In this insightful interview, Marina Granger, founder of the Artist Advisory, shares her expertise on building a sustainable art career through mindset, visibility, and strategic action. Discover practical tips, inspiring stories, and mental frameworks to elevate your art practice and career.

Here’s what we discuss:

1. The importance of mindset in building an art career
2. Practical strategies for artist visibility and gallery success
3. The role of confidence and mental resilience in art entrepreneurship

Marina Press Granger is the founder of The Artist Advisory™, a New York City–based consulting firm that provides strategic guidance to visual artists, galleries, and art-focused businesses. With nearly 15 years of experience in New York’s gallery and museum world, Granger has curated numerous exhibitions and art fair presentations. Her expertise blends analytical business insight—shaped by a BA and MA in Art History—with the Principles of Classical Chinese Feng Shui, which she integrates to support the growth and success of the creatives and organizations she works with. Granger’s work has been featured in Forbes, The Art Gorgeous, Art Zealous, Time Out New York, and more. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, she has called New York home since 1991.

Website: theartistadvisory.com
IG: @theartistadvisory
Marina's Online Course: theartistadvisory.com/galleries

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com
Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag
Join our newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

In this episode, Victoria sits down with Philadelphia-based artist, curator, and founder of Era Contemporary, Jessica Libor, to discuss the creation of her immersive exhibition She in the Tower, the power of storytelling and mythology in curatorial practice, and the importance of building intentional artistic worlds that extend beyond the artwork itself. Together, they also dive into their upcoming Brooklyn pop-up exhibition The Midnight Garden, exploring themes of transformation, intuition, beauty, wildness, and the subconscious, while reflecting on artistic ambition, defining success on your own terms, and the importance of protecting time for creative practice.

Here’s what we discuss:

1. Jessica’s immersive exhibition She in the Tower and her process for curating experiential exhibitions
2. The themes behind The Midnight Garden and how mythology, intuition, and transformation inform the exhibition
3. Creating artistic “worlds” through atmosphere, installation, storytelling, and community
4. Defining success on your own terms and building a sustainable creative life
5. Protecting creative time, setting boundaries, and staying focused on long-term artistic goals

Jessica Libor is a Philadelphia-based visual artist, curator, and founder/director of Era Contemporary. Through richly imagined figurative paintings, her work explores themes of feminine identity, storytelling, and personal mythology. Alongside her studio practice, Libor has curated a wide range of exhibitions through Era Contemporary, supporting artists working in imaginative and contemporary realism while creating immersive, thoughtfully curated experiences that foster visibility, connection, and dialogue within the arts community.

Website: jessicalibor.com / eracontemporary.com

IG: @jessicalibor / @eracontemporary
Submit to The Midnight Garden by May 31, 2026: visionaryartcollective.com/the-midnight-garden
Submit to Lucent Waters by June 19, 2026: eracontemporary.com/open-call-guidelines

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

Join our newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

Victoria reflects on grief, artistic evolution, and the courage it takes to create work that feels emotionally honest. Following the unexpected loss of her aunt, she shares how grief has shifted her perspective on time, creativity, emotional capacity, and the importance of making work that feels true rather than simply safe. The episode explores fear, vulnerability, creative growth, boundaries, and what it means to trust yourself as your work begins to change and evolve.

To learn more about Victoria's 1:1 Mentorship Program, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/mentorship

To access Victoria's signature Artist Statement & Bio workshop:
visionaryartcollective.com/artist-statement-bio-workshop

To enroll in The Visionary Community, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/visionary-community-enroll

Victoria J. Fry is a New York City–based painter, educator, curator, and founder of Visionary Art Collective, New Visionary Magazine, and Warnes Contemporary. She has supported thousands of artists through exhibitions, publications, and mentorship.

Instagram: @visionaryartcollective / @warnescontemporary / @newvisionarymag
Newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

Discover how meditation can deepen artistic practice, enhance emotional resilience, and foster authentic connections, as shared by visual artist Karen Fitzgerald. This episode explores the intersection of mindfulness and creativity, highlighting real stories and practical insights.

Here’s what we discuss:

1. Karen’s journey into meditation and its impact on her art and personal life
2. How meditation fuels clarity, courage, and authenticity in creative work
3. Introducing Studio Contemporary: a new platform connecting artists with collectors through studio visits
4. The significance of values, intentionality, and community in artistic growth

Karen Fitzgerald is an artist living in Maryland who is collected by individuals and institutions, exhibits here and there, and occasionally gets recognized for her efforts. She spends her days speaking up and sharing her creative process with the public through her studio in Alexandria, Virginia. With the aim of making art and artists a more substantive part of our world, Karen founded studio contemporary (studio C) in 2026, a platform that directly connects collectors with art they love by inviting them into artists’ studios.

Website: karenfitzgeraldart.com

IG: @karen.fitzgerald.art

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

Join our newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

Victoria shares an update on her 30 day drawing challenge and how consistent, daily “warm ups” have created more flow in her practice. She explores the importance of boundaries, how they differ from walls, and why they’re essential for protecting creative energy while still allowing connection. Victoria also reflects on her own boundaries and encourages artists to communicate them clearly, allowing for greater consistency, confidence, and long term growth.

To learn more about Victoria's 1:1 Mentorship Program, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/mentorship

To access Victoria's signature Artist Statement & Bio workshop:
visionaryartcollective.com/artist-statement-bio-workshop

To enroll in The Visionary Community, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/visionary-community-enroll

Victoria J. Fry is a New York City–based painter, educator, curator, and founder of Visionary Art Collective, New Visionary Magazine, and Warnes Contemporary. She has supported thousands of artists through exhibitions, publications, and mentorship.

Instagram: @visionaryartcollective / @warnescontemporary / @newvisionarymag
Newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

Jill McDougall shares her approach to creating from a place of intuition, play, and creative freedom. Discover how slowing down, embracing imperfection, and reconnecting with childlike curiosity can transform your creative practice.

Here’s what we discuss:

1. Returning to childlike play as a creative necessity
2. Building self-trust and following intuition in the studio
3. Letting go of perfectionism and embracing the full process
4. The role of mindfulness, observation, and slowing down
5. Jill’s Create Every Day in May creative freedom challenge

Jill McDougall is a mixed media artist based in Northwest Washington. Through collage, photography, and layered materials, she explores abstraction and the creative process, sharing her insights through her Substack and artist interviews.

Website: jillmcdougall.com/
Instagram: @jillmcdougallart
Substack: jillinspire.substack.com/

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

Join our newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

In this episode, Victoria shares why she’s pausing her online group programs to focus on her 1:1 mentorship, offering a more personalized and strategic approach to supporting artists. She reflects on the value of individualized guidance in building momentum, refining a cohesive body of work, and aligning materials with meaningful opportunities. While she continues to teach through guest lectures and may return to group programs in the future, her current focus is on working closely with artists through one-on-one support, with a limited number of mentorship spots opening this summer.

To learn more about Victoria's 1:1 Mentorship Program, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/mentorship

To access Victoria's signature Artist Statement & Bio workshop:
visionaryartcollective.com/artist-statement-bio-workshop

To enroll in The Visionary Community, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/visionary-community-enroll

Victoria J. Fry is a New York City–based painter, educator, curator, and founder of Visionary Art Collective, New Visionary Magazine, and Warnes Contemporary. She has supported thousands of artists through exhibitions, publications, and mentorship.

Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag
Newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

In this episode, Victoria shares a quick studio update on her 30 day drawing challenge and offers practical guidance for refreshing your artist materials this spring. She explores how your website, social media, and artist statement impact the opportunities available to you and why alignment matters. Throughout the episode, she discusses building consistency in your creative practice, making it easier to show up without perfection, refreshing your website, Instagram, and artist statement, aligning your materials with your goals, and thinking from the perspective of curators and galleries. The key takeaway is that your materials should reflect the level of opportunity you are seeking, and your action step is to review your materials and ask yourself, would I feel ready if my ideal opportunity came my way today.

To learn more about Victoria's 1:1 Mentorship Program, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/mentorship

To access Victoria's signature Artist Statement & Bio workshop:
visionaryartcollective.com/artist-statement-bio-workshop

To enroll in The Visionary Community, visit:
visionaryartcollective.com/visionary-community-enroll

Victoria J. Fry is a New York City–based painter, educator, curator, and founder of Visionary Art Collective, New Visionary Magazine, and Warnes Contemporary. She has supported thousands of artists through exhibitions, publications, and mentorship.

Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag
Newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter