What if you didn’t need galleries or perfect timing to build a successful art career?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, mixed media artist Dayo Johnson is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

For over 30 years, Dayo has built a sustainable career outside the traditional gallery system… through festivals, commissions, and direct relationships with collectors.

Starting with $50 booths and small local shows, she steadily grew her audience, income, and opportunities through consistency.

Rather than waiting for recognition, Dayo focused on showing up turning each sale into momentum for the next opportunity.

In this episode, Dayo breaks down how she turned small art shows into a full-time income, how commissions became a reliable part of her business, and the unconventional way she funds future shows through her collectors.

“ Even during times, when it feels like it's not working, continue on, keep going because there's going to be something that breaks through that allows you to do what you want to do.”

— Dayo Johnson

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
02:16 Wild Child with Sunflowers: Story and Origin of a Piece
05:47 Before Painting: Career Transition from Vocal Performance to Visual Art
08:39 Turning Art into Livelihood: $50 Shows and Keeping Going
10:10 Translating Music into Visual Art (Venus de Milo)
12:13 Vulnerability in Selling Art and Advice to Artists
13:49 Building the Business Over Time: Festivals First, Galleries Later
15:10 What Sustains an Art Career: Shows vs. Commissions Timing
16:29 Commission Approach, Volume, and Managing Big Assignments
18:26 Unconventional Funding: Collectives Program for Show Season
24:08 Commission Freedom and Creative Direction in a Door Piece
25:40 Staying Grounded and Avoiding Burnout Through Love of the Craft

Connect with Dayo

Website: https://www.dayoart.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayoart

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

What does success actually mean for an artist?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, contemporary figurative painter Alyssa Monks is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Alyssa is internationally known for her emotionally charged paintings that push the boundaries of traditional realism while exploring the psychological complexity of being human.

Alyssa shares why she resists the pressure to manufacture a perfectly cohesive body of work, how intuition guides her studio decisions, and how her definition of success evolved away from external validation and toward a practice built around honesty in the work.

This episode offers a candid look at what it means to build a career that protects your artistic integrit… and why redefining success may be the most important decision an artist makes.

“If that's what you're doing it for, for the recognition the metrics that are outside of our control, It can be something that could hold you back“— Alyssa Monks

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
02:04 Exploring Vulnerability in Art
04:50 The Journey of a Self-Portrait
08:29 The Impact of Grieving on Artistic Practice
10:57 Intuitive vs. Structured Creation
13:45 Redefining Success in Art
16:58 The Role of Community in Artistry
20:35 Finding Inspiration from Friends and Peers
23:18 Coping with Creative Blocks
26:01 Hope as a Fundamental Ingredient in Art
28:22 The Importance of Personal Connection to Work

Connect with Alyssa

Website: https://www.alyssamonks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssamonks/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

What does it take to turn deeply personal artwork into major professional opportunities?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, artist Charles Clary is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Charles is known for his intricate paper installations built from layered paper, drywall, and found materials.

His work transforms themes of grief and healing into immersive sculptural environments.

Over time, that distinctive visual language led to commissions from organizations including Google, Amazon, and the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas.

These opportunities didn’t appear overnight. They grew from years of refining his craft, building professional relationships, and learning how to present his work clearly when large-scale opportunities arose.

In this episode, Charles shares how personal expression became the foundation for major commissions, how he approaches corporate collaborations, and why professionalism matters when institutions come calling.

"Be ready for it, don't jump into the deep end until you're ready to swim. It took a good development of the work to get to those commissions” — Charles Clary

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
02:12 Transformation of Personal Trauma into Art
05:04 The Role of Childhood Experiences
08:18 The Shift from Music to Art
10:51 Discovering the Use of Paper in Art
13:21 The Evolution of Artistic Style
16:46 Corporate Commissions: Insights and Experiences
20:44 How to Maximize Opportunities
23:33 The Importance of Professionalism
25:28 Navigating Rejection and Acceptance
28:09 The Memento Morididdle Series
30:54 Key Takeaways for Aspiring Artists

Connect with Charles
Website: https://charlesclary.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlesclary

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:
Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:
https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:
Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:
Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:
https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

For many artists, the question isn’t whether they’re talented enough. It’s whether they can actually make this work full-time.

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter and ceramicist Christina Villa is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Christina has built a recognizable signature style through her Wave Portrait Series…sculptural paintings inspired by Lake Michigan and coastal travels.

But her career didn’t become sustainable on the first try. Her first attempt at going full-time failed… not because of talent, but because she didn’t yet have the structure to run a business.

In this deep dive, Christina shares how she rebuilt her practice with systems, accountability, and clear procedures. You’ll hear how her commission process evolved from stressful and underpriced to a reliable business pillar, how coaching helped her and what it really felt like to leave her day job for good.

This episode offers a practical look at what changes when you treat your art like a profession - and how structure is often the difference between a hobby and a full-time career.

”I had realized that up until that point, I was part of the reason that I wasn't able to make my business happen.”.

— Christina Villa

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
02:25 The Transition to Full-Time Art
04:15 The Impact of Coaching on Artistic Accountability
07:00 Transforming Commissions into Business Pillars
09:45 Learning from Initial Failures
12:20 Building an Art Business Framework
15:40 Importance of Community Support
18:05 Balancing Teaching and Artistic Practice
20:15 The Role of Commissions in Creative Growth
22:00 Breaking Stereotypes of the Artist's Life
24:30 Exploring New Artistic Horizons
27:10 Dealing with Challenges in Art Business
29:28 Reflecting on Gratitude and Growth
30:30 Closing Thoughts

Access the members-only full unabridged conversation here:

https://hub.professionalartist.com/c/deep-dives-vault/christina-villa

Links to artworks discussed:

• Her artworks can be seen in the YouTube version of this podcast here.

Connect with Christina

• Website: https://www.christinamvilla.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinamvilla.studio/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

• Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration:
• https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter
• Join ≈1,000 committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Free training and resources:

• Free training on how to find art buyers without a big following: https://professionalartist.com/find-your-next-3-fine-art-collectors/?utm_source=PODCAST&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2025-06
• Free insider report on how Painters, Sculptors, and Fine Art Photographers make their art income stable and consistent: https://professionalartist.com/report/?utm_source=PODCAST&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=free_report

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

How do you stay creatively sharp - and financially stable - after 40 years in the arts?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, illustrator, painter, caricaturist, and teacher Thomas Fluharty is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Thomas has built a four-decade art career by keeping multiple income streams at once: editorial illustration, commissions, teaching, books, and animation. Rather than chasing a single breakthrough, he focused on daily discipline, skill development, and long-term diversification.

From early mornings spent drawing Civil War figures as creative warmups to a late-night experiment with an indigo blue pencil that evolved into a 10-year signature style, Thomas shares how personal exploration often leads to unexpected professional doors.

Thomas speaks candidly about controversy, peer support, mentorship, and the responsibility of pouring into the next generation of artists. His philosophy is direct: be humble, be teachable, be patient… and study with great artists.

”I have fires going on. I'm not only in one area. I have five or six fires going on that I'm diversified with where I make money with my art”.

— Thomas Fluharty

Timestamps:

02:01 Introduction
03:50 Staying Creatively Sharp After 40 Years
05:36 Influence of History in Art
06:49 Development of Artistic Style
09:00 The Start of Thomas's Art Career
11:12 Distinction Between Illustration and Fine Art
13:21 Importance of Commissions in Artistic Practice
14:45 The Significance of the Hellboy Drawing
18:36 Peer Support and Its Impact on Art
20:08 Reflection on Sharing Knowledge with Others
23:07 Advice to Younger Artists
24:49 Final Thoughts for Artists and Art Professionals
26:01 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Connect with Thomas

• Website: http://www.thomasfluharty.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomasfluharty/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

What does it actually take to open a gallery as an artist … financially, logistically, and emotionally?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast , oil painter and gallery owner Krista Schumacher is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join ), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Krista is a La Jolla–based palette knife painter known for her bold, textured coastal landscapes. After committing to painting full-time in 2017, she quickly built a national and international collector base. She went on to found Krista Schumacher Art Gallery, voted Best Art Gallery in La Jolla in 2023 and 2024, and has collaborated with brands including Ferrari, Paramount Studios, and Hilton.

In this episode, Krista breaks down what it actually takes to move from selling individual paintings to running a gallery… including the financial risk, complex leases, and the constant logistics of managing a physical space. She also shares how commissions stretched her beyond her limits and why saying yes early created momentum.

This episode offers a direct look at building a gallery-driven art business… without losing creative control.

”Having a physical space where people could come meet you, interact with your art, see your work in person. Absolutely changed my career.”

— Krista Schumacher

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:34 Capturing an Iconic Landscape with a Personal Voice

05:37 When a Side Project Becomes a Career Path

10:47 Overcoming the Fear of Networking and Putting Yourself Out There

14:03 Taking on a Career-Defining Commission

16:58 Navigating Major Opportunities and Behind-the-Scenes Challenges

22:05 The Realities of Managing and Sustaining a Gallery

25:34 The Power of Mentorship and Creative Collaboration

27:11 Embracing Possibility and Building a Gallery on Your Own Terms

Resources

• La Jolla Art and Wine Festival: https://www.lajollaartandwine.com/

Connect with Krista

• Website: https://www.kristaschumacherart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristaschumacherart/?hl=es

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

What does it really take to build a sustainable art career online… without being salesy, aggressive, or losing the joy in your work?

In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, contemporary painter Marnie McKnight is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Marnie is an internationally collected Australian artist best known for her abstract paintings and Light Reading series. Emerging in 2016, she has become one of Bluethumb’s top-selling artists, with work held in private and corporate collections across more than 25 countries. Her paintings are defined by restrained palettes, emotional clarity, and a quiet warmth that invites viewers to slow down.

Rather than relying on traditional sales tactics, Marnie built her career online by focusing on visibility, consistency, and trust. She credits the internet with making her career possible… allowing collectors to encounter her work naturally and connect with it on their own terms.

In this episode, Marnie breaks down how artists can sell work without feeling like a salesperson, what actually helps collectors feel comfortable buying art online, and how steady, long-term sales are built through presence rather than pressure.

This conversation offers a grounded look at building an online art career rooted in joy, human connection, and a clear visual language that collectors return to again and again.

“What I'm trying to do in my art is actually get back the childlike quality of painting.

Just that rawness and that joy out of painting.”

— Marnie McKnight

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
03:13 The Importance of Joy and Human Connection in Art
04:19 Tips for Selling Art Without Being Pushy
05:26 The Impact of Online Visibility on Art Sales
06:44 Finding Inspiration in Literature
08:31 The Shift from Abstract to Figurative Painting
10:10 Building Personal Connections with Collectors
11:59 The Role of Color and Style Consistency
13:42 Navigating the Challenges of Online Art Sales
14:44 Creating Artwork with Meaning and Intention
16:51 Balancing Business with Artistic Expression
18:26 The Power of Community Support in Art
19:58 Encouragement for Emerging Artists

Links to artworks discussed:

• Her artworks can be seen in the YouTube version of this podcast here.

Resources

• Blue Thumb: https://bluethumbart.com/
• The Other Art Fair: https://www.theotherartfair.com/
• The Affordable Art Fair: https://affordableartfair.com/

Connect with Marnie

• Website: https://marniemcknight.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marniemcknightart/?hl=es

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income:

https://professionalartist.com/apply

Membership:

Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join

Free Letter:

Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week:

https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.

What does it actually take to build a serious art career without permission, validation, or institutional approval?
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, contemporary painter Robert Williams is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.

Robert is a foundational figure in the lowbrow and pop surrealism movements, emerging from 1960s counterculture when his work was rejected by the fine art establishment. Drawing from comic books, underground publishing, and narrative painting, he built a practice that challenged academic definitions of art while maintaining high technical standards.

For more than five decades, Robert has sustained a global career outside the academic system, building audiences and income through cultural communities rather than institutional approval. His work is now held in collections across every continent.

In this episode, Robert explains how to build a serious art career without permission… by aligning with real audiences, prioritizing narrative clarity over trends, and maintaining an uncompromising vision that endures controversy.

This conversation offers a direct look at what artistic independence actually requires beyond gatekeepers and validation.

“People throw rocks at me and I just keep going on. And I've got paintings in every continent on the earth and as happy as I can be.”

— Robert Williams

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:50 The Significance of "In the Land of Retinal Delights"
06:08 Early Inspirations from Comic Books
08:24 Transition to Punk Rock Art
10:40 Building a Career Outside Traditional Art
12:24 Navigating the Underground Comic Book Scene
14:10 The Impact of Abstract Expressionism
15:55 Challenges
18:30 Reflections on the Helter Skelter Show
20:44 The Evolution of Artistic Expression
22:00 The Role of Imagination in Art
23:30 Facing Artistic Rejection and Validation
25:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Creative Autonomy

Access the members-only full unabridged conversation here:

https://hub.professionalartist.com/c/deep-dives-vault/robert-williams

Links to artworks discussed:

• His artworks can be seen in the YouTube version of this podcast here.

Resources

• Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine: https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/magazine/features/robert-williams-the-godfather/
• Los Angeles County Art Museum: https://www.lacma.org/

Connect with Robert

• Website: https://www.robtwilliamsstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertwilliamsartist/

Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

• Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration:
• https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter
• Join ≈1,000 committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator

Free training and resources:

• Free training on how to find art buyers without a big following: https://professionalartist.com/find-your-next-3-fine-art-collectors/?utm_source=PODCAST&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2025-06
• Free insider report on how Painters, Sculptors, and Fine Art Photographers make their art income stable and consistent: https://professionalartist.com/report/?utm_source=PODCAST&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=free_report

If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.