About Amanda van Gils

I work with visual artists to bring clarity and structure to the business side of their practice, so they can make confident decisions and build a body of work that is supported, visible, and sustainable.

I am based in Brisbane, Australia, and work with artists locally and internationally.

Artist, Strategist and Art Business Coach.

Like you, I am an artist. I am also an experienced coach and business owner, and I have spent over two decades working across both the creative and commercial sides of the art world.

I have exhibited and sold my work extensively, and alongside that, built a parallel career in business and coaching.

This combination matters.

It means the work we do together is not theoretical. It is grounded in how an art career actually develops, and what is required to support it over time.

Because of this experience, I know how to:

– work with galleries and organise exhibitions
– build and manage websites, mailing lists, and online systems
– write and secure grants and opportunities
– develop sustainable income streams
– navigate the practical realities of marketing and sales

And, just as importantly, how to bring all of this together in a way that supports your work, rather than pulling you away from it.

This is the work I do with artists.

Why this work is different

When you are looking for support on the business side of your practice, it helps to work with someone who understands both the work itself and the context it sits within.

Not just how to promote or sell, but how an art career unfolds over time.

That includes:
– the realities of exhibitions and opportunities
– the decisions around visibility and positioning
– the balance between creative practice and practical demands

But understanding alone is not enough.

Here’s a bit of my story…

Over the past 20+ years, I have also built a career in business.

An ‘accidental executive’, I worked on and off in the corporate world, where my creative thinking gave me an edge in helping people reframe problems and approach challenges differently.

It was here I developed my coaching practice and learned how to:
– create strategy and structure
– communicate clearly
– lead, collaborate, and deliver
– and navigate complex decisions with confidence

These skills now sit alongside my work as an artist.

I am an all-round problem solver and I care about helping artists see a different way forward.

The knowledge and experience I have gained outside of the art world has strengthened my own practice, and it allows me to bring a more complete, practical perspective to the artists I work with.

My ARTIST STORY

My Artist Story

I have been exhibiting for over 20 years, though I completed my Bachelor of Fine Arts much earlier.

For a long time after art school, I could not find my way into what being an artist actually meant in practice. Aside from the usual doubts about my work, I simply did not know how to move forward.

I felt like there was an invisible doorway I could not see.

And I knew, very clearly, that on the other side of that doorway was a world I wanted to be part of.

I just did not know how to find it.

After a (much too long) delay, I took stock, made a plan and got to work.

In 1999 I prepared to re-enter the ‘art world’ and in 2000 I undertook a Post Graduate Diploma at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Since then, I have exhibited in numerous exhibitions (30 solo exhibitions and over 125 in all at last count) throughout Australia and overseas, and in national art prizes including the Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Mosman Art Prize, Fleurieu Art Prize, Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, John Leslie Art Prize and more.

My work has been included in publications such as Vogue Living, Queensland’s Sunday Mail, Art/Edit magazine, and has been acquired for Greenslopes Private Hospital, Gold Coast University Hospital, Monash University, and various private collections in Australia and overseas.

I have curated large scale exhibitions and developed and ran the online gallery ART500 for 6 years and an ‘artist supporting artists’ forum prior to that.

I also know that being an artist requires resilience and courage, and that having a community to cheer you on can make a huge difference.

I managed to create my own doorway, and now here is a doorway for you in The Artists Business Lounge.

Award WINNING Coach for artists

25+

Years as a professional artist

17+

years supporting artists with various initiatives

5+

yearS since launching the artists business lounge

22+

years experience in business and coaching others

AWARD Winning ART business coach

MY core values:

Curiosity, openness, creativity, learning, community, connection, optimism.

WHERE YOU CAN SEE MY ARTWORK

Visit my website for more http://www.amandavangils.com

MY COACHING CAREER

I also coach ‘non-artists’ through my Rise & Shine Coaching business. I have been coaching Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Corporate Leaders, Executives, First-time Managers, and other creatives for a number of years.

MY TOP 5 GALLUP STRENGTHS

Relator
Input
Strategic
Ideation
Achiever

MY FAVOURITE Quote

“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe

If you are at a point where you want to bring more clarity and structure to your practice, you can explore ways to work with me here.