Art + Audience

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

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

Black Friday is just around the corner! In this solo episode, Stacie takes us behind the scenes of her journey through Black Friday successes—and some not-so-successful moments. Sharing candid stories about her early days selling on Etsy, Stacie highlights the lessons she learned from a disappointing Black Friday and offers actionable advice for entrepreneurs preparing for the holiday shopping season. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or just getting started, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you strategize, promote, and maximize your Black Friday sales.   Today on Art + Audience: A Black Friday Wake-Up Call: Stacie reflects on her early business missteps when an unprepared Black Friday left her anxiously refreshing her Etsy page—learning the hard way that effort and strategy are essential. The Power of Early Advertising: She emphasizes the importance of promoting Black Friday sales weeks in advance using email newsletters, social media, and ads to build anticipation. Email Marketing is a Must: Stacie shares her passion for newsletters and urges listeners to overcome their hesitation about self-promotion. She explains that sending frequent newsletters is key to staying top of mind, especially during the holiday season. Discount Strategies That Work: Drawing from her experience with Gingiber, Stacie offers advice on pricing your products strategically—whether with 20-30% off discounts, free shipping, or bundled deals. Consistency Builds Connection: Through personal anecdotes, Stacie explains how consistently showing up online has cultivated a loyal customer base for her brand. What If You’re Just Starting? Practical suggestions for new entrepreneurs—such as offering custom artwork or leveraging scarcity tactics like countdown timers to create urgency. Post-Event Evaluation: Stacie encourages listeners to reflect on what worked (and what didn’t) after the holiday season to refine their approach for next year.   Resources: Sign up on Shopify using Stacie’s affiliate link Connect with Stacie Bloomfield: Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart  Facebook: @ShopGingiber Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber Got questions? Call the Art + Audience Podcast hotline: (479) 966-9561 Get the free 5-day email course at artlicensingplaybook.com  

In this special episode, Stacie joins Shirlee Fisher for a presentation within The Tillage Village Membership. In her talk, Stacie delves deep into the intricacies of procrastination, exploring how to turn it from a foe into a powerful ally. She shares her personal journey with procrastination, distinguishing between negative and positive procrastination, and emphasizes the transformative potential of structured delay. Through candid stories and practical advice, Stacie provides listeners with strategies to embrace procrastination intentionally, boosting productivity and creativity in the process.   Today on Art + Audience: Introduction to Positive Procrastination: Stacie explains the concept of positive procrastination, which involves postponing non-urgent tasks to make space for more fulfilling and meaningful activities. She describes how this approach can help creatives harness their natural tendencies for better outcomes. Stacie’s Personal Anecdote on Podcast Launch: Stacie recounts her struggle with launching her podcast. After months of feeling pressured and uninspired, she chose to delay the launch. Once she relieved herself of the rigid deadline, her creativity flowed, and she was able to record the podcast with renewed energy. The Difference Between Negative and Positive Procrastination: Stacie discusses the characteristics of negative procrastination, such as avoidance and unintentional delays, and contrasts them with the intentional nature of positive procrastination, where tasks are postponed for strategic reasons. Harnessing Structured Procrastination: Drawing from Dr. John Perry's research, Stacie shares how structured procrastinators get more done by completing smaller, less urgent tasks while delaying bigger projects—without guilt or shame. Setting Up for Success with Intentional Delays: Stacie advises on how to plan tasks effectively, allowing ideas to mature over time. She emphasizes the importance of aligning deadlines with personal work rhythms, rather than forcing early starts that may lead to unnecessary stress and subpar work. Practical Tips for Overcoming Negative Procrastination: Stacie offers actionable steps, such as breaking tasks into smaller steps, setting "smarter" goals, and integrating rituals that can help shift from negative to positive procrastination.   Resources: Dr. John Perry's Work on Structured Procrastination Book: Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz Arthur C. Brooks' Insights on Positive Procrastination   Learn more about The Tillage Village: The Tillage Village is a community membership hosted by Shirlee Fisher for artists and creative entrepreneurs who desire support, mentorship, and professional development on their journey.  Shirlee Fisher is an illustrator and owner of the stationery brand, Quiet Lines Design, where she sells her products in over 250 shops in the US and Canada, including Paper Source and Anthropologie. She also hosts the beloved show, "The Tillage Podcast, " which has become a place providing mindset shifts, self-development, and encouragement to the creative entrepreneur.    Connect with Shirlee Fisher: Instagram: @quietlinesdesign  Website: quietlinesdesign.com Podcast: thetillagepodcast.com | @thetillagepodcast    Connect with Stacie Bloomfield: Subscribe, Rate and Review: Art + Audience Podcast Website: staciebloomfield.com | leverageyourart.com Instagram: @gingiber | @leverageyourart  Facebook: @ShopGingiber Pinterest: pinterest.com/gingiber Get the free 5-day email course at artlicensingplaybook.com