Tiny Inventions talks Rebounding from Rejection, Embracing Slow Processes, and Funding Work Abroad

Hear more from Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter of Tiny Inventions on using grants and residencies in Europe to fund their animation practice, negotiating the slow, labor-intensive process of stop-motion animation with the demands of commercial clients, how even an Oscar nomination didn't prevent future failures or rejections, making the hard decision to shelve a feature film they'd worked on for years, and how they balance their time between family, teaching, and running a small business.    Aura House – Podcast sponsor, premium home fragrance diffusers that will make your home smell like a spa with scents that are cruelty free, vegan, and safe for pets! Get 10% off on top of their site discounts with our discount code STUDIO10 at www.aurahouse.com (*affiliate link)   "How to Find and Land Large-Scale Public Art Projects" – Register for co-host Nicole Mueller's upcoming virtual workshop! Use the code EARLYBIRD for 15% off through September 30th, 2026 at www.nicolemariemueller.com/workshops   Find links to resources mentioned throughout the episode here in our show notes:  beyondthe.studio   Submit to our Listener Spotlight: Listener Spotlight    Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio 

Hear more from Art.coop core organizer Sruti Suryanarayanan on how artists are building their own economies, ways artists are likely participating in the solidarity economy movement without even realizing it, how Art.coop is raising awareness while rejecting stereotypes like the "starving artist" and "sellout," ways artists can incorporate collectivist practices into their own work, and bringing creativity and imagination to the systems and structures around us while building toward a better future.   Aura House – Podcast sponsor, premium home fragrance diffusers that will make your home smell like a spa with scents that are cruelty free, vegan, and safe for pets! Get 10% off on top of their site discounts with our discount code STUDIO10 at www.aurahouse.com (*affiliate link)   Find links to resources mentioned throughout the episode here in our show notes:  beyondthe.studio   Submit to our Listener Spotlight: Listener Spotlight    Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio 

Hear more from Julia Halperin, arts and culture journalist, on why structural progress is so slow to manifest in the art world, the sobering realities about representation of female-identifying and Black American artists with new data to back it up from the Burns Halperin Report, how to actually create change from the inside out within museums, using data collection to shape decisions in our own personal lives, how frustratingly arbitrary legacy-defining moments in the arts can seem, and why she's interested in telling stories that haven't been told yet.      Find links to resources mentioned throughout the episode here in our show notes:    beyondthe.studio   Submit to our Listener Spotlight: Listener Spotlight  Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio 

Hear more from Dexter Wimberly on persevering through personal challenges while embracing change, making an early career pivot into the art world from marketing & advertising, supporting artists in their professional development through his work as an independent curator, founder of Hayama Artist Residency, co-founder of CreativeStudy (formerly Art World Conference) and Senior Critic at New York Academy of Art, bringing an entrepreneurial mindset to every aspect of life, and giving ourselves permission to dream bigger.   Find links to resources mentioned throughout the episode here in our show notes:    beyondthe.studio   Submit to our Listener Spotlight: Listener Spotlight  Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio 

Hear more from Sharon Louden on her new book "Last Artist Standing: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life Over 50," what we can learn about longevity and the real needs of artists from late-career stages, the importance of intergenerational bridges, leading from a place of gratitude and generosity, and how community makes it possible to move with strength and resiliency.   Find links to resources mentioned throughout the episode here in our show notes:    beyondthe.studio   Submit to our Listener Spotlight: Listener Spotlight  Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio 

Hear more from Amanda and Nicole as they recap their 2025 finances, how they're sustaining their creative practices as artists, shifting business models around changing economic times, managing cash flow around variable income, becoming an S-Corp, the dangers small business owners face against large online retailers, and the things that don't show up on a spreadsheet but are essential for financial stability.   Find links to resources mentioned throughout the episode here in our show notes:    beyondthe.studio   Submit to our Listener Spotlight: Listener Spotlight  Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio  @nicolemariemueller

Hear more from Micah E. Wood on the surprising connections that build creative careers, what self-publishing books and albums taught him about community, the importance of taking initiative, staying persistent, and what it really looks like to build a career based on relationships.  beyondthe.studio Subscribe to our free Substack Submit to our Listener Spotlight Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio @nicolemariemueller @closecallstudio 

Hear more from Cindy Cheng on the movement towards unionizing a well-known arts institution, leaving behind a full-time teaching job in pursuit of making a living through her art, pivoting from large sculptural installations to making wearable jewelry, and embracing change while growing a profitable practice.  beyondthe.studio Subscribe to our free Substack Submit to our Listener Spotlight Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio @nicolemariemueller @closecallstudio 

beyondthe.studio   Subscribe to our free Substack   Submit to our Listener Spotlight Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio  @nicolemariemueller @closecallstudio 

Hear more from Mark Zlotsky and Karyn Lao of Mookntaka on making art more accessible with their larger-than-life inflatables, infusing public spaces with play and spontaneity, finding funding and support for temporary or ephemeral work, collaborating as a couple, and setting a 'north star' for attaining creative goals.  Find links to resources mentioned throughout the episode here in our show notes:    beyondthe.studio   Submit to our Listener Spotlight: Listener Spotlight  Follow us on Instagram at: @beyondthestudio  @nicolemariemueller @closecallstudio Intro and Ad Music: Suahn Branding: David Colson