"The more materials you explore, the more skills you gain—and eventually you’ll find the medium that helps you say exactly what you want to say.”

— Viktoria Maliar

What happens when two artists start geeking out over art supplies? In this episode, artist Viktoria Maliar shares her favourite materials, why she loves working with oils, and what it really takes to build a life as a full-time artist. From experimenting with mediums to adapting in a changing creative landscape, this conversation is packed with practical insights, studio talk, and a glimpse into the everyday realities behind a successful art career.

2 Takeaways:
Experiment before you commit. Try a variety of art supplies and mediums. Every material teaches you something new, even if it doesn’t become your forever medium.

Adaptability is part of the job. Building a sustainable art career isn’t just about making great work—it’s about staying curious, evolving, and being willing to learn as opportunities change.

Real creativity often happens in the middle of the chaos, not outside of it. Even if you take 15 minutes a day just for you, it counts!
In this honest and deeply relatable episode, Brandi sits down with artist and mother McKenzie Elston to talk about the emotional crossroads so many creatives face. From school morning meltdowns to the pressure of constantly monetizing creativity, they unpack the reality behind being a working artist and a mother at the same time.

Together, they share the longing many artists have to simply create without turning every idea into content or income.

This conversation feels like sitting down with a friend who finally says the quiet parts out loud. The exhaustion. The guilt. The dreaming. The uncertainty. And also the beauty of building a creative life anyway.

2 Takeaways:

1. Creativity does not need to be constantly monetized to have value. Sometimes making art for yourself is enough.
2. Motherhood and creativity can coexist, but not always in perfect balance. Giving yourself grace during the messy seasons matters.

What if the first step to living a creative life is simply believing you are worthy of one?

In this inspiring conversation, Carrie Schmitt shares how creativity begins with self-worth.

Together, Brandi and Carrie discuss the stubborn courage required to protect your energy, say no to what no longer serves you, and remain devoted to the life you know you are meant to live.

This episode is a reminder that creativity is not reserved for a select few. It is a relationship, a calling, and a sacred force waiting patiently for you to say yes!

Two Takeaway Tips:

1. Believe You Deserve to Create

A thriving creative life starts with self-worth. When you recognize that your ideas and perspective are valuable, you give yourself permission to pursue creativity with confidence. This is so important, if we can do you it that means you can too!

2. Build a Temple for Your Creativity

Design your environment and daily habits to nurture your imagination. Whether it is a dedicated studio, a sketchbook by your bedside, or simply protecting your mental energy, creating supportive space allows your creativity to flourish.

Fear can ask endless questions. Intuition makes a clear statement and your body already knows the answer.

This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast   I sit down with Jennifer Halls to explore how to quiet the noise of overthinking, move beyond fear, and begin trusting the inner voice that has been guiding you all along.Jennifer shares powerful insights from her new book You know: How to Invite & Nourish a Relationship with Your Intuition. Where she teaches practical tools to help people reconnect with their intuition in everyday life. We talk about one of the biggest challenges many creative people face: distinguishing anxiety from genuine intuitive guidance. When fear takes over, it often disguises itself as urgency or doubt. Intuition, on the other hand, feels clear, grounded, and present. 

One of my favourite takeaways from our conversation is Jennifer’s simple but transformative practice of making statements instead of asking questions. If you have ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain about your path, this episode offers practical wisdom to help you reconnect with your inner knowing and move forward with greater confidence.

Takeaway Tips:

1. Turn Questions into Statements

Instead of asking, “What should I do?” make a clear statement such as, “This is the right next step for me.” Then pay attention to how your body responds. Your intuition often communicates through a sense of calm and openness.

2. Notice Where Fear Lives in the Body

Anxiety often creates physical tension, while intuition tends to feel steady and grounded. By tuning into your body’s signals, you can better distinguish between fear-based thinking and genuine inner guidance.

When you follow your intuition and creative flow and stay curious, the path has a way of meeting you there.

-Brandi

In this episode, I sit down with Alexis Marie Chute to talk about what it really looks like to follow your creative intuition while building a meaningful career over time. Alexis shares the power of staying devoted to your path even when it is not linear.

Alexis opens up about how batching tasks, time blocking, and protecting her focus allows her to move between projects without losing her creative energy. I bring up the importance of writing down your goals, staying a little obsessed with what you want, and trusting that the work is leading somewhere even when you cannot yet see it.

This conversation is a reminder that creativity is not about doing one thing. It is about listening closely, following what feels alive, and trusting yourself enough to keep going.

1. Two Takeaway TipsFollow your intuition but support it with structure by batching similar tasks and protecting focused creative time
2. Write your goals down and stay committed to them even if it takes years because persistence creates opportunity

Brandi and artist Ana Sneeringer explore what it really means to move through fear as an artist and a human. They talk about how shyness, anxiety, and self-doubt don’t disappear before you begin, they soften because you begin anyway. From public murals to personal breakthroughs, they share how repetition builds confidence and how fear loses its grip when you stop waiting to feel ready.

They also reflect on the shift from hiding your creativity to sharing it fully, and why your story matters just as much as the work itself. This conversation is about action over perfection, courage over certainty, and learning to trust that you don’t need to have it all figured out to start creating something meaningful.

Takeaway Tips:

1. Start before you feel ready. Confidence is built through doing, not before it. The fear doesn’t disappear first, it fades after repetition.

2. Treat your life like a role you are willing to step into. Show up as the version of yourself who already makes art, takes risks, and shares it anyway.

I thought I was messing it all up… but really, I was failing forward into the life I was meant to build.

In this episode, I sit down with Julianne Holland from Aphrodite Art School to talk about what it really looks like to build a creative life without a roadmap. From running an art school in a remote, cowboy-filled corner of Australia to creating community where there wasn’t one before, Julianne shares how “failing forward” became her greatest teacher.

We dive into trusting your creative gut, navigating a path without mentors, and embracing the messy, non-linear journey of being an artist. This conversation is a reminder that there is no perfect formula. Your path is built by showing up, taking risks, and learning as you go.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing it all wrong, this episode will reframe everything.

2 Takeaway Tips:

• Reframe failure as momentum: Every misstep is actually movement. The faster you “fail,” the faster you learn what works for you.

• Build where you are: You don’t need the perfect creative hub. Sometimes the most powerful communities are created in the places where nothing exists yet.

I ask myself, did I have fun making it? And do I actually love the work I put out? If yes, I can’t control how the world receives it, I just keep going and make more!

In this episode with Emily Raubenheimer, we dive into what it really takes to quiet your inner critic without letting it run your creative life. Emily shares how she reframes rejection, not as a stop sign, but as part of the long game of being an artist. From using Instagram as a safe space to build resilience, to learning how to separate true feedback from limiting criticism, she shows us how to stay connected to joy in the process even when the outside response feels unpredictable.

This conversation is a grounding reminder that your creative voice gets stronger every time you choose to keep showing up. 

2 Takeaway Tips: 

Reframe rejection by asking simple grounding questions: Did I enjoy making this? Do I actually love what I created? If yes, your job is done and the rest is not yours to control.Treat visibility like practice, not judgment. Use platforms like Instagram as a space to build your resilience muscle, and focus only on feedback from voices whose work you respect and want to grow toward.

At every level, the fear is still there: you just keep showing up anyway…You might surprise yourself!- Brandi 

Nicki, is back, because she is just the BEST! We talk about imposter syndrome and how it doesn’t disappear as you grow, but instead evolves, and how Nicki pushed through that fear when designing the cover of her newest interactive watercolour book (yes… you can actually paint inside it, which is SO fun and freeing).  

We get a little geeky about art supplies (because obviously): Getting into colour theory, composition, and how using muted tones with intentional pops of brightness can completely change how your work feels, something even Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec mastered so beautifully. 

But beyond the art… this conversation is about the magic of choosing a creative life. Start every day off for you, move your body, create, and honour your passion: The travel, the connection, the community, and how artists really do find each other and create the most meaningful experiences together.

Two Takeaways

1. Paint through the doubtImposter syndrome doesn’t mean you’re not ready — it means you care. The next level always comes with new fear… so bring it with you and create anyway. 

2. Let colour support your nervous systemMuted, earthy tones can calm and ground your work, while small pops of bright colour create focus and energy. It’s not about using more — it’s about using it with intention. 

Portrait Class with Cyantotype just DROPPED! Last Day SALE! CODE: ART30 

You can find Nicki’s new interactive watercolour book here:

👉 https://lifeidesign.com (check her shop/books section)

Artist's don't retire! Our Art is there to guide us through life. 

- Brandi 

This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast   Creative Pivots & Trusting Your Gut  we sit down with UK artist Tabby Booth for a fun, honest, and inspiring conversation about trusting your gut, following your creative instincts, and allowing your art practice to lead the way. 

We talk about creative pivots, showing up through every season, and how making art can help you figure out real life along the way. This is a reminder that artists don’t retire, they just keep creating, evolving, and painting their way through a long, beautiful life. This is one chat you want to be a part of, it is full of joy, artist authenticity, and real life talk! 

Two Takeaways

1. Trust the process. Your art practice will guide you if you keep showing up, even when you don’t have all the answers.
2. Lean into creative pivots. When something feels off, follow the pull instead of forcing the path. That’s where growth happens.

Check out Tabby's new Substack https://substack.com/@tabbybooth