Let’s talk collabs. 

Working together, working together but apart, sharing space, exhibiting with friends, inspiring each other… can it work? Why does it work? …and would you risk your arty friendships to stretch yourself? 

We’ve watched our lovely friend artist Bron Jones collaborate with more than one other artist…all hands on engagement and sky high talent. She’s kindly shared her thoughts on the process. 

Then good friends of the artchatter podcast, inspirational Sue Bulmer and Sam Waters share sketch books across the miles… so we thought we’d give it a go and coerced our accountability darling @ginabelfordart. We discovered things - about ourselves and each other! 

Episode Links: 

@bronjonesart

@SueBulmer

 @samwatersartist

@susannahcrookart

@ginabelford 

@artistintheshed Mary Price  

@rachael.johnson20art 

@combedownarttrail

@camvalleyarttrail

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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

The life of an artist can be very complicated. It sounds like a breeze doesn’t it, happily painting, but reality is there’s lots to consider - not limited to health and safety! We also chat free courses, paid courses, online learning and when to just stop signing on to everything! (Maybe that’s just Gaynor). 

Episode Links:

Photo by Rob Wicks on Unsplash

Combe Down Arts Trail http://www.cdarttrail.com

Peacock Art Trail https://www.peacockartstrail.co.uk

Cam Valley Arts Trail https://www.camvalleyartstrail.co.uk

United Artspace https://www.unitedartspace.org

Find Your Joy https://www.louisefletcherart.com/find-your-joy-course

Big monthly planner

Susan McCreevy YouTube

Sue Bulmer 

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life. You can find more about them 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

While many of us can rely on family to LOVE that we’re creative, the ones we love often aren’t the audience for our work. They’re not our buyers. Sometimes they’ll buy a small piece or two as we step into the abyss of social media, galleries, websites, art trails and all the other scary unknowns. Then we’re on our own. Where to find our people…the ones who fall in love with our work? Once we’ve found them, how do we find more? Some things that work for other artists may not work for all. We need to play to our strengths and find our path through the minefields of information and ‘must-dos’

As always, we have a few ideas to share ;) but do tell us yours too.

If you enjoy artchatter, please do tell others, share us on your socials, and follow us wherever you listen to ensure you keep up to date with episodes.

Episode links:

 Scott Webb on Unsplash

@faye_bridgwater

@emilypowellstudio

@sarahtargett

@polly.gough

@fsb_uk

@linkedin

@artinoffices 

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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 beginning to look a lot like… 🎄” 🎶🎶

Erm… soooo this is awks BUT hear us out!

All the big conglomerates and high street chains will be dragging out their tinsel with no shame as soon as the next month hits. They have mega expensive plans and goals and targets and all those things that make many an arty type cringe. But… what about us? Flailing to catch up as November screeches in?! Ohhhhh noooooo… Not this time!

Let’s all think about what we’d like the next few months to look like. As you’d expect, we have ideas… *cue evil laugh*

if you enjoy artchatter we’d love an honest review, or a share on the socials, it helps others find us. Thanks so much 💕

This week’s mentions and links:

Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

Visual Artists Association https://visual-artists.org/

Federation of Small Businesses

Bath & North East Somerset Council

Cool Ventures - mentors and workshops 

@unitedartspace

@michellelloyd

@drsoph

Art Juice  

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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

How do you summer? Are you basking in pools, drinking exotic cocktails and completely switched off, … or manically wrangling children, grandchildren, dogs, cats and longingly eyeing your pencils and paint? Or are you able to embrace your sketchbook and sit, people watching, sketching and looking super bohemian? (The last one is my dream 😉)

Maybe you’re all of the above, or non of those things… and that’s perfect, but without the guilt!

Whatever you’re up to, as usual, we have ideas… let’s see how this goes!

Fancy joining us on  #artchatterswap follow the hashtag and give us a shout if you join in 😊

As always, we’d be grateful for an honest review, a share, a like or a quick “hi” on Instagram

Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

@suebulmer

@samwatersartist

@sharongriffinart

@ginabelfordart

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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 know that feeling (not just us, surely?) when we can’t move a painting forward… worse-can’t start a painting, or worst thing ever-can’t even face stepping into our studio space. 

Gahhhhhhh WHAT TO DO? Worry not, dear friend, we’ve got ideas. We’ve got ideas because we have been there… 

As always, if you enjoy spending time with us, do let your friends know… share on the socials and follow us wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks ;) 

Episode links: 

Photo by Carlos Magno on Unsplash

Soluble graphite - art graff Vairco 

@suebulmer

@samwatersartist

Collograph printing 

Monotypes 

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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 always interesting to us to see how artists work, their inspiration, studios, how they do their thing… and we’ve been asked what we do. So, in the spirit of sharing (you know we love it!) we compare and contrast our practices… same same but ohhh so different! 

What do you do? Share your practice, someone may well find a nugget that inspires them too 😊

As always, we would love you to leave an honest review, if you enjoy the podcast share with others you think may like it too.

Episode links:

Photo credit: Karen George

Faber castell - aquarelle 

Derwent water brush 

Landscape seawhite sketchbook

Art Juice

Your Art Matters

Art2Life

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Gabby Bernstein 

Emily Powell Studio

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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

Busy, busy, busy… while it’s a great problem to have, how do we find the time to prioritise what we want to do most? Finding our way through the to-do lists to get some peace with our paints. 

Episode links: 

Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

Lori Mirabelli

Big Monthly Planner

Bath Society of Artists annual Open Exhibition 

Christine Lawes

Gina Belford 

Wild Escapes Exhibition at The Square Club

Sketchbook to painting workshop

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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

All the talk of confidence and resilience in Epic Epi #50 gave us pause for thought. So many of our (amazing) contributors wished they’d been more confident when they were younger or starting out in their art careers. YES! US TOO! We get it. 

But how? How do we gain confidence? It’s all very well thinking it, but doing it is a different thing altogether. Luckily we have some ideas… if you have some too, we’d love to hear them. 

Episode links: 

Photo Credit by Robert Eklund on Unsplash

Connected Artists’ Club

https://alicesheridan.com/artists/

Cam Valley Arts Trail

https://www.camvalleyartstrail.co.uk

Katie O’Brien 44AD artspace

https://www.44ad.net

Polly Gough

https://www.instagram.com/polly.gough/

@ginabelfordart

Michelle Lloyd

https://www.unitedartspace.org

Trello

About the podcast

Gaynor Leverett-Jaques and Karen George are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them 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