Art Crush

In this special episode of Art Crush, hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn are joined by fellow The 51% Collective artists Jela Prancic and Susan Gardner for an episode recorded just weeks before their major, first-ever international in-person exhibition, The Wild Within, opening at the Artcore Gallery in Derby.Tune in as the collective breaks down how they curated their bodies of work—from mixed-media collage and wildlife portraiture to powerful storytelling about women's journeys, overcoming disempowerment, and stepping into creative power. Find out what to expect on opening night on October 23rd, why attendees are encouraged to wear their wildest velvets, and what special surprise awaits the first 51 people through the door.___Art Crush with Fi Marks (UK) and Paula Telizyn (Canada) is the art business podcast for contemporary artists, painters, and visual creatives navigating the modern art world. Two artists. Two continents. Infinite perspectives. From bypassing traditional art gallery gatekeepers and hosting independent art shows to pricing fine art, finding your visual style, and overcoming imposter syndrome, Fi and Paula deliver punchy, unfiltered creative advice every week. Whether you’re an emerging painter, self-taught artist, or running a full-time studio practice, subscribe for actionable art marketing strategies, creative mindset shifts, and artist community insights. Connect & Learn More:Fi Marks: ⁠fimarks-art.co.uk⁠ Paula Telizyn: ⁠paulatelizyn.com⁠ The 51% Collective: ⁠thefiftyonepercent.com⁠ Artcore Gallery: artcoreuk.com

Are you sending unsolicited pictures of your artwork to other artists or gallery owners without any context? In Season 3, Episode 35 of Art Crush, Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn dive into one of the most widespread—yet ineffective—marketing habits visual artists fall into: the "spray and pray" social media DM.Fi and Paula unpack why sending context-free artwork asking for validation or attention fails to build an art business. They explore how effective art marketing requires intentionality, answering the fundamental question: Why should someone give you their time, attention, or money?Beyond marketing tactics, this episode delves deep into mindset shifts, the power of active choices, eliminating unnecessary busyness, and taking bold risks in your creative life instead of floating passively.KEY TAKEAWAYS & TOPICS COVERED:The "Context-Free" DM Trap: Why sending unprompted art photos alienates potential supporters and how to fix your approach.The Buyer's Perspective: Asking "What’s in it for them?" to make your art posts, newsletters, and emails effective.The Power of Intentionality: Defining your "Why" in your studio practice, website, and social media strategy.Overcoming Passive "Busyness": Shifting from reacting to your day to actively making conscious life and career choices.Stepping Into the Discomfort: Why growth requires leaving your comfort zone, taking big creative risks, and refusing to settle.CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Introduction & Existing vs. Thriving in the Art World00:42 – Ineffective Marketing: Receiving Random Art DMs02:49 – Why Context & Clear Communication Matter in Art Marketing04:51 – The Power of the "Why" Question for Your Art Business07:54 – What’s in it for the Audience? Shifting Perspective09:53 – Existing vs. Living: Stop Letting Busyness Dictate Your Life11:39 – Life is a Choice: Taking Control of Your Responses & Priorities18:04 – Building Clarity in Your Brand & Personal Communication22:15 – A Real-World Example of How Context Drives ResultsRESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED:Art Crush Website: artcrush.co.ukThe 51% Collective: thefiftyonepercent.comFi Marks: fimarks-art.co.ukPaula Telizyn: paulatelizyn.comEnjoyed this episode? Hit follow on Spotify, rate us 5 stars, and share this episode with an artist friend!___Art Crush with Fi Marks (UK) and Paula Telizyn (Canada) is the art business podcast for contemporary artists, painters, and visual creatives navigating the modern art world. Two artists. Two continents. Infinite perspectives. From bypassing traditional art gallery gatekeepers and hosting independent art shows to pricing fine art, finding your visual style, and overcoming imposter syndrome, Fi and Paula deliver punchy, unfiltered creative advice every week. Whether you’re an emerging painter, self-taught artist, or running a full-time studio practice, subscribe for actionable art marketing strategies, creative mindset shifts, and artist community insights. Connect & Learn More:Fi Marks: fimarks-art.co.uk Paula Telizyn: paulatelizyn.com The 51% Collective: thefiftyonepercent.com

What happens when you pour your time and talent into a custom commission, only for the client to say, "I don't like it"?In Season 3, Episode 34 of Art Crush, hosts Paula Telizyn and Fi Marks dive into the tricky, sometimes emotionally fraught world of art commissions. From navigating endless revision requests to dealing with flat-out rejections, Paula and Fi share their personal experiences and hard-earned business boundaries.Whether you are a seasoned professional or a new artist terrified of sharing your work, this episode is packed with candid advice on protecting your time, your income, and your peace of mind.In this episode, we discuss:Handling Rejection: How to not take it personally when a client doesn't connect with a commissioned piece.The "Disconnect Point": How physical acts like varnishing or framing can help you emotionally detach from a finished painting so you can let it go.Managing Expectations: Why clear communication and setting firm boundaries from day one are crucial to a successful project.Pricing Your Work: Why you should be charging 25% to 50% more for commissions than off-the-peg art, and why taking money upfront is non-negotiable.Owning Your Expertise: Reminding yourself that you are the expert being hired—and why you shouldn't let non-artists dictate your creative process.Tune in for an honest conversation about the business of art, overcoming the fear of criticism, and learning how to confidently navigate client relationships.---About Art Crush:Hosted by artists Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn, Art Crush is your unfiltered look into the realities, struggles, and triumphs of running an art business.We tackle everything from deconstructing colonialism in the art world to mastering the modern hustle, delivering punchy, thought-provoking episodes designed to shake up your creativity.Listen and subscribe! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and your favourite podcast platforms.Connect with the hosts:Check out The 51% at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thefiftyonepercent.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Fi Marks' art at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fimarks-art.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Paula Telizyn's art at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.PaulaTelizyn.com⁠Catch up on the official Art Crush website at www.artcrush.co.uk

In this episode of Art Crush, hosts Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn break down the crucial lessons learned from organizing an independent artist-run exhibition. As they prepare for their upcoming "Wild Within" show in Derby, Fi shares her recent experiences taking full control of a space alongside three other artists, treating it as a successful dry run. They discuss why artists must stop waiting for traditional gallery approval and instead step up to create their own welcoming, engaging, and unexpected art events. In this episode, we cover:The Power of Presentation: The hosts discuss their strategy of wearing luxurious velvet at shows to project the image of successful, powerful creatives. This intentional wardrobe choice helps artists feel confident and signals to visitors that they are approachable members of the exhibition. Mastering the Meet-and-Greet: Fi explains the importance of welcoming guests like a restaurant host, offering them water, and providing seating to encourage "slow looking". Removing the awkwardness of a traditional gallery visit makes attendees much more likely to connect with the art and the artist. Investing in Photography: Trying to take your own photos during an opening night means you cannot properly engage with your guests. Hiring a professional photographer ensures you capture dynamic images of visitors interacting with the artwork, which is vital for marketing future shows. The Post-Show Deconstruction: Removing emotional reactions after a show and treating the outcomes purely as data helps artists figure out what to improve for their next event. Asking attendees how they found out about the exhibition provides essential marketing insights that you can carry forward. Making "Unexpected" Art: Traditional galleries often act as gatekeepers, pushing artists to create safe, commercial pieces that are guaranteed to sell. Fi and Paula champion creating bold, unique art that forces viewers to take a second look, even if it defies conventional expectations. Tune in to learn why forming a collective can empower your art business, and check the show notes for links to the fifty one percent collective and the hosts' individual websites. ---About Art Crush:Hosted by artists Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn, Art Crush is your unfiltered look into the realities, struggles, and triumphs of running an art business.We tackle everything from deconstructing colonialism in the art world to mastering the modern hustle, delivering punchy, thought-provoking episodes designed to shake up your creativity.Listen and subscribe! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and your favourite podcast platforms.Connect with the hosts:Check out The 51% at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thefiftyonepercent.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Fi Marks' art at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fimarks-art.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Paula Telizyn's art at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.PaulaTelizyn.com⁠

Welcome to a special episode of Art Crush! Hosts Paula Telizyn and Fi Marks are joined by guest artists Jela Prancic (Toronto) and Susan Gardner (Leicestershire) to discuss the final preparations for their highly anticipated 51% Collective exhibition. If you are an art lover in Derby, a regular at the Artcore Gallery, or a woman navigating your own creative business, this episode offers a beautifully candid behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a collaborative art show from the ground up. The group discusses the complex logistics of planning an international show, from figuring out how to safely transport mixed-media pieces from Canada in tubes to overcoming local mobility challenges. Most importantly, this episode celebrates the incredible power of women artists supporting one another. The collective shares how leaning into each other's unique strengths—whether that’s digital mockups, sourcing local gallery furniture, or handling marketing—made this exhibition possible. They also challenge traditional gallery norms, discussing why artists should take control of their own curation, lighting, and framing choices. Join us in person! "The Wild Within" opens at the incredibly supportive Artcore Gallery in Derby. The opening night is October 23rd from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM UK time. Come enjoy some nibbles, meet the artists, and experience the inaugural show of the 51% Collective! International Logistics: How Jela is preparing to travel from Toronto with her artwork in tubes. Overcoming Obstacles: Susan discusses navigating exhibition prep and curation while dealing with mobility issues. Breaking the Rules: Why the collective decided to mix framed and unframed pieces, challenging traditional gallery expectations. Community Support: A shoutout to the Artcore Gallery team in Derby for their unmatched enthusiasm and partnership. ---About Art Crush:Hosted by artists Fi Marks and Paula Telizyn, Art Crush is your unfiltered look into the realities, struggles, and triumphs of running an art business.We tackle everything from deconstructing colonialism in the art world to mastering the modern hustle, delivering punchy, thought-provoking episodes designed to shake up your creativity.Listen and subscribe! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and your favourite podcast platforms.Connect with the hosts:Check out The 51% at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thefiftyonepercent.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Fi Marks' art at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fimarks-art.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find Paula Telizyn's art at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.PaulaTelizyn.com