Join The Business of Art:
https://thebusinessof-art.teachable.com/p/the-business-of-art
Amanda’s Links:
Website – https://agmarkel.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/a.g.markel/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AGMarkelFineArt
Books & Resources Referenced During the Interview:
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
• The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick M.
Lencioni
• The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
Jordan Peterson Podcast
Slaying the Dragon Within Us
Dunzo
Executive Assistant
https://www.getdunzo.com/
UPWORK
https://upwork.com
Summary
Sculptor Amanda Markel (b. 1994) shares how she went from self-educated beginnings to full-time artist in
2022, developing a signature bronze style that uses intentional negative space to suggest movement, “lost
edges,” and co-creation with the viewer. She describes how constraints in bronze led her to innovate, why
vulnerability and story live inside her pieces, and how that distinct style accelerated recognition.
On the business side, Amanda urges artists to pick a specific goal, reverse-engineer a path, and “dream out
loud”—a practice that directly led to her first large-scale wolf sculpture, then a three-wolf installation at Benson
Sculpture Garden (ultimately installed at 14 feet). She credits community, mentors, and even trusted collectors
for candid feedback, and shares practical systems for staying inspired and consistent.
Takeaways
• Choose a specific end goal, then reverse-engineer the steps and timeline to get there—you’ll “collapse
time” versus wandering.
• “Dream out loud”: say what you want publicly so others can open doors; that approach led directly to
her first monument-scale commission.
• Signature style came from embracing constraints of bronze—using negative space, lost edges, and
implied motion to make work identifiably hers.
• Telling personal stories in your work helps audiences connect; vulnerability can move people to tears
and build community.
• Community is a force multiplier: build mentors, peers, and even collector-friends who’ll give honest
feedback and act like an advisory board.
• Treat it like a business: know your ideal client, and optimize channels (galleries vs. shows) to match
your strengths.
• Practical studio systems sustain creativity: finish the day by resetting your space; use tiny “Atomic
Habits” steps to build momentum.
• Apprenticeship and critique accelerate growth—seek generous teachers and structured feedback loops.
• Don’t trade passion for money; protect the joy that keeps you creating for the long haul.
• Art is meaning-making: negative and positive spaces (and life’s highs and lows) both belong; that’s why
art matters to culture.
• A clear, distinct style makes you easy to recognize—and speeds up career traction.
• Real example of momentum: a small wolf became 6.5 ft, which led to a three-wolf commission installed
at 14 ft at Benson Sculpture Garden.