Bench Talk

Mural artist Hiroyasu Tsuri (TWOONE) was the very first guest on the BenchTalk art career podcast ~ ten years ago, on a rooftop in Melbourne with a dictaphone and no plan. Today he's one of the most compelling working artists in the world — painting large-scale murals across Japan, Malaysia, Morocco and Hong Kong, living in rural Italy and building an art career entirely on his own terms. In this artist interview, I sit back down with Hiroyasu a decade later to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable art career ~ the creative philosophy, the long game and why embracing what you can't control might be the most important thing a professional artist can do. A decade later, Hiroyasu is living in a farmhouse in rural Italy, painting monumental walls across Malaysia, Morocco, Hong Kong and Japan and preparing for a major gallery exhibition in Victoria responding to the Ukiyo-e collection at Latrobe Regional Gallery. The work has expanded. The life has grown. And yet, he'll tell you himself, he still doesn't feel like he's mastered his own technique. That's not a confession. That's the whole philosophy. In this special anniversary episode, Hiroyasu and I sit back down together and talk about what a decade in the art world actually looks like from the inside. The creative philosophy that drives the work, what happens when you stop trying to fix your mistakes and start incorporating them, why Hiroyasu deliberately paints walls anyone can walk past rather than spaces only art people enter and what staying curious has done for his career that chasing mastery never could. In this episode we explore: ⚡️The calligraphy lesson Hiroyasu learned as a kid in Japan and how it became the foundation of his entire practice ⚡️Why he deliberately works with tools he can't fully control ~ and what that produces ⚡️How moving from Berlin to a small Italian village changed the way he works and finds inspiration ⚡️What murals do for communities that galleries simply can't ⚡️The moment a byproduct became the product ~ how his lightbox series was born entirely by accident ⚡️Walking between paintings: why action stimulates more ideas than sitting and thinking ever will ⚡️Where Hiroyasu is headed next If you've ever wondered what 10 years as a professional artist actually looks like - then this is it. 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube Loved this episode? Hit subscribe and give us a 5 star review. This means so much, thank you! ------ HOST: Tom Gerrard ✦ IG | @artcareeracademy and @tom-gerrard ✦ Watch on Youtube | @artcareeracademy ✦ Website | artcareeracademy.com and tom-gerrard.com GUEST: Hiroyasu Tsuri (TWOONE) ✦ Instagram | @t_w_o_o_n_e ✦ Website | https://hiroyasutsuri.com/ ------- WANT MORE? 👉 Get our free Visibility Guide to learn how artists are getting seen by gallerists and collectors right now! https://www.artcareeracademy.com/visibility-guide 👉 Want to learn how Tom and our art students make a great income from their art? Get a copy of our free cheatsheet here; https://www.artcareeracademy.com/creative-cashflow-guide

👉🏼 Watch the limited time full MASTERCLASS REPLAY on the 3 Shifts Professional Artists Make to Build Real Careers: https://www.artcareeracademy.com/lp-replay-3shifts What's the real difference between an 'artist' and a 'professional artist'? It's not talent. It's not luck. It's a fundamental mindset shift that changes everything. In this episode of Bench Talk, Tom Gerrard sits down with Claire Bradshaw from Art Career Academy to unpack one of the most critical (and often overlooked) transitions an artist can make: the shift from seeing yourself as "an artist" to recognising that you're actually running a business as well. This isn't about selling out. It's not about faking it till you make it. It's about stepping into your higher self and showing up as the professional artist you're meant to be ~ even before you feel 100% ready. In this episode Tom and Claire explore: ⚡️The exact moment Tom shifted from "graphic designer who does art on the side" to full-time professional artist ⚡️Why it took three years (and what accelerated the process) ⚡️The power of surrounding yourself with artists who are already where you want to be ⚡️How this mindset shift happens at every level of an art career (not just once) ⚡️Why stagnation is a sign you're ready for the next up-level ⚡️The painful but necessary process of "killing off" old versions of yourself to grow ⚡️Navigating the fear of being shunned by peers when you start monetising your art ⚡️Limiting beliefs that hold artists back (and how to work through them) ⚡️The role of vision in helping you close the gap between who you are now and who you need to become ⚡️Why "fake it till you make it" is terrible advice (and what to do instead) ⚡️The freedom and responsibility of designing your own art career path ⚡️How to know when it's time to move to the "next arena" in your career This episode is essential listening for any artist who's serious about turning their creative practice into a sustainable, thriving career — without compromising who they are. Loved this episode? Hit subscribe and give us a 5 star review. This means so much, thank you! 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube ------ 🔗 WANT TO GO DEEPER? 👉🏼 Ready to join a community of artists building real careers? Learn more about Momentum, our mentorship community for artists who are earning $3,500+ from their art: https://www.artcareeracademy.com/momentum-collective ------ HOST: Tom Gerrard ✦ IG | @artcareeracademy and @tom-gerrard ✦ Watch on Youtube | @artcareeracademy ✦ Website | artcareeracademy.com and tom-gerrard.com GUEST: Claire Bradshaw ✦ Instagram | @artcareeracademy and @_clairebradshaw_ ✦ Website | https://www.artcareeracademy.com/