Art Juice: A podcast for artists, creatives and art lovers

This week, we are joined by representational painter Gabriel Lipper who has been painting professionally for over 20 years and teaching for more than 15 years. In this conversation, we discuss Gabe's transition from classical figurative work to a much looser style that brings in elements of abstraction and he shares his reasoning for making this move. During our chat, we learn about Gabe's passion for daily drawing an, his desire to portray the beauty of our world, and his commitment to sharing more of himself in his work. (We also discover that Alice has an aversion to the word "sketch!") Gabe is about to teach his "Learning to See" course, which ran for the first time last year, and we discuss both the course content and his experience of teaching it. Finally, we share two inspirational artists for you to check out.

Mentioned:

Get access to the Learning to See free workshop classes HERE

Learning to See course is now open (end Feb 2021)

Gabe's website

Roger Cecil: A Secret Artist 

Raimonds Staprans: Full Spectrum (out of print)

Find our websites: 

www.alicesheridan.com 

www.louisefletcherart.com

Follow us on Instagram:

@alicesheridanstudio 

@louisefletcher_art

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week, we're digging into the subject of abstract and non-objective art. We consider the different types of abstraction, from its beginnings with Hilda F. Klimt through the abstract expressionists and their focus on emotion, all the way to the more conceptual modern day abstraction. We also consider where to draw the line between art and simply making marks, and we share our own experiences with abstraction. Finally, we offer suggestions for those artists interested in abstraction, but unsure how to go about it, including the importance of identifying your 'why.' We explain why having an idea behind the work will sustain you when things get challenging and how it helps you make decisions, strengthens your desire to keep working, and protects you against ill-informed criticism. This feels like a topic we need to come back to again and again, because there is so much to discuss. But we hope this first conversation sparks some ideas or spurs a discussion.

Mentioned:

Join the free Art2Life workshop HERE. (started February 15th but you can still join)

Vitamin D:New Perspectives in Drawing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-New-Perspectives-Drawing-Themes/dp/0714845450

Ways of Drawing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ways-Drawing-Royal-School/dp/0500021902/

Anna Sigmond Gudmundsdottir https://www.gudmundsdottir.com/

Find our websites: 

www.alicesheridan.com 

www.louisefletcherart.com

Follow us on Instagram:

@alicesheridanstudio 

@louisefletcher_art

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week saw us both experiencing self-doubt brought on by limiting beliefs. This inspired us to create a list of the most common beliefs that we feel hold artists back. This is so important, because these beliefs are often unspoken and we might even experience them, not as beliefs but as facts of life. When this happens, we don't even realise there is anything we can do about them. By bringing them out into the light and questioning them, we can often gather the courage to move forward despite our fears or doubts. So, join us as we discuss these pesky beliefs and share our thoughts on how to manage them. 

Mentioned: 

Join the free Art2Life workshop HERE. Starts February 15th

Find our websites: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com

Follow us on Instagram:@alicesheridanstudio @louisefletcher_art

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week our special guest is Californian artist and Art2Life founder Nicholas Wilton. Nick has been helping artists to raise their game for many years and he has been a pivotal figure in both our careers. In this conversation, we discuss what it takes to elevate your work, whether talent has anything to do with success, and the magic that can happen when you start to make unique and personal work. The conversation goes deeper when Nick reveals the personal issues that made him finally commit to his art, and he also shares the vulnerabilities that come with greater success. Finally, Nick explains why teaching is so important to him and his art practice. This is a conversation you won't want to miss - and be sure to sign up for the free workshop he is teaching later this month. This once a year event has the power to transform your life (as we know all too well!)

Mentioned:

Join the free Art2Life workshop HERE. Starts February 15th

Find our websites:

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"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Have you found your creative well has run dry of inspiration? Especially recently? This week we have two projects to share with you which will help inspire and re-invigorate your art.

The 100-day project was started by the designer Michael Beirut and has since become an annual free global art project for creatives. Just pick an action, do it consistently for 100 days and share it. Today we meet Lindsay Thomson who has been involved in co-ordinating the project since 2017

We talk through some tips on how to pick your project - maybe choosing one of the three key areas projects often cover: play, practice or produce. We also discuss how specific to make it, how figuring out your motivation can really help, what your starting point might be, and how to find time.

What to do now:

1. There are some great FAQs and tips on the website page where you can also sign up for the newsletter.  http://the100dayproject.org

2. Go to @dothe100dayproject account on Instagram to share one of their recent posts to announce your commitment :-) Look in the Stories for a Q&A session done earlier this month

3. Think of your project and share using #the100dayproject and your own personal invented hashtag

Artist, psychologist and creativity coach Rachel Davis, who some of you may know from her AJ visits, will be offering free support, accountability, inspiration and humour through her IG account @racheldavisart.bayarea as she embarks on her third #100 day project. Rachel knows this terrain really well and is ready to help you stay on the creative track, even when self doubt, boredom and frustration show up, as they inevitably will. Follow #100daysupportwithrachel to keep up with what she’s offering and so she can comment on your journey.

Mentioned:

Don't forget to join the free Art2Life workshop HERE which starts on 15th February. These online lessons are a great guide for you to learn a new approach to making personal, powerful and authentic art. If you follow and learn from these we are happy! 

Follow and find Lindsay @lindsayjeanthomson 

“Does this sound like fun? I'm not sure. But some years, up to two dozen students start the assignment. And some years, more than half drop out before the end. Everyone starts with high hopes. But things get repetitive by day ten. By day twenty, no matter what you've decided to do, it feels like you've been doing it forever. And bridging the end-of-year break is always a big challenge. But the students who get past day thirty or forty tend to get in a groove that will take them through to the end. Here's a sampling of what's been done through the years, including some of my favorites.

Read about the original Michael Beirut project here: https://designobserver.com/feature/five-years-of-100-days/24678

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"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

This week, we answer a listener question from Maxine, who asked about the best ways to sell art online. This is a huge topic and perhaps a little ambitious for a one-hour episode, but we decided to give it our best shot! In a wide-ranging discussion, we discuss the importance of a website and email list as a "home base" for your marketing, so that no matter where people find you, they can sign up to stay in touch. But we also cover other options and ways to get started if you don't yet have a website, including social media, licensing opportunities and third party websites such as Saatchi Art.  And we stress that even when you do have a website, it's not enough to just set it up and then wait for people to arrive. You will always need to drive traffic to your site and finding ways to do this is an important element of your marketing strategy.

Mentioned

Louise's Art Tribe membership group is currently accepting new members. Join for a free trial month at: https://thispaintinglife.mykajabi.com/art-tribe

Find us and sign up for our newsletters at:

www.alicesheridan.com

www.louisefletcherart.com

Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast

Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice

Follow us on Instagram:

Alice @alicesheridanstudio

Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

As working artists, we have both used social media to build an audience and make sales. In this episode, we discuss how we approached social media when we first started, what we learned along the way, and how it plays into our marketing strategies today. This is an honest and open discussion that includes what we didn't understand, what we got wrong, and where we still need to improve. But having built solid and loyal followings on platforms such as Instagram, Youtube and Facebook, we both have sound advice about different ways to leverage these free resources to build your art career. 

Building a following on social media is a slow process, but the results speak for themselves.  These platforms certainly have their downsides, but artists have never been able to take such strong control of their own marketing or been able to reach so many people free of charge. We hope you find our conversation thought-provoking and perhaps inspirational.

Mentioned:

Sketchbook Project: https://www.sketchbookproject.com/

Patrick Gale book 'Take Nothing With You': https://www.amazon.co.uk/Take-Nothing-with-You/dp/B07C2V4F5N/

Link to episode 59: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/eb63c0

Mini Seawhite concertina sketchbook: https://www.cassart.co.uk/drawing/paper-3/sketchbooks/seawhite-concertina-sketchbook-70-pages-140gsm.htm

Find us and sign up for our newsletters at:

www.alicesheridan.com

www.louisefletcherart.com

Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast

Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice

Follow us on Instagram:

Alice @alicesheridanstudio

Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

As we look ahead we ask if the creative space you have suits the artist you want to become and look at some ideas to help you grow.

This week we're discussing the pros and cons of our different studio set-ups. Louise has a studio in her garden while Alice recently took the leap and rented a large studio away from her home. As our discussion reveals, there are pros and cons to both arrangements. For example, home studios are ultra-convenient and allow for quick pop-ins, while studios away from home can give much more space and also more privacy. We also share some tips for maximising the space you do have and suggest that sometimes there are options we haven't allowed ourselves to consider. 

As you think about your plans for your space, Alice recommends thinking a few years ahead - what kind of artist do you want to be and what kind of space will that artist need? In this episode, we also catch up with what's been happening over the holiday, and share where we are with our planning. Finally, we would like to wish all of you the happiest and most creative of new years and to thank you for your ongoing support. We couldn't do it without you!

Mentioned:

If you are clearing your existing working space, this post gives you some key pointers to help: How to kon mari your studio

Charlie Brooker's Death to 2020

Find us and sign up for our newsletters at:

www.alicesheridan.com

www.louisefletcherart.com

Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast

Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice

Follow us on Instagram:

Alice @alicesheridanstudio

Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

As we develop our plans for the coming year, we dive into a discussion about our goals. This episode was recorded two weeks in advance, so it’s early in our planning process, but we already have some ideas forming. Our discussion includes how we each use Trello as an organisation tool; the value of clear mission statements; and the role of limiting beliefs (how much do we shape what’s possible through our beliefs about what is impossible?). Alice also shares her new system for checking whether commitments overlap, and we discuss the need to balance teaching with time spent developing our own work. Above all, we stress that this has to be personal for you and not based on what anyone else thinks. And finally to close the episode - and the year - Louise reflects on what she wants for her work, Alice stresses the importance of flexible goal-setting and we both wish you a very happy, creative and productive new year.

Mentioned: 

Best Art Year Ever download

Find us and sign up for our newsletters at:

www.alicesheridan.com

www.louisefletcherart.com

Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast

Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice

Follow us on Instagram:

Alice @alicesheridanstudio

Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

For our 100th episode, we are delighted to welcome Seth Godin to the podcast. Seth is a bestselling author and all-round amazing guy and his new book "The Practice" is subtitled "shipping creative work." With this book, Seth is on a mission to inspire everyone to make a powerful commitment to themselves and their art. In this lively conversation, he explains why the world doesn't need any more paintings (and what it actually needs instead); challenges us all to be artists not painters, explains why he never reads his reviews, and shares his thoughts on balancing art and commerce. We also discuss the importance of knowing your audience, and why  picking that audience determines the course of your art career. As you will hear, Seth is a genuine art lover and has lots of interesting stories to tell. Grab a notebook and prepare to be inspired!

Mentioned

The Practice by Seth Godin https://www.amazon.co.uk/Practice-Seth-Godin/dp/0241470048/

Seth's Blog https://seths.blog/

Connect with us

Find us and sign up for our newsletters at:

www.alicesheridan.com

www.louisefletcherart.com

Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast

Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice

Follow us on Instagram:

Alice @alicesheridanstudio

Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits

"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License