Artist Academy

After a $100K first 1/3 of the year, I’m now sitting here with zero projects on my calendar. How did this happen?! I’ll tell you in today’s episode of the Artist Academy Podcast.

I take full responsibility. I burned myself out in the first part of the year, going full steam ahead with work and socials. Then spring sprung in Missouri, and I had better things to do than outreach and painting for other people—things like gard...

In this week’s episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m kicking off a brand-new interview series—this time shifting the spotlight away from murals and onto artists who are creating and selling canvas work, just in time for the upcoming holiday season.

I sat down with Caroline Karp, a professional artist, teacher, and creative entrepreneur who’s built a vibrant career by painting what inspires her—o...

In this episode of the Artists Academy Podcast, I’m sitting down with the wildly talented muralist Mandi Caskey—aka Miss Birdy—whose colorful, whimsical work totally stopped me in my tracks on Instagram. We talk all about how she went from painting in tunnels for fun to getting hired to paint massive fantasy-inspired murals for cities, festivals, and corporate clients.

Mandi shares how a random graffiti hangout in c...

In this week’s episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m sitting down with muralist Lacey Hennessey to talk about how she went from painting coolers in college to building a full-time mural business. Lacey shares how she left her corporate job behind, fueled by a business-first mindset and smart use of social media to grow her audience and client base.

In this week’s episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m talking with muralist Naomi Haverland, whose dreamy, dimensional style is turning everyday walls into magical, mural-worthy moments. Naomi’s work is bold, playful, and packed with personality—and in this conversation, she shares exactly how she got here.

We chat about the early days of finding her voice as an artist and why she only ...

This week’s episode of the Artist Academy Podcast features Kendall Kippley, a muralist from Colorado who’s built a thriving career painting in the style she loves — and getting paid for it. 

Kendall shares her journey into mural-making, from an early art education surrounded by nature to apprenticing under an experienced muralist who showed her the ropes. We dive i...

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m giving you a peek inside the Artist Academy membership by sharing one of our core training videos—the second video you see when you join. It’s a step-by-step roadmap to becoming a professional muralist (keyword: professional, also keyword: profitable).

I break it all down: what to do first, how to avoid overthinking, and how to keep going when you inevitably hit those “what now?...

This week's episode of the Artist Academy Podcast features California-based muralist Hana Daly, who’s been creating murals professionally for over 20 years. If you’re the type of artist who just wants to show up and paint—without diving deep into the business backend—Hana’s story is going to feel like a warm hug and a gentle nudge forward. 

We talk about ...

In this episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, we dive into the world of Girls Who Paint Murals—Allison and Christine, a powerhouse duo who’ve been painting murals together for over four years, knocking out 1-2 projects every week.

They open up about how teamwork, clear communication, and leaving ego at the door...

In this episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m sharing some of my favorite painting and mural hacks, many of which I’ve gathered from YOU—my fellow artists—and from my own studio experience.

I’ll let you in on clever ways to use everyday household items like coffee cans, ladles, and silicone muffin trays to make paint...

In this episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m sharing Chapter 2 of Mural Money—a sneak peek into my book that walks you through the early days of building my art business, back when I had more determination than experience.

I’ll explain how I define luck as preparation meeting opportunity and introduce the ...

In this episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m sharing Chapter 1 of my book Mural Money and walking you throug...

This week’s episode of the Artist Academy Podcast is a <...

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes struggles that come with running a mural business—specifically the stress and burnout that can sneak up on you when you're trying to do all the things.

From overbooking to underpricing to saying “yes” way too often, I’ve been there. In this episode, I’m talking about how I learned (sometimes the hard way) to set boundaries, raise my rates,...

This week on the Artist Academy Podcast is a replay episode featuring Cleveland, Ohio-based muralist Lisa Quine.

I really enjoyed my chat with Lisa. She has this positive, honest energy that comes from someone who’s just come out of the thick of building her business—having figured out so ...

In this episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I’m sharing practical strategies to help you get started with murals and land your first job. If you're looking to build your portfolio and gain experience, here's what you need to do:

1. Paint a mural on your wall (or a friend or family member’s wall) of a design you LOVE and want to be hired for again...

This week’s May Mural Month replay episode on the Artist Academy Podcast features the social media-famous international muralist, Kiptoe.

I knew this guy had a ton of Instagram followers (285k), even more fans on YouTube (823k), and plenty of experience under his belt. But what I didn’t know about Kiptoe was that his hustle game is next-level—and that he started traveli...

This week's episode on the Artist Academy Podcast is all about mural meetups—what they are, how I plan them, and why they’ve become one of my favorite ways to mix art with adventure.

I’m sharing stories from recent trips to Florida, Costa Rica, Mexico, Barcelona, and St. Croix, where I teamed up with other artists to paint murals in exchange for accommodations (yes, you can trade your talent for a tropical stay :palm_tree:...

This week’s episode on the Artist Academy Podcast breaks down the results of my recently completed $100K in 100 Days Challenge.

Saying “yes” to this challenge pushed me to think outside the box, and it paid off big time. I ended up making over twice as much as I ever have in the first quarter. I’m spilling all the details—from the unexpected wins to the strategies that actually worked.

We’re talking Google se...