• 43 minutes 24 seconds
    What Lacey Hennessy Does to Build a Flexible and Profitable Creative Business

    Lacey Hennessy’s art career started with painted fraternity coolers at Clemson and a Facebook business page she named during accounting class. Years later, one Instagram post about wanting to paint a mural led to a taco restaurant project that paid the equivalent of one month of her corporate salary in three days. In this episode, Lacey explains how she grew that experiment into Lacey Does, a commission-driven business with more than 300 murals and a client process built around clear expectations. She breaks down her “box method” for matching a mural’s scope to the client’s budget, why she collects 50% before beginning the design, and how detailed contracts helped other muralists take over her scheduled projects after a colorectal cancer diagnosis. Lacey also shares the hands-on Instagram strategy that grew her audience, her plans to build income beyond murals, and how she protects roughly 10 weeks each year for travel. Plus, why it would take a truly unreasonable amount of money to get her painting fraternity coolers again.


    Lacey Hennessy is the Greenville, South Carolina-based artist, muralist, and entrepreneur behind Lacey Does. Her bold, playful work spans murals, custom commissions, originals, prints, textiles, licensing projects, and coaching for other artists.


    Connect with Lacey:


    Creative finds:


    In this episode, we discuss:

    • How one Instagram goal led to Lacey’s first mural… and $6,500 in three days
    • Why she replaced Hennessy in the Home with a personal brand that leaves room for murals, textiles, licensing, and future partnerships
    • How the “box method” gives clients clear choices based on their wall, priorities, and budget
    • Why painting is step seven in Lacey’s 10-step mural process
    • How collecting 50% upfront protects the value of the concept and design work
    • Why detailed contracts and a trusted muralist network kept her projects moving during cancer treatment
    • How targeted engagement, batch content, and shameless self-promotion helped grow her audience without turning every post into a sales pitch

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    26 August 2026, 10:00 am
  • 44 minutes 53 seconds
    How Snowboarding Led Hannah Eddy to Being Creative for Vans, Patagonia, and More

    Hannah Eddy has built a career across murals, snowboards, apparel, products, and gallery walls while keeping her bold colors and playful characters easy to spot. Her roots in skate and snowboard culture helped turn old camp connections into collaborations with Vans, Patagonia, Hydro Flask, and more. She opens up about the project choices, business boundaries, and lifestyle decisions that protect her creative energy. You’ll hear how she stays easy to hire while keeping the work unmistakably hers.


    Hannah Eddy is a Reno-based artist and muralist known for bold color, crisp lines, playful landscapes, and recurring characters influenced by skateboarding, snowboarding, and the outdoors. Her work appears across murals, gallery walls, skateboards, apparel, products, and collaborations with brands including Vans, Patagonia, Santa Cruz Skateboards, and Hydro Flask.


    Connect with Hannah:


    Creative Finds:


    In this episode, we discuss:

    • Why a recognizable style can make the right brand projects easier to land – and the wrong ones easier to decline.
    • A look at how years inside the skate and snowboard community opened doors no cold pitch could force.
    • What Hannah’s camper, six off-grid years, and low-overhead life taught her about protecting creative freedom.
    • Why a one-year licensing term can keep an artist’s characters from quietly slipping out of their control.
    • What artists often overlook when Instagram starts replacing gallery openings, local art nights, and actual conversations.

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    12 August 2026, 10:00 am
  • 40 minutes 51 seconds
    How Five Golden Brush Award Winners Turned Creative Risk Into Confidence

    One artist joined the voting push with 26 votes while another submission had more than 300. Another almost skipped the application altogether. In this Golden Brush Awards roundtable, Eugene O’Neill, Sophie Groenstein, Julia Kenyon, Sydney Rae, and Sabah Bardhan unpack the decisions behind five winning pieces: painting a monumental portrait of Buddhist nun Jun Son while working until 2 a.m., layering exterior house paint to create a saturated hometown portrait, earning a client’s trust for bright orange-and-blue peacocks, experimenting on the wall to recreate coffee-watercolor texture, and wrestling with a human figure and one particularly stubborn set of hands inside a Denver restaurant. The recognition gave each artist fresh evidence that the risky idea, unfamiliar technique, or last-minute submission was worth following through.


    Eugene O’Neill, Sophie Groenstein, Julia Kenyon, Sydney Rae, and Sabah Bardhan are the artists behind five winning projects from Zibra’s 2025 Golden Brush Awards. Their work spans large-scale community murals, portraiture, restaurant interiors, coffee-inspired realism, and a peacock-covered anniversary chest.



    Connect with the 2025 Golden Brush Award winners:


    Eugene O’Neill – Transformation of the Year


    Sophie Groenstein – Color Crush


    Julia Kenyon – Vision to Reality


    Sydney Rae – Stroke of Genius


    Sabah Bardhan – Detail Devotion


    Creative finds:


    A Quick Note from Zibra:


    🚨 Zibra’s most-requested brush size drops July 30… The NEW 1/8-inch Detail Brush will be available in square, triangle, and round. Use code BANTER10 for 10% off when you shop the launch at enjoyzibra.com!


    In this episode, we discuss:

    • How Eugene rallied real-life community groups after seeing his 26 votes next to another entry’s 300-plus
    • Why full creative freedom became its own challenge when Eugene chose to paint Buddhist nun and peace activist Jun Son
    • How Sophie layered exterior house paint to give Tulsi its saturated color and velvety softness
    • How sample swatches helped Sabah earn a client’s trust for a bold orange-and-blue peacock design
    • Why Sydney spent extra time experimenting with coffee-inspired texture instead of falling back on her usual crisp lines
    • How Julia used a human figure, difficult hands, flowing smoke, and white space to create movement inside a Denver restaurant
    • How recognition helped Sophie advocate for bolder color, Julia pursue travel work, and Sydney seek more textured commercial murals

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    29 July 2026, 10:00 am
  • 40 minutes 50 seconds
    How Following Up Helped Abby Pawley Paint for Amazon and IKEA

    Abby Pawley started by painting surfboards in Virginia Beach, then said yes to a 50-foot mural festival wall that changed everything. Five years later, her work has shown up in Amazon’s main entrance, an IKEA Monet collaboration, local landmarks, and commercial spaces across her community. Abby shares how she left a warehouse job with no perfect plan, followed up until clients answered, handled the panic of large-scale projects, and learned to keep painting through the ugly middle when even she needed to trust the process. She also talks honestly about AI-generated client requests, social media pressure, public rejection, and the kind of persistence that can turn a “no” into the next wall.


    Abby Pawley is the Virginia Beach artist and muralist behind Pawley Prints, creating colorful murals, coastal-inspired pieces, and large-scale commercial work for brands and local spaces. Based in Virginia Beach, her work carries the influence of her high school art teachers, who encouraged her early on, and the community that helped her grow.


    Connect with Abby:


    Creative Finds:

    • Zibra 1/8" Detail Brush – our most requested size, launching July 30 at enjoyzibra.com (use code BANTER10 for 10% off)


    In this episode, we discuss:

    • Why Abby left her warehouse job after her first mural, even without a perfect plan
    • How steady follow-up helped turn an Amazon referral into a real project
    • Why referrals still require persistence, clear communication, and self-advocacy
    • What changes when your work moves from small surfaces to 50-foot walls
    • How artists can get through the ugly middle of a project without spiraling
    • Why Abby’s most effective social media posts are often the simple, honest ones
    • How sharing rejection can build trust with your audience and help other artists keep going

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    15 July 2026, 10:00 am
  • 11 minutes 37 seconds
    Why Saying "No" Is the Key to a Sustainable Creative Business

    Every creative starts in “yes mode.” Say yes to every project, every client, every opportunity, because that’s how you grow. But at some point, that pace stops working. In this minisode, Jen Talley, Courtney Wiesel, Alli K Designs, and the Off the Walls Murals team share what changed when they started getting more selective. Turning down projects that don’t fit. Referring work instead of forcing it. Protecting time, energy, and family life. These are the decisions that shape a business you can actually keep up with. If you’ve been stretched thin or stuck taking on work that doesn’t feel like you anymore, this conversation brings you back to what matters, and shows how saying no creates space for better work, better clients, and a business that fits your life.


    In this episode, you’ll hear:

    • Why Jen Talley shifted from saying yes to everything to choosing projects that actually fit her life and direction
    • What changes when you stop trying to be everything to everyone and start building around your strengths
    • How Alli K Designs handles out-of-scope requests by referring, delegating, or bringing in the right people instead of doing it all
    • How understanding your market helps you say no with confidence, and avoid work that won’t sell or scale
    • The mindset shift that helps you price, choose, and operate like your ideal client.
    • The Off the Walls Murals team’s approach to setting work hours, protecting family time, and keeping the business sustainable


    Hit rewind on these episodes:

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    3 June 2026, 10:00 am
  • 13 minutes 29 seconds
    Mural Pricing Mistakes That Cost Artists Thousands (And How to Fix Them)

    Pricing your work is your favorite guessing game, you say? Don’t worry. For most artists, it’s their least favorite - and frankly, it shouldn’t have to feel like one. This minisode gets real about the messy middle between undercharging, overthinking, and learning the hard way, with honest perspective from Alli K Design, the Off the Walls Murals team, and Kyle Mosher. From showing up to walls way bigger than expected to losing thousands on early mistakes no one warns you about, these are the moments that actually shape how artists start pricing with confidence. What comes through isn’t a perfect formula (because there isn’t one), but something more useful: a grounded way to think about your numbers, your time, and your value, built through curiosity, community, and experience. If you’ve ever second-guessed a quote or wondered if you’re doing it “right,” this one will feel like a conversation you didn’t know you needed.


    In this episode, you’ll hear:

    • Why pricing murals will never be a plug-and-play formula, and what to do instead
    • How Alli K approaches pricing through curiosity, community, and asking better questions
    • What a certain muralist learned about time, energy, and setting boundaries (including charging for site visits)
    • The real cost of early business mistakes… and how Kyle Mosher turned them into better systems
    • Why outsourcing the parts of your business you avoid can actually make you more money
    • How to balance being the artist and the operator without burning out
    • The bigger vision behind Off The Walls Murals’ work – and how pricing well allows you to give back in a sustainable way


    Hit rewind on these episodes:


    Resources mentioned:

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    20 May 2026, 10:00 am
  • 20 minutes 29 seconds
    Marketing Yourself as an Artist Without Feeling Salesy

    Marketing advice online often pushes creators toward trends, virality, and constant output, but it turns out that’s not what actually builds a sustainable business. This minisode brings together insights from Shannon McKinstrie, Off the Walls Murals, and Alyssa Vilardi to show what really moves the needle: clear messaging, content that makes people feel connected, and paying attention to the metrics that actually matter (like retention, not just reach). It’s a shift from chasing spikes to building something steady, from underpricing to standing behind your value, and from guessing what works to creating with intention, so that your marketing feels like an extension of your work, not something separate from it.


    In this episode, you’ll hear:

    • Why building genuine community matters more than chasing one viral moment
    • The one element that stops the scroll (and it's not what you think)
    • The metric Instagram cares about that most creators ignore
    • Why designing for the algorithm doesn't mean losing yourself
    • The pricing mistake almost every creative makes
    • How certification turns assistants into brand ambassadors
    • The financial sustainability detail most creatives overlook


    Hit rewind on these episodes:

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    6 May 2026, 10:00 am
  • 13 minutes 27 seconds
    How to Find Your Art Style (and Know When It’s Yours)

    Creators spend years trying to define “their style,” but what if it’s already there, just not fully formed yet? This minisode pulls together honest moments from Cyn, Alyssa Vilardi, and Lauren Hull with Olga Muzician, tracing the real path of finding your style: evolving through client work, pushing through the “ugly phase,” and slowly recognizing the patterns that make your work yours. It’s less about discovering something new and more about noticing what’s been building all along, and having the confidence to follow it.


    In this episode, you’ll hear:

    • Why your art style is already forming (even if you can’t see it yet)
    • How pushing through the “ugly phase” leads to your best work
    • What experimenting across projects teaches you about your style faster than waiting
    • How recurring elements and influences make your work recognizable over time
    • Why sharing the messy, behind-the-scenes process builds a stronger audience connection
    • How confidence with clients helps protect and refine your creative voice


    Hit rewind on these episodes:

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    22 April 2026, 10:00 am
  • 15 minutes 13 seconds
    How Furniture Flippers Choose Projects for Profit

    When you’re flipping furniture, the biggest shift isn’t learning how to paint – it’s learning what’s actually worth your time. This minisode pulls together real-world perspectives from Jen Talley, Lauren Hull, Olga Muzician and Courtney Weisel on how they balance creativity with demand, choose pieces that will sell, and avoid projects that quietly drain profit. From simplifying your style to setting boundaries around what you won’t take on, this is about creating with intention so your work stays both sustainable and rewarding. In this minisode, we’re rewinding the actionable and inspiring soundbites from their Brush & Banter interviews to help you turn your passion into profit. 


    In this episode, you’ll hear:

    • Why “simple and timeless” often outsells trendy or overworked pieces
    • How to balance your creative style with what buyers actually want
    • What to look for when sourcing furniture (and what to avoid)
    • The hidden cost of time, and how it impacts your profit per piece
    • When to say no to projects (even when it’s hard) to prevent burnout
    • How diversifying your style can expand your market without losing your identity


    Hit rewind on these episodes:


    Creative finds from the episodes:


    Brushes mentioned (use code BANTER10 for 10% off):

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    15 April 2026, 10:00 am
  • 13 minutes 15 seconds
    Creative Ways to Make More Money as an Artist

    When you’re ready to turn your passion projects into income, it can be difficult and overwhelming to know where to start. Enter Kyle Mosher, Alli K., and Cyn Santos, working artists who have cracked the code to make more money as an artist without sacrificing your creativity. In this minisode, we’re rewinding the actionable and inspiring soundbites from their Brush & Banter interviews to help you turn your passion into profit. 

    In this episode, you’ll hear:

    • How Kyle Mosher built an artist-in-residence program to build the brand for an apartment complex
    • Why Alli K. said “no” to projects more often even as competition increased
    • How Cyn Santos leveraged her website to reach the right clients
    • Presenting yourself as an influencer vs. a contractor
    • Negotiating brand collaborations so you have creative freedom as the artist

    Hit rewind on these episodes:

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    26 March 2026, 1:00 am
  • 55 minutes 4 seconds
    Setting Your Prices as an Artist with Alli K Design

    What does it actually take to build a mural business that lasts more than a decade… and still feels steady? Alli Koch shares the behind-the-scenes structure that supports her 11-year career: outsourcing before burnout hits, building a personal “board of directors,” charging for site visits, and pricing based on context instead of formulas. She talks candidly about setting boundaries even when it’s tricky - like saying “no” to free work (even for family). From being approached to publish art books to installing a 25-foot public sculpture, Alli’s story is a reminder that longevity isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing the right work, with the right boundaries, at the right pace.


    Alli Koch is a Texas-based muralist, author, and sculptor known for her large-scale public art and modern how-to drawing books. With 11 years in business and repeat clients booking her into 2026, she mentors artists at every stage on building sustainable, confidence-led creative careers.


    Connect with Alli:


    Creative Finds:


    In this episode, we discuss:

    • The three-person “board of directors” that keeps self-doubt in check
    • Why outsourcing isn’t indulgent, it’s how you protect your momentum
    • Defining success by time freedom and relationships, not just revenue
    • Pricing murals through community conversations, not rigid formulas
    • Staying open to opportunity while holding firm boundaries around your worth

    Welcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We’re here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. 

    Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It’s a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio.

    Connect with Zibra: 

    4 March 2026, 11:00 am
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