In this episode, Victoria shares her insights on building a sustainable art career, emphasizing resilience, self-care, and creative exploration. She discusses the challenges artists face when balancing creative practice with other responsibilities and highlights the importance of taking breaks to recharge. Victoria encourages artists to stay focused on their long-term vision, celebrate small wins, and remember that success is a journey, not a destination.

Here's what we discuss:

1. Building an art career requires resilience and dedication.

2. Taking breaks from your creative work is necessary for growth.

3. Focus on what is within your control in your art career.

4. Celebrate small wins and acknowledge your progress.

To learn more about working with Victoria to transform your art career, visit visionaryartcollective.com/programs

About Victoria:

Victoria J. Fry is a New York City-based painter, educator, curator, and the founder of Visionary Art Collective, New Visionary Magazine, and Warnes Contemporary Gallery. Since launching VAC in 2020, Fry has worked with over 300+ artists to help them advance their art careers. As part of her mission to increase visibility for artists, she partners with top curators and gallerists to facilitate virtual and in-person exhibitions. Additionally, Fry has been a guest speaker for the Women’s Caucus of Art in Washington D.C, Superfine Art Fair in NYC, Photo Trouvée Magazine, The Art Queens Society, and Huron River Art Collective. She has curated exhibitions for Create! Magazine, Arts to Hearts Project, The Artful Collective, and recently served as a juror for Women’s United Art Prize. She hosts the New Visionary Podcast. Fry obtained her BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 2012 and her MAT from Maine College of Art in 2014.

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Maria Liebana is a contemporary artist based in Queens, NY represented by Kravets Wehby Gallery, whose layered, multimedia collages are inspired by pop-culture, the scenery she encounters daily, and her own life experiences. She shares her journey through art school, the challenges of maintaining a practice, and the importance of community in an artist's life.

Here’s what we discuss :

1. Maria’s reflections on her educational journey, including her time at the Maine College of Art and the importance of setting and redefining personal goals.

2. The significance of building and maintaining an artist community, especially after the transition from art school to the broader art world.

3. Practical advice for emerging artists, including the importance of consistent practice, the role of social media, and the need for supportive relationships.

About Maria -

Maria Yolanda Liebana is a first generation Latinx artist that grew up in Paterson, NJ. She received her BFA from Pratt Institute and her MFA from Maine College of Art. Her work has been exhibited at the Fitchburg Art Museum, Bailey Contemporary Arts, Cambridge Art Association, ICA Portland, Maine, and she had a solo exhibition at Kravets Wehby Gallery in NYC in 2022. Her work is in prominent collections such as the Pizzuti Collection at the Columbus Museum of Art, OH. In 2018 and 2020, she was awarded the Queens Council on the Arts New Works Grant. She has been an artist in residence at Vermont Studio Center, Pickwick Independent Press, and Kates-Ferri Projects (2021). She will be attending Bischcoff Inn micro-residency this summer. Her work is held in private collections in the United States.

Website: marialiebana.com

IG: @yolabola

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Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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Kelly Olshan is a Brooklyn-based artist with a unique approach that blends 3D elements with traditional techniques. In addition to her artistic practice, Kelly serves as a Program Officer at the New York Foudation for the Arts (NYFA), where she helps support artists at various stages of their careers.

Here’s what we discuss :

1. Kelly’s journey as a visual artist, emphasizing that art-making is a dedicated practice and highlighting the importance of defining success in the arts.

2. The evolution of artistic practice and the significance of nurturing connections within the art world

3. Kelly’s experience with the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and how it provides essential support for artists.

About Kelly -

Kelly Olshan is a Brooklyn-based visual artist and arts manager. Her 3D paintings, installations, and public art works have been exhibited nationally, most recently in a solo public art installation at the Garment District Alliance's Space for Public Art (New York, NY). Additional solo exhibitions include Earlville Opera House (Earlville, NY), Ground Floor Contemporary (Birmingham, AL), Sean Christopher Gallery (Columbus, OH), and Tucker Cooke Gallery (Asheville, NC). Her work has been included in group exhibitions at Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos, Artist Equity Gallery, and The Yard, among others. She is currently preparing for her first solo museum show at the Long Island Children's Museum--forthcoming in January 2026.

She has been an artist in residence with Chashama (ChaNorth), and named an Emerging Leader by New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). As a reviewer, she serves as a frequent panelist for NYC Percent for Art Program and on the NYC DOT Public Art Advisory Committee. She has given artist talks and guest lectures at School of Visual Arts (SVA), Rhode Island School of Art and Design (RISD), Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, and Columbia University, among others. She currently serves as a Program Officer, Career Advice and Training at NYFA, where she manages professional development programs for artists globally.

She graduated Valedictorian from UNC Asheville with a BFA in painting, where her work is part of the University's permanent collection, and holds an MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University.

Website: kellyolshan.com

IG: @kellyolshanfineart

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

Join our newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter