The Sustainable Studio: How to Avoid Burnout and Build a Career That Lasts
If you are reading this in January, you might be feeling a very familiar tension. It’s that conflict where one part of you feels your ambitious, big dreams bubbling up, wanting to force your creative business to take off. But the other part of you? If you’re like me, you might be exhausted from the past year.
As we start this new chapter, I’ve been thinking a lot about sustainability. I don't mean it just as a buzzword, but as a genuine question: What is actually supporting us emotionally, creatively, and financially?. The truth is, the version of a career that looks fancy on an Instagram Reel is rarely the version that actually sustains us.
In this episode of the Create! Podcast, I’m diving into how we can protect our nervous systems, avoid the "glamour trap," and build a studio practice that we can actually stick with for decades to come.
Listen to the Create! Podcast Episode
Reality Transurfing and the "Pendulum" Trap
One of the biggest game-changers for me recently has been reading Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland. In the book, Zeland talks about "pendulums"—energy structures that form around collective thinking.
In the art world, we are constantly surrounded by these pendulums. You know the ones:
"Successful artists must have gallery representation."
"You need to post on Instagram every single day to be relevant."
"Real artists suffer for their work."
The problem is that these pendulums feed off our energy. The more you force yourself to comply—hating every minute of trying to "crack the algorithm"—the more exhausted you become, and the further you get from the work you actually love. Zeland argues that when you stop fighting to get somewhere and start doing what you truly want, the energy flows naturally.
The Glamour vs. The Reality
We often chase the "glamour" of success—the Art Basel booth, the museum show, the viral post. And while those things are amazing and worth envisioning, they aren't necessarily what pays the bills or brings daily joy.
The gap between the glamour and the reality is where many of us get stuck or even go broke. We focus so hard on looking professional that we ignore the "unsexy" income streams that actually hold everything together—like print sales, teaching workshops, or community memberships.
I realized that what builds my sustainability are the things I created slowly and scrappily—often in the background while everyone else was watching the "superstars".
The Sustainable Studio Audit
So, how do we reset? I want you to grab a notebook and do a quick audit of your creative career.
Make a list of your income sources and track three things:
Rough Revenue: How much did it actually bring in?
Time Investment: How many hours per week or month did it take?
Energy Cost: Rate it Low, Medium, or High.
Be honest with yourself. If something is taking tons of time and energy but making you almost nothing, it’s time to restructure or let it go. Conversely, if something brings you joy and steady income but isn't "glamorous," lean into it.
My goal for you is to have a business that doesn't break you but builds you up.
This Episode is Sponsored By: Grapevine
The secondary market already exists around your work—it’s just happening without you. When art reappears on eBay or Craigslist, it loses context, and so do you.
Grapevine is being built to change that. It helps artists turn resale energy into momentum and value. Grapevine gives artists a simple page of their own where collectors can resell work peer-to-peer—with your approval, your context, and optional royalties.
Learn more at grapevine.market
Stay Connected
Website & Magazine: createmagazine.co
Education & Resources: createu.co
Newsletter: createmagazine.substack.com
Instagram: @createmagazine