Artist, Gallery Owner, Creative Force This week, I’m joined by Sharon Harvey: a painter, gallery owner, and passionate creative, to explore what it really takes to run a commercial gallery while maintaining an active artistic practice. Sharon shares her winding journey from a successful corporate career into the art world, what led her to study fine art in her 40s, and how a chance conversation changed everything. Now the founder of Sanctuary Gallery in Gloucestershire, she offers a unique dual perspective on gallery-artist relationships, creative confidence, and the realities of selling art today. We discuss: - The courage it takes to pivot careers and pursue art later in life - How becoming a gallery owner reshaped Sharon’s view of working with galleries - The practicalities and pressures of running a gallery solo - The power of relationships in both making and selling art - Why artists need to approach galleries like partners—not just platforms - And the art of holding your nerve when things don’t sell Sharon talks about Daphne Vaughn http://daphnevaughan.com who inspired her to apply for the foundation course, and Mercedes Smith Director of Fine Art Communications https://www.fineartcommunications.co.uk/people This episode is packed with honest reflections, useful insights, and quiet encouragement for anyone trying to build a creative career on their own terms. Find Sharon and the Sanctuary Gallery Instagram: @sharon_harvey_art Gallery: sanctuarygallery.com
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36: Carving out a Creative Life (helped by proper coffee!) with Jill Hudson
This week, I’m joined by painter, and Byre Gallery regular, Jill Hudson, whose creative life has been shaped by travel, resilience, and an enduring love of the sea. Jill shares her journey from studying at Falmouth art school to achieving an enviable life/work balance, and how experiences like teaching in Uganda and studying in Venice helped shape both her perspective and her practice. We chat about the realities of running a professional art business - from the challenges of self-promotion and gallery relationships to the delicate balance between commercial work and creative freedom. Jill reflects honestly on what success means to her, the ongoing struggle with admin and marketing, and why she’s finally ready to explore a long-held dream of working in fresco. We also discuss Jill’s early determination to become an artist (despite her careers advisor’s doubts) Her formative experience teaching in Uganda Studying art in Venice and its lasting influence (not just the coffee!) The gentle build of her creative career and gallery representation Making art that sells vs making the art you love How she manages gallery relationships and adapts work to suit different audiences The tension between creative flow and business tasks like websites and self-promotion Her plans to explore fresco painting in 2025 As Jill says: "Success for me is making a living from this — a creative career with inspiration and opportunity. But you have to keep carving it out every day.” You can see Jill’s work @jillhudsonart and jillhudson.art Jill talked about https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/home/ and paints by michaelharding.co.uk She learned about fresco painting a artchoolboas.com with Carey Mortimer.
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35: A Life in Full Colour with Sara McKee
This week, I’m joined by the brilliant and irrepressible Sara McKee - art historian, copywriter, branding expert, and founder of Life Full Colour, https://www.lifefullcolour.com/ a vibrant gallery and cultural hub in North Wales. Sara shares the rich tapestry of her creative and corporate life: from being mentored by legendary art historians at Warwick University https://warwick.ac.uk/ and discovering a love of fresco in Venice, to carving out a second career in advertising and strategy. But it was her decision to turn passion into purpose that took centre stage: Sara explains how her plans to share her thoughts on art exhibitions, took her to selling work online and then deciding to open a gallery in March 2020, just before the UK went into lockdown. In a candid, entertaining, and inspiring conversation, Sara and I chat about: What studying art history taught Sara about looking, not just seeing The unexpected influence of theatre, ancient history, and marketing on her gallery work Building a creative business rooted in community, joy, and personal connection Why good galleries are about people as much as they are about paintings Her dream to bring together art, live music, and storytelling under one roof With a plan to write her memoir and a gallery bar that’s part local pub and part inspired by Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, Sara is living proof that creative vision and strategic instinct can make for a full and colourful life.
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34. Balancing the Business of Art with Melody Reynolds
In this episode, I chat with London-based painter Melody Reynolds, whose luminous swimming pool and beach scenes have brought a welcome breeze to the gallery walls this summer. Melody reflects on studying at St. Martin’s in the 1990s, why she’s always felt like an outsider in the art world, and the ways her painting process balances instinct with experimentation. She talks about what it takes to stay bold in the studio, the realities of contacting galleries, and why even seasoned artists need mentoring. Topics include: Painting as a subconscious process—and learning to break your own rules How childhood experiences (and clown paintings!) shape our creative paths Finding joy in chatting to collectors—and the power of in-person connection Why promoting your work is necessary, not vulgar Email lists, postcards, art fairs, and other practical marketing strategies Learning how to approach galleries with professionalism and personality Her hopes for new collaborations—with restaurants, designers, and public art spaces Whether you’re navigating galleries or rediscovering your creative confidence, Melody’s openness, warmth, and honesty make this episode a must-listen for artists at any stage. You can see Melody’s work at: https://www.melodyreynoldsart.com/ and @melodyreynoldsart
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33. Finding Form with Alex O’Connor
In this episode, I chat with award-winning silversmith Alex O’Connor about the winding path that led her from sculpture to silver—and from the Isle of Wight to the far west of Cornwall and the rugged landscape of West Penwith. In a hugely engaging and very honest chat, Alex shares how her autistic thinking and aphantasia (inability to voluntarily visualise mental images) shape her highly tactile, refined work, and why she describes her creative process as an act of distillation. She discusses forging a new direction later in life, the evolving definition of success in a creative business, and the importance of taking a punt—even when things don’t go to plan. Topics include: Finding home in Cornwall and inspiration in the landscape Studying fine art at Kingston and discovering a love for materials Reframing failure and redefining success after a difficult debut at Goldsmiths Fair How aphantasia influences her process—and why she calls herself an “editor” of ideas Her upcoming Quest Scholarship https://www.qest.org.uk/apply/scholarships/ and what she hopes to learn in Shetland with Rod Kelly https://www.rodkellysilver.co.uk/ The art (and strategy) of running a creative business and other silversmiths and creatives she admires, including: David Clarke https://mister-clarke.com/; Grant McCaig https://www.instagram.com/grantsmccaig/ ; Ndidi Ekubia https://www.adriansassoon.com/artists/66-ndidi-ekubia/; Rauni Higson https://www.raunihigson.co.uk/; Jessica Jue https://www.jessicajue.com/; Ute Decker https://www.utedecker.com/ You can see Alex’s work at: https://www.alexoconnorsilver.co.uk/ and @movingmetal
When does your passion become your profession? Can you take a love of making and creating and turn it into a successful business? This is the podcast where I talk to artists and makers who, whatever their discipline, are all fortunate to have turned their passion for creating into their occupation. As we discuss their journey to being professional artists and makers we explore inspirations, imposter syndrome, what success really means and of course, if there IS an art to running a flourishing creative business.
I’m Elaine Dye, I’m the owner and curator of Cornwall’s Byre Gallery, I’m also a creative business mentor and coach, and the creator of the course, ‘An Insider’s Guide to Gallery Success.’ When the Byre Gallery celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024, I thought it was the ideal opportunity to chat to some of the fascinating creatives I’ve got to know over the past decade and to explore what it means to be in the business of doing something you really love. I discovered that I love doing the podcast... so I'm keeping going!
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