Get ready for the invasion of small humans. It’s THAT time again, people will visit, tiny creatures will devour your brain cells AND energy. Grandparent artists will find their days filled with love and sticky fingers; parent artists will become personal chauffeurs, chefs, and/or entertainment officers. There will be tantrums (mainly from artists who need some creativity time).

Then again, how do we incorporate some sketch-paint-stick into our jolly travels? 

What’s art again? Who am I? There’s time to plan, even if it’s just to accept there will be no time whatsoever to work until September…but maybe an hour here and there could be negotiated. All eventualities covered. It’s all okay. We can only do what we can do. 

Whatever the situation you’re in, Karen and Gaynor have a few ideas to navigate summer. Are you ready? Let’s hear your ideas too. 

Oh and if you’re new to the artchatter podcast, maybe it’s time to subscribe so we pop up automatically in September. 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last five years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Yulia Matvienko on Unsplash

@suebulmer 

@ginabelfordart 

Karen’s blog on art travel  

@rebeccachapmanart

@johounsome 

Sketch and explore com https://www.sketchandexplore.com

@manchesterartfair 

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

Holy heck, it’s been five whole years of mixing up friendship and art. Thank you. 

What’s changed? Hair cuts, glasses, we’ve had exhibitions, photo shoots, attended art fairs, been nominated (came second!) for a women’s business award and started a club (<- @karengeorgeart, @gaynorljart wouldn’t ever!). 

What has never changed - always at the heart of the artchatter pod is sharing our successes and challenges as artists and the friendships we have made and celebrate. 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last five years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

@ginabelfordart 

Sketch and explore com https://www.sketchandexplore.com

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

It’s six months into the year, we’re all doing things and chasing our tails. It’s time to see what else needs doing and what we need to tweak to make life easier on ourselves. 

Karen has a club, Gaynor is in new galleries, but both are still turning up to do the other things that are important to them. Still making mistakes, still learning, still having minor disasters… still laughing (mostly!) and hanging on in there. 

What are you learning? What’s new with you? 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last rapidly approaching five years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Omar Abozeid on Unsplash?

@ginabelfordart 

Sketch and explore com https://www.sketchandexplore.com

Devizes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devizes

Devizes Arts Festival https://www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk

Devizine   https://devizine.com/2026/06/14/sketch-and-explore-the-art-of-embracing-imperfection/?fbclid=PAdGRleASba-xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAac0bBaCuxrmoeewUPOZnzPdA5wiin4IGaNVofQZzXy7lz85pbkkG6earFjSUA_aem_-eaXGiMQGlGP4YbMEUecxA

Connected Artists Club https://alicesheridan.com/artists/

The Design Trust https://www.thedesigntrust.co.uk

Go Large Karen Turner https://www.go-large.com/about

Pink Gorilla Collective https://pinkgorillacollective.co.uk

Pink Storm Social https://pinkstormsocial.co.uk

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques
www.gaynorljart.com

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques
www.gaynorljart.com

It can be isolated, isolating and a bit lonely being an artist. Running a business completely alone can also be a bit daunting, tricky to navigate, and overwhelming at times. 

What to do? Well, it may be time to find some support, other art friends, make connections, find your online tribe or an actual real life community. 

Both Karen and Gaynor have benefited from widening their circles and consider how, despite their different approaches, they’ve both enjoyed the chance to share and learn from other artists. 

It’s your turn, how do you connect? 

So do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar! 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last rapidly approaching five years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo credit Park Troopers on Unsplash

@ginabelfordart 

Sketch and Explore Club with Karen George 

Carol Baines insta https://www.instagram.com/carolbaines100?igsh=MWZ3ODRuZHg2cmttMQ==

Rae Melody https://www.instagram.com/raemelodyart?igsh=d2M2MDh0dTFxaGdu

Ruth Thorp Studios

@https://www.instagram.com/ruththorpstudio?igsh=ZGdjaWkwNTE2NW94

https://ruththorpstudio.co.uk

@bronjonesart 

@susannahcrookart

@sophiepiddock 

@camvalleyartstrail

@katewestcott3

@springcheltenham 

@sixteengallery

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

https://www.sketchandexplore.com@thesanctuary_gallery
Gaynor Leverett-Jaques
www.gaynorljart.com

Right time, right place… sunshine, food and the perfect drop of water, add in the ideal companion or two… violà, success! Plants and humans are the same in that respect. 

What fires your imagination? Are you grabbing the right things to help yourself flourish, chatting to those who encourage growth? What helps you to get where you’re going. Today Karen and Gaynor are giddy about the paths they’re taking and how they’re helping themselves to grow in the right direction. Are you ready to plant seeds? 

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us how you get things going, there’s lots more to chat about. 

So do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar! 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last rapidly approaching FIVE years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Julia Raasch on Unsplash

Fearne Cotton Happy Place Podcast

Liz Earle How to Age book 

Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

Today is our editor’s birthday 🎈 sending him giant love, thanks and a big fat squishy mummy hug 😉 

Now let’s get on with episode 122 of the pod… 

Procrastination, manifesting, dancing around, considering it all, planning and everything else eventually needs to turn into action. 

Let’s get on with it, shall we? 

So do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar! 

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us how your has been, there’s lots more to chat about. 

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us how you get things going, there’s lots more to chat about. 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last rapidly approaching FIVE years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Julia Raasch on Unsplash

Napoleon Hill.

Fearne Cotton. 

Karen George Sketch & Explore ⁠

Faye Bridgwater 

Harry Baker - Unashamed 

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

Episode 121 - our approaches to being artists

My goodness... We've talked about what being an artist means, and how labels like "artist" might (or might not!) be useful. Now it's time to focus in on our own practices. What makes the two of us artists? And what does the practice of art mean to us?

Do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar!

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

[TBC, as Gaynor is on her hols! - yours humbly, nobly, kindly, dashingly etc. - the Editor]

@karengeorgeart

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

Episode 120 - what makes you an artist?

Holy heck, this is a BIG topic… we have lots to say and would love to hear what you think.

Here’s a quick dictionary definition: ‘Ultimately, being an artist is a personal journey and identity, defined by the act of creating and expressing, making it a fundamental way of living for many, not just a job title’ Well that sounds great, but what does it even mean? Actually sooo many things spring to mind. Let’s chat.

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us your thoughts, there’s lots more to chat about.

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last four and a half years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar!

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Svitlanka Dlinnaya on Unsplash

Sarah Targett

Polly Gough

Kathy Hutton

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

We all wear many hats, class ourselves as this or that. But who are we and which label do we claim first? Which title are we most proud of? 

Clumsy, funny, shy, outgoing, mother, father, child or friend? 

Here’s the big question for today though…

How do you label yourself - which labels limit you, which enable you, and which labels make you glow with happiness? 

Do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar! 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last four and a half years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

This week’s links and mentions:

Photo by Angèle Kamp on Unsplash

Rae Melody @raemelodyart 

Tracey Emin 

Basquiat 

Jackson Pollock

Venn diagram

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 

@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up

Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠

@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠

@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 

Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree