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Have you ever wondered how to turn your artistic talents into travel opportunities?

This week I speak with Carol Mcquaid who is a nomadic artist.

Before becoming an artist, Carol was working a corporate job but knew she wanted to pursue a career as a traveling artist full time.

So, she and her husband put their home on Airbnb and the rest as they say is history.

Today, she is able to continue to travel as an artist through artist residencies and by renting their home.

When Carol is not creating art in Vancouver, she is traveling the world meeting artists and getting inspiration from her adventures.

In this episode, Carol shares how to create travel opportunities from your artistic talents and why having a creative outlet is crucial for everyone even when you are not an artist.

Listen Below:

In this Episode:

• What Carol did before she became a traveling artist.
• How to turn your artistic talents into travel opportunities.
• How has technology helped Carol as an artist and learned new skill sets in order to market and sell her work?
• Why marketing is crucial in order to succeed as an artist.
• People buy the artist first and then the artwork.
• Getting the courage to sell your work as an artist.
• Why you are not selling out as an artist if you are creating income from your work.
• What is the average day for a nomadic artist?
• The one thing Carol wished she knew before becoming a freelance artist.
• One of the biggest challenges for Carol is having a community when she is constantly traveling and how she is able to find friends.
• The importance of having a good support system and having a mastermind group to help you succeed.
• Why Carol doesn’t believe in a backup plan or plan B.
• The best marketing technique Carol has used was through word of mouth.
• How real estate has helped Carol and her husband have a nomadic lifestyle.
• Dealing with anxiety and stress by having self-care and taking the time to relax.
• The legacy Carol wants to leave 50 years from now is knowing that she has helped others have a more creative and engaged life.
• The importance of being creative without having expectations to be “good” and just for the sole purpose to create.
• Carol nerds out on language learning and uses Duolingo to help her learn a new language.
• The best thing she learned working at an unusual job was to always become her own boss.

Listen to Carol’s extended interview where she shares how to apply for artists residencies and connect with other artists abroad.

Listen Below:

In this episode:

• How to find and stay in artist residencies.
• ResArtis.org allows finding artists’ residencies all over the world.
• The level of difficulty for residencies and how to look for legitimate opportunities.
• Tips on creating the best application that will get you accepted to a residency or an art show.
• How to find ways to show your work in other countries.
• How to afford to travel as an artist.
• Where to find other artists when you are in a different country.
• Dr. Sketchy’s anti-art school is a great way to find other artists and have fun sketching burlesque dancers.

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