Artsy Friends Podcast

Calling the creative + the curious

On the Artsy Friends Podcast, we talk about the adventures of a full-time artist, ups and downs of owning a small business, and how to grow as a creator. We discuss owning A Cup of Cloudy and selling art prints and products — whether traveling the country or building an at-home studio. Your curious and creative ears are welcome 🙂

Artsy Friends Podcast host Carolyn Tantanella

In 2021 I quit my day job and began traveling the country in an RV full time. In this podcast, I give the real scoop on what it’s like to drive away from your hometown and keep on driving. From finding gigs, adapting to new cultures, and living life on the road, you’ll be hearing about it all.

I’m the solo-founder of A Cup of Cloudy, a business dedicated to teaching artists how to navigate the business of art in the early stages. What you don’t learn in art school is all the marketing, branding, strategically creative, legal and financial side of artistpreneurship. But of course we focus on art style, technique, and the fun stuff too. Taking the form of a blog, an ebook, mini-classes, worksheets and more, A Cup of Cloudy prioritizes artists. If you’re in the business of art, you’ll gain a lot of insight from the Artsy Friends Podcast as nothing is left off the table.

As a working artist I sell prints, notebooks, coffee mugs, stickers, cards, bookmarks, calendars and other gifts here in the shop at A Cup of Cloudy. I also create custom portraits for my lovely clients and install murals wherever they let me. Recently I took on another business selling woven tapestries. Illustration is my first love and we touch on it a lot on the podcast! All creative types will be able to relate, no matter your medium.

In 2024 I started building my art studio — because we quit traveling and bought a house! On the podcast you’ll hear all about the transition into being stationary, working from the upstairs portion of our house, and growing roots.

Come hang out on the podcast and learn what it means to be the artsy friend.

Available on Spotify.

EPISODES

  1. Introduction to The Carolyn Whittico Art Podcast
  2. Adding an element of surprise to your art
  3. Online personas + art
  4. Seeing the signs + ignoring them
  5. Challenges of being a traveling artist
  6. Staying motivated + creative
  7. Year in review 2021 for A Cup of Cloudy
  8. Teach yourself new creative skills
  9. Tips for making art prints
  10. Feeling like an artist
  11. My creative process
  12. Celebrating one year self-employed
  13. Traveling with festivals
  14. Every artist needs an art style
  15. Elements of Art Style
  16. Michigan Parks + Places art print series
  17. Living in a travel trailer RV
  18. Should you include politics in your art?
  19. Being an artist should feel easy + what to do if it doesn’t
  20. Making art for others vs making it for you
  21. Top 3 tips for choosing an online platform to sell your art on
  22. Telling a story with art
  23. How to critique your own work
  24. Make art that connects people
  25. New perspectives on AI art
  26. Top 5 reasons to sell art at shows
  27. Types of artist events to sell art at
  28. Networking: how it led me to buy a second art business
  29. Practical is a prison and you don’t have to be there
  30. Putting your art on everyday products
  31. Pricing artwork: top things to consider
  32. Keeping track of art inventory
  33. Should you go to art school?
  34. Following trends vs your personal brand
  35. Presales for beginners
  36. Tips for displaying art for sale online
  37. Exactly how to make time for your art
  38. Top 4 lessons learned in 2023
  39. Financial basics of a creative side hustle
  40. How to know if you have an art style WITHOUT looking
  41. My favorite art products to sell (and ones I quit offering)
  42. Mural prep + setup tips
  43. Feeling misunderstood as an artist
  44. Be known as the artsy friend
Find Carolyn Whittico Art Podcast on Spotify

Ready to tune in? Listen on Spotify. Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and tell your artsy friends about your favorite episodes!

Want to pitch a topic for me to talk about? Email questions or requests to acupofcloudy@gmail.com

Stay up to date on new episodes – get a reminder in your inbox when a new episode gets released.

Want to connect with other creatives who take their art seriously? Join our free Patreon group, Artsy Friends. There you’ll get tips of the trade from other working artists and meet people who truly get you. We host meetups, have a groupchat, and you’ll learn art biz secrets exclusive to the group.

If love the podcast, you’ll love the Patreon group. Join Artsy Friends here.