Art Ladders: The Creative Climb

Grab a cup of coffee and join us for an informal discussion on art that includes upcoming exhibits, free offers, technique ideas, and "what if" solutions for your art. Val and Armin recreate the free wheeling style of their weekend discussions. It was that kind of week, so this conversation lends a spontaneous hand to the work load.

Often our best ideas come from just sitting around talking to each other. We encourage artists to find another artist or group of friends who inspire great camaraderie and sharing of dreams. It can add an energy to your art practice. We are better together!

Show Notes

We talked about artist Greg Carr. Follow him on Instagram and learn about him and his art. @tall_greg_art

Armin's free Webinar on the Creative Process. March 16 at 2pm Eastern. Sign up here!

Valerie's in-person Just Paint Experience at Anderson Enrichment Center on March 20 at 6pm. Register Here!

Valerie and Armin are both honored to be exhibiting in the Healing Through the Arts Exhibition at Zhou Brothers Art Center, Chicago, Illinois. More information here.

Valerie is exhibiting in "Say What" at the Covet Gallery in Oceanside, California. More information here.

Armin and I discuss different aspects of success that artists can find as they present their art and themselves to the world. At each stage of an artist's journey the wins can be small, large, planned, unplanned, each step of the way varied and most times unpredictable.

We share our personal experience on this topic and hope by sharing our stories you can find useful and relatable information. Our aim with this podcast is to bring artists together in the spirit of friendship and sharing.

Take a listen and let us know what you think. We also announce Armin's upcoming Free Webinar On the Creative Process happening Sunday, March 16 at 2pm Eastern time on Zoom. The registration link will be in the show notes.

Happy creating, everyone and thank you for listening!

Val and Armin

Show Note Links

Armin's Free Webinar Eventbrite Registration Form.

Valerie's Registration page for her monthly Mentorship

Armin's website

Valerie's website.

Armin and I established three values early on for our Art Ladders mission. They are connection, commitment, and community. We feel this episode shares our personal experiences to bring those values to the forefront.

We are encouraging our artist community to dive deep and examine the root reasons that you create art. What is your why. It is a soul searching session that will lead to your own storytelling style. By storytelling we are not only opening a door and connecting for collectors and public to feel closer to us but it helps crystalize your intentions and commitment as you create your body of work.

Let us know if this rings true for you and share your story with us. We are on Facebook and Instagram. I will links here as well as links to news that is happening for us as artists.

Show Notes

Art Ladders Instagram

Art Ladders Facebook

Valerie's interview with "That's What She Said Radio Show" with Christiana Malacara

Armin's Exhibit at Sage Art in Sheridan, Wyoming

Kimberly Kelly Santini says it all in her tagline for her bio: Painter, Dreamer, Instigator. When I composed her bio for our podcast introduction, I learned that Kimberly is an artist that creates her environment not only for inspiration but for a springboard that propels her curiosity into new territories of nature. In this episode, she bullet points exactly how she does that and we feel our audience may be inclined to put some of those points in their own practice. I for one plan to pay more attention to my daily journal after hearing Kimberly talk about the how, when and why of her journaling process. I'm anxious to check out her YouTube videos on that topic, too. I'll put those links in the show notes for sure .

Here is a formal bio for you to learn more about Kimberly: 

Kimberly Santini  is formally educated as a painter, with a BFA in Painting and a BA in Art History, but worked a traditional career path for over a decade. She set up a home studio in 2001 and began with commissioned portraiture. In 2006 she committed to daily painting, a creative practice she continues today. Santini brings her unique voice to the easel with an unparalleled sense of color and spontaneity. She was honored as the official artist of the 2015 Kentucky Derby, has worked with the AKC on poster artwork, designed a wine label, and hung solo shows across the country.  A firm believer in community involvement, Santini is also in leadership roles with the Romeo Guild of Art and The Detroit Society of Women Painters & Sculptors.

 Show Notes:

Kimberly's Website

Instagram Link

Patreon for Kimberly Santini

Kimberly's YouTube Channel

Interview with Kimberly on CanvasRebel

Welcome to 2025! Armin and I wish you all a wonderful start to the new year. In this episode we continue our tradition of announcing a guiding word for the year. We started this in 2022 and our first word was Discover. That word served us well as we had so much ground to cover in creating a new podcast using tech and editing skills we continue to learn. In 2023, we chose Courage as our inspirational word. We were teaching more and speaking to large groups. The growth we gained during that time set us up for our 2024 word, Prosper. The measurable for 2024 included record sales of art and many events all over the midwest. It was a year of travel and new beginnings as we launched our studio gallery at Fifth Street Artists. This year after much discussion we are leaning into strength by choosing the word, Determination. As we set our sights for even more travel, we are determined to do the hard work involved in discipline with our studio time to produce more artwork throughout the year. We are going to keep each other accountable. It definitely helps to be with a partner who has similar values and determination. We are looking forward to seeing where 2025 takes us. Here are a few show notes for reference that will connect you to our upcoming classes.

Armin's Intermediate iPhonegraphy Zoom Class

Armin's Intermediate Drawing and Paining Zoom Class

Armin's Art Talk Zoom Class

Valerie's Abstraction Now! Jumpstart 2025 Zoom Class

Valerie's ongoing Mastrius Mentor Group

Valerie's BFF: Modern Portraits exhibition at 33 Contemporary

Armin and I were thrilled to have artist Samantha Williams-Chapelsky as our guest for Episode 88. Samantha was recently awarded 2025 Artist in Residence for the province of Alberta, Canada by the Arts, Culture and Status of Women and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. She also talks about her recent residency at the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation in New Berlin New York. I personally enjoyed listening to Samantha and Armin discussing her technical process of both oil and acrylic as well as her conceptual practice. Samantha brings a world of professionalism and inspiration to our audience and we thank her wholeheartedly for sharing time with us.

Here is more information on the background of Samantha:

Samantha Williams-Chapelsky graduated from University of Alberta with distinction and majoring in painting and art history. She is a certified working artist for Golden Artist Colors for Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. She teaches online, in-person worshops and classes, and mentors for Mastrius, an online community for the enrichment and education of artists.

Samantha Williams-Chapelsky Website

Samantha's Instagram Page

Paint with Samantha in the South of France in October 2025

Sign up for Samantha's Mailing List

These are a few of our favorite things that would make great gifts for artists in our lives. Some are dream big ideas while others are more on the stocking stuffer budget. Armin and I had fun revealing our quirky ideas to each other and we hope you find food for thought as you buy for your artists friends or ask for what you need from others. Here are a few links to what we covered.

Val's big ticket gift idea the Live Courageously: Rebloom Retreat. (within' and a hoping!)

Artist Lori Seibert is leading a wonderful conference at the wonderful Richwood on the River venue this may.

Live Courageously: Rebloom Retreat

Lori Seibert on Instagram

Armin's big ticket gift idea: A new iPad. LOL!

Armin's Rosemary Brushes

Val's crazy economical brushes from Amazon

Val's "Power of the Press: Apron from Signal Return in Detroit.

Armin's Peep hole

Val's graphic arts app is Canva

Armin's iPhoneography top app is Snapseed

Atelier School of Art

Join us on this timely release of Episode 86 with Dr. Yanina Gomez, psychologist, author, educator, and speaker. She will be discussing the issue of navigating these uncertain times as artists. Her proactive approach is both enlightening and energizing. Dr. Yanina talks about the importance of cultivating a catalyst mindset instead of a victim mindset. As a catalyst of change, artists can think about issues they can control. For example artists can bring awareness, beauty, healing to a troubled world. Creatives play such an important role in shaping the human condition. That is why surrounding yourself with encouraging and supportive people is necessary to uplift each other and your community.

Dr. Yanina Gomez earned her Phd in Psychology in 2009. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and has been trained in the Internal Family Systems Therapeutic Model. She is the author of Moms Don't Quit! How to Influence, Empower and Stay Connected with Your Tween or Teen in a Noisy World and lead author of Crush Self-Sabotage and Live Fully! The Artist’s Wellness Journey to Confidence and Success.

She is the co-founder of ArtNXTLevel with her artist, Sergio Gomez. Their mission is to act as a catalyst for transforming artistic aspirations into tangible results. At ArtNXTlevel®, professional growth, self-confidence, and career success are not just goals—they are actionable steps revealed in a global online community of artists.

Show Notes:

Dr. Yanina Gomez

The ArtNXTLevel online community

33 Contemporary Gallery

Artist Sergio Gomez

ArtNXTLevel Instagram

Link to our podcast episode with Sergio Gomez in 2022

Registration for Free Golden Artist Colors' "Just Paint Experience" . A collaborative event with Art Ladders and Golden Apple Residencies. December 1, 2024 starting at 2pm.

We examine the topic of anxiety, angst, and stress in creating art during these difficult times. Give me hope, help me cope, is a line from George Harrison's "Give me Love (Give me Peace on Earth) that sums up this podcast. We share the wats you can share with others plans to promote helpful ways to self-treat anxiety. It is a lifelong regulation of our nervous symptoms that will bring lasting results.

During this conversation e mentioned the episode with ADC Fine Art's founder and president, Litsa Spanos. Here is the link to listen: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/q1DuXb4jhOb

Here is the link to register for the free online "Just Paint Experience" collaboration with Golden Apple Studio and Residency with Golden Artist Colors. When you register please submit your art questions.

Register Here: https://goldenartistcolors.com/event-registration

We are happy to introduce artist Maggie Bandstra to our podcast audience. Maggie is a painter who delves deep into the connections we have with nature, healing and each other. She is committed to bringing artists together through her work at Ox-Bow and recently organized a fall artist retreat that Val attended a couple of weeks ago. Maggie is also the founder of Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective and she manages the Ox-Bow House in Douglas, Michigan. She obtained her MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2021 and also has a Masters of Educational Leadership from Michigan State University.

During this interview Maggie shares details of her painting practice, her commitment to creating opportunities for artist exhibits, and the history of Ox-Bow that started as a seed of an idea at the turn of the 19th century.

We hope you enjoy this conversation with Maggie and below are links with more information.

There is even a link for an upcoming free Zoom event for artists on December 1 from 2-4pm on Zoom. The "Just Paint Experience" with Val Allen, Certified Working Artist for Golden Paints is a collaboration between Golden Apple Residency and Art Ladders. Hope you can register and attend.

Maggie Bandstra Website

Ox-Bow Website

Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective

Savannah School of Art

Ox-Bow House

Link to register free December 1st Virtual "Just Paint Experience". Choose date in drop down.

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