We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andrea La Valleur-Purvis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Andrea , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
By being persistent and taking just one more step. I believe in taking action, even if you’re not fully sure where you’re heading. If you’re directionally correct, you can prototype and iterate. I learned this way of working during my time as a creative director and designer in the tech industry. Even when you have the best ideas, you have to create the first version before you get to the final version. Resilience is movement, pushing through when it gets hard or you’re unsure. Get feedback from those who’s opinion you trust. Success is 80% psychology and 20% mechanics.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My childhood was culturally quite diverse. I was born in the UK to a British father and American mother and later moved to Germany where I spent most of my growing up years. I started making art from a young age. Instead of dolls, my parents gifted me a kid-friendly tool kit, so I could make more things hahahha.
In the mid 90’s I moved to the USA and studied art at a small art college where I earned a BFA in Sculpture. The program allowed me to experiment across many art mediums, including design, painting, print-making, photography and various forms of sculpture. One thing I didn’t learn in art school was the business side of being an artist.
So over the next 20 years, I learned by doing. I’ve taken additional classes, certificates and earned a post-grad degree. Most of what I know now, I learned by doing it.
After 20+ years of working across creative roles in the tech industry, I shifted my focus to coach visual artists on building the business side of their studio practice.
Many artists are so good at making their art, and struggle to implement simple business and marketing strategies to make a consistent income from their work. In the past, you needed a well-connected gallery to move your career forward, and today, you can represent yourself and succeed as an independent artist – and keep 100% of your revenue.
Our main focus is to help artists think like entrepreneurs and act like marketers. We do this through coaching and our podcast and newsletter “Art Biz Talk.”
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
For me it starts with having a growth mindset. From there anything is possible, but first you have to believe in yourself and your purpose.
Just about anything can be learned. If you want to become really great at your craft, the rule of 10,000 hours is a great motivator. When you take consistent action, over time you will get better. Many people give up too soon.
Successful people don’t get there by themselves. They seek mentorship and coaching. They create their inner circle of trusted people who they can share their greatest ideas, fears and thoughts with, judgment free. When you are surrounded by people who celebrate you, believe in you and help you step through the tough things, those are the people you want to keep close.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
When I was first considering giving up my design career and pivoting to focusing on my studio practice as a sculptor, I was looking for visual artists who were out there building a name for themselves, especially women. I was looking for evidence of success.
A lot has changed in the art world the last 20 years. Having worked in tech and the online space for a long time, I knew the ‘classic’ art career path was just one of the many ways an artist can become recognized, build demand for their work and make a sustainable living. It’s also one of the slowest, because you’re relying on other people to notice you and give you a chance.
The artists I was looking up to are working at the intersection of contemporary art, innovation and digital activation. They are showing their work to the world in new ways and creating more affordable ways to experience or own art they love.
While there is no single person I admire most, there are a few artists and gallerists who come to mind who are forging their own path. Alex Proba, Jamie Hayon, Kehinde Wiley, BAODT and the many unknowns spotlighting local emerging talent.
Contact Info:
- Website: artbizconsulting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbizconsulting/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrealavalleurpurvis/
- Other: Art Biz Talk podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/art-biz-talk/id1657457889 Artist Website lavalleur.art
Image Credits
The Artist in her Waco, Texas Studio, 2023 – Photo by Daniel Mueller, Courtesy of the artist. Last photo (installation view) Photo Credit, Kennedy Sam, Creative Waco
