What if you could go from doubting you're a "real artist" to actually getting excited about your weekly newsletter?

In this inspiring Artist Success Stories episode, I'm sharing conversations with three incredible artists - Rochelle, Jessica, and Linda - who've transformed their creative practices and businesses over the past year. These aren't overnight success stories - they're real examples of what consistency and community can create.

Meet the artists and discover:

• How Rochelle started growing her email list and now wakes up excited about her newsletter content
• Why Jessica calls planning "a container for freedom" and how she learned to love every mark in her art - even during the "ugly phase"
• How Linda shifted from economics to art and now believes in the possibilities available to her as she builds her art sales on the side
• The surprising mindset shift that helped these artists embrace marketing as relationship-building, not selling
• Why starting with friends and family as your first collectors is actually a strength, not a limitation
• The simple tracking system that helped one artist realize she'd accomplished WAY more than she thought

Each of these artists started exactly where you might be now - questioning if they were "good enough," wondering if this could really work, and feeling overwhelmed by all the options. But they found their rhythm through consistency, community, and believing that small steps add up.

The common threads? They all found safe, creative communities, committed to small daily actions, and learned that marketing is really just sharing the heart behind their work.

Ready to write your own success story? The doors to Artful Selling close June 24th.

This intimate program combines practical business skills with AI tools and personalized coaching to help you build a sustainable art business around the work you love most.

Join us at artfulselling.com - because every success story starts with someone deciding to begin.

You can find all things

Rochelle Colgan @rochellecolganfineart on instagram

Jessica Fritz @jessicafritzart on instagram

Linda Glass @jerabyarts on instagram

What if selling your art online could work for YOU?

After 21 years of building a successful art business online, I'm sharing the 5 key insights I wish I'd known from day one. If you're wondering whether it's really possible to sell your art online, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why selling art is about so much more than just posting pretty pictures
• The one investment that will make or break your online art sales
• How to approach pricing from a place of confidence instead of guesswork
• Why showing up consistently matters more than getting likes or comments
• The simple strategy that prevents overwhelm when marketing your art
• Plus, my bonus insight about who's actually buying art online (hint: it might surprise you!)

I started with an email list of 8 people and no podcast listeners, but I believed it was possible and showed up consistently. That belief and consistency built the foundation for everything that followed.

Listen through the lens of "what if this works?" instead of doubt - because it really can work for you too.

Ready to create your plan? Join the Profitable Artist Planning Challenge starting June 16th at profitableartistchallenge.com

What if I told you that planning could actually be your creativity's best friend instead of its enemy?

In today's episode, I'm getting real about how my relationship with planning completely transformed - especially as a new mom navigating the biggest identity shift of my life. If you've ever resisted planning because it feels restrictive or anti-creative, this episode is for you.

I used to be that free-spirited creative who thought planning would kill my spontaneity and rob me of those magical moments of inspiration. I believed that "Artists" worked purely from flow, not structure. Sound familiar?

But here's what I've discovered: planning isn't the enemy of creativity - it's actually what creates MORE space for your creative flow to happen.

In this episode, I share:

• Why I used to resist planning with everything in my creative being (and the fears that held me back)
• How becoming a new mom made planning absolutely essential for my mental wellness
• Why "I don't have time to plan" is actually the biggest sign that you NEED to start planning
• How planning has become part of my creative practice and mental health routine
• The reframe that changed everything: planning as a container for freedom, not a restriction
• Practical tips for creatives who struggle with structure, including working with your natural energy rhythms

The truth is, when you have a framework to work within, you actually free up mental energy to focus on what matters most. Planning brings presence, peace, and perceptivity to your creative practice.

As I share in this episode, planning has literally become my best friend during one of the most challenging seasons of my life. It's not about perfection - it's about creating a practice that brings you back to yourself and helps you make progress on what truly matters.

If this episode inspires you, and you're ready to discover how planning can actually amplify your creativity while supporting your mental wellness, join me for the summertime session of the Profitable Artist Planning Challenge.

This is the perfect time to check in on what you set in motion at the beginning of the year, celebrate your progress, and create a sustainable plan for the second half of 2025. We'll go from big picture vision all the way down to your daily practices.

Join us starting June 16th at profitableartistchallenge.com - because the most successful artists aren't the ones who wait for inspiration to strike. They're the ones who create the conditions for creativity to flourish.

As this episode goes live, the new Creative Planner just arrived hot off the presses! It's undated for exactly this reason - so you can start fresh anytime. Grab yours at creativethursday.com before they sell out (they've sold out every edition so far!).

Welcome to another edition of Artist Success Stories.

In this episode I'm joined by 4 of our Alumni; Molly Ovenden, Anita Driessen, Cindy Scheule, and Jen Duregger sharing

• why saying YES is more important than saying NO
• how to finally stop making excuses and take yourself seriously as an Artist
• how to show up with consistency
• how BIG changes in your personal life can be the opening to following your dreams
• how sharing your gifts as a gift can spark a new career path

Doors to Artful Selling 2025 are OPEN starting now through Tuesday, January 21 @ 11:59 pm PST

🎨 Transform Your Art Business:

Craft your Art Sales + Marketing Plan for 2025 and beyond. Make more art, sell more art, and turn your dreams into reality.

💡 Get Clarity and Achieve Your Dreams:

This time, it's about follow-through! Having a Sales and Marketing Plan is the most effective way to confidently and consistently sell to your Ideal Collectors online. Let's build a thriving business that supports a life you love.

📆 Your 12-Month Product Launch Plan:

Know what you're creating, when you're launching it, and how to price it for PROFIT.

📱 Create Your Social Media Plan:

Unlock the secrets to impactful social media strategies.

📧 Create Your Email Marketing Plan:

Learn the art of email marketing for successful art promotion.

🌟 Ready to Make Selling Your Art Easy?

We can't wait to welcome you!

Join us

https://artfulselling.com/

You can find all things

Molly Ovenden @mollyovendencreativity on instagram

Anita Driessen @neetydee on instagram

Cindy Shuele @watercolourbycindy on instagram

Jen Duregger @jensheartstudio on instagram

No goal setting necessary.

12 months from now how would you like to feel about your time spent in 2025?

What matters most to you that you want to prioritize and focus on?

My first podcast back after welcoming home Baby Shay!

Four weeks in as a parent with a newborn, and already so much new insight on time management, and even more passion for the power of planning that I can't wait to share.

In this episode I step you through the 3 ways I'm defining what matters most in 2025 - no pressure, no goal setting -just creating a clear path forward.

And if you'd like to feel lighter, get more clarity, and feel confident about where you're focusing first this year, I'm hosting my annual Profitable Artist Plan, a fun and inspiring week together to help you create your ideal plan for 2025,

We start this Monday, January 13!

Save your spot here

https://profitableartistchallenge.shinepages.com/

Welcome to another edition of Artist Success Stories!

In this episode I'm joined by three of our Artful Selling Alumni; Lisa Kurt, Jessica Tepora, and Dionna Vereen sharing how

• they transformed self doubt and feeling scared into turning points in their creative business
• fear may be a clue to what's actually calling you
• making what you love affects your sales
• following your dream impacts the people in your life, especially your children
• it's never too late to come back to your dream
• developing your muscle for planning also develops so many invaluable life skills
• making Art helped heal during tragedy
• practicing 2 specific qualites can make all the difference in how you sell your Art

Doors to Artful Selling are OPEN for a special summer session starting now through Wednesday, May 29 @ 11:59 pm PDT

Join us!

https://artfulselling.com/

🎨 Transform Your Art Business:

Craft your Art Sales + Marketing Plan for 2024 and beyond. Make more art, sell more art, and turn your dreams into reality.

💡 Get Clarity and Achieve Your Dreams:

This time, it's about follow-through! Having a Sales and Marketing Plan is the most effective way to confidently and consistently sell to your Ideal Collectors online. Let's build a thriving business that supports a life you love.

📆 Your 12-Month Product Launch Plan:

Know what you're creating, when you're launching it, and how to price it for PROFIT.

📱 Create Your Social Media Plan:

Unlock the secrets to impactful social media strategies.

📧 Create Your Email Marketing Plan:

Learn the art of email marketing for successful art promotion.

🌟 Ready to Make Selling Your Art Easy?

You can find all things 

Lisa Kurt @lisakurt

Jessica Tepora @jessteporaart

Dionna Vereen @dionnarama

Marisa Cummings @creativethursday

What qualities do Creatives have in common that make adding a membership model to their business a perfect fit?

We'll tell you! In today's episode I'm joined by my friend and Mentor of 5 years and Membership Expert Stu McLaren to talk about the wild success Artists are seeing in the membership space.

And by success we mean, growing 7 figure memberships in just a few years, while inspiring art and creativity, and creative business skills for thousands of people across the globe.

It's inspiring, to say the least, to see this rapid growth of PROSPERITY and THRIVING in an industry that was once known for its starving, struggling mentality.

Days of the Starving Artist are gone as Creative Business owners today, myself included are changing the narrative forever more.

It turns out there is one single quality many of us share that makes Artists especially successful at starting, building, and running memberships.

In today's episode, we share

• what that one quality is among others that makes Artists perfectly suited to add a membership to their revenue streams
• how many different kinds of creative memberships there are with very specific skills being taught
• how to know if starting a membership might be something you want to do
• what owning a membership, not 1 but now 2! has done for me both personally and professionally

If this episode has thinking about what it might be like to start a membership or you have one going already but don't know how to grow it effectively, you're in luck because Stu's free workshop is happening now:

How to Turn What You Already Know, Love, and Do into a Profitable Business

Just click here to join the workshop for free

If I could go back and mentor my younger business self, the one who said yes to her dream of becoming a Professional Artist, the lessons learned that I share in this episode is what I would say.

Today, March 7 marks a celebration of not only 17 years of making a consistent living with my Creative Business but this February 2024 I celebrated 20 years since the very first Creativethursday.com site went live, featuring my Art work.

Back then I was so busy trying to make it all a go, that I didn't even know (or think I had the time) to intentionally hold a vision and actually plan out where I wanted to be 20 years ahead. For the longest time I was living in a pinch me state, wondering if what I was building wasn't just a temporary dream.

Turns out it wasn't a temporary dream, but one that would grow to help and support you in your Creative dreams too.

What would it have been like if I had the insight I have now when I first started?

That's the wish right, and yet it's the 20 years of lived experience starting, building, and growing my own business that was the ONLY way to gain this insight.

And now I get to share this wisdom with you, while also applying it to my vision for the next 20 years.

So, let's go! Together

In this episode I share 20 plus lessons I learned in 20 years of building Creative Thursday, covering a variety of topics from

• the power of intention
• keys to Creative Business Success
• how to navigate your business boundaries
• why knowing and tracking your numbers is essential
• what I wish I had known sooner

Gift for you! Download the 20 ways to make income as a Visual Artist

Click here to Download

Get excited! welcome to another favorite edition of Artist Success Stories.

In this episode I'm joined by three of our Alumni; Heather Harrington, Joanna Smith, and Marissa Parsons sharing

• how they first decided to follow their passion
• what's helped them find and keep the courage to pursue the professional Artist life
• how they show up with consistency
• the value of self-discovery + authenticity in the art-selling process
• the benefits of personalized mentorship
• the significance of community and support in building an art business
• why it's so important to celebrate accomplishments and stay grateful for the process
• and the transformative effects of choosing to join us in Artful Selling

Hip Hip Hooray! It's here! Only Open Once a Year!

Doors to Artful Selling are OPEN starting now through Tuesday, January 23 @ 11:59 pm PST

🎨 Transform Your Art Business:

Craft your Art Sales + Marketing Plan for 2024 and beyond. Make more art, sell more art, and turn your dreams into reality.

💡 Get Clarity and Achieve Your Dreams:

This time, it's about follow-through! Having a Sales and Marketing Plan is the most effective way to confidently and consistently sell to your Ideal Collectors online. Let's build a thriving business that supports a life you love.

📆 Your 12-Month Product Launch Plan:

Know what you're creating, when you're launching it, and how to price it for PROFIT.

📱 Create Your Social Media Plan:

Unlock the secrets to impactful social media strategies.

📧 Create Your Email Marketing Plan:

Learn the art of email marketing for successful art promotion.

🌟 Ready to Make Selling Your Art Easy?

We can't wait to welcome you!

Join us!

https://artfulselling.com/

You can find all things

Heather Harrington @lifeandwhim on instagram

Joanna Smith @joanna.smith.5876 on facebook

Marissa Parsons @marissaparsonsstudio on instagram

First ~ thank you for your kind messages about our recent loss.

Holiday time, depending upon how you like to approach this season, can be filled with long to-do lists, countless visits, parties, and celebrations, or if you're like me, a perfect time for a peaceful reset.

Very intentional about how we choose to spend Christmas, Sean and I often opt for a quiet celebration which leads to a perfect opening to dream, plan, and prepare for what's next.

Over the past few years of a rapidly growing business, this has been the best time to get caught up and reset, from organizing to planning along with getting a head start on upcoming projects, especially those happening at the start of the new year (get excited and save the date! the Profitable Artist Planning Challenge and Coaching week starts Monday, January 15)

On the last episode I invited you to send me your questions about time management, and this is the first in a series of 3 answering what you asked about the most with today's part 1 focusing on a very popular topic: Social Media, specifically how I plan my Social Media from content creation to posting.

In this episode, I share with you:

• the BIG mistake I see many Artists making when it comes to how and when they post to their Social Media
• what you must have clarity on FIRST to effectively post to your Social Media
• why it's important to understand your relationship with selling and being sold to
• how I like to plan my Social Media shares
• my best practices for planning and posting your Social Media content

See you January 15 for an inspiring + fun 2024 Planning session!

Join the Profitable Artist Planning Challenge + Coaching Week

we start Monday, January 15

Join the Artful Selling Waitlist

To get the latest updates, click here to join the Creative Thursday List

You can find all things Marisa and Creative Thursday

creativethursday.com

and on instagram and facebook

@creativethursday