May 09, 2019 |
Tighten Your Sales Strategy, Then Refuse to Compromise
01:01:37
Donna is a painter based in Beaufort, North Carolina; she’s a graduate Fellow of CHF’s Art-Business Accelerator Program, and an Emeritus Advisor for the 2019 group of Fellows. Her work is representational, and explores the nautical and coastal themes of her home. Her sales strategy involves partnering with cause-based organizations to amplify their messages through the use of fine art. Recent projects include a resident artist position with Friends of the NC Maritime Museum and a collaboration with The Kit Jones Project. CHF’s Accelerator Program Results
Blueprinting Your Career—Work Ethic, Brand Narrative & Sales Strategies
The Work
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Mar 12, 2019 |
Lock Down Your Rights to Your Own Art
01:06:18
Emily is an Intellectual Property Attorney with over 14 years of experience handling copyright and trademark, including business and licensing agreements, infringement, prosecution, and litigation, and educating artists on the legal aspects of protecting their work. She’s the founder of Copyright Collaborative, a forum for artists to learn about their intellectual property rights, as well as work together to create a culture that deters infringement. Emily is a member of the state bars in New York, Pennsylvania, and Maine—where she currently lives. Most Visual Artists Aren’t Yet Empowered on Copyright
Confusion around Copyright Laws for Artists
Important things Artists Can Do About Copyrighting Art Works
Copyright Infringement: DMCA Notice and the Importance of Registration
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Feb 18, 2019 |
Make the Gig Economy Work for You
51:30
Angela is a Washington DC-based speaker, trainer, consultant, and president of TKC Incorporated. With clients including Marriott, the State Department, AARP, and 40Plus of Greater Washington, she works with adults in mid-life and beyond, helping them adapt to the changing freelance workforce. Angela has appeared in the pages of USA Today, Essence, and local news outlets across the country. She is the author of Do the Hustle without the Hassle and the host of The Gig Worker Summit. Artists in The Gig Economy
Uncertainty & Transitions
Planning for Business Growth & Retirement
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Jan 23, 2019 |
Get to Emerging Artist Status and Beyond
47:36
Bonnie Clearwater is the director and chief curator at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Originally from Rockland County, New York; she has also been the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami; Executive Director of the Lannan Foundation Art Programs in Los Angeles, and Director of the Lannan Museum in Lake Worth, Florida. Bonnie is known for her scholarship on contemporary and modern art—particularly Mark Rothko, Frank Stella, and Tracey Emin. She is recognized for her curatorial vision, museum education and outreach programs, and developing the careers of emerging artists. Finding Recognition as an Artist—Emerging and Under-Recognized Categories
Visibility for Artists and their Work
Curatorial Decisions
Artist-Collector Connections
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Jan 12, 2019 |
Leverage Your Non-Art Expertise for a Career Blueprint
01:15:30
Kristin Levier is a sculptor and a 2018 Executive Fellow with CHF’s Art-Business Accelerator Program. After two decades as a molecular biologist, she became a full-time studio-artist 13 years ago. As a wood sculptor, Kristin makes work at the intersection of art and science that connects us to the “extraordinary, strange beauty of the natural world.” In this episode, she discusses how she developed her brand story, noticed trends in the art world, and found the audience for her work—all with the support of a network of like-minded artists. Crossing the Bridge Between Science and Art
Finding My Audience and Brand Story
Connecting with Communities and Other Artists
What I Got From CHF’s Art-Business Accelerator
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Dec 04, 2018 |
Get Your Art Into Hotels and Corporate Spaces
01:01:58
Rachel Berg is a New York City-based Art Advisor. She is the director of curation at Museum Editions, which specializes in placing art in hotels, restaurants, and corporate environments. She’s also president of Live Artfully, their in-house atelier for custom artwork. Rachel has a visual arts degree from Princeton and a master’s of art and art education from Columbia. An artist herself, Rachel enjoys the collaboration process and is committed to good relationships with artists, as well as transparency in art-licensing projects. In this episode, Rachel discusses how she selects art; works with hotel architects, designers, and vendors; and how artists can navigate the process. The Art of Art Advising
The Shift of the Marketplace
Visualizing the Experience
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Nov 07, 2018 |
Identify Pivotal Opportunities for Business Growth
47:52
Nadia Fairlamb is a sculptor who works with wood and mirror glass, and she also teaches art to young people through various educational programs in Hawaii, where she is based. Her work speaks to the integral link between culture and environment, and she carries that focus into the business side of her practice as well, collaborating with designers and hospitality managers to infuse her community with art. In 2017, she won a CHF Business Accelerator Fellowship, and this year she progressed to the next level of the program, as an Executive Fellow. In this episode, Nadia talks about her impressive trajectory, and how her focus on art-entrepreneurship boosted not only her career but her creativity as well. The Journey to Becoming a Profitable Artist
I Run a Business, and My Business is Art
What I Learned From CHF's Accelerator Program
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Oct 02, 2018 |
Generate Powerful Publicity: A Sistine Chapel Mindset
55:48
Todd Scalise is the founder and CEO of Higherglyphics, a creative placemaking firm that manages large-scale public art projects from start to finish: funding, art, design, construction, and merchandising. An artist himself, he knows the importance of generating publicity and brand awareness. In this 55-minute episode, he discusses the enormous economic contribution that artists bring to their communities, framing art as a service that's worth funding and publicizing. How Art Benefits the Community
How to Approach Project-based Art
Publicity for Artists
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Aug 16, 2018 |
Leverage Your Creative Skills to Improve Your Finances
45:59
Is it realistic for artists to think "One day, I'll retire"? Christina Empedocles knows about the financial concerns of artists. A working artist represented by several San Francisco-based galleries, Christina also runs Insight Personal Finance, a company that aims to improve the financial health of creative entrepreneurs. In this episode, Christina acknowledges the financial hurdles that artists face--fluctuating income, being responsible for your own raise, lack of benefits---and provides specific strategies that artists have successfully employed to overcome them. Overcome Mental Hurdles About Money
Financial Planning for Artists
Strategies for Financial Health
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Jun 25, 2018 |
Build a Brand That Gets a Response
55:27
Building a brand means creating an expectation and giving your audience a chance to anticipate and desire what you’re making. We cover a lot of ground in this episode with Dr. Jenny Darroch, dean of the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. Jenny gives us a 30,000-foot-view of the art world, as well as the issues facing those who aim to bridge art and business. Host Daniel DiGriz and Jenny discuss the brand development challenges that visual artists face, tackling the question: “Do I define my brand, or do I let my brand evolve?”, as well as the principles of marketing, project management, keeping up with a changing market, and connecting with an audience. Check out the highlights below, and then download or stream the full hour-long episode. On Strategic Audience Development:
The Core of Art Business Education:
On Fostering Leadership in the Arts:
On Brand Management:
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May 12, 2018 |
How Creative Entrepreneurs Build Investment Capital
41:17
Alice Loy is the co-founder and CEO of Creative Startups, an accelerator program with a presence in the US, the Middle East, and Asia. An expert in the creative economy, she recognizes that creative entrepreneurs are an undeniable force in the business world, and offers unique insights into founding and funding a growing startup. In this episode, Alice tells us about navigating the hurdles that all entrepreneurs face, identifying investment opportunities in the creative economy, and what convinced the Creative Startups team that Meow Wolf was going to be a success. Creatives Change the Business World:
Build Investment Capital as an Entrepreneur:
Become a Viable Investment:
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Apr 18, 2018 |
Do Art Fairs Pay Off?
48:36
Do working artists need art fairs, even after securing representation? An artist himself, Ray Beldner explains the decision-making processes of developing stARTup Art Fair, as well as the important considerations for artists participating in any fair. In addition to running an impromptu cost-benefit analysis of art fair attendance, Ray and Podcast Host Daniel DiGriz discuss how to take the reigns and control your own career, the complexities of online selling, and the importance of a multi-pronged sales approach. Check out the show's highlights below, and then listen to the full 45-minute episode. How Do Artists Benefit From Fairs?
On Understanding and Controlling Your Own Business
On Sales Strategy
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Mar 26, 2018 |
How to Grow Your Customer Base and Increase Sales
01:00:59
Steve Pruneau serves as the Chairman of CHF's Board and is the founder of Free Agent Source Inc., a management consulting company that applies sharing-economy principles to client engagements. In this episode, he and host Daniel DiGriz discuss how to use the 'best practices' employed by successful entrepreneurs. If you’re struggling to identify the next step in your business, or find direct-to-audience selling a challenge, you’ll find this episode illuminating. Read on for highlights, and download the hour-long episode now to enjoy this conversation in full. Sales Myths and Realities:
Engage to Develop Your Customer Base:
Identify Milestones to Move Past Uncertainty:
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Feb 20, 2018 |
Engage New Sales Avenues to Increase Art Income
43:13
Aaron Laux is an artist who makes 100% of his income from his art—a rarity in the profession. In this episode, Aaron and podcast host Daniel DiGriz discuss Aaron’s business model and the Business Accelerator Program. A recent graduate of the fellowship’s first year, Aaron explains how he expanded his business to explore and utilize more avenues of sale. Listen to the 45-minute episode for Aaron’s ideas on the new and emerging art world models that favor working artists. On Accelerator and Business Development
New Models in the Arts
On Keeping Perspective as a Working Artist
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Feb 05, 2018 |
Identify Product-Market Fit for Entrepreneurial Success
46:10
Arree Chung is an author, illustrator, designer and art director in the gaming industry, and founder of Storyteller Academy. In this episode, Arree and Daniel discuss a storytelling approach to branding, how to build one business that leverages another, and how Arree navigated failures and big breaks to become an illustrator and entrepreneur. Use the resources that fit your needs:
On market research and branding:
How failure can condition you for success:
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Jan 21, 2018 |
The Learned Skills of Successful Entrepreneurs
56:37
John Furth is the CEO of the advisory group Furth & Associates. A consultant for over 26 years, he has held senior positions as the head of strategy groups at Hitachi Consulting, Discovery Communications and Sony Corporation. John is also author of a forthcoming book, Fearless Disruption: A Guide to the New Realities of Business and Leadership in the 21st Century. This show’s topics include: Evolution of the CEO:
Assessing Business Effectiveness:
Identify What You Want:
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Dec 23, 2017 |
What Independent Publishing Can Teach Visual Artists
54:44
Eric is the Chairman, Publisher, and CEO of Streamline Publishing, Inc. which publishes Fine Art Connoisseur and PleinAir Magazine. A career entrepreneur, Eric has 30 years’ experience launching companies and media brands, as well as a decade in the art industry, working with collectors and organizing art conventions. In this episode, Eric discusses the difference between digital and analogue consumption of art, how to meet the needs of the market while staying true to your vision, and advice for artists navigating the gallery world. Here are a few highlights: On weathering art market changes:
The strengths of digital and analog:
On marketing and business management:
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Dec 12, 2017 |
Why Are You Working for Free? Examining Arts Labor
01:38:31
Alexis Clements is a Brooklyn-based artist, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Her writing has appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, Salon, Bitch Magazine, The Brooklyn Rail, The Guardian, Nature, and she is a regular contributor to Hyperallergic. She has led workshops and moderated panels exploring labor issues within the arts. In this episode, Alexis and podcast host Daniel DiGriz discuss the economic realities of arts labor. Alexis provides a careful and nuanced examination of the forces impacting payment for visual artists, organizing efforts in the US and beyond, and philanthropy in the arts. The myths about how artists make money:
The realities of funding in the arts:
On organizing for visual artists:
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Nov 09, 2017 |
How to Collaborate with Museums
56:21
Seth Hopkins is the Executive Director of the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA. In this episode, Seth and podcast host Daniel DiGriz discuss how artists get involved with museums—securing shows and becoming part of the permanent collection—as well as catching the curator’s eye and boosting an art career. See below for highlights, and listen to the hour-long show for a detailed look at museum collaboration. The Economics of Promoting Living Artists:
Collaboration and Relationship-building:
Advice for Artists
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Oct 27, 2017 |
Best Practices to Engage With Curators
48:09
Dr. Catherine Futter is the Director of Curatorial Affairs at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. Starting her career as a decorative arts curator, she now focuses on contemporary art, and projects that explore how visitors participate with works of art. Catherine provides listeners with an in-depth look at the ways artists and curators execute an exhibition, and what it’s like to work with a museum curator. Listen to the episode and leave a review to let us know what you think. Initiating the exhibition:
Taking care with relationships:
The curator-artist exchange:
Career-planning:
Where the museums and the art market meet:
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Oct 02, 2017 |
How to Meet Stakeholder Demands
01:11:53
Holly Van Hart is a visual artist based in Silicon Valley, and a Clark Hulings Fund Business Accelerator Fellow. In this episode of the Thriving Artist Podcast™, Holly and Daniel discuss the ins and outs of building a sustainable business practice: deciding on the direction to take your business, standing out in the online marketplace, and how collaboration benefits a business plan. Navigate Strategically, Network Intelligently:
Marketing to Sales:
Artist as Primary Stakeholder:
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Sep 08, 2017 |
Find the Best Representation for Your Art
36:56
Stephanie Birdsall is a painter who has exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London and the National Arts Club in New York. She has received over 60 awards in national and international juried exhibitions, including Best in Show at the Bridgeport Museum of Arts and Science, and her work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of the Everglades. When she isn’t traveling to paint en plein air, she teaches painting workshops and is the producer of two DVDs on painting. On Belonging to a Painting Group
Finding the Right Representation
Recognizing Business Opportunities
On Success
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Aug 11, 2017 |
Translate Social Media to Sales
57:49
Gregg Chadwick is a Santa Monica–based artist who has been painting for three decades, and his work has been exhibited in national and international galleries, art fairs, and museums. He’s given many lectures on the arts, including speaking engagements at UCLA and Categorically Not—a forum that examines the intersection of art and science. Gregg is also a Fellow in The Clark Hulings Fund’s 2017 Business Accelerator Program. Art and social justice:
Developing a virtual network:
Social media translates to sales:
CHF’s Accelerator and artist forums:
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Jun 08, 2017 |
On Selling Tools of the (Art) Trade
40:27
Ron Whitmore co-owns and operates Artisan, an art-supply store that serves as a community hub for artists in its two locations—Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Ron also spearheads the largest artist material expo in New Mexico, featuring more than 100 workshops, and is the host of Art Fusion, a radio show that brings together musicians and visual artists to talk about their creative processes. Building an Arts Community:
Marketing Art Online:
Shifts in the Art Industry:
Who Becomes Famous?
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May 26, 2017 |
Control How Your Art Business is Perceived
01:14:19
Maria Brophy is an art-business consultant and the author of Art, Money, & Success. She got her start managing her husband’s surf-art business (drewbrophy.com), and she applies that experience to her work with other artists. Her areas of expertise include licensing and the creation of multiple income streams. In this podcast, she discusses the importance of identifying a niche, the ways that licensing is used for different mediums, and how to make your art career profitable. Artists Have to Have a Business Mindset:
The Importance of Finding Your Niche:
Marketing an Identifiable Style:
Pricing Your Work:
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May 10, 2017 |
Create Your Own Success
01:04:34
Dean Mitchell is a nationally recognized painter of figures, landscapes, and still lifes, and his work often depicts themes from his southern upbringing. He’s won top honors from the National Watercolor Society and American Watercolor Society. Among the museums that house his work are the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City and the St. Louis Art Museum. Dean is also a member of CHF’s advisory board. Building A Reputation:
On Entering Competitions:
Branding:
Genre and Style Pressure:
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May 04, 2017 |
How to Find Your Audience
01:13:51
Mary Ann is the founder and owner of Weems Galleries & Framing, with two locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico—the first of which opened in 1981. The galleries’ holdings represent a wide range of styles, priced from five dollars to $8K, but Mary Ann emphasizes affordable art. A dedicated supporter of the Albuquerque arts scene, she also ran a major art festival there for 32 years, which drew 50K+ customers in its final year. Affordable Art:
Recognize Your Audience, Make Your Market:
The Key to Longevity in the Art Market:
The Online Market:
The Future of the Gallery Business:
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May 02, 2017 |
Beyond Arts Education: Why Artists Need Business Training
39:25
Betsy Ehrenberg is the founder of Glass Alliance New Mexico and Glass Alliance of Northern California, organizations that further the development and appreciation of glass art. She is also a business strategy coach and president of Bridges to Santa Fe, a company that helps businesses achieve their goals through marketing and product design consulting. Also, Betsy’s company is co-sponsoring an upcoming event called the Santa Fe Art Business Summit (now at capacity), in collaboration with the Clark Hulings Fund and the Art Business Institute. Why Artists Need Business Training:
Santa Fe as a Hub of the Art World:
What’s Missing from Arts Education:
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Mar 29, 2017 |
Manage a Successful Art Career
44:14
Dan Anthony is a sculptor and has been the business manager for Glenna Goodacre since 1987. After 30 years working together, Glenna Goodacre is retiring. She is known for her work designing the Sacagawea impression on dollar coins, sculpting the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. on the National Mall, and the Irish Famine Memorial at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. Dan Anthony took an hour to tell us about Glenna’s retirement, some important upcoming events, and what he is planning to do next. Her final piece before retirement was created in collaboration with the Clark Hulings Fund, the bas-relief Helping to Push. Topics Include: Glenna Goodacre’s Retirement:
Helping to Push Bas-Relief:
Scottsdale Art Auction Presents Glenna Goodacre:
What is a Business Manager?
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Mar 21, 2017 |
Art Collections Management: Caring for Your Collection
44:19
Maura Kehoe Collins is an art collections manager and the founding director of Artiphile, an independent art advisory which provides museum-standard services for care and maintenance of private collections. Maura assists artists, private collectors, foundations, estates, and corporations in inventory, assessment, and administration to address the physical and practical needs of a private collection. Topics include: Artiphile Services:
Collectors as Stewards:
Documentation & Inventory:
Reframing:
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Mar 10, 2017 |
Student Curated Art Collections: A New Way to Experience Art
59:53
James is founder and president of the National School Art Collective, a non-profit created to develop student curated and student owned fine art collections in high schools. He has developed art collection and is looking to start another at Tippecanoe High School. The National School Art Collective:
Collecting on Behalf of an Institution:
Why Should Young People Collect Art?
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Feb 27, 2017 |
Recognizing the Legacies of Overlooked Artists
01:31:42
Peter Trippi is editor-in-chief of Fine Art Connoisseur, a bi-monthly magazine for collectors of representational paintings, sculpture, drawings, and prints. He’s also the president of Projects in 19th Century Art Inc., the firm he established in 2006 to pursue a range of research, writing, and curating opportunities, including the recent traveling exhibition, Lawrence Alma-Tadema: At Home in Antiquity. Topics include: Lawrence Alma-Tadema: At Home in Antiquity Exhibition
The Divide Between Collectors and Museums/Galleries:
Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine:
Legacy:
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Feb 15, 2017 |
Between Creativity and Commerce: Art Thinking
01:07:29
How do you deal with changing industries? How do you make sure that your business remains viable for years to come? Amy Whitaker, author, business person, artist, and Assistant Professor at NYU Steinhardt, addresses these questions and more in her book Art Thinking. As she puts it, “even if you are succeeding at something, you have to force yourself to go back to the drawing board all the time.” Topics Include: Art Thinking:
The Suits vs. the Creatives:
Science & Art:
Why Do People Get Bored at Museums?
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Feb 08, 2017 |
Balancing Art, Life, and Business
01:12:38
After recovering from a health scare, Aletta de Wal took her skills in corporate training and development and applied them to artists in Artist Career Training, a business coaching enterprise that focuses on small group classes, home studies, and one-to-one advisement for artists. She is also the author of My Real Job is Being an Artist, which is the winner of the 2016 Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Voice in Non-fiction. In this hour long show, Aletta takes the time to talk about her transition from corporate life into artist advisement, and her take on balancing life and business. Topics Include: Artist Career Training:
Artist and Corporations:
Self-Sustaining Art Career:
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Dec 16, 2016 |
Economics of the Art Market
01:03:23
How does an artist bridge the divide between the art and business worlds? Neil Ramsay, founder and director of ArtsUp!, hopes to address this divergence by utilizing the 5,800 square-foot ArtsUp! facility as both an events space and a gallery, with massive installations that are located 12 feet off the floor. In this space, the artist becomes the CEO of their own project and must work in a cross-functional team to accomplish their vision. In this nearly hour long show, Neil describes how he became an artist advocate and why he designed and teaches the Visual Arts Marketing Course at Florida International University. This is such an incredible talk that the topics are best expressed as quotations from Neil himself: ArtsUp!:
Creating an Experiential Learning Opportunity:
Economics of the Art World:
Professionalism vs. Professionalizing:
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Nov 13, 2016 |
Playing Your Art Forward
46:02
Sabin Howard is a classical figurative sculptor with over 33 years of experience. Known for his works of heroic scale, including Hermes, Aphrodite, and Apollo, the New Criterion has called him a “sculptor who’s work radiates a startling presence, while finding its roots in the classical past.” He’s part of the winning design team for the National World War I Memorial in Pershing Square Park, Washington DC, and he also offers drawing and design webinars in a digital format. Topics Include: World War I Commission:
Collaboration:
Art as a Business:
Marketing & PR:
Art World & Galleries:
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Oct 21, 2016 |
The Long-Term Art Career
01:01:48
Ryan Brown is an artist who works in the naturalist tradition, studying figures, still life, and landscapes. He’s dedicated himself to the methods practiced by the masters of Western European art and has established the Center for Academic Study and Naturalist Painting in Utah to continue this tradition. In this hour-long show, Ryan talks about his intention to have a long-term art career, how he sustains himself, his current work at the Center for Academic Study and Naturalist Painting, and how he markets and brands his work. Topics Include: Center for Academic Study and Naturalist Painting:
Career Insights:
Marketing as an “Honest Dialogue”:
Finding Your Brand:
Working with Galleries:
Filler art vs. Fine Art:
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Oct 11, 2016 |
Create A Thriving Art Business
49:57
Alan Bamberger is an art consultant, advisor, author and appraiser who specializes in research, business management, the marketing of original art, and art-related documents, but he is best known for his regular post to ArtBusiness.com, which he also manages. With nearly 40 years of experience in the art world, Alan works with artists, collectors, other art professionals and galleries to solve difficult art situations. Topics Include: Price Consultations with Artists:
Older Art vs. Contemporary:
Artists as Sole Proprietors:
Common Mistakes of Resumes & Portfolios:
Increase the Value of Your Artwork:
Getting Your Collection Appraised:
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Oct 02, 2016 |
Make Your Art Economically Viable
45:35
Elizabeth Corkery is a large-scale installation artist and the founder of Print Club Ltd., a limited edition print making company. Her most recent and ambitious project to date is a spatially transformative sculptural exhibition called Ruin Sequence at Tower Hill Botanic Gardens, opening October 8th. The project is funded by the Clark Hulings Fund Business Accelerator Program. Topics Include: Preparations for Ruin Sequence:
Clark Hulings Business Accelerator Program:
Print Club Ltd.:
Protecting the Integrity of a Work:
Cross-over between Commercial Art and Fine Art:
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Sep 27, 2016 |
Project Management: An Impressionistic Art Form
51:33
Ghost of a Dream, a moniker for the collaborative duo Adam Eckstrom and Lauren Was, create large sculptural installations, collages, and immersive texts made from lottery tickets, romance novels, playing cards, and other raw or discarded materials. Most recently, Ghost of a Dream has been working on a project they call The Fair Housing Project. They’ve created a house from art fair materials, which they’ve immersed in a sea of fog and filmed documentary style. The house, film, and other works created by this duo will be showing at Smack Mellon from September 24 -October 30, 2016. They’re also Clark Hulings Fund 2015 Business Accelerator grant recipients, which means they participate in the educational program of the fund, and they’re also receiving critical funding for The Fair Housing Project. Topics include: The Fair Housing Project:
Art Fairs: A Double-Edged Sword
Business of Large-Scale Installations:
Romance/Work/Collaboration:
Teaching:
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Sep 23, 2016 |
Anyone Can Be a Collector of Original Works
01:09:05
What is patronage; and who can be a patron of the arts? For Shannon Robinson, curator and chairperson of Windows to the Divine, wants everyone to understand that they can become a collector regardless of financial means or cultural biases around the art market. She does this through Windows to the Divine’s educational programs that teach about patronage, the art industry, and philanthropy. Topics Include: Collectors & Patrons:
Getting started as a Collector:
Forming a cohesive collection:
Online Art Market
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Sep 22, 2016 |
Make Your Art Career Sustainable
53:09
How can an artist ensure that their art career is a sustainable enterprise long into the future? Carla Crawford is a figurative painter and Business Accelerator Program participant. She works in the classical tradition and focuses her latest works on displaced migrants. In this nearly hour long show, Carla addresses the importance of making your art career sustainable, how to address lags in sales, and the cross-pollination of traditional and contemporary. This is such an incredible talk that the topics are best expressed as quotations from Carla herself: Establishing a Sustainable Art Practice:
Sales:
Cross-pollination between Traditional & Contemporary:
Honing Skills with the Business Accelerator Program:
Ateliers, Residencies, & Arts Education:
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Sep 11, 2016 |
Never Settle in Your Art Career
46:43
In this 40 minute interview, the listener will learn about building and maintaining a commercial mindset, the importance of networking and marketing, while creating pieces you love. As a bonus, learn about the CHF Art-Business Accelerator™ Program and the importance of combatting sexism and racism within the art industry. Funding your passion:
Branding:
Marketing:
Crossing-over from commercial art to a fine art career
Arts Education and its influences on the studio practice:
Business Accelerator Program & Grants:
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Sep 10, 2016 |
Professionalize Your Studio Practice with Business Training
57:08
Increasingly, artists are being asked to professionalize their art business, but as Cristina DiChiera so aptly recognizes, “In some instances, combining arts and business can be putting a square peg in a round hole,” but it doesn’t have to be with the right resources and training. In this hour-long interview, Cristina talks about her career creating and implementing business workshops for artists with the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and Mass MOCA, and her recent shift to Visual Arts Development Manager at Brown University. She underscores the importance of tapping resources at the local level through arts councils, professionalizing business practices, and incorporating them into studio time. With the advent of technology and the internet, it has never been easier or more imperative that artists take full advantage of the resources available to them and craft an art business that is sustainable through their artworks sold. She also gave us insights into using crowdfunding as a marketing and fundraising tool and how to choose between grants, competitions, and residencies. Advice for our Business Accelerator Program on how to run a good business workshop for artists:
Artists and organizations are increasing their awareness for business training:
Technology as a catalyst in this shift toward business:
Uniqueness of the art professional:
Making crowdfunding productive:
Grants, competitions, and residencies – how to choose?
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Aug 21, 2016 |
Taking the Plunge to Become a Working Artist
01:15:21
Taking the leap into fine art after having a 9-5 job is a difficult decision, but this is exactly the leap that thriving artists need to make. For Leslie Hirst, a multi-media artist with over 30 years of experience in commercial and fine art, tells us about her recent CHF-funded exhibition “Objectively Speaking,” the importance of continuity between shows, following the inspiration without losing the nuts and bolts of actually doing the work, and her transition from graphic design to fine art and teaching Experimental and Foundation Studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. Preparing for an Exhibition:
On her recent exhibition “Objectively Speaking:”
Components of branding
Making the leap from commercial art to fine art:
What’s next:
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Aug 05, 2016 |
Maintaining Momentum in an Evolving Art Career
47:42
As an artist who follows the inspiration as it strikes, Etsuko Ichikawa works in a variety of media from performance, sound, and film to glass installations, sculpture, and drawing. She’s known for her pyrographs and aquagraphs, or drawings made from fire and water. She’s also a 2015 Clark Hulings Fund Business Accelerator Grant Finalist. We had a chance to sit down with Etsuko and talk about her next career move as she rebrands herself and her artwork. Her nearly hour-long interview offers an insightful look into public art commissions, the importance of vetting galleries before you work with them, and how to tackle brand management even as your career evolves. Re-Branding Your Art and Business:
Project Management in Public Works Commissions:
Audience Building:
Galleries:
Future Directions:
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Jul 22, 2016 |
Preserve Your Artistic Legacy
01:04:54
“The creative legacy is not necessarily an issue of résumé, but about the creative spirit itself shown through your works,” states Jennifer Cohen, POBA‘s Co-Managing Director, about their mission and dedication to preserving the creative legacy of artists irrespective of the measure of success attained during their lifetime. In this full hour show, Jennifer underscores the importance of maintaining artistic legacies for artists living and dead, as well as the subtle nuances involved in preserving the integrity and value of artistic works. She also acknowledges the importance of artistic legacy to living artists and collectors. What happens when the artist or art collector is gone?
The Importance of the “Great Amateur”
Protect Your Artwork:
Preservation and Reversion of Copyrights
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Jul 11, 2016 |
Collector: Steward of the Arts
01:06:14
“I would encourage everyone to buy the work that they love and that they can afford,” says Tim Newton, an art collector, Advisory Board Member at the Clark Hulings Fund, and the Chairman of the Board at the Salmagundi Club. In this full-hour show, Tim underscores the importance of collecting art to appreciate beauty, while also recognizing the role of art collectors as stewards of the arts. For Tim, this means curating shows of artwork he owns and encouraging others to do the same. Starting your collection:
Current Art Market:
Stewards on a Revolving Basis:
Why Artists and Collectors Need Each Other:
On Clark Hulings:
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Jun 11, 2016 |
Creating and Teaching Hand in Hand
38:26
Working artists can be both student and teacher; this is the basic premise of Art Cantina, an online portal described as the Match.com of arts education. For Carolyn (Charlie) Bogusz and LaVonne Ewing, artists need a platform to market and brand their skills as potentially both experts and instructors. Meanwhile, students want easier access to arts education. Art Cantina allows students to find workshops in their local area and desired discipline, and helps them establish (if they wish) a teaching business to support their studio practice. Topics include: Business Development
Disruption, Connections, and Silos
Continuing Arts Education
Art Cantina is a natural partnership for the Clark Hulings Fund: We equip artists to up their business game through education, introductions, tools, and critical project funding, but there is no business without a well-crafted product. For more information on how you can hone your craft and build your business through skills-based workshops, check out ArtCantina.com. |
May 13, 2016 |
Artist as CEO
32:54
What if an artist treated her project like a project, her business like a business, and became the CEO? Vanessa Diaz is an interdisciplinary artist specializing in sculpture and site-specific installations created from discarded furniture. She reimagines architectural pieces to distort conventional perceptions of how rooms and physical spaces should be used. She is also a 2015 CHF Business Accelerator Grant Recipient. The Clark Hulings Fund is funding and supporting her work “Possibility of an Exit” – an immersive installation that re-contextualizes a house impacted by natural disaster in the upper half of a 5,000 sq. ft. room provided by ArtsUP! Neil Ramsay the head of ArtsUp! says the artist is the “CEO of the project” – specifically that the artist – in this case, Vanessa – is coming in and designing the whole environment. We found that idea so intriguing that we devoted almost the entire show to it. Topics include:
For more information on Vanessa Diaz, visit vdiazart.com, and be sure to check out ArtsUP! as well |
Apr 28, 2016 |
Planning for Residencies, Shows, and Travel
42:33
Residencies, shows, and travel require forethought and planning for an artist to reach an international audience. Lauren Frances Adams is a painter and mixed-media installation artist, incorporating traditional designs and decoration with contemporary Americana. Her wallpapers depict class struggle and labor movements. She also works as a Full-Time Painting Faculty member at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and was one of our first CHF Business Accelerator Grant Recipients in 2013. Lauren lays out some of the critical issues in arranging travel for an art business. Art that Crosses Media
Art that Crosses the Atlantic (The Travel Side of an Art Business)
Crossing the Hurdle of Grants & Funding
Lastly
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Apr 09, 2016 |
Setting Up an Art Business for Scale
51:51
Despite our playful double entendre, the business of securing commissions requires taking proposals and contracts seriously. Large-scale artist Molly Dilworth explains the challenges of both producing such works and operating the professional side of the business for scale. Molly’s geometrically inspired site-specific installations across the United States highlight invisible structures and hidden motivations. Her insights on a range of topics from proposals to contracts are crucial: Creating Large-Scale Works
Operating the Business for Scale
Lastly
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Apr 09, 2016 |
Becoming a Five-Day-a-Week Artist
54:45
“You can’t make full time money doing part time work. I paint every day.” – Robert C. Jackson Robert C. Jackson (or Bob, as he goes by in conversation) is a painter who uses his subject matter of balloon dogs, Oreo skyscrapers, and toy dinosaurs to highlight the satirical complexities he sees in the world. He has interviewed 20 contemporary representational artists for his book Behind the Easel, around which the Delaware Museum of Art is forming an exhibition this Fall. Bob explains exactly what it means and digs into what it takes to be a five day a week working artist. This is such an amazing talk that the topics are best expressed mainly as quotations from Bob himself: Getting Started
Running Your Business
A Practical Education
Selling Your Work
Lastly
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Mar 19, 2016 |
The Catch-22: Mixing Media & Crossing Genre
31:59
As a painter, illustrator, and storyteller, Cheryl Gross combines her signature humor and urban appeal to create intense narratives. Currently, she is working on a large project titled: The Z Factor, a fictional work of drawings and text depicting the persecution of a new race and a resulting third civil rights movement. She is also 2014 Clark Hulings Fund Grant Finalist. What are the challenges when a fine artist wants to cross illustration, graphic design, film, poetry, blogging, and the graphic novel, all in a way that takes on current issues. Contents
Cheryl's insights on the fundamental struggle of refusing to be pigeonholed while seizing a place in the market are a valuable addition to the learning program of CHF. More info on Cheryl Gross and her work, as well as her blog and book are at CMgross.com |
Mar 08, 2016 |
Art and The Politics of Geography
21:47
"I started painting bananas to exoticize myself; it started as a joke and developed into a commentary on belonging.' Gonzalo Fuenmayor is a multi-disciplinary artist who has worked in painting and photography, but is best known for his charcoal drawings which, in their precision, resemble black-and-white photographs. He is also a 2014 CHF Grant Finalist. His comments on the role of the artist in an emigre environment (and in general) are fascinating. Contents
For more info on Gonzalo and his work, visit gonzalofuenmayor.com |
Feb 27, 2016 |
No Separation Between Work and Life
41:30
"When people sheared sheep 100 years ago, it wasn't just work, it was their life; work wasn't a separate thing.' Art and business are like that. Laura Petrovich-Cheney is a sculptor whose work mirrors the human experience, full of transformation, second chances, reinvention, and resilience. She is also a Clark Hulings Fund 2015 Business Accelerator Grant Recipient for her current solo exhibition at Salisbury University Art Galleries, "Piece by Piece". Her comments on building a self-sustaining art career are profoundly on point. Contents
For more info on Laura and her work, visit lauracheney.com. Laura’s exhibition runs from Jan 15 thru Feb 25 at SU art galleries in Salsibury MD. If you’re on the eastern seaboard or have a friend or relative in MD, have them stop by the exhibition. The show runs from noon to 5pm each day and information is on the Clark Hulings fund website. |
Feb 19, 2016 |
Serious Business: Marketing Your Art in a Flat World
19:41
Being serious about your business as an artist is more than paperwork; it's also mindset. Bette is a working artist, gallery owner, graphic designer, and author of the best-selling book: Talent is Just the Beginning - An Artists’ Guide to Marketing in the 21st Century. Sue is Vice President for marketing for the Messenger Art Collection, one of the largest, most diverse private collections in the U.S. Together, Bette and Sue are based in Santa Fe, NM, and run Ridgeway and Roderick Art Services, which provides hands-on career evaluation and marketing to artists, galleries, and collectors. Bette and Sue delve into three key imperatives for the working artist. Take Your Art Seriously As a Business
Market Yourself for the Flat World
Develop A Mindset for Success
For more information on Ridgeway and Roderick Services, visit RandRartServices.com |
Feb 07, 2016 |
More Wall Space: The Collector’s Journey To Connoisseurship
40:15
What drives most art collectors, and how they decide what to collect, might surprise you. Stephen Zimmerman is an art collector and co-founder of the Western Art Society of the Eiteljorg Museum. He also serves as an advisory board member of the Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists, and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Stephen explains that collecting is driven by self-made aficionados who often attain a level of education about a given artist and stewardship of a school of art that far exceeds that of the official mediators of taste. As a result, collectors are often driven by an intense curiosity, passion, and (profoundly) personal relationships with individual artists. Whether your an artist, art patron, or another collector - this episode is a joyous exploration of the a commitment that is anything but a hobby. What Art Collectors Know That We Don't
Steve also discussed: The Mission of the Clark Hulings Fund:Real artists get up and work every single day; they need business training to enter the ring with the world's great visual artists... Some need legal advice, some accounting advice, some marketing advice, and some need help connecting with collectors whose acquisitions are often driven by personal relationships with artists. CHF Collector SalonsCollector salons offer collectors access to their peers (and insights into peer collections), as well as an insider's view of working artists to watch and emerging markets for new work. Indianapolis: The Best Kept Secret in Fine Arts(Except to anyone who has stepped out of the airport)! Stephen is passionate about placing Indianapolis into its proper role as a Mecca of the fine arts. Given the guests we've had from Indianapolis, and the events we've touted to our audience and supported with our media, we quite agree! With that in mind, for more information on the Eiteljorg Musem visit eiteljorg.org |
Jan 26, 2016 |
Stripping Down to Your Soul and Selling Art Like Hotcakes
34:53
Building your brand without sacrificing your craft requires both finding your public and going deep into the artist. Jane Robinson is a contemporary abstract artist, living and working in Michigan, who specializes in acrylic and mixed media. Jane also conducts workshops for other artists under the banner "The Business of Creativity" as well as a monthly meetup group. She was once, also, a felony probation officer and writing pre-sentencing guidelines helped her tap into her creative side. Contents
More information on Jane Robinson and her work, classes, and Meetup group, is at JaneRobinsonAbstractArt.com |
Jan 26, 2016 |
Art Curation and Curriculum
35:23
We all share a planet. Frank Juliano is Executive Director of Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit, New Jersey. He makes it his mission to bring innovation and community building to all aspects of the Arboretum’s programming and operation. He is well known in visual art circles for his curation of exhibitions at the Arboretum’s Wisner House and gardens. He lives in New York and studied Music, Theatre, and Dance at SUNY New Paltz before turning to his current career in non-profit management. Topics Include:
Information about the Arboretum is here: reeves-reedarboretum.org If you find this content valuable and want to foster even more material like this, a modest donation would be very meaningful: click here.
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Dec 10, 2015 |
Planning the Future of Your Art
23:22
COLLECTORS, ARTISTS, and GALLERIES need to think about the future of their works and collections. In this insightful podcast, Kristin Gary, a private dealer who specializes in appraisal, bankruptcy, and related divestiture issues, encourages us to think ahead. Kristin manages Kristin Gary Fine Art, a private gallery that includes European Old Masters, 19th century European, American 20th Century and select Contemporary works. Topics include:
Waiting until the future to think about the future is a mistake. Don't miss this 24-minute podcast. Listen now, or download and take it with you on your phone or mobile device. Kristin Gary's site is at kristingaryfineart.com. If you find this content valuable and want to foster even more material like this, a modest donation would be very meaningful: click here. |
Nov 14, 2015 |
The Enviable Lifestyle of the Working Artist
40:24
Carolyn Edlund is Executive Director of the Arts Business Institute, a non-profit that offers creative business solutions to artists and craftspeople. She is also the Founder of Artsy Shark, a forum that targets artists AS small business owners with marketing and sales tips. Carolyn flips a lot of the concerns artists may have about growing their careers as a business into positive opportunities for full artistic expression. Her emphasis on the lifestyle of the artist as one of glamour and freedom is insightful and balanced by the call for creating a skill set to further one's deepest professional aspirations. Topics Include:
Listen now, or download and take this 40min episode with you on your phone or mobile device. The Arts Business Institute is at artsbusinessinstitute.org and Artsy Shark at artsyshark.com If you find this content valuable and want to foster even more material like this, even a modest donation is meaningful: click here. |
Nov 07, 2015 |
Funding the Well Defined Art Project
28:12
Tim Kennedy is a representational painter who works to present still lifes, figures, and landscapes with immediacy and intimacy. He is also Senior Lecturer at Indiana University Bloomington and was a 2014 winner of the Clark Hulings Fund Grant. He was born in Buffalo, NY and did his MFA at Brooklyn College CUNY. Articles on his paintings have appeared in American Artist and Watercolor magazines. Tim helps us understand.... Topics include:
Listen now, or download and take this 42min episode with you on your phone or mobile device. Tim's website is timkennedypaintings.com. You can also see the video on challenges of "working large". If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. If you find this content valuable and want to foster even more material like this, even a modest donation is meaningful: click here. |
Oct 24, 2015 |
“Making It” as an Artist in Business
42:55
Brandon Kralik is an internationally exhibited post-contemporary figurative painter who employs classical oil painting methods “with a current vision to create a visual mythology.” Born in the US, he has spent 13years of his 20-year career in Sweden, where he currently lives and works. His work is found in the collections of Steven Tyler, The Crown Princess of Sweden, Matthew Barzun, and Carlos Santana. He studied Fine Art at Western State College of Colorado, Art History at CUNY (Manhattan), and painted under Norwegian figurative painter Odd Nerdrum for 3 years before opening his own studio. Brandon helps us understand how, exactly, one "makes it" in business as an artist. Topics include:
Listen now, or download and take this 42min episode with you on your phone or mobile device. Brandon's website, where you can find his latest work and links to Facebook and Twitter, is brandonkralik.com If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. If you find this content valuable and want to foster even more material like this, even a modest donation is meaningful: click here. |
Oct 17, 2015 |
Genre Boundaries, Gallery Opportunities
43:25
Philip Koch, is a professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, specializing in landscape realism. He has also been a Clark Hulings Fund Grant Review Panelist for 3 years running. In this episode of the Thriving Artist Podcast, Philip talks about the significance of genre/style for an artistic career, and the business end (selling things) via galleries and dealers. Topics include:
Listen now, or download and take this episode with you on your phone or mobile device. Philip's website is philipkoch.org and you can meet other members of the CHF grant review panel on our panel page. If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Oct 10, 2015 |
Impact of Financial Literacy on Artistic Purity
34:38
Elaine Grogan Luttrull is a CPA and founder of Minerva Financial Arts, a company that increases business and financial literacy for artists and arts organizations. She also runs the Business & Entrepreneurship department at Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio. In this episode of the Thriving Artist Podcast, Elaine provides insights on the types of financial decisions that directly impact the purity of one's art! Topics include:
Listen now, or download and take this episode with you on your phone or mobile device. Also, read Elaine's recent post on pricing art. Minerva Financial Arts is at minervafinancialarts.com If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Sep 29, 2015 |
Estate Planning for Artists and Collectors
47:23
Jim Grace is an attorney for the arts, and Executive Director of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston. One of their major programs is Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Mass., which does free legal services for the arts including seminars on legal topics. Jim is also co-author of the Joan Mitchell Foundation's workbook on estate planning for artists. In this episode of the Thriving Artist Podcast, Jim provides insights for art collectors and artists on estate planning. It's OK to suffer for our art, but we don't want it to make others suffer. Some of the topics we must consider include:
Listen now, or download and take this 47-minute episode with you on your phone or mobile device. If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Sep 19, 2015 |
Artwork Archive for Artists & Collectors
31:09
What started as a labor of love for someone's mother, became a modern tool for art collectors and visual artists. John Feustel is co-founder of Artwork Archive, a cloud-based tool for tracking art inventory and managing consignment records, sales info, and competition history. John's solution works on any device (phone, tablet, desktop) and takes the worry and hassle out of cataloging a visual artist or art collector's works/collection, while providing solid financial intelligence and even heat-map based location maps. "Galleries love artists that use Artwork Archive, because it makes the consignment paperwork so easy,' says Feustel. The Clark Hulings Fund is sponsoring discounted access to Artwork Archive. Says Elizabeth Hulings, founder of the fund, "I have looked at all kinds of ways to track my father's work, and I love this product. I'm migrating everything of Clark Hulings onto it." Because we at the fund feel so strongly that artists can maintain control over their own work only if they track it, Artwork Archive is a natural partner with our mission, and it is the first tool that we're offering and endorsing. Topics for this podcast include:
John Feustel brings a lot of experience with technologies as well as business, in his own role as a startup founder. Of course, his mother is the visual artist who inspired the tool, and it was she who originally shaped it with her feedback and her own art career. The website for Artwork Archive is artworkarchive.com. If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Sep 09, 2015 |
Competitive Strategy for Working Artists
35:34
P.A. Nisbet (pronounced "nesbit") is a painter of outdoor landscapes, based in Santa Fe, and this year he's a panelist at the Western Art Society's Quest for the West. Before his career in fine art, he was a commercial artists (illustration and graphic design). He's quoted as saying "no artist is going to survive without being a business person." In this episode of The Thriving Artist Podcast, he answers questions about the fundamental tension between being effective as an artist and effectiveness of growing and marketing a body of salable work. Topics include:
This 35-minute episode is a treasure trove of critical insights for creating and managing a career as an artist. In particular, the focus on working with galleries and exploration of how to price your work are gold! Listen now, or download and take it with you on your phone or mobile device. P.A. Nisbet may be reached at panisbet.com If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Aug 22, 2015 |
Project Management for Artists
30:05
Meredith Bergmann is an American Sculptor who both creates public monuments & sculpts on a private scale. She lives in NYC, and has created the Boston Women’s Memorial (2003), is currently working on the FDR Hope Memorial for Roosevelt Island, and has also created the 9/11 Memorial at Cathedral of St John the Divine. In this episode of the Thriving Artist Podcast, Meredith helps us understand what goes into managing large scale art projects. Topics include:
Meredith Bergmann is an insightful guest, and anyone doing large, commissioned projects can’t afford to miss this 30-minute episode. Listen now, or download and take it with you on your phone or mobile device. Meredith Bergmann may be reached at meredithbergmann.com If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Aug 15, 2015 |
Creating the Middle Class Artist
21:43
Special Edition: 3rd Annual CHF Grant to Visual Artists Elizabeth Hulings is daughter of Clark Hulings and Director of the Clark Hulings Foundation. In this episode of the Thriving Artist podcast, Elizabeth explains how to change the culture by funding, training, connecting, and equipping working artists. Topics include:
Elizabeth lets us see into the world of the working artist in this 22-minute episode, and explains what is needed to make thriving artists the norm. Grab the mp3 to listen on the train or the drive home. If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Aug 06, 2015 |
Growing an Economy with Artist Entrepreneurs
41:02
Shannon Linker is VP of the Arts Council of Indianapolis and is liaison on arts issues with organizations throughout Indianapolis. She also directs the Arts Council’s contemporary fine art Gallery – Gallery 924. In this episode of The Thriving Artist podcast, Shannon helps us understand how art communities are built and economies grow by funding and training the working artist. Topics include:
Shannon Linker is an incredibly articulate thinker, and it comes across in this substantive and inspiring 41-minute episode. If you’ve ever wondered how it actually works – beyond the rhetoric – how arts tangibly grow an economy and foster entrepreneurship, you’ve GOT to listen to this episode. Do so now, or download and take it with you on your phone or mobile device. If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Jul 31, 2015 |
The “Lurid Truths” of the Working Artist
48:39
Watie (pronounced “Waddy”) White is a thriving American artist living in Omaha, Nebraska. whose works appear internationally in museum exhibitions and galleries as easily as the sides of building in public spaces. Watie creates public art and public-works related art and delivers business-oriented workshops for artists. In this episode of The Thriving Artist podcast, Watie reveals the inside realities of treating your art as a business rather than a martyrdom. Among the insights are:
Watie is a natural storyteller, and this meaty, 48-minute episode, delivers substantive taste of business-focused commentary without setting foot in a classroom. Listen, now, or download the mp3 and take it with you on your phone or device. If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Jul 25, 2015 |
Art on Your Own Terms
34:07
C.W. Mundy is a successful American impressionist painter who also routinely sells out enthusiastic workshops for professional artists. His spouse, Rebecca Mundy, is his business manager. Together, they live in Indianapolis where they’ve based their partnership and career. In this episode of The Thriving Artist podcast, the duo reveal the keys to their longevity as an art/business team and the secrets of C.W.’s reach and fame as a visual artist. We ask the Mundy’s about:
You’ll want to sit down, or take a run or drive, with this slightly more than half-hour episode and listen to what a globally renowned visual artist is saying about thriving as a working artist. If you’re a working artist, feel free to visit our Grants page. If you’re an arts industry professional, collector, or business specialist, or a working artist who would like to be interviewed, visit our Teach and Learn page. As always, even a modest donation is meaningful; and that page is here. |
Jul 18, 2015 |