The FASO Podcast

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https://artists.boldbrush.com/p/the-faso-show

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For today's episode, we sat down with Nicole Troup, a Pennsylvania-based portrait artist and instructor who specializes in oil and charcoal commissions, leads workshops both online and in person, and runs her storytelling-driven nonprofit initiative, Portraits for a Cause. Nicole emphasizes the importance of saying yes to opportunities such as exhibitions, workshops, and collaborations, even when they feel outside your comfort zone, because those “yeses” often open unexpected doors for your career. She advises artists to join local and national art organizations, both for community and for the practical benefits of newsletters, exhibition calls, teaching opportunities, and referrals. Nicole stresses branding yourself clearly (for her, branding herself as a portrait artist) so that when someone needs that specific kind of work, your name comes to mind. In terms of style and artistic voice, she recommends looking more at your own work than at others online, building on what feels natural such as your own brushstrokes, colors, and tendencies, instead of constantly comparing yourself. For balance, she suggests setting clear work hours and boundaries so art doesn’t eclipse health and family, and using a separate studio space if possible to reduce distractions and increase focus. Finally, she encourages artists to follow what genuinely excites them because that intrinsic motivation is what sustains a long-term, meaningful art career. Don't forget to check out her website to see her upcoming workshops such as her upcoming online workshop with the Scottsdale Artists’ School, and her art retreat “Sketchbook Adventures in Italy".
Nicole's FASO site:
nicoletroupmasterpiece.com/
Nicole's "Portraits for a Cause":
nicoletroupmasterpiece.com/collections/139905
Nicole's Upcoming Workshop "Sketchbook Adventures in Italy":
hotelleonemarche.com/en/retreats/art-retreat-italy/sketchbook-adventure-in-italy-nicole-troup/
Nicole's Social Media:
instagram.com/nicoletroupmasterpiece/
facebook.com/nicoletroupmasterpiece/
Nicole's YouTube Channel:
youtube.com/@nicoletroupmasterpiece

Join our next FASO Show Live!
https://artists.boldbrush.com/p/the-faso-show

Learn the magic of marketing  with us here at BoldBrush!
boldbrushshow.com
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For today's episode we sat down with JM Brodrick, a wildlife painter originally from Detroit, Michigan, who trained early under her Finnish grandmother and now creates large, ethereal acrylic works that often get mistaken for oils. She explains her deep connection to wildlife—especially birds and white animals—and how she merges realism with abstraction, inspired by double-negative film accidents and her dislike of traditional, detailed backgrounds. JM describes her years in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she balanced single motherhood, a full-time career in commercial insurance, and work as a composite artist for law enforcement, all while steadily pursuing her art on evenings and weekends. She talks about the fear and liberation of going full-time in 2005, emphasizing how competitions, self-criticism, and painting faster pushed her to continually “up her game.” As business advice, she recommends watching the market while staying true to your voice, using an 80/20 balance between gallery-friendly work and more experimental competition pieces, and always investing in archival, professional materials. For artists who want to go full-time, her core guidance is to never give up on yourself, build strong drawing and color foundations, learn from “failed” paintings, be disciplined with time, and accept that a job along the way can be part of what ultimately makes you a better, more resilient artist. Finally, JM tells us about her upcoming participation at an exhibition with the American Professional Artists League at the Salmagundi Club and an upcoming group show at Cole Gallery.
JM's FASO website:
jmbrodrick.com/
JM's Instagram:
instagram.com/j.m.brodrick/

Join our next FASO Show Live!
https://artists.boldbrush.com/p/the-faso-show

Learn the magic of marketing  with us here at BoldBrush!
boldbrushshow.com
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Welcome back to another compilation episode. Today's topic is the one almost every artist either loves to hate or just quietly avoids: marketing. Social media, email lists, galleries versus going direct. We pulled the most practical, most repeatable advice on this from across the show's run. No growth hacks, no algorithm tricks that'll be outdated by the time you hear this; just the stuff that actually holds up. Let's get into it. 
Guests in order of appearance:
32 Jason Polins
114 Kyle Stuckey
12 Clint Watson
132 Keith Bond
61 Nanci France-Vaz
14 Jeanne Rosier Smith
33 Diego Glazer
71 Matthew White
125 Mary Aslin
117 Poppy Balser
118 Shuang Li
133 Ginny Butcher
52 Sarah Sedwick
63 Noah Buchanan
64 Oliver Sin
37 Catherine Bobkoski
165 Cindy Baron
32 Jason Polins
129 Brian Bateman
89 Orlando Whitfield
60 Gladys Roldan-De-Moras
94 Karen Blackwood
105 SC Mummert
34 Christopher Remmers

Join our next FASO Show Live!
https://artists.boldbrush.com/p/the-faso-show

Learn the magic of marketing  with us here at BoldBrush!
boldbrushshow.com
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Welcome back to another compilation episode. Today we're going deep on one relationship that shapes many painting careers, whether you love it or dread it: the one between an artist and a gallery. We pulled the best, most specific moments on this topic from across the show's run, from first impressions to knowing when to walk away. No new guest today, just the collected wisdom of the artists who've actually lived this. Let's get into it. 
Guests in order of appearance:
111 Matt Smith
138 Michelle Dunaway
124 Hilarie Couture
184 Jennifer Balkan
176 Ellen Howard
121 Paul Batch
112 Philippe Gandiol
122 Russell Gordon
128 Sarah Yeoman
118 Shuang Li
105 S.C. Mummert
168 Stacey Peterson
164 Sandra Duran Wilson
123 Michael Orwick
144 Christine Code
111 Matt Smith
145 Erik Koeppel
132 Keith Bond
111 Matt Smith 
110 Robert Johnson
138 Michelle Dunaway
170 Kim Lordier

Join our next FASO Show Live!
https://artists.boldbrush.com/p/the-faso-show

Learn the magic of marketing  with us here at BoldBrush!
boldbrushshow.com
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For today's episode we sat down with Rich Nelson, a signature member of both the Portrait Society of America and Oil Painters of America, with a career that grew out of an unlikely start playing in a rock band before formal illustration training pulled him toward fine art. In this episode, he breaks down Sargent's blunt advice that you can't shortcut your way into portraiture: you have to become a real, all-around artist first, mastering anatomy, landscape, and still life before you ever specialize.  He'll also make you rethink what goes in your portfolio, with a simple rule: never show work you don't want to get hired to do more of, because clients will always call back asking for exactly what they saw. And he shares the deceptively simple habit that's opened more doors for him than almost anything else: reaching out to other artists and asking real questions, and maybe even visiting their studio. If you're anywhere near Tryon, North Carolina, don't miss Rich's stacked 42-piece solo show at the Tryon Fine Arts Center — up through October 17th and almost entirely painted from life. And this October, his Plein Air Painters of the East crew rolls into Charleston for a week that culminates in a can't-miss group show at the Meyer Vogel Gallery. 
Rich's FASO site:
richardchristiannelson.com/
Rich's Social Media:
instagram.com/richardchristiannelson/
facebook.com/RichardChristianNelson/
Rich's YouTube Channel:
youtube.com/@richnelsonpainter
Rich's Band:
richnelsonband.com/