Help! I Am Artist Podcast

Bianca Lever exchanged the lowlands of The Netherlands for the rolling hills of Italy where she now lives and works as a full-time artist. In this episode, Bianca discusses her challenges transitioning from a hobby to a professional artist, her inspiration, and what she is doing to attract new audiences.

If you love making art and you’re secretly wanting to embrace the life of an artist. Then listen up! In this episode, I chat with UK artist Jane Beaumont. After a fulfilling career as a teacher and therapist, Jane finally took this step herself. Find out how a love note from her husband encouraged her to take the first brave steps, how she started sketching every day, soaking up inspiration on social media, and intentionally steered herself towards life as a professional artist. Mentioned in this episode: Quote: David Whyte, "Will you have confidence in what you love?"  Artists: David Hockney & William Kentridge  Connect with Jane Instagram: @janesbeaumont  Website: www.janebeaumont.art

Mish Maudsley aka Mishfit's art occupies the hinterland between street art and fine art painting. An active part of UK street art for over 15 years, she has since painted internationally from the streets of Melbourne to Europe’s biggest street art festival, Upfest. Her most recent foray into the world of London art fairs follows an incredible array of live painting venues over the years. From her studio in Brighton, she is now embracing a more refined approach, combining spray paint and oil paint, to create an energetic style that captures the raw process of creativity. Clashing traditional methods with a fresh contemporary urban art edge. Inspired by the forces of nature, and a deep sense of wanderlust, Mishfit has developed a vibrant visual language of dreamlike luminous cloudscapes as a metaphor for human emotion. Sometimes interwoven with obscured figurative elements, she creates poignant, exuberant paintings which celebrate the commonalities that make us human. Enjoy Part 2 of our conversation. Website:

Mish Maudsley aka Mishfit's art occupies the hinterland between street art and fine art painting. An active part of UK street art for over 15 years, she has since painted internationally from the streets of Melbourne to Europe’s biggest street art festival, Upfest. Her most recent foray into the world of London art fairs follows an incredible array of live painting venues over the years. From her studio in Brighton, she is now embracing a more refined approach, combining spray paint and oil paint, to create an energetic style that captures the raw process of creativity. Clashing traditional methods with a fresh contemporary urban art edge. Inspired by the forces of nature, and a deep sense of wanderlust, Mishfit has developed a vibrant visual language of dreamlike luminous cloudscapes as a metaphor for human emotion. Sometimes interwoven with obscured figurative elements, she creates poignant, exuberant paintings which celebrate the commonalities that make us human. Enjoy Part 1 of our conversation. Website:

If you need some art fuel, listen to what South African artist Duncan Stewart says about art. I recently interviewed him for my podcast; his words are still resonating in my heart. 'Art is ingrained in our deepest being. Our collective experiences, DNA, genetic makeup, and contexts have made us all wonderfully unique. In our own right, every human being is a magnificent artwork.  Art can bypass our intellect and rational thinking, and it can penetrate the soul and we can be moved. It’s a language by which we can connect on a deep level.’ Good stuff! Now that should silence those nagging voices telling you why you even bother getting paint on your canvas, marks on your clay, or words on your paper.  You are not just making art. What you are creating has value. Without even trying, you are expressing your uniqueness (which is amazing) and you have that incredible ability to touch hearts.  If you are looking for support & connection as a working artist then definitely join us in THRIVE. Thrive is where arti

From graphic designer to working artist, Duncan Stewart walks us through his journey and shares what he’s learned about living as an artist along the way. Coming from a traditional family of lawyers and bankers, Duncan never saw himself becoming an artist, even with an insatiable appetite to draw and paint. Though he studied, and later worked, as a graphic designer, he eventually gave himself the opportunity to explore the underlying desire to create. At 22 years of age, while working in an advertising firm, Duncan allowed himself to explore his artistic tendencies and attended art school in Florence.  Duncan gave himself two years to understand why the pull to art was so strong. In Florence, he found his answers. Creating art provided what he needed to build a sustainable life: personal expression, connecting with people, and financial stability. Duncan explains that working as an artist is not a straightforward path, but for him, a necessary one: “Art is a difficult journey, but it’s [...] who I am.”  Witho

As a visual artist, you love spending time creating your art. It's fun and exciting to turn what you are passionate about into something you can share with others. However, trying to find ways to promote & sell it effectively is another story altogether.  How can something you are so committed to do be so frustrating at the same time? This is a question serial entrepreneur, marketing expert & television producer Mauritz Briët asked himself. It struck him that the artists he knew were having a hard time connecting what they were creating with an audience ready to buy their art.  'Artists have colourful lives and great stories to tell, yet many don't know how to use their personalities to share and connect with their audiences.' Mauritz's fascination with the creative soul motivated him to start a brand spanking new online art selling platform, Artists Attic Online.  According to Mauritz, thousands of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and objects are stored in countless studios and attics. It's his missi

Can you remember where you were this time last year? How did you feel about your art? What were your aspirations for 2021? This year might have sprung you some surprises, but you hung in there, showed up, and got to work. Your journey as an artist won't always be smooth and easy. Your income will fluctuate, your energy will shift, and your focus will change as projects come and go. Growing as an artist is a continual process of anticipating, pivoting, and learning. Not all your actions will be as successful. It's often in these not-so-successful moments that real growth happens. As 2021 draws to a close, take a moment to envision where you would like to be this time next year? Where do you see opportunities & growth for your art practice? In this episode, I'll be highlighting five areas of your art practice that you can restructure and align to see more growth in 2022….no matter what is happening in the world.   Free Art Marketing Guide As a visual artist, you know better than anyone else that it's hard t

You've carefully created your art and are ready to share it with the world. It's time to get your art into the hands of your potential buyers. Your next step is to market your art.   Marketing may feel overwhelming, but promoting your work can be just as creative and satisfying as making your art. It's never been a more exciting time for artists to promote and sell their art. The online space offers you powerful opportunities to connect with audiences you may never have considered before.   Your first step in creating an effective marketing plan for your art and getting more out of your social media is to understand better who your art audience is. Who is this mysterious art buyer?  Where can you find the right audience to promote and sell your art to? You may have heard the saying: 'If you plan to reach everybody, you will invariably reach nobody.' So true, especially when it comes to selling your art.   The more defined your art audience is, the easier and more effective you'll be able to reach them. In thi

From a young age Dido had 2 big passions. Music & Art! In this episode, Dutch Artist, Dido de Beer shares her journey of how she turned these passions into a budding art profession. Dido found her niche. Take a listen and discover how getting really specific about her style helped her build her business and connect with the right art buyers. Find out what inspires her and what hot tips she has for all those creatives wanting to turn their hobby into the life of a working artist. BONUS: Dido has a special gift for all the Help I Am Artist Podcast Listeners.  Head over to https://www.sonjasmalheer.com/dido to access 2 of Dido’s favorite pop icon wallpapers which you can download as a musical background for your mobile device. 

When his parents celebrated their wedding anniversary Ramon surprised them with a special gift. He turned a block of plaster into his very first piece of sculpture. He loved the process so much that he simply kept making and creating. After being rejected by the art academy Ramon found his way and now tests the limits of his materials in his studio in The Netherlands where he makes personalized sculptures for private & business commissions both locally and around the globe. In this episode Award-Winning Dutch Sculptor Ramon Schalkx shares more about his artist story and what motivates him to make his art. This episode is filled to the brim with practical tips and valuable insights into how artists can successfully win and complete art commissions. As promised Ramon has prepared a special worksheet for artists looking to work on commissions. In this valuable document, Ramon explains the 4 steps that you can use to turn those often nerve-racking commissions into memorable occasions.  Head over to my website

A few years ago, a mutual friend introduced me to working artist, Rachel Teannalach.  Rachel is a contemporary landscape painter based in Boise, Idaho.  In this episode, she shares more about her artistic journey.  For as long as she can remember Rachel has loved to paint. She has turned her passion for painting into daily practices that have fuelled so much of her success.  Her work is characterized by bold, gestural brushstrokes and her ability to evoke the emotional quality of the places she paints. Rachels work is guided by the belief that the observation of nature revives our recognition of beauty and restores our sense of belonging in the natural world. Her work inspires viewers to become more conscious of their surroundings and take time to stop and take notice. Besides original works, Rachel has found clever ways to turn her art into reproductions which in turn has become a major source of her income.  Her focus over the last several years has been collaborations with conservation organizations, suppo

Cristian Aluas is a Romanian-born, Canadian living in New York where he works as a full-time artist, author, and educator. In this episode, Cristian tells his artist's story of finding his way in the competitive art world. He shares tips and practical insights on how you can earn a living as an illustrator, winning commissions, and finding those precious clients to purchase your art. Cristian shares his expertise as an illustrator and art entrepreneur in online courses and he has authored a book ‘It’s a living - Surviving as a freelancer in the 21st century.’ If you have ever wondered how you can earn a living as a freelance illustrator, what steps you must take to prepare to work on commissions or how you go about getting those happy clients?  Well then stay tuned! Happy listening.  

If you want to grow in your art and start to make a living as an artist then you need to take ACTION. If you're tired of making your art, only to have it sitting around your studio collecting dust then take a listen! If you're frustrated that all your social posting and your artist website is giving you little to no results and you want to move forward but you don’t know where to start.... then this podcast is for you.  Are you ready to make 2021 your best year ever? In this episode I break down your artist's success path into manageable, doable steps. To help you on your journey I’ve created a framework, a clear map for you to follow.   This framework is based on these 3 main areas: Who you are as an artist, What kind of art are you making, How are you going to connect that with an art audience?   When you get clear about these 3 things you will start to make your art with more confidence, promote it with more clarity and sell your art with more connection. In this episode I break these crucial parts so th

While the pandemic is real and continues to keep us in it’s grip there is a still larger enemy lurking in the shadows. Whether you are aware of it or not there is a battle commencing.  The fight is for your attention.  1000’s of impulses nudges, pokes and pitches are thrown at you every minute begging you to stop and take notice.  This is without a doubt the biggest battle of our time. Those that scream the loudest, poke the hardest, come up as winners. Their prize is not only your attention but they plunder all that your 'attention' stands for. They steal your talents, rob your dreams, snuff out your passions and will hold your future ransom. All those distractions are costing you dearly. If you want to build that enjoyable, sustainable art business it’s important to detect who you are giving your attention to. Your time is precious. You may not have control over the rate those minutes, hours or days whiz by but you do have control over HOW you spend your time. When you become aware HOW and to WHOM you are g

Exhibiting your art is one of the most exciting and important aspects of a working artists life.  For many artists, the validation and exposure of working with a gallery, is something they dream of and is often seen as the pinnacle of their artistic success.  But is this realistic? How does the gallery world work? There are many ways that you can exhibit your work and whether you choose a gallery or plan to only exhibit your own work, understanding gallery representation will help you find your best fit, plan ahead and make the best smart moves for your art and business. I had the privilege to interview Dutch gallerist, David van der Linden for this episode. David lifts the curtain to the world behind the gallery door and shares what artists need to know and understand when considering gallery representation.  Find out more about David and his gallery here: https://www.galeriebonnard.com/ In this episode David mentions these amazing artists, go & check them out: Tania Rivilis Mitzy Renooy Keimpe van der K

There is a reason why many parents discourage their children to attend art school. They have simply seen too few examples of happy, healthy, working artists. Statistic tell us that being a working artist, earning a living with your creativity, is the most difficult profession to be successful in.  Why is it so difficult to make living with your creativity? In this episode we will be looking at the economics behind the art business. The more understanding you have of the art market, the better prepared you are to make the necessary changes, so that you can do what you love to do and get paid for it! You can make the coolest art but this doesn't guarantee an income. If you're wanting to generate a revenue stream with your creativity you must be willing to be more than an artist. You need to adopt a business frame of mind. Building an art business is not a passive thing. Setting up those structures around your creativity takes intentional thought, strategic steps and bold, brave moves. Discover which of these 5

WHY WAIT FOR THE NEW YEAR TO SEE MORE ARTISTIC SUCCESS WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT TODAY! Take a listen. Find out how you can reclaim your art success with plans & goals you can still achieve this year! Start to take really smart art steps by downloading the free worksheet. This practical worksheet is here to help you breakdown your art dreams into manageable do-able steps: In this episode you will: Find out what a Smart Art goal is, Combine big & small goals to achieve more art success,  Reverse engineer your art plans into tasks you can do today, Find out what you need to achieve your art goals, Get control over your art career and steer it towards more artistic success. To access the WORKSHEET head over to https://www.sonjasmalheer.com/breakdownsheet for your free copy.  

Many artists struggle to make that transition of creating art as a hobby and becoming a happy, thriving working artist.  Making art use to be fun and something you did for pleasure. But now that you are venturing out, to turn your art into a job and a revenue stream, you need to consider things you never had to deal with before. The more prepared you are for this exciting transition, turning your creativity into a job, the easier it will be to keep your joy and get your art made. In this episode we'll be looking at the 8 things you need to consider when turning your creativity into a revenue stream. FIND OUT HOW READY YOU ARE TO BE A FULL-TIME WORKING ARTIST Download this insightful resource to access the areas you need to focus on to make that smooth transition to become a better working artist.   In this CHECKLIST you'll discover: If you are in the right headspace to transition from creating as a hobby to be a happy working artist, If you have what it takes to turn your creativity into a consistent revenue

The Internet has changed everything.  There has never been a more exciting time for artists to share and sell their work online. Even in these extraordinary times the internet has made it possible for artists to stay in business, connecting what they love to do with a receptive art audience willing to pay it’s worth.   ‘I work with artists that have sold more in the pandemic than any other time in their careers.’    Encouraging words from today’s special guest.  For many years this enterprising young woman helped international brands make the transition from the offline to the online space.  When the pandemic hit Stefanie Idrobo decided to help her artist friends and use all her marketing insights and online expertise to get their art seen and heard!  She created a platform that not only showcases inspiring, emerging artists but informs collectors how they can best invest in art.   Stefanie joined me from a beautiful location in Quito, Ecuador where she shares valuable tips and online strategies for artists,