
Keys to the Art World
I head up Art on 30th's 24-week mentoring program in San Diego that's designed for career-minded emerging artists. If you’ve been struggling with marketing, pricing, or finding collectors who truly value your art, you don’t have to do it alone.

Learn the Business Side of Art
Not a seminar...
Not a workshop...
This is personal guidance.
In this program, I show you how to find your artistic visual voice, build a thriving studio practice, create a unified body of work, and how to successfully market and sell your art.
As a group, we go on 2 outings and I bring in 4 guest artists to interview on topics that they thrive in so artists can get access to even more knowledge and experience.

See Major Growth
Artists also have access to exclusive opportunities throughout the year to gain exposure and to sell their work.
Being a professional artist can be a part-time or a full-time endeavor. We learn all the ways artists can support themselves.
Many of our alumni go on to:
- acquire solo shows
- get gallery representation
- be juried into art fairs
- start teaching
- launch art prints of their work
- spend more time painting than ever
- and more
All while feeling prepared and ready.

Have a Gallery Show in December
At the end of the year, as a joined group of both spring and fall semesters, we host our own show at Ashton Gallery to put into practice what we have learned.
Our year-end group show is the largest, most attended, and most successful show that the gallery has hosted for the past 3 years in a row.
Artists in this program help with every stage of planning and promoting of their own gallery show:
- choosing a show name
- prepping their own marketing materials
- inviting people to attend
- how to engage with show visitors
- decorating the gallery
- getting ready for opening night
- post-show private viewings
This gives artists real-world experience that they need to understand the business side of art.

It's Free to Apply!
We jury 10 artists into each semester. There's no cost to apply and you can submit your application online or in-person at Art on 30th.
The application is short and sweet. We wanted to make it super easy to fill out. Websites and Instagram accounts are not required as we learn all about them as part of the program.
Because this is not a "how–to–paint" class, artists should be proficient enough in basic painting techniques and be intermediate level.
More Info:
- Semester Length: 24 weeks
- Mondays 10:30am–1:30pm
- Cost: $299 every 4 weeks
- Group Size: 10 artists per semester
- Level 4 (advanced)
Important Dates:
- Deadline for Fall 2025: June 16
- Notifications: June 23
- Fall Semester: June 23 - December 15
What You'll Be Learning
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Artist Style + Scheduling
We start with 6 weeks of developing our personal artistic style, create a unified body of work, and learn how to build a thriving studio practice.
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Presentation + Collectors
Next, we have 6 weeks of learning how to share our work with the world in a professional way and how to attract our ideal art collectors.
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Selling + Marketing
Then, we spend 12 weeks taking a deep dive into various streams of income, financial planning, and how to promote our year-end gallery show.
What the Alumni Have to Say...
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David S.
It was thorough on the business side, which was awesome and most appreciated! I enjoyed the opportunity to actually learn how to market yourself with practical advice and hands-on experience. Kristen went above and beyond to answer questions. I felt like she was invested in my success. This program was worth all the time, money, and emotional work!
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Skye S.
I took this program because I recognized it was "the best value" that Art on 30th has to offer and it gives so much! I recommended it to my friend and they were just accepted to take the program so now we'll both get to showcase our artwork together at the end of the year.
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Autumn S.
Kristen has profoundly influenced my artistic understanding—particularly in the areas of color theory, light, shadow, and the emotional depth of space. Her ability to distill complex artistic concepts has had a lasting impact on me as an artist.
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Shelly C.
I have grown so much as an artist at Art on 30th. I can't say enough positive things about this art school and gallery. Kristen was very professional and really cared about providing informative instruction to help your art soar!
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Shelby M.
It's been amazing! I've learned so much and felt so encouraged by Kristen and the entire community. My past year here has really had an incredible impact on my life and well-being!
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Anna H.
The best part was the community! But what really helped me was learning about having a vision and unique voice—and just being able to focus on making a body of art.
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Michiyo M.
This program was a rare experience that taught me how to be a real professional artist. So glad to be here!! Kristen was wonderful and resourceful.
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Jordan L.
Great classes, great instructors—but more than anything, it's been a pleasure to be part of the community at Art on 30th!
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Missy G.
The community is amazing! If I could live here, I would!