Bella McGoldrick and Tyler Rogers built a thriving art business by breaking every rule the traditional art world swears by.As the duo behind Looks Pretty Good, Bella is a coloured pencil artist producing hyperrealistic works inspired by mementos from the places she's lived, and Ty, with a background in design and tech, keeps the wheels of their art business turning behind the scenes.Ty's decision to join full-time only came about a few years ago, and since then the pair have doubled down harder than ever, stepping away from gallery representation to do it all themselves. Fiercely independent and headstrong, Bella and Ty are building a new way of working that challenges the traditional landscape of the art world.In one of the most honest conversations we've had on Nitty Gritty, they laid it all on the table. From content strategy experiments and hard-won hypotheses about actually selling art, to the power imbalances and flat-out incompetence they encountered with galleries, and how that gave them the confidence that they could do a better job themselves. Dollar signs, hot takes, and niche references. This one's for every working artist trying to figure out if the traditional path is really the only one.Find Bella on instagram here and the Looks Pretty Good studio here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creativity thrives inside structure, and Lauren and Kass of Crossing Threads are proof.This week, I sat down with the Sydney-based sisters behind one of Australia's most distinctive fibre art practices. Together, they use weaving as a way of exploring emotion, memory and connection through texture and form — describing their creative practice as "breathing through their hands."This episode tackles the business of being a working artist - how to optimise workflow, efficiency and creative output while still prioritising time for one another and family. From contracts and workflows to platforms, tools and processes, Lauren and Kass get into the nitty gritty of how they've optimised their art business without sacrificing the slow, intuitive nature of their craft.Type A listeners will love every minute. Type B's should bring a pen... so many goodies!Find Crossing Threads online here, and on Instagram here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Befriending fear has been the best decision I ever made. Today I'm flying solo and sharing the lesson that’s underpinned my creative career. In the last few months, I've made some enormous changes. I left my studio of five years, my community, and the entire foundation my creative practice had come to depend on. A choice to bite into the bitter taste of fear, hoping for something sweeter underneath.And the result? This year has seen some of my favourite works yet. I faced materials, colours and ideas I’d be avoiding. I started dancing again. I made new friends, embraced more rest, more silence, more intuition. I've been fully present with the process and as I grew and expanded, my art career has too.The lesson I’ve walked away from this with is that fear is your friend. In facing your fears as an artist, they grow smaller and you grow bigger. Listen to the little voice in your head telling you not to and choose to do it anyway. If there’s anything you’ve been afraid to face, I hope this week’s episode can be the gentle nudge you needed, and the reminder that the creative life you want often lives on the other side of fear.Follow the podcast on insta here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back for our 5th season, and starting us off is an incredible conversation with Loribelle Spirovski.Loribelle is a Filipina-Australian artist who, after almost giving up her art career due to a persistent nerve injury, intuitively taught herself to finger paint. What began as an act of perseverance became a technique that liberated her as an artist, ultimately leading to her winning the 2025 Archibald People’s Choice Award.In this episode, we unpack the romanticism of the ‘damaged artist’ archetype and why safety, not struggle, is where the best work comes from. Plus, we wrestle with the questions artists quietly carry: Does the best work come from suffering? What actually makes art good or bad? Can you fake authenticity? And do creative ideas ever really run out?For anyone trying to build a sustainable creative practice without burning themselves out along the way, this episode is a reminder that safety might be the key to your best work.You can find Loribelle’s website here and her Instagram here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UNO REVERSE! Kate's on the other side of the mic this week for an expansive Q&A with Sophia D’Urso of ArtSupport.From the psychology of sales to what bubble wrap to buy, this chat spans the mindset and mechanics of building and sustaining a serious art practice.Kate shares her rules around commissions, how buyers invest in the story of you, and the not-so-sexy logistical realities of shipping, suppliers, and insurance.This no-fluff, no-gatekeeping Q&A is for anyone who’s been craving a real roadmap!Find Nitty Gritty on Instagram here, and check out ArtSupport Australia's website here and Instagram here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m chatting with the brilliant Sophia D’Urso, founder of ArtSupport and one of the most insightful voices in the Australian arts space.Sophia created ArtSupport after her own creative journey, with a mission to equip artists and arts workers with the tools, resources and confidence to build sustainable careers. Through mentorships, workshops, and her weekly newsletter packed with opportunities, she’s become a go-to guide for creatives at all different levels of their career.In this episode, we went through it ALL. From building a sustainable art practice to moving through fear, setbacks, and limiting beliefs. Sophia walked us through her experiences and some of the techniques she teaches clients to harness the best version of themselves.If you’ve been craving practical advice and a bit of a reset, this one’s for you.Check out ArtSupport Australia's website here and Instagram here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s that time again, and this week I’m sitting down with the talented Argentinian visual artist, Lola Erhart. Lola is a painter born in Buenos Aires and now based in the forest of Patagonia. Her figurative work takes the human body as an object of study, exploring the way emotional and fundamental parts of the human psyche can be displayed through brushstrokes. Lola’s models are friends or women close to her, resulting in an intimate reverence for her subjects.In this episode, Lola explained her practice to me, as well as some of the business processes and personal habits she has introduced to keep her work fluid and time productive. This was such a grounded conversation and gentle reminder for all creatives to listen to—if we can’t remember to make space for ourselves, it simply won’t exist. Thank you lovely Lola for taking the time to chat! Live tomorrow morning anywhere you stream your podcasts. You can find Lola and her work on Instagram here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I’m joined by self-taught oil painter Tamika Hogan for a grounded conversation about the evolution of her practice over the last 6 years, becoming a full-time artist while co-parenting her son. Known for her immersive West Australian land and seascapes, Tamika’s paintings have an entrancing ability to translate the power and stillness of nature into timeless and immersive works of art.We chat about some of the tools she's implemented to manage the challenging balancing act of creativity, motherhood and business, from retiring the “flighty artist” identity, creative celibacy, and why time will never equal price when it comes to art.This one’s about grounded ambition, long-term thinking, and taking your practice seriously without losing its soul.Thank you for sitting down to chat with me Tamika, it was a pleasure! You can find Tamika on Instagram here and on her website here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Story time this week. In light of recent events, I wanted to share my experience with galleries — the red flags I ignored, the things I’d do differently now, and the lessons that could have saved me a lot of pain and struggle. If you’re navigating gallery relationships, big opportunities, or that uneasy feeling you can’t quite name, this episode is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I caught up with illustrator, muralist, designer, and all-round creativity machine, Daren Thomas Magee, aka Real Fun, Wow!His work lives somewhere between imagination and reality—often landing in that weird, wonderful in-between space. With everything from prints and books to socks, posters, tapestry and tiles, it's obvious Daren is constantly pouring his creativity into every avenue he can and then sharing it with the world. We dive into everything from building a business from nothing, the highs and lows of money and mindset, and the self-doubt that still creeps in even when your work reaches millions.This episode is packed with wisdom and full of the kind of creative honesty we rarely get to hear.Find Real Fun, Wow on Instagram here, and online here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.