It's a quick catch up episode on my week 1 on my self-imposed creative sabbatical. How has your first "official" post-holiday week been for your creative practice?

New year…new creative year. In this episode, I’m talking about where I’m actually at right now in my process, what’s feeling real, what’s feeling messy, and what I’m carrying into this next season. No resolutions. No pressure to reinvent myself. Just an honest check in on energy, time, capacity, and the kind of creative rhythm I want this year. Did you make a resolution? Do tell!

The chat on Stefan Sagmeisters creative sabbaticals: https://timesensitive.fm/episode/graphic-designer-stefan-sagmeister-sabbatical/

My article on substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-183245977

Not financial. Emotional. In this episode, we do an emotional budget review of the year. What drained you more than it was worth. What refilled you that you didn’t protect enough. Where your creative energy really went. A simple reflection that helps you reset without shame and choose one small change for the next season.

This episode sits right in that in-between space ...the moment where one creative year is closing and another hasn’t quite begun yet. We’re talking about thresholds… standing between two doors, one behind you and one ahead, and deciding what you want to leave behind and what you’re ready to carry forward.

It’s not about setting resolutions or having everything figured out. It’s about pausing long enough to notice what no longer fits, what still feels alive, and how you want to step into what’s next. If you’re feeling reflective, a little uncertain, or quietly ready for a shift, this episode is for you.

In this episode we look back at your creative year by listening to what your work has been trying to tell you. I walk you through simple ways to review your art, notice patterns, pay attention to what kept showing up, and see where you felt most alive in your practice. If you are craving a gentler year in review for your creative life without pressure or perfection, this reflection is for you.

Today we’re talking about what it really means to close your creative year on purpose. In this episode I walk you through simple ways to mark the end of this season in your art life… tidying your studio, choosing a “year’s piece,” letting go of unfinished projects, and naming what this year felt like in your practice. If you’re craving a gentle end of year reset for your creativity without pressure or perfection, this one is for you.

This episode explores the value of unfinished art and why not every piece needs to be complete. We talk about how half-finished work can spark new ideas, support experimentation, and reveal deeper patterns in your creative process. If you struggle with unfinished projects or feel pressure to complete everything you start, this conversation will help you see your creative practice with more clarity and kindness.

Ever find yourself half-painting, half-emailing, half-scrolling, and wondering why your brain feels fried? Yeah… same. In this episode, we’re talking about single-tasking and giving one creative thing your full attention. It’s not about being perfect or disciplined; it’s about slowing down enough to actually enjoy what you’re making. We’ll dig into what happens when you stop trying to do it all at once and just make one thing, start to finish, without splitting your focus.

What happens when you let yourself sit in the blank space...before the idea, before the plan, before the work even begins? In this episode, we’re talking about the void: that quiet, sometimes uncomfortable space where creativity starts to take shape. It’s not about forcing inspiration but learning to listen to what shows up when everything else goes still.

We’ll dig into why pauses matter, how to get comfortable with not knowing, and how that empty space can become the most honest part of your process.

Visit: artlifeplan.com or follow on instagram @cookiereddingart

Welcome to NOvember. A month of choosing less so you can create more. In this episode, I talk about what happens when we stop saying yes to everything and start protecting our creative energy instead. It’s not about quitting or ghosting. It’s about clarity, boundaries, and making space for the work that matters. Let’s explore what shifts when you start saying no on purpose.