Finding Your Collectors Without Galleries: Sharone Halevy on Commission Work, The Superfair, and Why Artists Need Hobbies

In this episode, I reconnect with Sharone Halevy nearly a year after our collector talk at Superfine (now The Superfair) in San Francisco. Sharone is an abstract expressionist painter who's built her entire practice around commission work and selling directly to collectors without gallery representation. We discuss her transition from theater directing to painting, why she works on sliding scales to make art accessible, and how she uses sound and storytelling to create "tangible memories," paintings that capture how moments felt rather than every detail. Sharone shares her approach to building confidence, why friends and family are your first important collectors, and how she leveraged social media to create direct audience connection. As lead curator and operations manager at The Superfair, Sharone coaches every exhibiting artist on booth curation, pricing strategy, and selling techniques. We discuss the fair's rebrand and refocus on attracting the right buyers rather than massive crowds, and why in-person events matter for artists, especially those in rural areas. We wrap up with Sharone's challenge for the year: find a hobby. Not another income stream or content for social media, something tactile and creative you do purely for joy.   CALL FOR ART: CREATE! MAGAZINE 2026 WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL EDITION  Deadline: January 31st, 2026 Submit: https://www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art   CONNECT WITH SHARONE:  Instagram: www.instagram.com/art_by_sharone/ Website: https://www.artbysharone.com   CONNECT WITH CREATE! MAGAZINE:  Instagram: @createmagazine Collective: https://www.createmagazine.co/collective Website: https://www.createmagazine.co   MENTIONED: The Superfair: thesuperfair.com  1000 Libraries coloring books