Tara Reed gets candid about art and business

Published: 07/24/2012

Tara Reed is a licensed artist and art business guru. She dishes the details from her pretty garden (in preparation for an upcoming wedding) in this interview! Listen in on this candid conversation to hear the ins and outs of Tara’s business and how she got started educating others on her site Art Licensing Info. It is an interesting story about how she made it work as a single mother, built her art career and built a community. Tara also discusses why she has chosen to help others learn about the art licensing industry. We get personal in this one…tune in and tell me what you think!

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  • http://www.GinaLinnDesigns.com Gina Wilder

    Hi Monica,

    I want to thank you so much for doing these interviews that you’ve been doing and for sharing all of the additional art licensing information on your blog / newsletter!

    It is very helpful for us and you do a great job with the interviews.
    I love your work also!

    Take care,
    Gina

    • Monica Lee

      GIna! I am so glad you are liking them-thank you. Comments like this mean a lot to me!!

  • http://lauraludwighamor.blogspot.com/ laura

    LOVE ARTIST TARA REED!!

    Great interview as always Monica! Isn’t it great to hear the stories about how these smart women find there true path. I love it!

    • Monica Lee

      Thank you so much for always being so supportive, Laura! You have a great Soapbox (haha!) PS love the furniture you painted last weekend!

  • Esther Longmore

    Laura,
    I’ve been following Tara Reed for several years and have learned a great deal from her. I just found you through Tara and already I can tell you will be another source of valuable education for me. I also enjoy your illustrative style.

    I’m currently an art student and when I finish school my goal is to get into art licensing. It’s wonderful and inspiring to learn more and more about how art licensing works, what pitfalls to avoid, how to handle various situations, and the realities of the business. Thank you for an informative interview! I look forward to exploring your site and soaking everything in!

    • Monica Lee

      Esther! HAHA! Now I feel better for always getting peoples names wrong! Thank you for that! :) I love when we keep it real-excited for you on your art journey!

      • Esther Longmore

        Monica, I’m so glad that made you laugh! I felt like such a blockhead when I realized my mistake! ;) And thanks for your support!

  • Esther Longmore

    And I can’t believe I just called you Laura! I know your name is Monica! Sorry, I must have looked at the comment before mine! :D

  • http://claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com claudine hellmuth

    another great interview Monica! thanks Tara for all the info!!

  • http://www.artlicensinginfo.com Tara Reed

    Thank you so much for the opportunity to sit and chat with you over the airwaves Monica! I was really nervous to watch this – and do wish my hair didn’t look so flat (vanity gets us all!) – but I’m happy with how it turned out.

    What I hope people take away from it is that no 2 artists follow the same path and that attitude and hard work are key ingredients to making a living doing what you love!

    Wishing everyone their own definition of creative success!

    • Monna

      Tara, I took the same thing away also, I go to Surtex and it is overwhelming with so many great artists, but as Monica said, no 2 artists are alike and I know about contracts, but it is a different world when it comes to licensing. Thanks!

  • http://www.byarbrough.com Beth Yarbrough

    Wow, Monica – I loved your interview with my friend, Tara. What a great chat! You girls rock.

    • Monica Lee

      Awww! I love that-girls rock!!

  • http://elizabethglz.com/blog Elizabeth Gonzalez

    Loved Love this interview with the amazing Tara Reed. I have learned a lot from Tara’s PdF books as well as from her blog posts. I am always recommending her books to all people who want to be in the licensing world. Her passion for licensing is what makes people call her a licensing guru. She is an inspiration, her joy making what she loves is contagious! I met her at SURTEX 2012 (in person, I have already met her online) where I participated for the first time and she helped a lot with her advises. Great job, as always, Tara!!

    Monica, when I came today to this site I found three of my favorite artists in the side bar. The have inspired me to continue in my art/business journey. You are doing an amazing job sharing these interviews.

    • Monica Lee

      Wow! That is so fabulous to hear! I am thrilled you are continuing your artistic journey! You go girl!

  • Cris E. Hill

    Tara is such a talented and inspiring lady! It is hard to believe all she is involved in and the passion she has,
    Tara is a GEM!

  • http://www.artlicensinginfo.com Tara Reed

    Well shucks – a girl could get a big head… ;-) Thank you all for your kind words – it helps to know I’m not just talking and blogging into a void. I value all of your feedback – keep on creating!

    Tara

  • http://www.DebMagelssen.com Deb Magelssen

    Dear Monica & Tara,
    I don’t know how I ever stumbled upon both of you but I am so happy I did! I thoughourly enjoyed the interview and now I am having a wonderful time checking out all the fantastic information you both are providing for creative individuals. I am and have been an artist most of my life. I became full-time in 2005. Lately, I have been in a funk and have been searching for another direction with my art. I do not know if licensing would be a good fit for me but I am going to purchase Tara’s book to find out.
    Best of success to both of you.
    Thank you!
    Deb

  • http://bethparkerart.com Beth Parker

    What a great interview! You have a way of really putting people at ease, Monica. I am one of the people that has been learning from Tara for several years. The advice she gives is invaluable. Thank you so much for everything both of you do!

  • http://www.artlicensinginfo.com Tara Reed

    Monica – I have to tell you I loved your @ pillow so much that when I saw a wooden @ symbol at Marshall’s I had to get it!

    • Monica Lee

      Haha! I know—perfect for a person who “lives” online! @SmartCreativeW!

  • http://www.caseylukatz.com Casey

    Such a valuable interview on many levels. It made me feel so much better to know you had a period when you had to lock your paint brushes in the attic. As artists we all go through times when the inspiration doesn’t come, I feel I’m finally entering a creative period again and finding your site has really been helpful. Thank you.

    • Monica Lee

      Casey! Thank you for saying that, sometimes I feel a bit odd about sharing my story but I did go from heartbreak to a very full heart!

  • http://www.tortagialla.com linda

    Great interview and totally can relate to the part where Tara was talking about being isolated and thinking everyone else is doing great and you must be the only one struggling! I think that’s why community is so important… to have cohorts and to help each other out. There’s room for all of us, huh?

  • MaryJane

    Dear Monica and Tara,
    Thanks so much for this interview.
    Monica, thanks for your brilliant idea to start “Smart, Creative Women.”

    Tara, thanks to you for all of your incredible in sites and for leading the way to educating artists.

    I appreciate both of you immensely.

    lots of creative love,
    MaryJane

    • Monica Lee

      Mary Jane!! Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate you watching!

  • coffeebabs

    Thanks for the interview. So much of what you talked about is applicable to “life”. Get over things, don’t hold grudges, don’t listen to the naysayers (“whatever”, as Tara said). Monica, you do have a way of making it fun to listen to and make your guests feel comfortable. It really is like sitting down and having a cuppa coffee with you. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of it.

  • http://www.send2smiles.com Gerda

    I really enjoyed this interview. Realizing that other artist struggle or struggled with the same issues as I do all the time. I always thought its just me who feels isolated in her office. ;-)
    Just at the beginning of learning a lot about art licensing I am very grateful for valuable content as you provide with your interviews and blogs. Thank you so much.

    Gerda