Making art is fun! 

But trying to sell it with little-to-no business experience? 

Not so much.

 Have you ever thought to yourself, "maybe I should start an Etsy shop!" ...

...and then quickly realized you had NO BUSINESS starting a business?

I've been there, my friend.

(Self-taught artist, accidental creative entrepreneur, and major over-thinker here!)

I have some good news for you, despite all of the "logic" telling you otherwise:

You can TOTALLY do this.

And especially now, when thriving online businesses are more important than ever, you owe it to yourself and your art to give it a shot.

My new  course, the Online Artist, can help.


Let me know if this sounds familiar:

You pick up a new artsy hobby, and you are OBSESSED.

Like, thinking-about-it-every-waking-hour obsessed.

Turns out creativity fills you up in the most magical way, and if you could do it forever, you wouldn't even have to think twice.

At some point, you take your art online...

...only to discover that there are real people who actually make a living selling your hobby.

So you start to think... that could be me, right? I LOVE making this thing, and even if I don't quit my day job, I bet I could at least make enough to pay for new supplies...

Then you take a peek at how many THOUSANDS of failed Etsy shops there are out there.

Yikes.

I mean, the world doesn't really need another small business maker, right? Probably best to just stay in your lane and keep your creativity to yourself.

STOP RIGHT THERE, because here's the truth:

There are people who are desperate for your art to be part of their story. 

And they can't wait to find you...
...all they need is a little nudge.



At this point, you might be thinking:

"Ok, let's just pretend for a minute that my dream customer actually exists.

Why would they want to buy my art when they have so many better options to choose from? It's not like I'm the greatest artist in the world -- how can I possibly stand out from the crowd?"

Look, I'm not going to lie:

The market can be tough out there. With a lot of makers trying to reach a lot of people, the online noise can seem pretty darn impenetrable.

And the sad reality is that even if you were the greatest artist in the world, that's still not a guarantee that you could sell your stuff. 

Contrary to popular belief, great art doesn't sell itself.

Great art all-too-often sits forgotten, gathering dust in the furthest reaches of cyberspace, because too many artists don't know how  to reach their customers.

If you're anything like me, you've probably spent hours poring over the "success stories," trying to figure out exactly how to replicate their process so you can have your own happily ever after...

...using all the right hashtags, following all the trends...

...only to feel as helpless and frustrated as a kid trying to learn calculus.

Here's my little (life-changing) secret: 

You don't have to be the best artist to sell your art.

You also don't have to be a business extraordinaire.

You just need to have the right story (aka: your story) to bring your customers straight to your door, eager to come inside.



Still, it's one thing to know your story has power -- it's another thing entirely to understand how to use it for your business, right?

That's where I come in.


Hi! I'm Kolbie: a self-taught artist who has spent years trying to figure out this whole business thing.

When I first started making art, I had zero intention of ever trying to sell it...

...but the more I honed my craft and delved into my creativity, the more I realized I wanted to share it with the world.

So I started an Etsy shop (basic), listed some paintings, and hoped for the best.

That "throwing paint at the wall" method worked *kind of*...

...but mostly? It didn't.

I sold a few paintings, but I didn't have a whole lot of clarity or purpose behind my choices, which made it nearly impossible to know how to grow.

That's when I knew I had to dig deep and do some research.

After struggling for a couple years, making lots of mistakes and spending a lot of $$$, I finally found a method that works.

My journey started with me making a few bucks each month, selling original artwork to customers who weren't willing to pay much of anything...

...to regularly receiving requests for commissions, where I charge a minimum of $200 per original painting to customers who keep coming back. 

Not only that, but this process gave me the focus I needed to gain confidence in my business decisions and regularly have "ah-ha!" moments that helped me grow as an artist and as a business owner, on purpose...

...to the tune of eventually replacing my 9-5 salary with the freedom of a thriving business on my terms.



But how do I know my methods are going to work for YOU? Didn't I just say NOT to copy someone else's journey? 

Yes, yes I did. But that's the beauty of my program, the Online Artist. 

I'm not just giving you the roadmap to my success as a watercolor artist and educator. 

I'm giving you the tools you need to build your own online business strategies, anchored in who YOU are as an artist and maker. 

“I have taken several of Kolbie's classes and every single one is fantastic! She is very thorough and "user-friendly."
Cara S.

This 8-week program is for you if:

  • You want to sell your art and creativity, but you have no idea how
  • You want to build a community-focused business that's true to who you are (no sleazy sales tactics)
  • You're tired of throwing paint at the wall and calling it a business strategy -- you're ready for confidence and purpose

This 8-week program is NOT for you if:

  • You just want a "quick fix" to making a bazillion dollars 
  • You don't like creativity, and you don't want to run a business
  • You're not interested in exploring your story or building real relationships with your customers


Here's the deal:

The Online Artist is an 8-week program that starts with the most important part of your creative business:

Your story.

Using who you are and why you make art as anchors throughout the program, I'll give you practical approaches to curating a business strategy that works for you, centered around serving your dream customers and growing your creativity.


In the Online Artist, we're going to cover important topics like:

- how to craft your brand narrative 
- cutting through noisy online spaces to reach your dream customer
- choosing a niche and how to price your products
- creative strategies to build a community of true fans (and real friends)
- navigating social media authentically and successfully 

We're also going to dive into steps I wish I would've taken when I first started my business, like:

 - how (and why) to build an email list
- where to set up shop (and why it doesn't really matter) 
- what to put on your website (keep it simple!)
- building your business style guide (and why copywriting does matter)
- and more! 

My friend, I can't go back in time to help guide past Kolbie through her journey -- but I can make sure that you have more of a head start than she did.

That's why I created the Online Artist -- because even self-taught artists with no business background can learn to make art that sells.


Kolbie Blume, artist, educator, and your biggest fan

After decades of believing art just "wasn't her thing," Kolbie picked up a brush pen on a whim and decided to give hand lettering a try. What started as an obsession eventually grew into a passionate career, leading her through calligraphy and lettering to watercolor illustration.

After a few years of teaching herself to love art, she couldn't hold it in any longer and decided to make a little class on Skillshare. Two years and 12k+ students later, she's made a living from teaching other people to love art, and she's never looked back.

Her goal with each class is to help give you the courage + tools to keep making beautiful things -- because the world needs all the creativity it can get.

The Online Artist: Your Roadmap to Crafting a Creative Message That Sells



Module One: Who You Are + Why Art Matters
Figuring out who you are and why you make art will be the foundation for your whole business.

Module Two: Your Ideal Customer
Once you've nailed your "why," it's time to figure out the other half of the business equation: your customer.

Module Three: How to Sell Using Content Marketing
After the why comes the how -- in this module, we'll talk about building a community-based business where you and your dream customer serve each other.

Module Four: How to Sell Using Creative Messaging
Next, we're taking your story and using it to build a messaging strategy that is true to who you are and resonates with your dream customer.

Module Five: Choosing Your Niche
You can have the perfect message and still come up zip if you don't sell the right product. In this module, let's go over your options and figure out your sweet spot.

*BONUS: How to digitize your art mini lesson

*BONUS: How to price your artwork mini lesson

Module Six: Where to Sell
Only when you've nailed down your core brand narrative should you start thinking about where to set up shop -- in week 6, we'll go over the best options that will help your art shine.

Module Seven: What Now?
This module is focused on when (not if) you fail. We'll talk about how to learn from your mistakes, take care of your mental health, and keep going with confidence and purpose.

Module Eight: Boring Biz Stuff
I don't know a whole lot about things like LLCs and taxes... but I do know where to point you! In this module, we'll wrap up the Online Artist going over important things like contracts and where you can learn more about making your business "legit."

BONUS: The Local Artist
Let's take your business offline and into your community with these tips and tricks on how to build up your business IRL.