The Professional Artist Podcast: Art Business Transformations

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

Originally from Australia and now based in Costa Rica, Pepa has built an international career completing 343 murals around the world in just nine years. 

Along the way, she learned that treating art like a profession also means understanding exactly what your work costs to create and being willing to charge accordingly.

In this episode, Pepa shares how undercharging led her to resent projects she should have enjoyed, what changed when she calculated the true costs behind her work, and why knowing your value helps you identify which clients and opportunities are actually worth pursuing.

“If you're serious about being an artist, being compensated financially for that is something that you need to get really comfortable with.”

— Pepa Ivanoff


Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:38 Entre Palmeras - A Studio Canvas

03:17 From Surfboards to Murals -  How It All Started

04:48 Questioning the Myth That Art Isn't a Real Career

07:25 Financial Freedom on Your Own Terms

09:15 Saying No More Than Yes -  Evolving the Commission Practice

11:15 The Bird of Paradise Mural - A Repeat Client

12:09 Having the Money Conversation Early

15:25 Getting Comfortable with the Money Conversation

16:47 How She Discovered She Was Undercharging

18:39 The Pilates Studio Mural -  A Client Who Became a Friend

19:29 The Starving Artist Myth

20:36 Final Advice


Connect with Pepa

Website: https://pepallama.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/pepallama/


Learn more about The Professional Artist Association:

Mentoring:

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Ready to take the next step in your art career?

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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.

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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.