Speaking

Available Topics

I’m available to speak on about my own work, and “Studio Rules!“  which is a talk about how to use boundaries and limits to be more creative and productive.

Contact Us.   Package options include a speech bundled with an exhibition, one-on-one sessions with your members and/or a hands-on art making workshop. Art workshops include metalsmithing and jewelry topics, assemblage sculpture with found objects and more. Please contact me for a complete list or to start a conversation.

2022 Speaking Events

Visiting Artist, Northern Illinois University, in conjunction with solo show in the Backspace Gallery.  DeKalb, IL.  November 2022.
Panelist: “Work, Work, Work: Domestic Labor in Art History and the Studio,” SECAC, Baltimore, MD.  October 2022.
“Studio Rules” and “How to Market Yourself and Your Craft without Feeling Icky,” Makit Together Craft Camp for Grown ups at Makit-Takit in Lincoln, Nebraska.  September 2022.

2021 Speaking Events

In January and February of 2021, I presented online to the Business Incubator group of the Social Justice Sewing Academy.  The topics were Sourcing for Small Business and Product Development.

2019 Speaking Events

October 2019  Social Media for Small Business, speech and hands-on workshop for membership organization, Forest Park, Illinois.

2018 Speaking Events

February 2018 Panelist and One-on-One Mentor at Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL

2017 Speaking Events

February 2017 Speaker, Panelist and One-on-One Mentor at Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL

October 2017 Studio Rules! at SECAC, Columbus, OH

2015 Speaking Events

October 21, 2015 Mini Right Brain Business Plan at Chicago Women in Publishing, Chicago, IL

August 30, 2015 Best Practices for Artists at Beverly Art Alliance, Chicago, IL

July 18, 2015  “Forgo Kickstarter and Make Your Project Happen!” at Learnapalooza Lakeview, Chicago, IL

April 18, 2015  “Forgo Grant Funding and Make Your Project Happen!” at LakeFX Conference at the Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL

February 23, 2015, “Blogging for Artists” at the Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, IL

February 19-20, 2015  “Forgo Grant Funding and Make Your Project Happen!” and ” My Life in the Visual Arts” at Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL

Testimonials

Here’s what people have had to say about Elaine’s recent speech at the Creative Chicago Expo, entitled, “How to Start at Not for Profit, It’s Easy! I’ll Show You How!”

“My organization wanted to apply for nonprofit status but we weren’t sure where to start or how to go about finding help. Elaine broke down the intimidating process into small pieces that were easy to understand and provided lots of resources to help us along the way. My partner and I left her workshop feeling confident about moving forward and excited to get started!” — Caro Griffin

“Elaine- your presentation at the expo was excellent! and thank you so much for posting all the links. You were the only presenter who offered that option! which let me listen rather than scribbling furiously in my notebook…” – Cheryl

“Your presentation was great. Thank you for being organized and staying on track it’s hard to find that.” – Dawn

In May, 2013 Elaine served as a consultant at a Chicago Artists Coalition A.B.C. 20/20 Event: 20/20 Plans. Clients were able to sign up through CAC for a session with Elaine to discuss career planning, social media strategies and issues surrounding not for profits.

Here’s a comment in response to Elaine’s recent talk, Begin at the End: Goal Setting for Artists at Berwyn Makers:

“I am a goal-settting, plan-making gal, so I wasn’t sure what I would learn from Elaine’s talk on goal settting for artists. Turns out, A LOT. I now have practical, simple ways to develop and realize my goals. Thanks, Elaine!” – Lisa

 

Previous Speaking Events

I gave my talk, “How to Start a Not for Profit, It’s Easy, I’ll Show You How!” and “My Life in Jewelry,” at the 2014 SEA Conference.  In addition, I participated in various panels and roundtables.  In 2015, I presented “My Life in the Visual Arts” and “Forgo Grant Funding and Make Your Project Happen,” plus panels, a round table, and one on one mentoring.

Here’s a blurb about the conference:  The annual Self-Employment in the Arts (SEA) Conference is a two day event is geared towards emerging artists in the visual, performing, literary, media, and culinary arts. The focus is on the business of arts and content is delivered by artist-practitioners, educators, and art organization and business leaders.

I spoke in 2014 at Creative Expo Chicago, on the topic of blogging for artists (and dancers, and musicians…) Based on my 6 years of experience on All Things Metal Clay plus the blogging I’ve done for numerous not for profits.

What’s Creative Chicago Expo? It’s both an expo, where you can meet folks for all kinds of businesses and not for profits that serve or are related to the arts, and it’s also a terrific two day line up of presentations, speeches and panels, all set in the gorgeous Chicago Cultural Center.

More info. here: http://www.cityofchicago.org

Elaine Luther is available to give speeches. Speech topics include discussing her own art work, Social Media for Artists, How Blogging Changed My Life, Time Management for Artists, Goal Setting for Artists: Begin at the End, and How to Start a Not for Profit and more.

 

Elaine has given speeches at:

Learnapalooza Lakeview
Creative Chicago Expo at the Chicago Cultural Center
Self-Employment in the Arts Conference
Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library
The Chicago Metal Arts Guild
The Chicago Modern Quilt Guild
The Chicago Area Polymer Clay Guild
Windy City PMC Guild
The Bead Society of Greater Chicago
Northwest Needle Arts Guild
Business and Professional Women of Oak Park
Forest Park Public Library
Berwyn Makers
Business Incubator for the Social Justice Sewing Academy
and has served on panels at the Self-Employment in the Arts Conference (SEA) and the SEA at the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Conference

Please contact us to talk about your upcoming event by using the contact form.