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In this episode of
The Professional Artist Podcast, illustrator, painter, and educator Francis Vallejo is featured by the Professional Artist Association (
https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Francis is an award-winning artist and Associate Professor of Illustration at the College for Creative Studies.
Over the past two decades, he has built a six-figure creative business by combining multiple income streams, including original artwork, teaching, illustration, commissions, and publishing.
In this episode, Francis shares exactly how he built a business generating more than $120,000 per year, why so many talented artists struggle to reach that level, and the mindset shift that transformed the way he approached his career.
He also explains why artists should value their expertise like any other specialized profession and how diversifying income can create long-term stability.
"Art, in my opinion, can be an extremely profitable pursuit.”
— Francis Vallejo
Timestamps:
01:38 A Pivotal Illustration Project
03:53 The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Building Momentum
05:42 From Broke in His 20s to Six Figures: The Income Breakdown
10:54 The Alaska Residency and the Accidental Printmaking Discovery
15:08 Why Talented Artists Stay Stuck : The Mindset Shift
17:20 Talking About Your Work as a Problem You Solve
Connect with Francis
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Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery…
…this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck.
What is The Professional Artist Podcast: Art Business Transformations?
If you want to make it in the art world, talent is key - but so is mastering the business side. The Professional Artist Podcast is where fine artists and commerce meet.
Co-hosts Miguel L. Mayher and Cristina Demiany guide visual artists through an audio gallery, exploring how to show and sell your art, land commissions, apply for artist grants, license your art, and much more.
This is where your art career begins to grow.
Miguel L. Mayher is the Director of Education at the Professional Artist Association. Previously, he worked with Google Arts & Culture, striking partnerships with national museums. He is also a Global Economic Symposium Young Fellow and a One Young World Ambassador.
Cristina Demiany is a Senior Art Business Coach at the Professional Artist Association. She formerly served as Senior Program Manager at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and as Executive Director of the National Children’s Chorus.
The Professional Artist Association is a global organization dedicated to providing real-world education for visual artists, including painters, sculptors, and fine art photographers.