I was a member of a community of artists dedicated to growing their businesses and making an impact. It all began when we signed up for an art business program created by Alyson Stanfield of Art Biz Success. I was featured in a Member Spotlight interview in 2021:

Why is it important to you that your art business is profitable?

It is important to me that I pay for my own art supplies, exhibition entry fees, and workshops. It is good for my sense of well-being to know that my art career is self-supporting.

Mind you, my models did not charge for posing for me. I used many of the photographs I took of my two daughters as references for paintings and drawings, and I still do. I have hundreds of photographs from the last forty years that can serve as references.

Sometimes the girls sat as still as they could while I drew them from life. I sold many of the paintings, not those that were specifically portraits of my daughters, but those that might remind a viewer of another girl or woman.

What has your attention in the studio these days?

I am excited about raising the quality of my watercolor paintings. I have reached the time in my life when I can afford to put more hours into painting, and it’s true what they say: The key to improving your skills is to practice! I am enjoying painting in layers of watercolor, becoming more skilled at softening edges, and not going too dark too soon. I am also very excited about continuing to organize my studio. I have made a lot of progress, and there’s much more to do. I still need to get rid of things that do not “spark joy” (thank you, Marie Kondo).

What lesson in Art Career Success System do you find yourself returning to?

Magnetic You has been important to me. I was glad to learn how to use the freewriting challenges to start work on statements, bios, and all the other writing that supports an art career. I gained confidence from working through the MY modules, and I began to think: “I can do this.”