The Gatekeeper of Your Own Becoming
Every artist reaches a moment where they stand at a threshold—the space between who they are now and who they know they could become. Some turn back, telling themselves they’re not ready. Others step forward, knowing that the only way to become that future version of themselves is to claim it before they feel fully prepared. The question is never ‘Are you ready?’ The question is always: ‘Will you step through?’
I’ve spent years listening to artists—through surveys, intake forms, casual conversations, and deep coaching calls—and a clear pattern has emerged.
Artists have no shortage of vision.
They dream of a creative life that not only sustains them financially but also fulfills them on a soul level.
They imagine their work in collectors' homes, in galleries that champion their unique voice, in spaces that allow their art to be seen, felt, and appreciated. They want to create freely, share their work with confidence, and know that what they make matters.
But then, there’s the gap—that maddening, frustrating, sometimes soul-crushing gap—between where they are now and where they desperately want to be.
It’s not for lack of trying.
Many of the artists I work with have poured years into their craft. They’ve tried selling on Instagram, updating their websites, experimenting with different price points, applying to shows, tweaking their messaging, maybe even starting an email list—yet nothing seems to stick.
And the questions that keep them up at night?
How do I find the right audience—the people who actually want to buy my work?
Why does marketing feel so overwhelming? I just want to make art.
How do I talk about my work in a way that doesn’t feel forced, awkward, or salesy?
How do I actually build momentum instead of starting and stopping every few months?
Why does it feel like everyone else has figured this out except me?
Some artists get stuck in perfectionism, over-researching instead of taking action.
Some feel paralyzed by self-doubt, wondering why anyone would pay for their art.
Some are just plain exhausted, juggling art with day jobs, caregiving, and real-life responsibilities that leave little room for creative expansion.
And some? They’ve tried everything and still feel like they’re shouting into the void.
When I read these responses, they feel painfully familiar.
Because I’ve been there, too.
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5 Online Marketing Moves That Will Help You Sell Your Work with Ease & Authenticity in 2025 (Without “pick me” vibes or cringy tactics)
A Decade Ago, I Was Running on Fumes
My son was two, I was co-parenting my two young stepsons, and we had no family around to help. My life felt like a constant mix of not sleeping, caregiving, and trying to hold onto some piece of myself that still felt like me.
I wanted to contribute financially while doing something that mattered. So I started selling herbal products—salves, adaptogens (before they were trendy), and elderberry syrup. That’s how my little business was born.
Somehow, I made it work.
I made the products, designed and printed the labels, and hand-delivered orders to other parents like me who were trying to care for their kids.
But I was doing it on the margins.
Between naps and school pickups. Late at night when everyone was asleep. Always in scraps of time.
And even though I had started two Etsy side businesses while working in corporate America, this was different.
Motherhood changed everything. My capacity, my energy, my focus.
But my vision didn’t change.
I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I wanted to create something that could sustain me and my family. I wanted to build something bigger than myself.
The problem?
I had no idea how to do it.
The One Decision That Changed Everything
It wasn’t that I didn’t have fears—I had plenty.
I didn’t know how to run an efficient business. My one semester as a marketing major in college gave me nothing useful, and my BFA certainly didn’t come with business training.
(Writing an artist statement ≠ writing a business plan.)
But I was determined.
I decided to act like an entrepreneur before I felt ready.
To take messy action instead of waiting to feel confident.
To put myself in rooms where people were doing what I wanted to do.
And that’s when I made a decision that changed everything:
I joined a local mastermind for mom entrepreneurs.
At the time, it was a big financial stretch. But I knew that if I wanted to get to where I was going, I couldn’t get there by doing what I’d always done.
So I joined.
And the rest? History.
Why Masterminds Work (Even When You’re Not ‘Ready’)
I wasn’t the most experienced person in the group.
I wasn’t making the most money.
I wasn’t even sure if I belonged there.
But I showed up.
I gave generously.
I invested in myself.
And those choices? They compounded over time.
🌱 I learned that my products weren’t just everyday essentials—they were luxuries, and I needed to position them differently.
🌱 I did my first-ever cost analysis and figured out how to price my work so I could pay myself.
🌱 I upgraded everything—packaging, branding, my online presence—and it changed everything.
Without that mastermind, it would have taken me years to figure those things out.
And later?
That same mastermind gave me the courage to leave that business when I outgrew it.
Because I did outgrow it.
I had taken my herbal business as far as I could without scaling into a commercial kitchen, and that didn’t feel aligned with me.
So I sold my business for a year’s worth of income, gave myself six months to figure out my next steps, and reinvented myself again.
And once again? It was a mastermind that carried me through it.
I brought my ideas to the group.
I got feedback from people who understood me.
I figured out my next steps inside that container.
That path led me to Mariana Durst Studio.
And I know that without the time, consistency, and generosity of those mastermind spaces, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
You Don’t Have to Figure This All Out Alone
The most successful artists—the ones who make consistent sales, get into galleries, grow their audiences, and build sustainable careers—are not doing this in isolation.
They have support. They have guidance. They have community.
They’re in rooms with people who are:
✔ Asking the same big questions
✔ Pushing through the same doubts
✔ Sharing hard-won insights and strategies
✔ Holding them accountable to their biggest goals
This is why I’ll be launching The Liberated Artist Mastermind very soon.
A valuable group—one that actually changes things—happens when people from different backgrounds and experiences come together with intention.
It’s an incubator.
A space where you can bring your messy questions, your fears, your insecurities, and get support from people who get it.
The main ingredients?
Time.
Consistency.
Generosity.
And that’s exactly what I’m dreaming of for the first cohort of The Liberated Artist Mastermind.
The first step? Joining My Free Masterclass, The Fine Art of Selling Art.
This is one of those pivotal moments—one of those gates waiting to be opened.
Then, right after the masterclass on February 24th, I’m launching The Liberated Artist Mastermind—a high-touch, strategy-and-support incubator for artists who are ready to move past the stuck places and build real momentum.
Clarity: We’ll untangle the overwhelm, figure out where your best opportunities are, and help you step into the next evolution of your creative business.
Strategy: You’ll get the exact tools and frameworks you need to market, sell, and grow in a way that feels aligned.
Community: This is not another “course” where you’re left to figure things out on your own. This is a collaborative, hands-on experience where you’ll be supported every step of the way.
And this? This is the founder’s cohort.
Best pricing ever
Shape the experience
High-touch, small-group experience
Want to see if this is for you?
Join my free masterclass, The Fine Art of Selling Art, where we’ll break down the biggest challenges artists face when it comes to selling their work—and how to overcome them.
