The Art Confidential

What’s bringing you joy right now? As the holidays approach, we’re closing out season one with a Joy Report full of fall favorites, creative experiments, and a little room to breathe.

Jacqui and Andreina share what’s making everyday life more enjoyable, from pumpkin treats and cozy spaces to playing with unfamiliar art supplies. The conversation turns to finding joy in social media again, letting go of the pressure to perform, and taking a short hiatus to recharge and consider what comes next.

We talk about:

• Pumpkin favorites and small ways to make home feel cozy
• Exploring new art materials without the pressure to sell
• Finding consistency and confidence through strength training
• Making social media feel creative and connected again
• Giving ourselves permission to pause, reflect, and recharge

Plus: Jacqui’s frozen yogurt trick, Andreina’s enthusiasm for her workout app, and why their feeds are full of dog videos.

This episode is for anyone who wants a little less pressure and a little more joy in their creative life.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Noosa Pumpkin Yoghurt
https://noosayoghurt.com/products/pumpkin-yoghurt-8oz-tub/
• Boar’s Head Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus
https://boarshead.com/products/detail/16258-pumpkin-pie-dessert-hummus
• Andreina’s autumn wax melts
https://link.amazon/B0gwEh8l0
• PanPastel
https://link.amazon/B01C5Qxce
• Ladder workout app
https://www.joinladder.com/
• Mindy / There There Interiors
https://www.instagram.com/therethere.interiors

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Creating Your Own Opportunities - The One With Isaiah Sfagi

What happens when you stop waiting to feel ready and start putting yourself out there? This week, we sit down with Isaiah Sfagi to talk about confidence, making connections, and building a creative career from unexpected beginnings.

An Asheville native, model, and founder of Sfagi Model and Talent Management, Isaiah shares how answering an Instagram ad at 19 led to modeling, starting an agency, and creating opportunities for other emerging talent. We also get into the lessons that came with taking on responsibility so young, including the moments that didn’t go according to plan.

We talk about:

• Taking chances before you have everything figured out
• Building relationships and being intentional about showing up
• Understanding both the creative and business sides of your work
• Learning from rejection and taking responsibility when things go wrong
• Making room for talent outside the traditional fashion capitals

For anyone figuring out their next creative step, this conversation offers plenty to think about, whatever your age or medium.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Isaiah Sfagi on Instagram (@kuyoowa)
https://www.instagram.com/kuyoowa/
• Sfagi Model and Talent Management (@sfagimodelrep)
https://www.instagram.com/sfagimodelrep/
• Asheville Fashion Week: Day 1, Industry Day Tickets
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/asheville-fashion-week-day-1-industry-day-tickets-2001032970481
• Model Con on Instagram (@modelcon_)
https://www.instagram.com/modelcon_/
• Isaiah Sfagi: Building a Legacy Beyond the Runway, on VogueMonaco.co
https://voguemonaco.co/2026/07/16/isaiah-sfagi-building-a-legacy-beyond-the-runway/

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Getting dressed can feel like a small part of the day, but what we wear can shape our confidence, energy, and the way we move through the world.

Jacqui and Andreina sit down with personal stylist Kim Tuzzeo, founder of The Daily Fabulous, to talk about returning to a lifelong creative passion after a career in healthcare. Kim shares how personal style can help women reconnect with themselves during career changes, divorce, motherhood, aging, and other seasons of reinvention.

We talk about:

• Using personal style to express who you are now
• Letting go of age-based fashion rules
• Building confidence through intentional dressing
• Starting a creative business later in life
• Staying encouraged when progress feels slow

Plus: Kim shares practical ways to shop your closet, create simple outfit formulas, and make thoughtful purchases that work with what you already own.

This episode is for anyone ready to rediscover their style, trust their instincts, or begin a new chapter without waiting for the perfect time.

Mentioned in This Episode

• The Art of Intentional Dressing by Erin Walsh
https://amzn.to/4bYtiKr
• The Daily Fabulous
https://thedailyfabulous.com/
• Dress for Success
https://dressforsuccess.org/
• Orangetheory Fitness
https://www.orangetheory.com/
• Biltmore Estate
https://www.biltmore.com/
• Asheville Pizza & Brewing
https://www.ashevillebrewing.com/

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Branding can sound like logos, fonts, color palettes, and corporate strategy. In this episode, Jacqui and Andreina make it more personal: your brand is the feeling people have when they experience your work.

Through examples from artists with very different styles, they explore why a strong creative brand is not something you manufacture. It comes from understanding who you already are, what you want people to feel, and whether your website, social media, packaging, and communication tell the same story.

We talk about:

• Why your brand is more than a logo or visual identity
• How authenticity and consistency help people recognize and trust your work
• Choosing three words that describe how you want your work to feel
• Creating a brand inspiration board and looking for recurring patterns
• Conducting a simple brand audit without trying to change everything overnight

Plus: Jacqui and Andreina share how they are reassessing their own creative brands, and they created a Brand Audit worksheet to help you do the same.

This episode is for artists and creative entrepreneurs who want their public presence to feel clearer, more intentional, and more like who they actually are.

Mentioned in This Episode

Deb Anderson / Ahdra Art
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahdraart/
Website: https://ahdraart.us/

Ashley Longshore
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleylongshoreworld
Website: https://ashleylongshore.com/

Nela Conde
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nela.conde

Branding Business School, Episode 158
You Don't Need to Be the Best, You Just Need to Be Different
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/158-you-dont-need-to-be-the-best-you-just-need-to-be/id1536507669?i=1000705522535

Molly Courcelle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollycourcellefineartist

Linsey Gray
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linseygraycreative

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

What happens when someone who grew up in Asheville decides to tell a different story about the city they call home? In this episode, Jacqui and Andreina sit down with Ryan Muirhead, creator of Ashevilish, to talk about community, creativity, and building something bigger than yourself.

Born and raised in West Asheville, Ryan has watched the city evolve firsthand. What started as a simple idea to create Asheville-inspired merchandise grew into a platform that celebrates local businesses, artists, musicians, and makers. Through Ashevilish, Ryan is helping people see Asheville through the eyes of someone who knows it deeply and loves it fiercely.

We talk about:

• Growing up in Asheville and watching the city change over the years
• How Ashevilish evolved from an idea into a growing community platform
• Using social media to amplify artists, musicians, and small businesses
• Why authenticity matters more than chasing influence
• Building relationships, supporting others, and creating opportunities through connection

Plus: Ryan shares the story behind his unforgettable Asheville Art Museum gala outfit made from artwork submitted by artists around the world.

Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, community builder, or someone looking for inspiration to start the thing you’ve been thinking about, this conversation is a reminder that meaningful work often starts with simply showing up for others.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Ashevilish Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/ashevillish/
• Ashevilish Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558782354000
• Burial Beer Co.
https://burialbeer.com
• Wedge Brewing Co.
https://www.wedgebrewing.com
• River Arts District
https://www.riverartsdistrict.com
• Archetype Brewing
https://www.archetypebrewing.com
• Prescription Pad Pharmacy
https://prescriptionpadpharmacy.com/
• AVL Sounds Fest
https://avlsoundsfest.com

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Creative careers rarely begin with one dramatic moment. More often, they begin with a quiet decision to stop waiting for a gallery, a sale, or someone else’s permission before taking yourself seriously.

Jacqui and Andreina talk about the identity shift from hobbyist to professional, why readiness is not something you can prove, and how accountability, community, and small consistent actions can help a creative life become real long before anyone else notices.

We talk about:

• Claiming the identity of artist before you have external proof
• Protecting creative time and treating your work like it matters
• Showing your art without apologizing or waiting for perfection
• Finding accountability, encouragement, and community
• Breaking a big creative goal into small, achievable next steps

Plus: The creative-career myths that keep artists comparing themselves, moving the goalposts, and believing there is only one right path.

This episode is for anyone ready to take their creative work more seriously, even if they do not feel ready yet.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Victoria Pinney Studio (https://victoriapinney.com/)
• Victoria Pinney on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/victoria_pinney/)
• Brooke Lancaster, By Brooke Fine Art (https://www.instagram.com/bybrooke.fineart)
• Art Nature Movement (https://www.instagram.com/artnaturemovememt)

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Our guest today is proof that there is no single path to a creative life. For more than four decades, Erik Larson has built a remarkable career as both a professional designer and an underground filmmaker.

Entirely self-taught, Erik has written, directed, shot, and edited colorful, irreverent, joy-filled films with the same group of collaborators he began working with as a teenager in Chicago. Along the way, he built a successful career as an art director and creative director, proving that there is more than one way to create a life in the arts.

We talk about:

• Making films without film school, funding, or permission
• Building creative trust with collaborators over 40 years
• Self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and getting older as an artist
• LGBTQ+ history, visibility, and creative bravery
• Letting go of perfection and putting the work into the world

Plus: Super 8 films, thrift store costumes, fake names, secret creative lives, and a standing ovation at the New Beverly Cinema.

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered if their unconventional path still counts. It does.

Mentioned in This Episode

• The Wizard of Oz
https://amzn.to/4wabROl
• The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
https://amzn.to/4gKboOn
• Lars Erik Films on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/larserikfilms/
• Lars Erik Films website
https://www.larserikfilms.com/
• Lars Erik Films on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@larserikfilms

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

What if building a creative community was less about networking and more about connection?

In this working episode, Jacqui and Andreina explore the difference between collaboration and community, and why some of the most valuable things artists share aren’t business tips or techniques, but encouragement, perspective, generosity, and support.

Inspired by conversations with fellow artists, musicians, writers, and creatives, they share stories about unexpected friendships, creative gatherings, and the small acts of connection that make creative work feel a little less lonely. They also invite listeners to join a two-week Community Experiment designed to help build deeper creative connections.

We talk about:

• Why creative work can feel isolating and how community changes that
• The difference between collaboration and connection
• Overcoming scarcity mindset and supporting fellow creatives
• Simple ways to build creative relationships without an agenda
• The Community Experiment and how to participate

Plus: Stories about artist gatherings, virtual studio dates, unexpected friendships, and the creative people who have inspired us along the way.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re creating in a vacuum, this episode is for you.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Kasey Moran Art
https://www.instagram.com/kaseymoranart
• Asheville-ish (Ryan Muirhead)
https://www.instagram.com/ashevillish
• Natalie Ray Fine Art
https://www.natalierayfineart.com/
• Bronwyn Cronin Jazz
https://www.instagram.com/bronwyncroninjazz
• Claudia Guerreiro
https://www.instagram.com/artbyclaudiaguerreiro
• Sky Loraine Art
https://www.instagram.com/skyloraine_
https://www.skyloraineart.com/

Subscribe to The Art Confidential newsletter at https://theartconfidential.com to access the Community Experiment worksheet and our growing collection of free creative resources and downloads.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

In this episode of The Art Confidential, we sit down with Robert Nicholas, artist, designer, and founder of Marquee Asheville in the River Arts District. Robert shares how a lifelong instinct to see potential in overlooked objects led him from antiques and handmade lighting to building one of Asheville’s most unique creative spaces.

This conversation goes beyond business. It is about community, courage, and choosing to rebuild when it would be easier to walk away. Robert opens up about the vision behind Marquee, what Hurricane Helene changed, and why creating a space where artists feel seen and supported matters just as much as the work itself.

We talk about:

• How Robert built a business from antiques, found objects, and instinct
• The difference between Splurge and Marquee, and how Marquee became something bigger than a gallery
• Why community is at the center of everything he creates
• Rebuilding after Hurricane Helene and what it took to come back
• Why artists need to stop listening to negative voices and take the next step

Plus: A simple but powerful reminder, if you think of someone, reach out. It might matter more than you know.

This episode is for artists, makers, and anyone trying to build something meaningful without waiting until they feel ready.

Mentioned in This Episode

• The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
https://amzn.to/3Qk8IvS
• Marquee Asheville
https://marqueeasheville.com/

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

What if joy isn’t something huge or life-changing, but something small you notice on an ordinary Tuesday? In The Art Confidential's first-ever Joy Report episode, Jacqui and Andreina share the little things currently making their lives softer, calmer, easier, and more fun.

From mahjong nights and birdwatching to morning walks, gratitude journals, protein powders, and temperature-controlled beds, this conversation is full of the tiny rituals and comforts helping them feel more grounded in this season of life.

We talk about:

• Why mahjong is suddenly everywhere, and how it became Andreina’s newest obsession
• Jacqui’s five-minute gratitude journal practice and how it shifted her mindset
• Bird feeders, solar fountains, and creating tiny backyard moments of peace
• Life-changing middle-aged discoveries like progressive contacts and BedJet systems
• Finding joy in routines, community, slowing down, and paying attention

Plus: Bear encounters, “Sad Sunday,” and the legendary Tiger Titties Mahjong Group

This episode is for anyone craving a softer pace, tiny pleasures, and reminders that joy is usually hiding in the little things.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Mahjong Set (https://amzn.to/4dYdTLe)
• 5-Minute Gratitude Journal, Spiral Bound (https://amzn.to/4f1Ik4o)
• Smart Bird Feeder with Camera (https://amzn.to/4nHdbFv)
• Spicy Bird Food to Deter Squirrels (https://amzn.to/49bgXkG)
• Pedestal Bird Bath (https://amzn.to/4uUdLly)
• Solar Powered Bird Bath Fountain (https://amzn.to/49hG31f)
• Kion Mango Amino Acids (https://amzn.to/4up15TU)
• BedJet (https://amzn.to/42Pzi2X)
• Hungryroot (https://www.hungryroot.com/r/FIG4RJFU)
• The Lazy Genius Podcast (https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy)
• Barbara Brown Taylor (https://barbarabrowntaylor.com)

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

In this episode of The Art Confidential, Jacqui and Andreina sit down with poet, writer, and visual artist David Gate for a conversation about creativity, care, and what art can make possible in difficult times. From poetry and mental health to friendship, truth-telling, and the role of artists in community, this one is thoughtful, honest, and deeply grounding.

David shares his path from writing songs to becoming a widely loved poet whose work speaks to loneliness, sensitivity, masculinity, and hope. They talk about how Asheville shaped his life and work, why creativity became a form of self-care, and how art can help people feel less alone by showing them their own experiences reflected back.

We talk about:

• How David moved from songwriting into poetry and found his voice
• Creativity as care and its connection to mental health
• Why telling the truth is an act of rebellion for artists
• Male sensitivity, emotional language, and naming what we feel
• The role of sharing art and creating connection through your work

Plus: baby goats, late-night writing, Burial Beer, and a poem that might make you cry.

This episode is for artists, writers, parents, and anyone who needs a reminder that sensitivity is not weakness, it is strength.

Mentioned in This Episode

• A Rebellion of Care: Poems and Essays by David Gate https://amzn.to/3OIvmxw
• Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtryhttps://amzn.to/41FcPVS
• The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrisonhttps://amzn.to/48aDltL
• David Gate website https://davidgatepoet.com
• David Gate Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidgatepoet/
• David Gate Substack https://davidgate.substack.com/
• Burial Beer Co. https://burialbeer.com/

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Pricing your artwork can feel emotional, awkward, and confusing, especially when you are trying to balance confidence, consistency, galleries, collectors, materials, and your own gut feeling.

In this episode of The Art Confidential, Jacqui and Andreina talk honestly about the pricing mistakes they made early on, from undercutting galleries to letting someone else push prices too high. They share practical ways to build a pricing structure that feels fair, sustainable, and believable.

We talk about:

• Using price-per-square-inch formulas without losing the human side
• Why consistency builds trust with collectors and galleries
• When and how to raise your prices
• How to respond when someone asks for a discount
• Commissions, deposits, revisions, and knowing when to say no

Plus: why email lists, collection releases, and subscriber previews can become part of your selling strategy.

👉 Want the exact pricing grid and worksheet we talk about?
Sign up for the newsletter at https://theartconfidential.com/ and we’ll send you the download link.

This episode is for artists who are tired of guessing, underpricing, overthinking, or quietly resenting the business side of their creative work.

Mentioned in This Episode

• The Art Confidential – https://theartconfidential.com/
• The Art Confidential on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential/
• Jacqui Fehl website and newsletter signup - https://jacquifehl.com/
• Andreina Bates website and newsletter signup - https://www.andreinabates.com/
• Shain Gallery – https://shaingallery.com/collections/andreina-bates
• Ampersand Aquabord Panels – https://amzn.to/4cRdDw0

Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

In this episode of The Art Confidential, we sit down with the owner/editor of The Scout Guide (Asheville) to talk about what it really takes to build community from scratch.

After moving to a new city without a built-in network, she took a leap and launched a local edition of The Scout Guide, creating a platform that highlights small businesses and connects the people behind them. What started as a bold move has grown into a thriving community rooted in trust, relationships, and consistency, with lessons that translate directly to artists building their own networks with galleries, collectors, and collaborators.

We talk about:

• starting over in a new city and building a network from zero
• what The Scout Guide is and how it works
• building trust when nobody knows who you are
• why relationships matter more than selling
• handling rejection and not taking 'no' personally
• balancing creative work with contracts, invoicing, and admin

Plus: favorite local spots, quiet time as self-care, and starting coffee at 40.

This episode is for anyone building something from scratch, growing a small business, or trying to create meaningful connections in their community.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life by Roxie Nafousi (https://amzn.to/4cBmSRO)
• The Scout Guide (Asheville) (https://thescoutguide.com/asheville/)

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

In this episode of The Art Confidential, Andreina turns the tables and interviews co-host Jacqui Fehl about the winding path that led her from childhood trips to the Art Institute of Chicago to Hollywood sets, voiceover work, and eventually to becoming a working artist and gallery owner in Asheville’s River Arts District.

Jacqui shares how an early love of drawing, a painful childhood art class experience, and years spent pursuing acting in Los Angeles all shaped the artist she would later become. Her story is not linear - and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.

We talk about:

• Drawing “princesses” inspired by Picasso and Monet as a child
• How one painful art class experience pushed her away from art for years
• Moving to Los Angeles young, broke, and determined to work in entertainment
• Working behind the scenes in Hollywood and on sets like Boy Meets World
• How voiceover work became both a career and a creative training ground
• Returning to painting later in life and slowly building confidence as an artist
• Finding her way into the River Arts District and eventually opening her own gallery

Plus: childhood princess drawings, sitcom stories, bold career leaps, and why waiting for permission can keep you stuck.

If you’ve ever taken the long way around creatively - or wondered whether it’s too late to begin again - this episode is for you.

Mentioned in this episode:

• https://jacquifehl.com
• https://www.instagram.com/jacquifehl

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

In this first guest episode of The Art Confidential, we sit down with Asheville artist, gallery owner, and Emmy-nominated film editor Jaime Byrd.

Unfiltered conversation ahead - occasional strong language included.

With over 35 years as a working creative, Jamie shares her journey from film and music back to painting - and how the pandemic accelerated her return to her original passion. Now, she's redefining what a painting can be by blending traditional oil work with technology to create pieces that literally come to life.

We talk about:

• Her unexpected path from film editing to full-time painter
• The technology behind her animated paintings (and why it’s not AI)
• How travel fuels creativity and perspective
• The reality of running a gallery in the River Arts District
• Why belief - not talent - is often what separates successful artists
• Letting go of perfection and knowing when to stop

Plus: rapid-fire questions, studio habits, and why "mud happens" might be the next great artist merch.

If you've ever questioned your creative path, struggled with pricing your work, or wondered how artists actually make it - this episode is for you.

Tools & Materials Mentioned in This Episode

• R&F oil pigment sticks (modern color set)
• R&F oil pigment sticks (landscape color set)
• Marabu watercolor crayons
• Gamblin oil paints
• Letter to my Daughter: A Novel by George Bishop
• A Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Cameron Gikandi
• 310 Art

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About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

In this episode of The Art Confidential, Jacqui flips the script and interviews co-host Andreina Bates about her journey from Venezuela to the American art world.

Andreina shares what it was like growing up in a family of strong women, studying engineering in college after moving to the United States at just 17, and discovering her creative voice much later in life—after becoming a mother of twins.

What started as a curiosity about watercolor eventually turned into a full artistic career, gallery representation, and a studio in Asheville’s River Arts District. Along the way, Andreina talks about learning to trust her instincts, navigating difficult gallery experiences, balancing art with another career, and embracing the parts of herself she once tried to hide.

This conversation explores the messy, honest path many artists take before they ever call themselves “an artist.”

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to start creating—or how artists actually build a career—this episode is for you.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

In this episode of The Art Confidential, Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates share the everyday tools, habits, and rituals that shape their creative lives.

From favorite art supplies and unexpected studio hacks to music playlists, messy studios, and the power of creative play, they reveal the practical things that keep their art practice moving forward.

The conversation explores the materials they love most—from charcoal and graphite to pigment sticks and water-soluble crayons—as well as unconventional tools like yogurt lids used as paint palettes.

They also talk about studio energy, creative momentum, and why waiting for the “perfect time” to create can hold artists back.

The episode wraps up with a rapid-fire round of studio questions covering favorite supplies, studio snacks, music, and creative habits.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Welcome to the first episode of The Art Confidential.

Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates turn the microphone on each other to introduce themselves and share the stories behind their art practices.

In this candid conversation, they talk about the realities of being working artists—from the myth of effortless confidence to the challenge of balancing art with full-time jobs, family life, and creative self-doubt. They also explore how supportive artistic communities can replace competition with collaboration.

The episode also reveals how the idea for The Art Confidential began: two artists in Asheville’s River Arts District wanting deeper conversations about creativity, careers, and what really happens behind the scenes in the art world.

Future episodes will feature artists, gallery owners, and other creative professionals as Jacqui and Andreina learn alongside their listeners.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com

Welcome to The Art Confidential — the podcast where the art world gets refreshingly real.

Hosted by mixed media artists Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates, this show dives into honest conversations about building a creative life. From studio practices and creative breakthroughs to gallery relationships, marketing, and the realities of making a living as an artist, nothing is off the table.

Each episode features candid discussions with artists, gallery owners, consultants, or other art-world insiders who share their experiences, lessons learned, and practical advice for navigating the creative industry.

If you’re an artist, collector, or someone curious about how the art world really works, you’re in the right place.

🎧 Follow the show now so you don’t miss our first full episode.

About The Art Confidential

The Art Confidential is a podcast about how the art world really works. Hosts Jacqui Fehl and Andreina Bates sit down with artists, gallery owners, consultants, and other insiders for candid conversations about building a creative life—from studio practice to sales, exhibitions, and the realities behind the scenes.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode exploring the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s art world.

Connect with us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartconfidential

Website: https://theartconfidential.com