Authentic Obsessions

The challenges of creating on a deadline, having faith and trust in the thing you're doing, and the feelings that arise when switching from the act of writing to marketing and promotion all come up during our conversation.Nick Petrie is the author of 8 best-selling Peter Ash crime fiction novels, including The Price You Pay, out February 2024. His debut, The Drifter, won both the ITW Thriller award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel, and was a finalist for the Edgar and the Hammett Awards. He is also  an excellent husband (mine!) and father (to our son Duncan).TakeawaysWinnow down and lean into the thing that is interesting to you and that you really want to pursue and then let go of the outcome when it gets out into the world.“Keep a clean antenna."Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.Seamus Heaney on the hardest thing about writing: “Getting started, keeping going and getting started again.” LinksNick Petrie's websiteFollow Nick Petrie on InstagramFollow Nick Petrie on FacebookFollow Nick Petrie on XYour Brain on Art, Susan Magsamen and Ivy RossMystery Tribune, The Cleveland JobBill SchweigartBoswell BooksThe Poisoned Pen BookstoreMurder By the Book bookstoreKaye PublicityMichael Mann, Blackhat and CollateralThe Great Creators with Guy Raz episode 67 with Andy J Pizza of Creative Pep Talk

Carol Paik, a New York based artist, is interested in many different media, but really found meaning working with repurposed textiles. After years of buying expensive and often toxic materials for her work, her goal now is to create art exclusively out of the unappreciated, overlooked, landfill-destined stuff she finds around her, of which there is never a shortage.She most enjoys taking something that is overlooked, and looking at it closely. Or, taking something too frequently seen, and looking at it slightly differently. She is interested in the emotions that we bring to the things we discard: nostalgia, guilt, desire, and loss, and her goal is to give these objects--and, by extension, ourselves—new possibilities.During our chat, Carol talked about the idea of leaving a mark without marring a landscape, specifically in relation to her cairn projects, but it got me thinking of that in a broader sense. And she also assured me that sometimes finishing a project is overrated.photo by Sharon SchuurTakeawaysAsk yourself: Why do I need to do it THAT way?Keep your eye on the road because wherever you're looking is where you'll end up.Take a closer look.If you limit yourself, you'll look at things in a different way.Look around for things you can reuse for your projects.LinksCarol PaikCarol Paik on InstagramHeidi ParkesNina KatchadourianNatalya Khorover

K. Woodman-Maynard's obsession with emotional expression comes out not only in her graphic novels but also through anger journaling and diary comics. She loves tree time, cold water swimming, running and cross-country skiing. Katharine is a sequential storyteller and an artist who writes (as opposed to a writer who draws) and loves to mentor other creatives. Her debut, The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel Adaptation was called, “hugely rewarding” by The Wall Street Journal. TakeawaysBe present and enjoy yourself.What can I do for social media, not what social media can do for me.Get some tree time.Bring in people for feedback during a long term project.LinksK. Woodman-MaynardK. on InstagramK. on FacebookK. on LinkedinK. on PinterestGreat Gatsby Graphic Novel, K. Woodman-MaynardThe Big Leap, Gay HendricksHealing Back Pain, John SarnoArt Matters, Neil Gaiman 

 From chenille bedspreads & fringe vests to mosaics & ceramics, Andryea Natkin shares her journey as a seeker, always on the lookout for what is truly hers so she can express it. She  was born into a family of artists, which gave her that foundation of permission to trust herself.  Andryea persevered and eventually received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, all along working in a variety of mediums including drawing, painting, printmaking, mosaic and ceramics.TakewaysBe wasteful and make ugly things.Make a lot of mistakes.Don't judge yourself while you're making.Inspiration comes from my heart, not my head.Turn the fire up. It's time to get going.LinksAndryea Natkin  Andryea on InstagramAndryea on FacebookYour Brain on Art, Susan Magsamen and Ivy RossArtery Ink

Joanne is an artist and photographer whose work is “based in semi-abstraction, purposefully balanced between representational and the imagined. in my role as an artist, these two elements have become an integral part of my motivation to create, with the ‘doing' often as important as the outcome. I firmly believe that natural curiosity and creative pursuits are essential to healthy living, regardless of age or education.” Jo shares her experiences and how they impact her daily life and her long term connections. Her obsession with fragility and delicacy is linked to her fascination with awe and transience, resiliency, and mortality. TakeawaysIf you really listen to people, you hear more. If you really look, you see more. If you care, you get more.A piece is finished when it stops talking to me.Resilience is tolerating emotional discomfort.Ask yourself, “And what's so bad about that?”Accept limitations that some things just can't be changed. We can only change our bit.LinksJoanne OlneyJoanne Olney on InstagramJoanne Olney on Facebook Joanne Olney on PinterestAWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, Dacher Keltner

Weather, layers, inner worlds, thick living and 10,000 folded paper cranes. Brianna's work is driven by world-building. She's interested in exploring possible and impossible landscapes that may or may not exist on this planet, in this dimension, in a memory, a dream, or a vision…they may never have existed anywhere — until now. Her creations convey an architectural/organic world which thrives in paradox and ambiguity; it's a place that gives voice to so much more than can be articulated with sound or words. Each piece she creates is an earnest translation of the feelings, ideas, images, landscapes, and visions of her inner world — for Brianna, the ultimate goal of her creative life is to ardently impart to your inner world what she can from her own.TakeawaysWe are all complicated nuanced onion layers of humans.We are all works in progress.The lessons are everywhere.Sharing of the art is just as important as the creating of the art.There are no mistakes in art. If you think it's not right, it's just not done.We are little time tornadoes creating our own weather.LinksBrianna MartrayBrianna on InstagramBrianna on FacebookBrianna's YouTube Video: "The Making of a Public Art Installation at Denver International Airport" (June 21, 2011)Tim HeckerLee Bontecou 

Rachael is an experimental textile and mixed media artist living in West Yorkshire, England.  She describes her residency at the Nature in Art Museum and Gallery as a “cocoon of delight!” If you listen deeply and look closely, you will see how Rachael's obsession with stone and stone walls seeps into all her work. Her feelings and experiences and surroundings all contribute to unique and thought-provoking pieces of art. During our chat, she talks about containment and constraint, delicious boredom, and Helen Keller's keen observations.Takeaways“Music is the space between the notes.” Claude DebussyYour work teaches you AFTER you've done it.You need other people to notice things in your work that you may not see.Look down and in for creativity and up and out for a sense of well-being.Take time to contemplate and mull, and simply look long enough to see things from a distance.LinksRachael SingletonRachael on InstagramRachael on FacebookBlue PeterKim ThittichaiNature in Art Artist in Residence programDo: PauseKrystyna PomeroyHenry Moore, London's War: The Shelter Drawings of Henry MooreThe Song of the Stone Wall, Helen KellerJacob Nordby

During our chat, Anna talks about receptacles, the Minystery of Consideration, discovering and processing beauty, permission, belonging, and what makes us tick.TakeawaysJust do your job.Don't do other people's jobs.It doesn't get any better or more beautiful than this.It's all here already.Do what's real and what's true, and remember that you don't always get there while you're walking upright.LinksAnna van der PutteAnna van der Putte on InstagramLesley HillingScott RobertsJohn T. UpchurchAlison Jackson-BassOffice of CollectingAja LundHedi Kyle book artsStephanie Hüllmann Atelier-Talk podcastThe Secret Life of Lance LetscherBig Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert

TakeawaysPeople who read fiction are nicer.“Write with the door closed, edit with the door open.” Stephen KingKeep going.It's OK to find the thing that makes your heart sing.Keep your eyes on your own paper.MentionedNicole KronzerFollow Nicole Kronzer on InstagramThe Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be, Shannon GibneyThe Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, K. Woodman-MaynardEmotion ThesaurusOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen KingBig Magic, Elizabeth GilbertStory Genius, Lisa CronWhere You See Yourself, Claire Forrest

Lisa Kellner went through a major transition in her work life, moving from a textile installation artist back to her true love of painting.  Over the course of a few years, she dug deep, got really honest with herself, and saw how all the intangible parts of herself find their way into her work. Lisa uses a reductive language and intuitive approach to make paintings and sculptural constructions about the environment, societal constructs and how we occupy space.Takeaways1. Is there urgency?2. Make sure your roots are strong.3. Give space between you and your work.4. Find comfort in the space of not knowing.5. Don't discount those parts of yourself that you can't quantify or measure. LinksLisa KellnerLisa on InstagramLee BontecouElizabeth MurrayLisa Kellner's paintings and sculptural constructions have been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally. Her work can be found in private residences and commercial spaces in the United States, Europe and Japan. Exhibiting institutions include the Bellevue Arts Museum (WA), the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (NY), the Brooklyn Arts Council (NY), the Weatherspoon Museum (NC), the Islip Art Museum, Washington Project for the Arts and the Muscarelle Museum of Art (VA), among others. She has created site-responsive installations for institutions including the Cornell Fine Arts Museum (FL), the Bellevue Arts Museum (WA), Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Swing Space (NY), Brooklyn Arts Council (NY), the Center for Maine Contemporary Art (ME), Lehman College Art Gallery (NY) and the Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory (VA). Kellner's work has been reviewed and mentioned in publications including The New York Times, The Boston Globe and Sculpture Magazine in addition to several podcast and interview series. Lisa has received several awards including the New Media Invitational from the Target Gallery, DC and was nominated a Joan Mitchell Emerging Artist semi-finalist. She recently completed an artist residency at Don Pedro Island Preserve; a place dramatically impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Takeaways1. It is important to keep doing experiments so you can get to the truth.2. Pay attention to your materials and their ability to constantly surprise you.3. Just make more time for it.4. The more you learn about the business side of things, the more confident you get in your art making. And the more confident you get in your art making, the more confident you get in running your business.5. “The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all and then stands back to see if we can find them. The hunt to uncover those jewels, that's creative living.” Elizabeth GilbertMentionedRobin DavissonFollow Robin Davisson on InstagramStudio Lab introThomas Gleaner aka Brad ThomasPenland School of CraftEmily Mason

Takeaways1. You can't say yes to everything or everyone.2. The more structure you add into your week the more flexibility you have.3. We make HARD a problem, but it's just part of life. Without the hard you don't have the good stuff.4. It's just a layer.5. What's the next right step?MentionedLea Ann SlotkinFollow Lea Ann Slotkin on InstagramCy TwomblyLukas paintDo You Want to Slow Down? Anna Sale on awe as an antidote to anxiety, on The Science of Happiness podcast

Takeaways1. Consider saying no without giving an excuse or a reason.2. Embrace the fact that your creative practice is helping you be a better parent and partner. 3. If you often have kids or family barging in on you while you're creating, try to find work that allows you to be interrupted.4. Don't say you don't have enough time to do something just acknowledge that you haven't prioritized it yet.Mentioned Tina NorénFollow Tina on InstagramFollow Tina on FacebookRuth AsawaFour Thousand Weeks, Oliver BurkemanUnfollow Your Passion, How to Create a Life That Matters to You, Terri TrespicioEssentialism, Greg McKeownAtomic Habits, James ClearFrom Strength to Strength, Arthur C. BrooksTen Percent Happier, Dan Harris

Takeaways1. There is no overnight success. Everyone pays their dues, one way or another.2. Every human being is unreliable in the way they tell stories.3. Take pleasure in the striving aspect of the process. The fact that you worked really hard and accomplished the goal is the thing.   “It's not the having, it's the getting.” Elizabeth TaylorMentionedSamantha DowningSamantha Downing on TwitterSamantha Downing on FacebookSamantha Downing on InstagramParasiteI Care A LotDaphne du Maurier, author of Rebecca

TakeawaysTake everyone seriously but yourself. Making art is an extreme sport. Do the thing you'd wonder about the most if you didn't do it.If you can't see a way to solve a problem you have to trust that you'll figure it out eventually. So don't walk away, just keep looking.MentionedDuncan PetrieDuncan Petrie on InstagramBirds with Hats on InstagramDuncan Petrie on YouTubeBrian Eno on Broken RecordCamera Lucida by Roland BarthesSouth West Coast PathJ. R. R. Tolkien

TakeawaysJust because you can doesn't mean you should.Paint what you see, not what you think you see.Listen to those niggly voices.Reframe the act of creating from outcome-driven to process driven."If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” Edward HopperMentionedPhoebe GanderPhoebe Gander on InstagramPhoebe Gander on FacebookJulie Battisti on InstagramEmbracing Neurodiversity with Phoebe Gander podcast with Susan Nethercote podcastPermission to Paint and Embrace My True Self with Phoebe Gander on The Laura Horn Art podcastEdward Hopper 

TakeawaysYou can do everything, just not at the same time.Don't overthink everything, this isn't dating in your 20's.What you choose to do or what your life looks like is up to you but there's no one right way to have a creative life.When your life is a spaghetti mess just think of that one thing that you can do to nudge yourself along the path. And snacks help.Artists are resilient problem solvers and comfortable in the vague place between the uncomfortableness of not knowing what's next but having the trust that we can figure it out because we've done it so many times.MentionedMarissa HuberFollow Marissa Huber on InstagramFollow Marissa Huber on TwitterFollow Marissa Huber on FacebookFollow Marissa Huber on PinterestFollow Marissa Huber on LinkedInFollow Marissa Huber on TiktokCarve Out Time for ArtThe Motherhood of Art, by Marissa Huber and Heather KirtlandHeather KirtlandRange, Why Generalists Triumph In A Specialized World, by David EpsteinMike EastArtist Mother PodcastArtist Residency in MotherhoodMondo BeyondoJosef FrankNancy Gruskin on Savvy Painter

TakeawaysYour artistic voice is already inside of youSometimes “ready enough” is the point you where you need to put yourself out there.Just do the next thing in the art that needs to be done.Live your definition of being a good person.Consider creating an art pod.MentionedLiz DexterLiz Dexter on InstagramLiz Dexter on FacebookChroma Collective Gallery Chroma Collective Gallery on InstagramVal HubbardBarbara WeirEmily Kame Kngwarreye

TakeawaysIt's got to get ugly before it gets good.Persistence and obsession keep you going forward.Remind yourself that you're on Instagram for opportunities and take your ego out of it.Add the “YET.” Don't say I haven't done that, say I haven't done that YET.A big studio is great – but if you're scrappy you can carve out a space anywhere.MentionedPoppy DodgePoppy on InstagramPoppy on FacebookPoppy on PinterestGee's Bend quilting retreatsHand Yoga Club on YouTube with Heidi ParkesFrankie magazine Oruaiti Reserve hike, aka the Kupe TrailLynn GiuntaLisa CongdonBisa Butler

TakeawaysPaint as if neither your time nor your materials are valuable.“We grow small when we try to be great.” David HockneyOur job is to have an authentic relationship with what we're making.Take some time to pause and look back at what you have created.Visual imagery can slide underneath language right to the heart.Create a lot of opportunity for unexpected events.Every layer makes it better.MentionedAlison WattAlison Watt on InstagramAlison Watt on YouTubeArtwork ArtplayAlison Watt on PinterestDazzle Patterns, by Alison WattTriangle Island, Anne Vallée Triangle Island Ecological ReserveDavid HockneyJoni Mitchell

Takeaways"If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it's your path.”  Joseph CampbellFine art is essentially an exploration. You DON'T know how everything is going to turn out.Art is never easy – you must learn to live with the discomfort.Pay attention to the difference between inspiration (what gets you into the studio) and what your paintings express.People get stuck because they have a plan and stick to it, when sometimes you just need to NOT plan.Notice your defaults and then expand upon them.MentionedJane DaviesJane Davies on InstagramJane Davies on FacebookJane Davies on YoutubeJane Davies on PinterestJane's book, Abstract Painting: The Elements of Visual LanguageRupert Village Trust and The Sheldon StoreWinslow Art CenterMusicians James Hill and Anne Janelle  Aboriginal artists Minnie Pwerle and Emily Kame Kngwarreye 

TakeawaysSometimes it's just not the season to follow through on the original plan.It doesn't have to be all or nothing. It's a continuous process – it's those little leaps of faith that build upon each other and create more clarity and foster more confidence within ourselves that lead to more fulfillment and life satisfaction.Make your quit list. Ask yourself: is it time to ditch the physical manifestation of your “thing” and pursue something different to get to the same outcome, or should you pause and come back to it another time?Once you're stepping toward the thing that you're considering, you'll free pretty quickly whether it's the right thing for you or not.MentionedMarin LaukkaMarin on InstagramMarin on YouTubeMarin on FacebookBrené BrownSonya ClarkVia Character StrengthsPositive PsychologyMihaly CsikszentmihalyiMatt D'Avella

Takeaways1. You don't have to make anything, you can just explore. And if meaning comes out of that, great, but it doesn't have to. 2. We need to forgive ourselves for not being other artists than who we are. Who we are in the rest of our lives is going to come out in our work. It comes from who we are and we can't change that. When we make art, we are who we are.3. Don't despair if your art doesn't sell. Alice Sheridan said that sometimes you need to hold on to your art because you're not finished learning from it 4. When you become an artist later in life, you're not starting from zero. You have a huge resource of experience, confidence and self-knowledge that gives you a head start and lets you develop a clear voice and style more quickly and more surely.5. “You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take.” Wayne GretzkyMentionedLisa WoodwardLisa Woodward on InstagramLisa Woodward on PinterestA Glorious Freedom: Older Women Leading Extraordinary Lives, by Lisa CongdonOn Trails, An Exploration, by Robert MoorJane DaviesAlgonquin Provincial Park

TakeawaysIt takes a village to be creative even if the work is solitary.Little tweaks to the environment can help you transition to the creative work.Your identify is not in what you do, it's in who you are.It's all about showing up every day – you don't have to be perfect.If you want to be a good writer, be a good reader.MentionedJess PillayJess Pillay on InstagramJess Pillay on TwitterJess Pillay on FacebookJess Pillay on BandcampJeff Tweedy, Let's Go (So We Can Get Back)Amelia KaiserWes SpeightAnne Lamott, Bird by BirdRachel YamagataStephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Takeaways1. Keep working, keep moving forward and eventually it all gets done. 2. “The only rule is work.” Sister Mary Corita Kent3. “Inspiration is for amateurs.” Chuck CloseMentioned in this episodeFrank KorbFrank Korb on InstagramFrank Korb on FacebookFrank Korb on YouTubeA Brush With podcast The Modern Art Note PodcastRobert RauschenbergSister Mary Corita Kent's Rules of the StudioChuck CloseJasper Johns and the Savarin coffee can  Taliesin

Takeaways1. Try to be stronger than your shadows.2. Give your art away.3. Tilt your head and looks sideways.4. Art is a way to always move forward and open yourself up to curiosity.5. Success is getting to your essence and being willing to have a conversation that is uncomfortable.Mentioned in this episodeFlavia TestaFlavia on InstagramFlavia on FacebookTracy EminFrida Kahlo 

Takeaways1. Installation – within an exhibit space - is an art form in itself.2. Entering a wooded area feels like a hug.3. Reach out to someone who is different from you in language or color or heritage and connect over art or making or simply just being together.Mentioned in this episodeNirmal RajaNirmal Raja on InstagramNirmal Raja on FacebookNirmal Raja on LinkedInReimagining the Global VillageReimagining the Global Village on InstagramReimagining the Global Village on YouTubeMary OliverBraiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall KimmererWild Mind: Living the Writer's Life by Natalie GoldbergGlobal Village and Marshall McLuhanArt 21 art documentariesThe Tate Modern short art documentariesThe Brooklyn RailAnn Hamilton 

Takeaways1. “Food is edible love” Nicola's mom.2. Write a list of nice things you'd say to a friend and tell those to yourself.3. Say “shut up” to your inner critic.4. Celebrate where you are and be proud of the work you make.Mentioned in this EpisodeNicola BennettNicola Bennett on InstagramNicola Bennett on FacebookNeuroscientist Camilla Arndal AndersenNinoWayne Thiebaud

Takeaways1. Be more forgiving of yourself for not meeting those impossible standards every single time.2. Ask yourself: What do I authentically want to communicate and what is the best way for others  to receive that message? If you don't try it definitely won't go anywhere.3. During the creative process give your body permission to lead where things are going, and the reasons will become clear.4. If it's genuine part of your experience, anger is an acceptable emotion during the grieving process. 5. Try and create as many access points as possible because your viewers are living in the framework they are given, and don't necessarily have the context to see your work from just one point of view.Mentioned in this episodeFollow Brianna on InstagramBrianna L. Hernández BaurichterThe Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MDJanine AntoniBruce Mau -  An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth

Takeaways1. My art table is my oxygen, my sanctuary, and the place I go to let my breath out.2. If I can get out of the critical part of my mind and enter the deeper place it feels better in my body and the work feels so much richer.3. Befriend those difficult emotions. Acknowledge the anxiety.4. When there isn't a tool between me and the artmaking, there's a deeper intimacy and it becomes an intuitive, sensory experience.Mentioned in this episodeFollow Emma on InstagramEmma Freeman DesignsEmma's podcast, Reflections from My Art TableBeyond podcast with Daphne Cohn

Takeaways1. There are endless possibilities if you're paying attention to what [the glass] wants.2. “I will stop underestimating the power of my drive and what I can accomplish.”3. Stop being so hard on yourself.4. Mountain biking and glassblowing are both good ways to look hard at yourself and know that there are only certain things you can control.Mentioned in this episodeFollow Chelsea Littman on InstagramPolpelka Trenchard GlassThe Tambourine CollaboratoryJoanna Manousis

Mentioned in this episodeFollow Nicole Shaver on InstagramNicole ShaverMARN, Milwaukee Artist Resource NetworkShirley Schanen GruenPenland School of CraftThe DarkroomSusan Rothenberg Art 21 videoOzaukee Washington Land TrustTakeaways1. Pay attention to the “oooh factor,” that genuine interaction with a place or object.2. If the work starts to get stale or is stuck, put it in the blender to get out of the dip.3. It's got to come from a genuine place otherwise it is kind of false.4. Artists are strategic hoarders.5. “The future belongs to those who are still willing to get their hands dirty.” – unknown

Takeaways1. Our bodies are not machines.2. Prioritize how things FEEL vs caring about how things LOOK.3. Sometimes you can have a tricky relationship with things leaving the studio.4. Language happens so fast, but art happens much more slowly and is open to interpretation.Mentioned in this episodeKassandra PalmerFollow Kassandra on InstagramBrenda GoodmanFrank Juarez

Takeaways1. The beauty of art is that you're always looking for a solution, and sometimes the solution isn't always singular.2. “Art is my savior and art is my destruction.”3. Be willing to try even if you make mistakes.4. “The trick for all this madness is for it to become part of your daily routine.”Mentioned in this episodeFollow Frank Juarez Gallery on InstagramFollow Frank Juarez on InstagramFrank JuarezFollow Artdose Magazine on InstagramArtdose MagazineThea KovacRicky Powell, “the Lazy Hustler”Milwaukee Area Teachers of ArtLenore TawneyZach Mory 

Takeaways1. “If you are producing good work, you likely have a lot of bad work holding it up.”  Sandi2. “Just drawing what I saw in front of me grounded me and I just felt like I could breathe again.”  Mel3. “When you draw it, it becomes interesting, especially kitchen utensils.” Mel4. “Get absorbed in the ordinary.” SandiMentionedFollow Melanie Chadwick on InstagramMelanie's websiteMelanie's workshops, postcard project and shop can be found on this websiteFind Melanie on YouTubeFollow Sandi Hester on InstagramFind Sandi on YouTube at Bits of an Artist's LifeSandi's website

Takeaways1. It's ok to do a whole bunch of different things. That's why we work in series - to do something with all these ideas.2. Persevere even if you have a lot of anxiety, insecurity and self-doubt. Showing up is such a big part of being an artist.3. “I allow the painting to take me to where it needs to go. I can never force the idea into the painting.”4. Just trust the process.5. Recognize that they are just thoughts and feelings – push through and learn to trick that inner critic.Mentioned in this episodeFollow Amy Weil on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/circles_and_grids/Amy Weil's website https://www.amyweilpaintings.com/ 440 Gallery Brooklyn, New York https://gallery440.squarespace.com/artist-amy-weilGowanus Studio Space Brooklyn, New York https://www.gowanusstudio.org/Eva Hesse https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Hesse 

TakeawaysWe're just doing what we do hoping it speaks to somebody.Saying "no" is one of the hardest but one of the most important things we can do for ourselves.Just because you don't like one of your own paintings  doesn't mean someone else won't.You need to believe in what you're doing and keep at it.None of it comes easy. It's determination that makes the difference.Mentioned in this episodeFollow Ginnie Cappaert on InstagramFollow Ginnie Cappaert on FacebookGinnie Cappaert's websiteCappaert Contemporary Gallery, Egg Harbor, WINinth Street Women, New York Times book review Globe Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Takeaways1. The graveyard of ideas that never got finished is where all of the hang ups live.2. Be open to the opportunity to bring people into your life. You meet the people you need when you need it.3. Explore the invisibles that come with making work.4. Navigate your own narrative.4. Deadlines can help override the overthinking.Mentioned in this episodeFollow Jenna Freimuth on InstagramJenna Freimuth's websiteSign up for Jenna's Pencil Post NewsletterThe Wondermakers Collective with Mindy Sue Wittock on InstagramThe Wondermakers Collective websiteSaint Kate the Arts HotelLynda Barry's website, The Near-Sighted Monkey Syllabus: Notes from and Accidental Professor, by Lynda BarryYou're Wrong About podcastMy Favorite Murder podcastArmchair Expert podcastTranesca Ergonomic Grip Holder for Apple PencilPunch Neapolitan Pizza

MentionedFollow Amy Jarvis on InstagramFollow Amy Jarvis on FacebookAmy Jarvis websiteMegan Woodward Johnson Artist MastermindsBig Magic by Elizabeth GilbertBraiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall KimmererSteve White Yoga Pranayama video.  Calming, centering and balancing breath work for the nervous system.Tom UttechTakeaways1. Nature is like sketchbook in real time; it makes you feel like it’s going to be ok.2. You have to interact if you want an audience. (You have to be a friend to get a friend.)3. "You need to work with the medium that works with how fast you think and paint." (source unknown)4. If you want to get to the next level, then it’s time to put the phone down. 5. The universe will rearrange itself to help you live out your dreams if they come from a sincere place. 

MentionedFollow Gill Edwards on InstagramFollow Gill Edwards on FacebookGill EdwardsBloomsbury GroupRomo GroupAlice Sheridan’s Connected Artist ClubNicholas Wilton’s Creative Visionary Program (CVP)Elizabeth BlackadderThe Suffolk CoastTakeawaysConsider writing your ideas on a giant piece of paper and tacking it up on the wall so they are front and center.It’s not wrong to be a perfectionist, but it can stop you from progressing.Dental tools, trowels, wooden butter pats, and a toilet brush all make lovely marks on a canvas!“I believe that if I love what I’m doing then somebody somewhere will love it too.”

MentionedFollow Paula’s Palette on Instagram and FacebookFollow Paula’s hand painted wearables on InstagramPaula’s websitePaula’s Etsy shopThe Arts MillNorth Shore Academy of the ArtsFrida KahloKate ScottTakeawaysThere’s an insecurity and vulnerability in giving your artwork to other people.How we envision our art going out into the world doesn’t mean that’s what it’s going to do.One of the dangers of social media is that your art can come out looking like everybody else’s.It always feels better if you’re not forcing something.

MentionedFollow Melanie Chadwick on InstagramMelanie’s websiteMelanie’s workshops, postcard project and shop can be found on this websiteMelanie’s YouTube channelMelanie’s Food Illustration course, Illustrated Recipes: Making Delicious Art on DomestikaCreative Catchup YouTubeCreative Catchup InstagramTakeawaysLetting go of how something should look diminishes my perfectionist tendenciesHaving an anchor allows you to feel free to go and explore and engage your curiosities.   The wrong way is not doing it at all.My whole senses are awakened when I’m out in the wild. It makes me feel alive when I experience what’s going on around me and being in the moment.It’s not always the end result it’s the process of making and creating.My faith doesn’t restrict me, it helps take away that fear that I might have of exploring the unknown.Success is finding contentment in the life that I lead and finding joy in the mundane things.

MentionedFollow Amy Maricle on InstagramJoin Amy’s Creative Self Care facebook group, Mindful ArtCheck out Amy’s website, Mindful Art StudioFollow Amy on PinterestAmy’s YouTube channelWhiteness at Work with the Adaway groupSARKFogbowTakeawaysTuning in to the body is such a wonderful way of arriving in the moment and art is a tremendous opportunity to arrive in the moment using our senses.The more you focus on the process, the more the product improves. And the more you get into the richness of your own work you judge yourself less and have more fun.Allow yourself time to indulge your curiosities.Pause and look deeply at nature as you’re walking.

MentionedFollow Jo York on InstagramFind Jo York on FacebookJo York’s websiteLamicall Gooseneck Bed Phone Holder MountBarbara HepworthPaul FeilerArtemisia GentileschiBrimham Rocks, North YorkshireJennifer Pazienza’s Gotta Minute? videosTakeawaysAcrylics are dead useful.Working in a series help keeps the momentum going and gives yourself the time to delve in and get deep into it.Just calling yourself an artist is quite a big deal.“When I get really stuck I tidy up the studio and do loads of displacement activities.”Don’t doubt yourself.We need to allow people to grow up with a creative outlet and awareness of nature.

Follow Iris on InstagramIris’s YouTube channel - Iris Impressions ArtIris’s websiteHaribo sweets (the Deutsch site of course!)Primrose Hill in Regent’s Park, LondonListen to Iris on the Get Messy Art podcast with Caylee GreyTakeawaysIf you’re really interested in something, it's worthy of your time.“Making the art that I want to make, writing the things that I want to write, and sharing in my vlogs the things that I'm already doing is the most genuine way of growing my audience in a meaningful way.”Make things imperfect on purpose. It doesn’t have to be good, it just has to exist.“If I do things ‘authentically’ and the way I want to and when it's nice for me then I can do it fairly consistently.”

TakeawaysWhen it’s really overwhelming, go outside with the dogs.Be more flexible with yourself.“How you spend your days is how you spend your life.” Annie DillardYou don’t have to fit nicely into a box in order to be successful.Nature is essential for emotional health.MentionedFollow Melissa on InstagramFollow Melissa on PinterestFollow Melissa on FacebookMelissa’s websiteMelissa’s BlogSally Maxwell scratchboard artist

Takeaways1. It's looking in and finding out, “what is your special thing?” That's going to be your key to starting the thing you want to do.2. We all think other people are doing it better and have it sorted and then when you're sharing with these people in groups you find out you're all doing exactly the same. When you know that something like procrastination or perfection is a natural part of the process, you don't put much weight on it. You can recognize it and then it doesn't consume you.  3. We don’t realize how important the little easy things that we do are, and how much they’re a part of us.4.  “I’m not a big believer in busy.”5. Success is when I'm relaxed and comfortable and confident in what I'm doing and that's only when I'm doing what comes from inside. When you look elsewhere that's when it goes wrong.6. It helps to put words into those feelings that come and take you over, making them more manageable.MentionedFollow Caroline on InstagramCaroline’s website Stitched Pictures by CarolineFollow Julie King on InstagramFollow Jillian Lawrence, Modern Marketing on InstagramMaud Lewis

Takeaways1. Beauty matters.2. Beauty is a whisper of our humanity.3. If you’re going to use the wheel, break the rules.4. Even extroverts need quiet spaces.5. The reason art and beauty exist is to remind us that we matter. Feeling seen and heard shouldn't be based on a post code and it shouldn't be a luxury, it should be a birthright.MentionedFollow Rachel on InstagramRachel’s websiteFollow Rachel on FacebookFollow Rachel on TwitterRachel talks about Hope in this short film Barnaby FestivalKintsugiLucie RieThe Great Pottery Throw DownEdmund de WaalTheaster Gates and a link to short films about his workWhiterocks Beach, Northern Ireland

Takeaways1. Creating fuels creating.2. Be content with whatever that day holds.3. “I’m not gonna let anything with self-talk get in the way.”4. “Fight for joy in whatever that season holds. The joy that comes out of me comes from those hard seasons.”MentionedFollow Sandi on InstagramSandi’s YouTube channel - Bits of an Artist’s LifeSandi’s websiteMary FeddenLilias Trotter

TakeawaysDon’t worry about how it’s perceived but what it feels like.Take the shoulds out of it.Eventually you'll get the right outcome and it's not an outcome until it’s right.This is totally about joy and freedom.MentionedFollow Jo on InstagramFollow Jo on FacebookJo Payne’s websiteJo Payne’s Etsy shopCrow PointDavid Hockney

TakeawaysHaving a small easy project that you never struggle to do, is a way in to the work and lets you stop procrastinating.The best pieces come out of those bold gestures.Music alongside painting amplifies both.Choose to keep the canvas that’s not working and have a dogged determination not to let the canvas win.MentionedFollow Sue on InstagramSue’s websiteAsbury and Asbury websiteQuintin Lake photographyMaking Sense podcast with Sam HarrisArt Juice podcast