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Just want to give you guys an update on the Romania experiment. We leave in a week, and will fly to Istanbul, then on to Bucharest. We'll be in Romania for just over three weeks, and in that time, we'll need to finalize the establishment of a business, open a bank account, secure the services of an accountant, scope out the art scene, and possibly look at some real estate. You know, your average holiday abroad. If you haven't been following our newest adventure, Bogdan and I have been running our art business here in Texas since 2015, and are now considering purchasing some property in Romania and living there for part of the year, or permanently.   We know that we can't sell our home and afford something closer to the city, and moving farther away from Houston (or any other large city) would only diminish our income more. The option then becomes for us to move to a place where we can afford to live off the proceeds of our art. If moving to a remote rural setting in the States won't work, we can move abroad, where our regular income will stretch much further. One possibility is Romania. So we've met with a Romanian lawyer, and an accountant, and the process has begun.    Owning a business in Romania will grant me a special visa, which will allow me to stay in the country for longer periods of time, and to earn money while I'm there.   As far as we can tell, once established, we could live comfortably in Romania for about $2,000 per month.  What would we stand to lose if we try to live both in the USA and Romania?  We're not likely to sell a lot to Romanians. But because Romania is in the EU, we can travel around Europe to art fairs and galleries.  But there's also the realization that living in Romania can be tough.  While I am moving to a new adventure filled with possibility and opportunity, Bogdan is moving home. He will be moving back to his family, who haven't been there for all of the changes he's made to his life, his values. In many ways, I think the move to Romania scares him more than it does me. I have to be super sensitive to that as we explore this new chapter in our lives.__________________________________________“Art Life Podcast with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Let me set the stage for our dilemma. We have a bit of cash now between our savings and money we inherited from Mom and Dad. We’ve looked around Houston, and indeed around Texas, and we simply can’t afford to purchase a property that would support our goals and dreams for the business. We do not qualify for a loan, since we’re freelancers and don't have a steady source of income.  Art sales have been improving after Covid, but those sales could evaporate at any time.  Selling art has severe peaks and valleys, and with no other stable income source, we cannot sustain this pattern forever. We will eventually run out of money. Here’s what I’m thinking.  We could also move someplace else, where we actually could afford to live, and still have access to a large art market…  We’ve done a couple of reconnaissance trips to Mexico, where our dollars would stretch farther, but Bogdan is feeling a real pull to return to Europe. There are places like Portugal and Spain that offer a cheaper life, but not all that much cheaper if you ask me. Then there is Romania… where we could afford quite a lot with our dollars, where we could live cheaply, have access through the EU to the rest of Europe as a market, and where we would be close to Bogdan’s family and aging parents. So we’re considering Romania as a strong contender. After living in Texas, the distances aren’t that daunting in Europe. I believe I could drive from Bucharest to Vienna in the same time as driving from Houston to Dallas, and I do that without a thought. We also wouldn’t have to give up on the States completely at first, and could spend a bit of time traveling between the two places for a while. But the most significant benefit I see is that I can purchase a piece of land, develop it into a place to live, to work, to expand the business, to house guests and collectors, as well as Bogdan’s parents when needed. I can live a simpler life, with more natural foods, access to adequate and affordable health care, and a rich tradition of support for the arts. So that’s what we’re thinking. If we can’t afford the life we want here, let’s find a place where we can. Once we are rich and famous, we can make other decisions for our lives and business. For me, right now, this seems like a simple choice. _______________________________ “Art Life with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Bogdan and I recently sat down with Jenny Guarino, a fluid artist who maintains a working studio in our building, Silver Street Studios in Houston. We’ve known Jenny for several years, and have not only been impressed with her amazing artwork, but as well with her rather ambitious annual travel schedule. Jenny and her husband are Australian, but her husband’s extended family still reside in Italy. They maintain a life in Houston, but regularly travel for extended periods to Australia and Europe as well.As Bogdan and I try to plot out the trajectory of the next phase of our art careers, we’ve been thinking a lot about the possibility of setting up a second home in Romania. Partly anticipating a time when his mother needs some additional help, but also realizing just how much farther our money could go in a place like Romania.Jenny was the perfect person to talk to. She has direct and ongoing experience as to what it is like to try to run an art business that can be run from a variety of continents, splitting time and energy between various studios, art markets, and collectors. By the way, if you’d like to check out Jenny’s amazing artwork, her website is https://www.jennyguarino.com/ or come by Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street in Houston.______________________________Season 2: Episode 9______________________________“Art Life Podcast with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston.John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.comBogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.comBogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopartPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineartBuburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Having a good week this week.  We've had some good sales at the studio, and it's looking like this may be a really strong month for us after all.  If you've been listening to other episodes, you'll know that we recently have been looking at buying some property in which to base our art business.   You may also remember that our plans pretty much fell through as we were unable to secure a loan as freelancers.  Looks now like we're staying where we are, and making some renovations to our home to make it more conducive to our plans.In the background though, Bogdan's family have been scouting around for some property in Plataresti, a small village about 30 minutes from the capital of Bucharest in Romania.  The idea is that, since our money can stretch so much further in Romania than here in the USA, we could buy and develop a property that would allow us some space and privacy, while still being close enough to Bucharest to take advantage of all the amenities and art markets there.Well it looks like they may have found a property that would be of interest.  It has some land, and already has a house on it, so there are already water, sewer and electrical hookups in place.  It is close to some family members, so in addition to Bogdan's mother being able to stay at the property and watch over it, there is an entire extended family around to help us manage the property when we're away.The real question then is, how present do we need to be in the USA, in Houston, to maintain and grow an art business here in the states?  How much do we need to be present in our studios here, and how quickly will we become forgotten or ineffective if we stay away for periods of time?  Is it possible that technology, things like blogs, vlogs, podcasts and social media can bridge those distances?  These are significant questions that we must weigh carefully when moving forward with any plans.   ______________________________Season 2: Episode 8______________________________“Art Life Podcast with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Today I would like to talk a bit about the 10 things we need from an art studio space to move our art business to the next level.   We must have a space that people will visit.  Where we are now, that’s not an option, not only because we are remote, but also those HOA restrictions we have to contend with.  Working from our home would require us to maintain studio space in Houston.  We have recently made the move to a much larger studio that Bogdan and I will share, which means that both of us will not need to drive into the city every day.  We can work from home often, and greatly reduce the amount of driving we must do.  The studio is a convenient, high end, and safe venue that people are happy to visit, and makes us look more successful and professional in our business. We must have a gallery space to show our work, and from which to make sales.  The current studio at Sawyer Yards in Houston takes care of that as well.  There is enough space for us to create a separate gallery section that is distinct from the day to day workflow of running the business.  We can check that off our list as well.   We also need to be able to have enough space to host events; collector evenings, meetings, classes, exhibitions.  The studio in Houston gives us enough space for these types of events, and already has parking, bathrooms, and the infrastructure to make that easy, safe, and inviting. We need to have a dedicated space for running a small business.  Again, the new studio provides the space we need for computers, filing systems, delivery address, etc. that allow us to run a business effectively. Sometimes we need to be able to work outside.  At the studio in Houston, we can’t really do things like use power tools, spray paint a canvas, use smelly varnishes, lay things in the sunshine to dry.  If we worked from home, we would have enough space for those types of projects.  We need adequate space to create our work.  Now this is a problem.  While the studio in town is larger, it’s not large enough to accommodate both of us working from Houston.  We could however, use the money we intended to spend on purchasing a new home to remodel and renovate our current house to meet these needs.  As it stands, we have a garage space, and a large covered patio that could easily be enclosed to create studios for each of us.  We can afford those kinds of alterations, and that would give us a lot of flexibility for working creatively from home. We also need adequate storage of art supplies, seasonal displays, event and catering supplies, chairs and tables, camera and lighting equipment, as well as completed artwork inventory.  We do have plenty of room for that sort of storage here at home, and with the purchase of a new van on the horizon, we could transport those things to and from the city with ease. We have to have enough room to continue to run professional photography and video production services.  That means we need space to set up backdrops, lighting, tripods, video prompters, and a place to photograph artwork, people, products, and anything else that helps support us financially.  The studio in Houston gives us that space, as well as an easy address for people to come to. We also need space and equipment for video production and editing.  I long for the days when I had a room that was already set up with lighting, backdrops, and cameras to create vlog, podcast and social media clips.  Having this set up in our home/studio environment is a must, and we have the room to do it. We need to have a place to live that is safe and comfortable.  We actually love our home, looking out to the lake, in a settled and safe community.  That issue is completely resolved if we stay where we are.

The importance of routine for creatives seems to me to be essential, even if we think we don't want it.  I have found that there is a huge benefit to my creativity, production, and work/life balance when I have a basic framework of order, schedule, and routine in my life.  I think you may have experienced the same.As artists, or creative professionals, we need to feel as though we are free to express ourselves without restriction, to have spontaneity, to follow the art where it leads us.  But I have found that when I have structure around my day, I can carve out space for that kind of freedom of expression much more effectively than when I don't.  So what is your dream day?  How do you allow yourself to be creative within a framework of routine?  Let's talk about it._______________________________Season 2: Episode 6_______________________________“Art Life with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Our art business has reached a crossroad, but that's not a bad thing.  Over the past 7 years, Bogdan and I have been able to create a small freelance creative company that somehow survived almost three years of pandemic.  Against all odds, and despite our total lack of preparation, we have built a collector base, and an inventory of art that sells consistently.  Of course, we don't yet sell enough to live off our art, but we manage to stay afloat due to savings that we accrued over the years.  Those savings are finite, and we know that we must take some big steps to create the environment necessary for our business to grow, and expand.  In order to do that, we need to make some significant changes in our lives.We're looking to purchase some real estate that would allow us to live and work from one place, be located near some art center, and give us the space we need to create our art, as well as grow the business over the next several years.  So we're looking to move.While this episode in our lives is exciting, it's also terrifying.  Tune in and get more of the story, or at least as much of the story as we know right now._______________________________________Season 2: Episode 5_______________________________________“Art Life with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Should we go to Romania?  Bogdan feels the need to return to Romania to somehow chronicle the story of refugees fleeing from the war in Ukraine.  So much to think about as we try to find a way to respond to what's happening in the world.  But as we struggle with the possibility of travel, we're continuing to create new artwork, prepare for a variety of art exhibitions and receptions, and even found time to do a road trip to Round Top, Texas.  Come along, and check out what we've been up to this week.________________________Season 2: Episode 4________________________“Art Life Podcast with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

We’ve spoken about the importance of goal setting, and laying out the matrix of how my objectives and activities fold in under those goals… but we haven’t spent a lot of time talking about how to make those objectives measurable. In my last post, I shared my concerns about giving us permission as artists to evaluate and measure our success based upon criteria that better suits our type of creative businesses. We should definitely do that. But the missing piece in my mind is how to create these specialized objectives in such a way to make them realistic and measurable in the world we work in. How will we know if we have met our goals? There was an interesting article published in 2019 out of Pepperdine University. While the authors, and those they interviewed, all grappled with the notion that an art career is unlike any other, some described it as a non-linear path, others as luck.  Kostin Anastaccia, & Karl Winter. 2019. “How Artists Measure Success”. Pepperdine University Graphic. http://pepperdine-graphic.com/how-artists-measure-success/ Obviously I’d rather be painting than doing my quarterly sales taxes, or posting my work on social media. But it seems so naive of us artists to keep repeating that mantra as though it were significant.   Everyone knows that. Everyone spends a good portion of their lives doing things they’d rather not do, just to make a living… so they can afford to do the things they prefer.  Most artists will have to purposefully, deliberately, and consistently work the business side of our art careers. In order to do that, we need to plan well, evaluate our successes and failures, and strategically move our creative businesses forward in a professional manner… including prioritizing creative output that is key to our business success. So how do we create those objectives that can be realistically achieved, and measured?  So best of luck in your own planning. And as you work hard to create strategic plans that will catapult your creative business into your wildest dreams, I know, … you’d rather be painting. ________________________Season 2: Episode 3________________________“Art Life Podcast with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Last year I spent a lot of time struggling over creating realistic goals and objectives in my art business, because I felt like I was stretching ideas and strategies in an awkward way. I don’t mean to suggest that as an artist I don’t need goals and objectives, but rather that I didn’t feel completely comfortable that I was measuring the right things. It just didn’t feel right. So I set myself the goal of understanding why I felt that I was trying to put a square peg in a round hole when planning my art career.  I think the main obstacle I faced was my unwillingness to assign the same measures for success to my creative life. Think about it. If you’re running a shop selling buttons, a big measure for you success would be the money you make from those sales. Makes sense. And the company that sells more buttons is considered to be more successful than those who sell fewer. Again, makes sense to me. And further, if a button store sells little to no buttons, it’s hard to imagine that store as having any success at all. Apply the same notion now to art. Can you be successful as an artist and not make money? Well, yes. I think we can all point to numerous examples of artists who are remarkably talented, who do great work, and yet they’re not making money… at least not while they’re alive. So if you’re measuring your success as a creative, it’s easy to miss the measures that matter most in our field. I tried to approach the problem in a different way. I decided to create a list of 5 living artists that I admired, and then associate one word to each. Why did I admire each artist? The hope was that if I could identify real-life examples of creatives I found inspirational, that might help me identify what I considered success to look like. I realize that this list may be different for each of us, but that’s ok.______________________Season 2: Episode 2______________________“Art Life Podcast” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Quick review of John and Bogdan's business objectives for 2022.  Goal setting is so important in any business, but particularly so in a freelance, creative environment.  Even if you're the only person in your art business, it is imperative to have an organized plan for your year, even if you make changes along the way.  A goal without a plan is just a dream._______________________________________Season 2: Episode 01_______________________________________“Art Life Podcast with John & Bogdan” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

“Conversations for Freelance Creatives” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

This week Bogdan and I talk about Q4, and the need to be ready to sell during this holiday season.  So many businesses sell more in this quarter than in the rest of the year, and art sales should be no different.  We're getting ready for our big biannual sale at Sawyer Yards in Houston (October 2), as well as beefing up our online presence to catch those holiday shoppers.  Let's face it, art sells as an impulse purchase, so we need to position ourselves to be in the right place when those impulses hit. In preparation for the 4th quarter rush, both Bogdan and I have prepared a lot of new work for sale.  Bogdan has more of the sculptural photography pieces, and more local images of Houston and Texas in the studio.  I have loads of work framed and ready to go, as well as the new work I'm preparing for the PRPGMX Art Lab program I'm enrolled in, and the commission work I'm finishing up.  Should be a great event, and the inauguration of a great buying season.The annual photography festival and exhibition is wrapping up in Tucumán, Argentina, where Bogdan has been showing his work since August.  He is about to exhibit in a juried show in Poughkipsee, New York in November.  We also met with Micheal Swank at PRPGMX in Mexico City about Bogdan having a show in his gallery there, as well as him serving as a juror for future photography shows at the gallery, and an invitation for him to curate photography shows at the gallery as well.  Don't know what we did before we met you Micheal, but we're awfully glad we did.I was honored this week with an invitation to serve as an Ambassador for Read Pakistan, a remarkable NGO that is doing some amazing work around the work in support of reading, and libraries.  So excited and honored to be working with them._____________________________Season 1, Episode 25_____________________________“Conversations for Freelance Creatives” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston.John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.comBogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.comBogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopartPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineartBuburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

We've been working on upgrading Mom and Dad's house to use as a home studio, and that work continued this week as well.   We've been working a lot on creating art this week.  I (John) have been working on a commission, and Bogdan on some new ink work on paper. Bogdan was also accepted into a group, juried show in Poughkeepsie, New York, at a gallery called The Trolley Barn, and I started the new session of the Art Lab with PRPGMX Gallery in Mexico City with Micheal Swank. We also visited other artists.  Marisol Valencia and Falon Mihalic are local artists that asked Bogdan to take some fine art photographs of their amazing artwork, and Elena Sandovici had a special event at her lovely Houston home for collectors and friends.  It's always great to spend time with other artists.  “Conversations for Freelance Creatives” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business.  John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.comBogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.comBogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanonins...John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopf...Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopartPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfin...Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Just got back from our week-long trip south of the border to beautiful Guadalajara, Mexico.  Bogdan was lucky enough to be included as an artist in the first annual FAIN Art Fair in Guadalajara.  FAIN is a group out of Argentina, who I believe last year did their first fair in Mexico City, and this year have expanded their reach to three Mexican cities: Monterrey, Guadalajara, and the capital.  The entrance is free, but the curation process is such that Bogdan's photography was accepted, while my abstract work was not.  So although they bill the event as being designed for emerging artists, they do have some pretty good curation going on.   Not just anyone gets in.We tried to figure out how we would get 11 framed photographs to Mexico in our luggage, and it became quickly apparent that they weren't going to fit.  Even if we were to have been able to package them all together, neither of us would have been able to carry them onto a plane.  So we decided to contact a printer/framer in Guadalajara and produce the images in Mexico prior to our arrival.  I can't tell you what a delight it was to work with Paulina and her team.  They printed the images on high quality paper, provided us with cut plexiglass, and allowed us to show up before the event and construct the framed work in their offices.  That was an added expense for us, beings how we already had the work printed here at home, but we were able to save a lot of money, as the whole process was much less expensive that it would have been here at home.  For some reason, it is prohibitively expensive to ship things to Mexico from the States, and apparently, it's not nearly as expensive to ship the other direction.  Printing in Mexico also meant that we didn't need to worry about transporting anything across the border.The show itself was very well attended, and I believe Bogdan's work was a hit.  We saw hundreds of people over the three day event, and everyone seemed legitimately interested in the art.  I don't know if it was because there was an entrance fee for admission, or perhaps it was because the show was new to town, but there seemed to be a very high quality to the crowd, and they seemed to really be into his work.  I can't remember when I last spoke to so many people about the "story" of Bogdan's photos.  It was quite rewarding, and quite inspirational for us both.  I've never been to an art fair as a vendor, but if this experience was typical, art fairs are definitely the way to go.  At the end of the weekend, Bogdan sold only one photograph, but to a young woman who's story blew us away.  She is a great art lover, and has a very stressful IT job.  She was talking with a counselor, who suggested that she needed to develop passions outside work, and challenged her to actually start to collect art as a hobby.  She researched the fair's online catalog, and fell in love with a particular photograph of Bogdan's.  Being a dutiful and responsible person, she waited until the fair began, and she visited all seven gallery sites before circling back to purchase her first art investment, Bogdan's image.  She was so excited, and such a lovely person.  That alone made the trip worthwhile.So at the end of the day, we spent a lot more than we made at the fair.  Was it worth it?  I think it was.  Bogdan met and chatted with a lot of people who he would never have met otherwise, and obtained over a hundred followers on social media over the three days.  We met other artists, made contacts with framers and printers like Paulina, and we squeezed in a sort of a vacation.  There's no doubt in my mind that the event was a success, and one I would repeat any time in the future.

In this podcast, John talks about how puzzling it is to try to determine why someone listens to a particular podcast or vlog series, and not another.  The question then arises as to what are the reasons that the listeners of this online content in particular listen to Conversations for Freelance Creatives.  People gravitate to a variety of online content based on their needs for authoritative information, entertainment, and some degree of escapism.  Perhaps the latter, a lifestyle type format would make the most sense.  _________________________________Episode 22_________________________________“Conversations for Freelance Creatives” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston. John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/ John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Lots going on this week.  John was able to deliver all but one of the Panca Marga paintings purchased at the gallery opening last month, and place all of the unsold artworks in the studio.  Bogdan is busy reinventing some beautiful line art drawings and illustrations with hand embellishments and gold foil.  He has also bee working more on his sculptural photography, and getting it all ready for the open studio art events for the next two weeks.  Both Bogdan and John were honored by being accepted in the 37th annual open juried show hosted by the VAA, Visual Artists Alliance here in Houston.  This year the juror is quite impressive, Dr. Henry Cooper, PhD, Senior Curator and Head of Modern Art at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.  It is a huge honor to get into the show, and the thought that Dr. Cooper spent time looking at, and selecting, our work is honor enough.  Otherwise, we've both just been working hard to create new art pieces for the studio, and continuing to search for exhibition opportunities.  Bogdan was accepted into the FAIN show in Guadalajara and we'll be flying to Mexico later this month.We're also looking at doing some work on my parents' home to turn it into a proper art studio.  We hope to use the space as a place for painting, sculpting, framing, stretching, storage, and a center for all the administrative business aspects of running a small art business.  If all goes well, we may be able to give up one of the studio spaces we're renting in Houston, and make the house here in Huntsville the center of our operations.  We'll keep you posted.“Conversations for Freelance Creatives” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston.John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.comBogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.comBogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopartPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineartBuburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

So let's look back at the past year or two.  People who started working from home pivoted, ordered things on their computers, home schooled their kids, created virtual work spaces, and actually saved a lot of money.  Many of these people, since they were spending so much time at home, began projects around the house, beautified their homes, and sought out entertainment and enrichment online.  Reports are that artists who already had the infrastructure and presence to sell online often did as well or better in their 2020 sales than before the pandemic began.   This was a wake-up call for us, since in our art business, we really hadn't built that online presence to the degree that we could benefit from this sudden shift.  We had websites, and online stores, but virtually no content available, and nowhere near the reach we needed.  We overhauled our websites and online shops.  We started marketing like crazy, filling social media feeds with our faces and our artwork.  We created new content online through YouTube vlogs, video and audio podcasts, and a weekly blog.  We joined online groups of artists and art collectors, we participated, joined in, commented, and did some guest appearances.  We did all that in the past year and a half, and have noticed that we are slowly building a base of followers and collectors.  For me the real struggle is not shoveling out the money to advertise, but rather knowing where to shovel.  I think many of us conflate the terms marketing, sales, advertising and publicity.  I think they could all arguably be part of marketing, but the other have very different strategies and outcomes.  If we can agree to use marketing as the larger term, the umbrella under which the other terms shelter, then what do the other terms mean?  I look at any marketing strategy as forward-looking.  While marketing as a whole enhances the knowledge of and presentation of my art and my career as an artist, advertising becomes the precise steps that I take to present and sell my paintings, and enhance my visibility as an artist.  So there may be any number of advertising campaigns employed to achieve one marketing goal.  So then what is publicity?  Well if advertising is forward-looking, then publicity is about right here, and right now.  If advertising is about planning, then publicity is about responding.  So let's just talk about advertising.  I mean planned, calculated, and measurable ad campaigns.  What does that look like for an artist?  __________________________Season 1, Episode 20__________________________“Conversations for Freelance Creatives” is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Bogdan is a videographer and fine art photographer who constantly seeks to stretch the boundaries of traditional photographic work, with the added flare of his artistic eye.  Both artists’ work can be seen online, or at their studios at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, in Houston.John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.comBogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.comBogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/John’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopartPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineartBuburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Tune in to hear the continued progress toward John's first solo art exhibition.  The invitations are in, the catalogs are printed, and the artwork is framed.  All that has to happen now, in the month preceding the show, is to find enough people to show up for the event, who will buy all of the paintings on opening night, and eat all the catering he's paid for.   No pressure... I mean, what could go wrong?_________Episode 19John Bishop Fine Art's "Conversations for Freelance Creatives" is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. His work can be seen online, or at his studio at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, Studio 108, in Houston. Website: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com

I was finally able to finish all 20 of the paintings, and I’m busy now getting them varnished, wired, and framed.  But now the event really gets cute.  I’ve had a couple of engraved stamps made, one about 3 inches in diameter and the other only 1 inch around.  I’m stamping the back of each painting with the red series logo, and will stamp the certificates of authenticity with a logo in sealing wax. Then I’ve had tiny lapel pins engraved with the logo so that each collector can get a pin acknowledging them as collectors of the Panca Marga series.  As we’ve been discussing for weeks now, we know that as creative entrepreneurs, we have to wear all sorts of hats, and become competent in all sorts of fields in order to run successful art businesses.  We’ve also spoken about how all of the planning, marketing, publicity and sales will have to be done by me, because there’s no way I can afford to outsource all of those tasks.   But the part that will make or break the evening is the quality of the experience… and that falls to me to organize as well. I believe with all my heart that people come to art venues as much for the experience of shopping for art as they do to actually acquire art.  I’m referring to the true collectors, who likely go to a variety of art events around town, and have particular artists they follow, even if from a distance, to see what work they’re producing.  These folks expect more than just an open door and a smile when they enter.  They’re looking to see the art, chat with the artist, hear the stories of the pieces they like, and only then, iff all the stars align, they’ll make a decision to purchase something they love.  If I develop a relationship with them, they may continue to buy my art over many years to come. __________________________________________________________________John Bishop Fine Art's "Conversations for Freelance Creatives" is a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels.  We want to discuss what we’re learning, what we’ve experienced, and whom we’ve met in our journey of running a freelance creative business. John Bishop is a visual artist living in Houston, Texas. His work is largely abstract, and explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. His work can be seen online, or at his studio at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street, Studio 108, in Houston. Website: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com Bogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com