Shana Levenson Discusses Art Career, Galleries, and Workshops on The FASO Show

Shana Levenson, a realist painter based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was the featured guest on The FASO Show, a live webinar hosted by Olya Konell on April 23, 2026. Levenson shared her journey from studying fashion design at the University of Texas to earning a master's degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she learned online—a method that later helped her teach during COVID-19. She discussed her controlled studio lighting using daylight-corrected bulbs to maintain consistent color. Levenson emphasized the importance of artists advocating for themselves in gallery relationships, recounting how she left a Santa Fe gallery after they refused to adjust her commission from 50% to 60% when she brought in most collectors via social media. She now shows with Lost in Composition gallery in Seattle, where she has a solo show scheduled for August 2027. Levenson also promotes her workshops, including a lace painting workshop in Monterrey, Mexico, and a painting-from-photo workshop in the Ozarks with her husband David Kassan at Chelsea Nicole Contemporary Gallery. She highlighted an upcoming workshop in Urbino, Italy, the birthplace of Raphael, where Vasari paint company sponsors all materials. Levenson advised artists to post high-quality images, engage with collectors via Instagram DMs, offer payment plans, and consider print sales of sold-out originals. She also recommended seeking sponsorships from art material companies.