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How do you build a serious art career when you have limited time to make art?
In this episode of
The Professional Artist Podcast, realist painter
Nancy Hollinghurst is featured by the
Professional Artist Association (
https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists.
Based in the New York City area, Nancy is known for her vibrant still life paintings and has built an internationally recognized practice while balancing her own studio work with full-time employment in other artists’ studios.
Rather than waiting for more free time, Nancy developed systems that allow her to create consistently, stay focused, and make meaningful progress toward long-term goals.
Her approach is built on planning, prioritization, and understanding exactly what each day is working toward.
In this deep dive, Nancy shares how she balances full-time work with a prolific studio practice, why planning your goals may matter more than planning your days, and how structuring your time intentionally can unlock creativity rather than restrict it.
”Whatever your biggest goal is, go one louder. If you're aiming for even bigger than you think you can even get, you're still going to go farther than you thought you were originally”
— Nancy Hollinghurst
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:44 The Head Vase Series and Creative Process
04:36 Planning Systems and Production Schedules
05:46 Building Community Through Group Shows
06:39 A Magical Escape - Playing with Reality
08:01 Working at Jeff Koons, Amy Sherald studios and Colossal Media
11:03 Balancing Studio Work with Full-Time Employment
13:27 How to Start Planning Toward Bigger Goals
15:11 Engaging the Noose - A Self-Portrait
17:23 Student Debt and Alternative Education
19:17 Final Advice for Artists
Connect with Nancy
Resources
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We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track.
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.
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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.