Savvy Painter Podcast

When things don’t go your way in your art practice, what do you do? Like many artists, you might beat yourself up with lots of self-criticism and judgment. You’d be better off creating the habit of having your own back instead. That way, you’ll actually speed up your progress and not look back a year from now with regret that you’re still stuck in the same place. In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, I’ll reveal exactly what having your own back looks like, why it’s a crucial skill yo...

Your brain automatically runs scripts on repeat. But are those scripts helping you or playing like mini horror movies in your head? With the right mental rehearsal approach, you can create scenarios that help turn around any unsatisfactory results of your art practice. In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re going to get into what mental rehearsal is and why it’s one of the most powerful, yet underutilized tools for artists. You’ll discover how you’re always mentally practic...

Is the problem really your art—or just how you’re looking at it? We’ve all been there. You step back from something you’ve just created, and your brain instantly goes, “Ugh, this is awful.” Maybe even, “What if people see this and think I have no idea what I’m doing?” That little voice in your head? It’s not just being dramatic, it’s actively sabotaging you. In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re digging into how your brain warps your perception of your own work, why that inner c...

Do you ever feel anxious or freeze up when someone asks about your work? You want people to see and love your art, but talking about it can feel overwhelming. And if you struggle to talk about your art, you might miss opportunities to connect with potential buyers. In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re diving into why learning to talk about your art is so important. I’ll share how your words can shape the way collectors experience your work, what it really costs to stay silent, ...

As a kid, did you wish you were like Cinderella and had a fairy godmother who could just wave her magic wand and president you with whatever you wished? Unfortunately, this idea of a fairy tale character coming to save the day is every bit as fantastical as the art police scenario talked about last week. Just as no one is coming to arrest you, no one is coming to save you, either. In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, you’ll learn how to be the hero of your own story instead and give ...

Do you believe that if you think outside of the box and actually apply that thinking to your work that the art police will come to arrest you or take away your brushes? As absurd as that seems, refusing to follow your instincts as an artist because of your fear of negative nancy voices still has the same effect on you. You’re so worried about doing everything “by the book” that it causes you to question your decisions and your work, to the point where you stop yourself from doing it. So in th...

Noticing the small wins you’ve gained can have a big impact on your practice as an artist. That insight was what I loved hearing about most in my conversation with Leslie Rae Cannon, an artist from Atlanta, Georgia and a member of Growth Studio. She graduated with an art degree from Presbyterian College, and now as an empty-nester has traded in carpools and play-dates for canvases and paint brushes.In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, you’ll learn how small wins have helped Leslie gr...

Do you feel a twinge of anxiety or regret settle in after you’ve set a goal? It’s similar to how people often feel after making a big purchase. You get really excited about your goal, only to feel this wave of doubt sink in. I call this goal phenomenon “goal remorse.”In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, we’ll dive deeper into what goal remorse is and why it pops up. I’ll also give you some tips to calm the overthinking of your goal, help you feel good about your decision, and stay on...

Setting goals isn’t just about the end result; it’s also about personal growth and transformation. You feel disappointed and perhaps like you’re spinning your wheels a bit when you don’t achieve what you’ve set out to do. And a struggle to decide the ‘right' goal for you might be getting in the way of that feeling of satisfaction, happiness, and pride in your art practice.So how do you choose if you have a million ideas and feel like you can’t pick just one to go with? In this episode of The ...

There’s an affliction going around lately within artistic circles. You might be experiencing it too, even if it’s just a small voice or whisper in the back of your head. The affliction is the thought that, “My art doesn’t matter”. Now, your immediate reaction might be to refute this and tell yourself, “Of course it matters/” And I agree and am here to remind you that, yes, your art does matter. But this constant nagging doubt could make you feel like an art practice isn’t worth having af...

Money and pricing your art can feel like tricky, even uncomfortable topics, but they’re also some of the most powerful conversations we can have as artists. Why? Because our beliefs about money and pricing often run deep and show up in ways we don’t even realize. They influence how we value our art, how we show up for it, and ultimately, how we create a practice that truly supports and sustains us.In this final roundtable episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, I’m joined by Growth Studio membe...

As artists, we go through several phases on our way to creating pieces. It all starts with this period of play and discovery that I call the exploratory phase, and to talk about it with me are Growth Studio members Sabrina Setaro, Alyssa Marquez, and Jess Fredrick.In this roundtable episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, you’ll go on a deep dive into the first stage of artistic creation: the exploratory phase. Sabrina, Alyssa, Fredick, and I will discuss what happens in this stage and what the...

Welcome to another roundtable series! This time I’m joined by Growth Studio members Louisa Jornayvaz, Braighlee Rainey, Jack Wray, and Elisabeth Svendby in a discussion about finding your voice as an artist.In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, you’ll learn about what it means to find your voice and ways you can connect with it. You’ll also get personal insights into how the participants’ have connected with their voice and how it brings meaning into their artistic practice.1:37 - Bra...

It’s one thing to have an interest in creating art or putting something on canvas. It’s another to see yourself as an artist and have an artistic practice.What’s a difference-maker between those who do and those who don’t? Creative confidence, and to talk about it, I’m joined by Growth Studio members Alyssa Marquez, Merrie Koehlert, and Andrew Rea in another roundtable series.In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, you’ll learn about the concept of creative confidence, its impact on art...

Do you turn into a nervous Nellie at the thought of other people critiquing your art? Perhaps you even try to avoid the situation, or find yourself asking what’s the point of getting a critique if art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder anyway?I’ve brought together artists from Growth Studio in a roundtable series to discuss several topics of interest to artists. We kick off the first of this series with Sabrina Setaro, Elisabeth Svendby, and Beverly Woodhall to go on a deep dive on t...

Perfectionism can show up in your studio and throughout your practice in many ways. Some are obvious, and others not so much. But what perfectionism looks like is often difficult to clearly define; the best way to illustrate it is by contrasting it with mastery.In the final episode of this four-part live series on The Savvy Painter Podcast, you’ll learn about the concepts of perfectionism and mastery and explore the different behaviors they can cause. I’ll also provide insight into how to rec...

Many artists have a tricky relationship with money. The stories we tell ourselves about money can create hidden barriers to pricing and selling our work with confidence. By shining a light on these beliefs, you’ll find a path to transforming your approach to money—and building a more sustainable, abundant art practice.In part three of this live event series on The Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re exploring some common money myths that can hold artists back. Together with a few participants, we’ll...

You have an inner critic blocking or interfering with your ability to fully trust in yourself and your art. That harshly critical internal voice thinks it’s doing you a favor. It thinks it’s protecting you. Yet, it says things to you that you wouldn’t dare say to a loved one or friend.So let’s take the microphone away from your inner critic and hand it to the higher self that’s been patiently waiting to speak through you. It’s time to trust in your creative process and yourself as an artist.I...

You have an inner critic blocking or interfering with your ability to fully trust in yourself and your art. That harshly critical internal voice thinks it’s doing you a favor. It thinks it’s protecting you. Yet, it says things to you that you wouldn’t dare say to a loved one or friend. So let’s take the microphone away from your inner critic and hand it to the higher self that’s been patiently waiting to speak through you. It’s time to trust in your creative process and yourself as an artist. In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, you’ll hear part two of this four-part live event series as I guide you on how to cultivate trust in your artistic voice. I’ll discuss the signs of trust or mistrust, give you the three steps to cultivating trust, and much more! 4:52 - The lesson that our inner critic can learn from The Stoics and their Memento Mori 9:22 - How to start to get more familiar and friendly with the voice of your higher self and build trust 13:45 - What it looks like when you don’t trust your voice and your process 17:54 - What it looks like when you do trust your own voice and process 23:30 - What trusting your voice means, how it (or the lack of it) might feel to you, and the first step to obtaining it 26:21 - Three starts to questions you can use to start enabling curiosity (step two) and the third step to cultivating trust 31:31 - What arrogance is and how it differs from your inner voice when analyzing your art 33:20 - The importance of seeing yourself as an amazing artist 38:41 - The power in always having full trust in yourself and the common thread that runs through all of your work Mentioned in How to Cultivate Trust in Your Artistic Voice Join Growth Studio

As an artist, you might have been taught (implicitly or explicitly) that your work doesn’t matter. Many artists I’ve worked with have heard it in school, at home, and in the media. Yet, your work as an artist does matter. It can help others feel, connect, and demonstrate the beauty of the world and the human experience. But only when you’re centered, present, and confident in your creative process do you allow that potential impact to flourish. In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, you’ll hear the first part of a live event I gave a while back that covers what creative confidence is, what it looks like, where it comes from, and how to curate it for yourself. You’ll also hear coaching examples with a few attendees as I help them work through fears that have resulted in a lack of progress, self-sabotaging habits, and a feeling of invisibility. 4:58 - What creative confidence in your artistic abilities looks like 8:15 - The two types of confidence you can lean on as an artist and how they differ 13:51 - What usually stands in the way of creating what you want and how to overcome it 18:33 - How you can curate self-confidence and examples of thoughts that get in the way 23:19 - How Nancy’s thoughts have hindered her progress, the fears they’ve exposed, and their impact on her physically 36:08 - How Carol’s fear and familiar thoughts have led to habits of self-sabotage 42:59 - What happens in your brain when it offers you the worst-case scenario and more thoughts that can help you create self-confidence 46:22 - Why Ekaterina feels invisible despite creating all kinds of things and where to focus to begin to push past it Mentioned in How to Cultivate Creative Confidence As an Artist Join Growth Studio