I Quit My Tech Career to Become a Full-Time Artist (Transition Blueprint)
The Professional Artist Podcast: Art Business TransformationsShow Notes
In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, contemporary painter Bethany Stephan is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Bethany is a realist painter based in Arizona whose work is inspired by the landscapes of the American Southwest. Working primarily on panel, she is known for bold color choices, dynamic compositions, and a willingness to break traditional rules. After more than two decades in a demanding IT career, Bethany built her practice nights and weekends before transitioning to full-time painting. Her persistence led to national recognition, including acceptance into major Oil Painters of America exhibitions. In this deep dive, Bethany shares what it truly takes to move from a day job into a sustainable art practice… not through urgency, but through long-term planning. She explores how artists recognize when their work has outgrown their current life, how peer support and accountability accelerate growth, and why building a sustainable rhythm matters more than working endlessly, while also offering practical insight into pricing, and navigating the emotional realities of leaving a stable career. This episode offers a grounded, honest look at designing a life around your art. One built on timing, peer support, and rhythms that allow both the work and the artist to endure. “How long can I stand to continue to do the job I don't want to be doing anymore? My soul was starting to feel like I am wasting time. I need to be doing what I am supposed to be doing, which is painting.” — Bethany Stephan Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:10 Bethany's Transition from IT to Art 01:54 Overcoming the Fear of Failure 02:28 Knowing When to Commit Fully to Art 03:09 How to Build a Sustainable Rhythm 05:12 The Emotional Challenges of Transitioning 07:27 Building an Art Business 10:12 Professional Recognition and Benchmarks 13:55 The Importance of Community and Peer Support 15:34 Pricing and Visibility Strategies 17:50 Expanding Artistic Practice 20:27 The Value of One-on-One Coaching 23:56 Overcoming Isolation in the Art World 25:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Access the members-only full unabridged conversation here: https://hub.professionalartist.com/c/deep-dives-vault/bethany-stephan Links to artworks discussed: Her artworks can be seen in the YouTube version of this podcast here. Resources Scottsdale, Arizona art school: https://www.scottsdaleartschool.org/ OPA (Oil Painters of America): https://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/ Connect with Bethany Website: https://www.bethanystephan.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethany_stephan_art/ Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter Join ≈1,000 committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator Free training and resources: Free training on how to find art buyers without a big following: https://professionalartist.com/find-your-next-3-fine-art-collectors/?utm_source=PODCAST&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2025-06 Free insider report on how Painters, Sculptors, and Fine Art Photographers make their art income stable and consistent: https://professionalartist.com/report/?utm_source=PODCAST&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=free_report If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review. We read every single one.
More from The Professional Artist Podcast: Art Business Transformations
Free 4-Day “Gallery Ready” Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free Glory Day earns money as an artist in many ways, including through galleries. Learn how to land your first (or next) gallery now. Join us live online Nov 16–19 at 7PM ET to learn when you’re gallery-ready, how to price your work and how to present yourself with confidence. Register free. Can selling your art feel natural or does it always come with a performance? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, interdisciplinary artist Glory Day McSharry is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Glory Day is based in South Carolina and has built a thriving art business across three income streams: galleries, national art festivals, and commissions. Each one feeds the others in ways that aren’t immediately obvious from the outside. Rather than following a fixed formula, she has learned to spot opportunities and clear whatever is in the way of taking them, turning that instinct into a sustainable practice. In this conversation, Glory Day breaks down how to build multiple income streams from a single art practice, where to find buyers beyond traditional galleries, and how to sell your work without feeling like a salesperson. “Sales is a language that you learn because it has to do with helping someone give you the means to continue your practice, which happens to be money.” —Glory Day McSharry Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Fancy Pantry: Personal Narrative in the Paintings 04:04 Three Income Streams 05:57 Breaking Down the Numbers 07:34 Working in Series and Studio Output 09:11 Green Puddles: Chaos, Interior Space, and Home Renovation 11:06 The California Festival Failure 13:28 What It Takes to Show Up Well at Festivals 14:48 Selling Without Performing: The Philosophy Behind the Work 19:27 Bloodlines - Monumentalizing Female Labor 21:20 Final Advice Connect with Glory Day Website: https://www.glorydayloflin.com/aboutme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glorydaystudio/ Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. --- Can you build a successful art career without letting success change the art you make? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Loribelle Spirovski is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world’s fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Loribelle is a Filipino-Australian figurative painter whose psychologically charged portraits have been exhibited internationally. She has earned multiple selections for Australia’s prestigious Archibald Prize, including the 2025 People’s Choice Award. Along the way, she learned that the job side of an art career can compromise the integrity of the work itself. In this episode, Loribelle shares why trying to make the “right” art can hold you back, how to start earning from your art before a gallery represents you, and why working harder can eventually work against you. “I was trying to please these imagined judges instead of being true to what I actually wanted to paint..” —Loribelle Spirovski Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Lux Aeterna: Memory, Trauma, and the Body 05:21 Growing Up Between Cultures 08:14 The MFA Decision 11:32 Getting Into Residencies Without a Strong CV Yet 14:48 How Curators Actually Find Artists 17:03 Pricing Work When You’re Still Building Confidence 19:44 Memento Mori: When the Work Shifts Direction 22:17 Final Advice Connect with Loribelle Website: https://loribellespirovski.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loribellespirovski Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. --- How does an artist actually get their work into a museum? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, painter Elizabeth Barlow is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Based in California, Elizabeth has built a career that has taken her work into museums, hospitals, churches, corporate collections, and the San Francisco Opera. Along the way, she has learned that museum opportunities often begin long before an artist ever asks a curator to consider their work. In this episode, Elizabeth shares how artists can build genuine relationships with museums and curators, what to do when you don't already have a connection inside an institution, and why supporting museums can be an investment in your own career. She also explores a less obvious route into museum collections and why some opportunities need to be created rather than waited for. “I view it as an investment in my art to get to know people, to support them and to support the museum.” —Elizabeth Barlow Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Empress - From Portraits in Absentia to Flower Portraits 05:13 Getting Into Museum Collections - The Long Game of Showing Up 08:28 The San Francisco Opera Donation - A Gift That Led to a Commission 09:47 The Phoenix Rose - What Survived the Fire 12:20 When Donating Work Makes Strategic Sense 13:52 Approaching Institutions Cold 15:18 Transfiguration - The Church Commission 18:17 Final Advice Connect with Elizabeth Website: https://www.elizabethbarlowart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethbarlowartist/ Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. --- What if getting your art discovered has less to do with chasing galleries and more to do with putting your work where people can find it? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, landscape painter Thomas Sarrantonio is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Based in New York, Thomas has been exhibiting since the 1980s and has spent decades building his career around painting, teaching, and his local artistic community. His work has earned a Pollock-Krasner grant and gallery representation, but many of those opportunities came to him rather than through actively pursuing galleries. In this episode, Thomas shares how showing his work in libraries, bakeries, and other community spaces helped create unexpected opportunities, how relationships with other artists contributed to his career, and what he has learned from working with multiple commercial galleries. “Galleries have found me. I never really was good at selling myself, and I didn't feel comfortable doing that, so I usually just gave up on that.” — Thomas Sarrantonio
Free 4-Day Challenge for artists: https://professionalartist.com/free Join us live and online to make your next art show your best, design a paid workshop that's yours alone, or land your work in the right gallery. Register free. ----- What if keeping your day job could actually help you build a stronger art career? In this episode of The Professional Artist Podcast, ceramic artist Oami Powers is featured by the Professional Artist Association (https://professionalartist.com/join), the world's fastest-growing global community for committed fine artists. Based in North Carolina, Oami spent nearly two decades working in clothing and product design before finding her way to ceramics. She has since built a nationally exhibited studio practice while continuing to work a day job four days a week. In this episode, Oami shares why financial stability can give artists the freedom to develop their work without rushing the process, what moved her career forward without a single defining "big break," and why taking longer to find your voice can ultimately be an advantage. “It takes you a while to figure out who you are as an artist, even if you're starting in your 40s like me… and having a day job allows you to do that.” — Oami Powers Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Tender Tangle - A Pile of Ceramic Objects 04:04 From Clothing Design to Clay - Finding the Right Medium 06:51 The First Residency While Keeping the Day Job 09:15 Working at the Museum - Learning the Art Ecosystem 11:05 Adrift - Building a Visual Vocabulary from Memory 13:06 Why Quitting the Day Job Too Soon Can Cost You 16:05 What a Serious Art Career Looks Like Alongside a Day Job 18:06 Ghost - A Piece Made from Grief 20:38 Final Advice Connect with Oami Website: https://www.oamipowers.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oamipowersart/ Learn more about The Professional Artist Association: Mentoring: Apply to join 99 artists for unlimited 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring to grow your art income: https://professionalartist.com/apply Membership: Join 1,000+ committed artists around the world for less than $1, £ or € a day: https://professionalartist.com/join Free Letter: Join 50,000+ artists getting Free advice & inspiration every week: https://professionalartist.com/podcast/#join-free-artist-letter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professionalartistaccelerator Ready to take the next step in your art career? We are hosting a free 4-Day Challenge online to help artists like you get back on track. Whether that’s making your next art show your best ever, designing a paid art workshop that is uniquely yours, or getting your artwork into the next right-fit gallery… …this live, virtual, and interactive challenge will help get you get unstuck. Register to get a free pass here: https://professionalartist.com/free If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, share it with another artist and leave us a review/comment. We read every single one.