The Art Coaching Club Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Ekaterina "Kat" Papova, artist, founder of Create Magazine, and creator of The Art Queens community, to talk about the messy, unglamorous path from making art in your dorm room to running a real business around it. We swap stories about our earliest Instagram days, the websites we obsessed over and rebuilt a dozen times, and the moment we each realized that waiting for the "perfect" setup was just another way of stalling. Kat shares how she built Create Magazine and The Art Queens out of a genuine hell-yes moment, and how she decides which ideas are worth chasing versus which ones just need to sit and simmer. We also get into email lists as a safety net against Instagram's chaos, why bootstrapping before you invest in a fancy rebrand actually pays off, and how knowing your numbers (even the ones that sting) changes what you make and how you price it. Kat's new book with Chronicle Books was about to launch when we recorded this, and she talks about what it took to get there. If you've ever felt paralyzed by a blank Instagram bio or a spreadsheet, this one's for you.

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This week's rewind takes us back to one of my favorite conversations, with watercolor artist, live wedding painter, and podcaster Paige Lindsey. Paige got laid off in March 2020 and turned that gut-punch into Paige Lindsey Design, but the real story starts years earlier, with a BFA program that left her feeling like a failure and a paint-and-sip studio that taught her more about running a business than art school ever did.

We get into all of it. The scholarship trip to Italy that gave her the confidence to come home and start over. How markets, workshops, and a wildly successful bridal bouquet giveaway during lockdown built the foundation for the business she runs today, one that now spans commissions, live wedding painting, workshops both online and in person, and her own podcast.

Paige is also refreshingly honest about the parts nobody posts about: therapy, an early labor she suspects was brought on by overdoing it, and the ongoing work of unlearning hustle culture now that she's a mom. If you've ever felt like your path has to look tidy to count, or like you need a mentor to show up before you're allowed to start, this one's for you. Paige's advice, plus her plans for teaching other artists how to build corporate and small-business partnerships, might be the nudge you need this Friday.

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We're bringing back a favorite from the archives! This week, we're replaying Episode 26, featuring artist Megan Daisy Milner. Even though this conversation originally aired years ago, the insights are just as relevant today.

In this episode, Megan shares her journey as an artist, how she expanded her business into textiles and wallpaper, the importance of professional photography in building an art brand, and how she balances motherhood with running a successful creative business.

Whether you're discovering this episode for the first time or giving it another listen, we hope you'll find inspiration and practical advice for growing your own art career.

Follow Megan's work:
• Website: Megan Daisy Milner
• Instagram: @megandaisymilner
• Explore her collection at The Scouted Studio
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Fan Favorite Friday Replay

This week, we're bringing back one of our most-loved conversations with artist and entrepreneur Adam Trest.

In this episode of The Art Coaching Club Podcast, I sit down with Mississippi-based artist Adam Trest to explore how he transformed his distinctive, pattern-rich artwork into a thriving creative business that extends far beyond the canvas.

Adam shares his journey from traditional fine art and portrait painting to developing a recognizable style that now lives across products, licensing partnerships, fabric collections, tile designs, and more. Along the way, he offers candid insights into building a sustainable art career, growing a loyal audience, and balancing creativity with business strategy.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

• How Adam discovered and refined his signature artistic style

• His transition from fine art to licensing and product design

• Lessons learned from launching a wholesale business and retail storefront

• Why email marketing has been one of his most valuable business tools

• The role storytelling plays in building a memorable brand

• Advice for artists looking to diversify their income and expand beyond original artwork

Whether you're interested in licensing, product development, audience building, or simply hearing how another artist has successfully navigated the business side of creativity, this episode is packed with practical insights and inspiration.

Enjoy this Fan Favorite Friday replay, and be sure to check out Adam's work on his website and Instagram.

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This week I'm revisiting my conversation with Catherine Dolaher, founder of CD Arts Management, and honestly it holds up. We talk about what an artist manager actually does day to day, how Catherine went from working with Riley Sheehy to building her own management company, and why the gap left by galleries has created a real need for this kind of behind-the-scenes support. We also get into the in-person sales trend that's quietly moving a lot of work right now, why three great designer relationships can outperform forty, and the one investment Catherine says artists need earlier than they think. If you've ever wondered what it would look like to have someone in your corner who isn't a gallery, this one is worth a revisit.

https://www.cdartsmanagement.com/

https://www.instagram.com/catherinedolaher/

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