The Business of Art Podcast Mark McKenna

FINE ARTIST PODCAST

SUMMARY

Mark McKenna, a Western artist, shares his journey into the art world and his love for painting animals. He discusses how he initially considered a career as a dentist but was encouraged by a mentor to pursue art. Mark emphasizes the importance of painting what you love and painting consistently. He also talks about the significance of framing and the business side of being an artist. Mark shares his experience as a teacher and the influence of mentors like Greg Beecham. He mentions his upcoming online content and his involvement with galleries and art shows.

MARK'S LINKS

https://markmckennastudios.com

Facebook.com/markmckennastudios

Instagram.com/markmckennastudios

MARK'S PHOTOSHOP COURSE

https://thebusinessof-art.teachable.com/p/photoshop-for-artists/

TAKEAWAYS


Follow your passion and paint what you love.


Consistency is key in developing your skills as an artist.


Invest in quality framing to enhance your artwork.


Learn about the business side of being an artist, including marketing and record-keeping.


Mentors play a crucial role in an artist's growth and development.


Teaching and attending workshops can provide valuable learning experiences.


Balance family life and art by having a supportive partner.


Stay updated on upcoming shows and events to connect with art collectors.


Create online content to reach a wider audience and share your artistic process.

KEY WORDS

Mark McKenna, Mark McKenna Studios, The Business of Art, Western art, painting, animal art, art career, art mentor, art education, artist workshops, art business, framing art, online art courses, art galleries, art shows




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SUMMARY

Dave Santillanes, a landscape artist, shares his journey from being a graphic designer to becoming a full- time artist. He emphasizes the importance of painting outdoors and the impact it had on his work. Dave discusses the challenges of balancing a day job with his passion for art and offers advice for aspiring artists. He also explains his creative process, which involves starting with plein air studies and then developing larger studio pieces. In this conversation, artist Dave Santillanes discusses his approach to painting, including the importance of creating smaller studies before tackling larger pieces. He also talks about the challenges of maintaining freshness and brevity in larger paintings and shares his preferred tools and materials. Santillanes emphasizes the significance of shadows in creating atmosphere and offers advice for artists looking to market their work and build relationships with collectors. He encourages artists to embrace the journey and focus on the quality of their work.

DAVE’S LINKS

https://dasanti.com

https://www.facebook.com/dave.santillanes

https://www.instagram.com/davesantillanes.art

MARK'S PHOTOSHOP COURSE

https://thebusinessof-art.teachable.com/p/photoshop-for-artists/

TAKEAWAYS


Embrace the journey and understand that becoming a successful artist takes time and dedication.


If you have to work a day job, make sure it's not soul-crushing and allows you to maintain your

passion for art.


Start with plein air studies to capture the essence of a scene and then develop larger studio pieces.


Photos can be a helpful reference, but it's important to analyze color and values from plein air studies.


Having a supportive family can play a crucial role in nurturing a passion for art. Creating smaller studies before tackling larger paintings can help solve color issues and save time and energy.


Maintaining freshness and brevity in larger paintings can be challenging, but it's important to find the right balance.


Shadows play a crucial role in creating atmosphere in paintings, and studying shadows can greatly improve an artist's work.


Social media and participating in shows can be effective ways to market artwork and connect with collectors.


The art career is a journey, and it's important to enjoy the process and focus on the quality of the work.

KEY WORDS

Dave Santillanes, landscape artist, Artist journey, graphic design, full-time artist, painting outdoors, balancing your day job, creative process, painting, art studies, challenges as an artist, atmospheric perspective, art tools, art materials, marketing your art, art collectors, art galleries, art shows




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FINE ART PODCAST

SUMMARY

In this episode, Mark interviews artist Brent Cotton about his journey as an artist and his unique approach to painting. Brent shares how he was influenced by his grandmother, who was an accomplished artist, and how he started his artistic career by taking workshops and experimenting with different mediums. He discusses the importance of plein air painting and how it has shaped his style. Brent also talks about the challenges of working from photographs and the importance of pushing oneself as an artist. The conversation explores the importance of connecting with nature as an artist and the need to recharge creatively. It also delves into the process of marketing and selling artwork, including the role of galleries and the impact of social media. The conversation concludes with advice for beginners, emphasizing the importance of finding the right galleries, staying true to one's artistic vision, and balancing artistic integrity with financial considerations. Brent Cotton discusses his passion for creating uplifting and spiritual art that brings beauty and solace to viewers. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's artistic vision and finding joy in the creative process. Brent also shares his preferred palette and tools, including a limited color palette and the use of palette knives. He highlights the significance of lightfastness and permanence in choosing paints. While he currently does not teach workshops, he occasionally conducts classes for collectors and is open to the idea of teaching in the future.

BRENT’S LINKS

http://www.cottonfinearts.com/index.html https://www.instagram.com/cottonbrent https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cotton-Fine-Art/297899140234009

MARK'S PHOTOSHOP COURSE

https://thebusinessof-art.teachable.com/p/photoshop-for-artists/

TAKEAWAYS


The importance of mentorship and learning from other artists


The value of plein air painting in capturing mood and atmosphere


The challenges of working from photographs and the need for artistic interpretation


The importance of pushing oneself as an artist and trying new subjects and styles Connecting with nature is valuable for artists to recharge creatively and add authenticity to their work.


Marketing and selling artwork can be done through galleries, national shows, and social media.


Finding the right galleries and building relationships with them is important for artists.


It is crucial for artists to stay true to their artistic vision and not chase trends.


Balancing artistic integrity with financial considerations can be challenging but necessary.


Beginners should visit galleries, do their research, and not be afraid of rejection. Creating art that is uplifting and spiritual can bring beauty and solace to viewers.


Staying true to one's artistic vision and finding joy in the creative process is essential.


Using a limited color palette and palette knives can create interesting textures and effects in

paintings.


Considering lightfastness and permanence when choosing paints ensures the longevity of artwork.


Brent Cotton occasionally conducts classes for collectors and is open to the idea of teaching in the future.



KEY WORDS

Fine artist, artist, journey, oil painting, painting, plein air, creativity, recharge, authenticity, marketing, selling, art galleries, social media, trends, balance, artistic integrity, art, painting, spirituality, beauty, palette, tools, color lightfastness, color permanence, art workshops, art show, art shows




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Fine Art Podcast

SUMMARY
Dustin Van Wechel left a successful career in advertising to pursue his passion for fine art. He has earned numerous distinctions and has been featured in leading art publications. Dustin's journey began in his late 20s, and he started his career as a wildlife artist. He initially worked with pastels before transitioning to oils. He emphasizes the importance of painting from life and constantly learning and improving as an artist. Dustin's process involves creating thumbnail sketches to develop composition and narrative before starting a painting. Dustin Van Wechel discusses his process of creating wildlife paintings, including the importance of solving problems before starting a painting, using reference photos and sketches, and constructing animals using Photoshop. He also shares his approach to marketing his work, including writing press releases, establishing a brand, and using social media. He advises artists to avoid comparing themselves to others and to live below their means. Dustin also mentions upcoming workshops and shows he will be participating in.


DUSTIN'S LINKS

http://dustinvanwechel.com/

https://www.instagram.com/vanwechelart/

https://www.facebook.com/dustin.vanwechel/



MARK'S PHOTOSHOP COURSE

https://thebusinessof-art.teachable.com/p/photoshop-for-artists/

TAKEAWAYS
• Transitioning from a day job to a full-time artist requires sacrifice, dedication, and financial planning.
• Painting from life is crucial for developing skills and capturing the essence of the subject.
• Being a professional artist requires discipline and meeting commitments.
• The process of creating art can be challenging and not always enjoyable, but the
passion for the craft keeps artists going.
• Developing a strong composition and narrative is essential for creating impactful artwork. Solve problems before starting a painting to avoid difficulties on the canvas
• Use reference photos and sketches to guide the composition
• Construct animals using Photoshop by combining different elements
• Write press releases and send them to media outlets to promote your work
• Establish a consistent brand across different marketing channels
• Live below your means and have tight control over the pricing of your work
• Participate in workshops and shows to expand your market and network


KEY WORDS
Dustin Van Wechel, career transition, fine art, fine artist journey, fine artist, wildlife art, pastels, oil painting, painting from life, composition, narrative art, wildlife painting, problem-solving, reference photos, sketches, Photoshop, art marketing, press releases, brand, art pricing, art workshops, art shows


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FINE ART PODCAST

SUMMARY

Greg Beecham is a wildlife artist with a 46-year career. He emphasizes the importance of constantly learning and growing as an artist. His journey has been a continuous exploration of his vision and technical skills. He believes in striving for unity, simplicity, and beauty in his work. Beecham is fascinated with creating the illusion of mass, weight, and volume on a two-dimensional surface. He considers his talent, opportunity, and passion to paint as gifts from God and believes in pursuing excellence in art. In this conversation, Greg Beecham discusses his process of creating unified and rhythmic compositions in his artwork. He shares how he uses Photoshop to combine multiple reference photos and create a design that is simple and beautiful. Greg also talks about his painting process, including using a grid system and working with thick paint and palette knives. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on shapes and creating a united abstract composition. Greg also discusses the challenges and intensity of painting, as well as the importance of color theory and exploring different color harmonies. He concludes by sharing his thoughts on mentoring and the qualities he looks for in artists he mentors.

GREG'S LINKS
http://gbeecham.work
https://www.instagram.com/gregbeechamstudio/
https://www.facebook.com/gbeechamart/
https://twitter.com/gregbeechamart
http://tiktok.com/@gregbeechamstudio

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Alla Prima - by Richard Schmid (Original version)

Color Choices - By Stephen Quiller

MARK'S PHOTOSHOP COURSE FOR ARTISTS

https://thebusinessof-art.teachable.com/p/photoshop-for-artists/

TAKEAWAYS

·      Constantly learning and growing as an artist

·      Strive for unity, simplicity, and beauty in your work

·      Explore the illusion of mass, weight, and volume on a two-dimensional surface

·      Consider your talent, opportunities, and passion as gifts and pursue excellence in art

·      Creating a unified and rhythmic composition is key in artwork

·      Using Photoshop to combine reference photos and create a simple and beautiful design

·      Working with a grid system and using thick paint and palette knives

·      Focusing on shapes and creating a united abstract composition

·      The challenges and intensity of painting

·      The importance of color theory and exploring different color harmonies

·      Qualities to look for in artists for mentoring, and the best qualities of a mentee



KEY WORDS:

Greg Beecham, wildlife art, artist journey, unity in art, pursuing excellence in art, art, painting, oil painting, composition, design, reference photos, Photoshop, grid system, painting process, palette knives, texture, color theory, color harmonies, mentoring, professional artist, make a living with art, art gallery, art career, fine art, art show, artistry, artist's journey, art mentorship, artist community, painting techniques, art market, art exhibitions, art business, art mastery, gallery representation, commissions, portfolio, sales, artist workshops, artist resources, art education, passion to profession, industry insights, art studio setup, entrepreneurship, artist success stories, artist techniques and tips, art market trends, pricing strategies, social media, make money with art


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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebusinessofart/support

Welcome to the Business of Art podcast, hosted by Mark McKenna, a seasoned full-time artist with a passion for sharing the journey of fine artists. Through engaging interviews with professionals, Mark explores their personal stories, successes, and failures, offering invaluable insights and tips for aspiring and emerging artists. Drawing from his own experiences, including a BFA in Illustration and years as a high school art teacher, Mark delves deep into what he calls "the professional fine artist's journey." Whether you're looking to turn your passion into a profession or seeking continual growth in the art world, this podcast is your go-to resource for navigating the artist's life. Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe for more enriching content!


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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebusinessofart/support