Today´s episode is about developing a sense of authority not just in the work you make, but also in all the other moving parts of being an artist. Including writing that dreaded artist statement, submitting for an exhibition you’re not sure you’re ready for, grant applications, open calls, sitting across from a curator and talking about your work. All vital tasks that fill many artists with dread.

The feeling of authority doesn’t just appear one day in the studio and spread everywhere else. It has to be practised, over and over, in different contexts to be fully acquired. In the same way you build confidence in making—through trial, error, repetition, embodiment—you can build confidence in applying, pitching, choosing, and communicating. It’s not a different skill set. It’s the same muscle, exercised in a new way. Ceri shares how.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Choose one hard thing to practice on purpose. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. Maybe it’s submitting to one open call a month. Maybe it’s rewriting your bio every quarter. The point isn’t the outcome; it’s the repetition and the practice.

Reframe mistakes as rehearsal. Nobody expects your first sculpture to be perfect. So why expect your first application to be flawless?

Apply your creative strengths to tasks you struggle with. Use qualities you embody in the studio, such as persistence, playfulness, and problem-solving.

BEST MOMENTS

“Practice being the kind of person who can handle things, who can figure things out, who can do hard things, because authority isn't just about making extraordinary work, it's about trusting yourself to carry that work into the world.”

“Each attempt is a sketch, a draft, a rehearsal. Over time, those rehearsals create flow.”

“If there's a genuine learning opportunity and the only thing holding you back is, I don't know how, try saying yes. Authority grows through doing, not waiting.”

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

What happens when you follow your instincts all the way from a boat-building town in New England to Alexander McQueen’s studio, through the forests of Oregon, to a sunlit gallery in LA? This week, Ceri is joined by the remarkable Ryan Noon—creative director, curator, gallerist, and founder of NOON Projects. His journey weaves together fashion, art, and everyday alchemy that turns felt experience into form.

They talk about sewing shells onto garments in a childhood basement, launching a label at fifteen, and building Nike’s Blue Ribbon Studio from scratch—a space that redefined how over 1,200 creatives found their flow. Ryan doesn’t protect his creativity—he gives it away, trusting that the more he pours into others, the more returns through collaboration and care. They explore burnout, beauty, the lure of shoulds and what happens when you build a garden by the sea instead of chasing the next launch.

This is for anyone who’s ever tried to bottle the magic before it vanished—or better yet, learned to stay still and let it bloom.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

While some guard their creativity like a secret recipe, Ryan pours his out, he doesn´t hoard. Generosity isn’t weakness—it’s a creative strategy. But you can´t be so generous that you don´t look after your wellbeing too.

Ryan curates atmosphere as much as art—inviting guests to experience his multisensory gallery like a sauna, where scent, texture, and care guide them slowly into creativity.

The best kind of art world is a place where the alchemy is less about gold and more about grounding and discovery, where artists are encouraged to stop, stretch and stay curious together.

BEST MOMENTS

“I think of creativity as like an endless spring. I purposely try to give as much away, to make room for new.”

“Ryan measures success by whether an artist or a student felt seen, whether the gallery smelt right, whether the artist grew. That kind of bar setting isn't glamorous, but it's holy.”

“Having a quarter acre garden of vegetables was really like my pivotal shift to be able to listen to myself and work from a different source.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://noon-projects.com/About

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

**

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

**

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network

**

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

**

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk

In today´s episode, Ceri explores how to deal with unfavourable feedback, something that every artist she has ever worked with has experienced. No doubt you too have felt that same sting, at some point. That moment when unfavourable feedback cuts closer than you’d like. And while it’s incredibly common, that doesn’t make it feel any less raw when it happens to you.

Yet, feedback is fuel. Even when it stings, there’s often a nugget of insight there if we choose to use it. Ceri explains how to deal with feedback in a way that builds resilience rather than shutting you down.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Part of our job as artists is putting ourselves in the best possible state to share work and hear feedback. Not just from people who love us, but from strangers, panellists, curators, critics—people with their own stories and filters.

You´re human, you are sensitive. Build resilience by inviting feedback in low-stakes situations, with people you feel safe with. In that process, you’re training your brain. You’re getting used to hearing other perspectives without spiralling.

Be curious. When someone offers feedback, instead of hearing it as a verdict, you can lean in and ask, “Tell me more”.

BEST MOMENTS

“Here’s the trap: we prepare for the logistics—the suitcase, the schedule, the people we need to call—but we forget to prepare our brains.”

“I’ll practice on my partner, Roger, who has a very analytical brain—totally different from mine. I’ve learned that if I want his feedback to be useful, I need to give him a clear invitation.”

“Sometimes, let’s be real, their opinion just doesn’t matter. Not every comment deserves equal weight.”

“Practice asking for feedback on purpose. Frame it so it’s useful. Prepare your brain and body—eat, sleep, breathe and journal before you go into high-stakes settings.”

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

What happens when a building unzips or a canal boat loops the loop mid-air? This week, Ceri is joined by the extraordinary Alex Chinneck, the British artist known for bending reality one brick at a time, dubbed arts master illusionist by The Guardian, Alex has carved out a global reputation for his large-scale public artworks that melt, slide, hover and ripple through the urban landscape.

They discuss how a childhood love of painting and a no-nonsense art teacher set him on a path to sculpting the surreal from cross-country running to cross-disciplinary collaboration, Alex shares how stamina, curiosity and sheer force of will underpin his most ambitious illusions. He reveals how a derelict Hackney warehouse became the site of his first major breakthrough, how he persuaded a wax factory to donate 11 tonnes of leg wax, and how he ended up installing a twisted phone box just metres from number 10. This episode is about ambition without arrogance, spectacle with substance and the messy, exhilarating art of pulling it off.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Ambition isn’t about ego or spectacle; it’s about the courage to bring big ideas to life, to invite others in, and to create work that resonates far beyond the art world.

Bold ideas come to life through grit, creative problem-solving, relentless negotiation, and the courage to turn resistance into opportunity; real innovation is forged in the face of challenge.

When you put your work out into the public, you never know how it will be received. Often, the courage to share your true vision sparks excitement far beyond your expectations.

BEST MOMENTS

“You don't have to wait for permission to make ambitious work. Start with the idea, then learn how to pull it off. One door, one brick, one yes at a time.”

“Sometimes the most radical thing an artist can do is make people smile.”

“Public art isn't just about scale, it’s about context, community and commitment.”

“Coaching clears out the noise so that people have better thoughts in which to help them do better work, while building up their tools of resilience.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.alexchinneck.com

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Have you been circling something in your practice for years? Maybe you know there’s more to say, a seam you haven’t mined, a truth you keep sidestepping. The work is there, waiting. But you’re afraid. Today, Ceri talks about the fear of making the work you’re supposed to be making—and what it takes to finally face it, explaining, how to name it, drag it into the daylight, re-address it, and then turn it into creative fuel.

From Ceri´s experience of working with 1000s of artists over 35 years, every great work, whether tightly conceptual, minimal or wildly expressive, begins with an artist willing to face themselves. The question isn't only what you make, but whether you're able to be with yourself long enough sitting in the uncomfortable valley of knowing and not knowing to let the work be born.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Fear is the border guard of your best work. But fear is also data, and for the artists who dare to name it, fear often points directly to where the gold is buried.

Sidestepping your fears is counter-productive. The very strategies you use to survive are the ones that eventually hold you back.

Real creative freedom comes thru facing your fears head on by using honest self-reflection, safe support and creative rituals to process difficult experiences through your art. Ceri shares several practical examples of how she has helped artists work with their fears to create stunning work.

BEST MOMENTS

“What if the work you’re meant to be making is the work you’re most afraid of?”

“By first drawing, then making with bits of shite left around the studio, as if he were responding directly to that moment, he shifted the power dynamic. The work gained a bite.”

“Sit with your journal, sketchbook, or a voice memo and finish this sentence three times: “When I think of fear, I remember…” Don’t censor. Let it pour out. ”

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

What happens when an artist, educator, curator, returns to the wilds that raised her and dares to reimagine what a museum could be? Francesca de Brock is the extraordinary chief curator at the Anchorage Museum in Alaska. Her work braids together social practice, environmental justice, a fierce commitment to care, and a deep understanding of what artists need to thrive.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Growing up in Alaska, the wildness of the place and problem-solving in a challenging environment shaped Francesca´s creativity and approach to art.

Francesca is committed to climate-conscious exhibitions, artist access, onboarding, and amplifying community voices.

Leadership is about asking better questions and inviting others into the process, rather than having all the answers.

BEST MOMENTS

“Our mission is to be a museum of people, place, planet and potential in service of a sustainable and equitable north, with creativity and imagination for what is possible.”

“Exhibitions are ephemeral, but the ripple effects on institutions, audiences and relationships can be lasting and transformative.”

Francesca Du Brock

www.anchoragemuseum.org

https://www.instagram.com/fdubrock

Francesca Du Brock is Chief Curator at the Anchorage Museum. Her work is informed by her background as an artist and educator and is grounded in social engagement, place-based storytelling, environmental justice, and experimental museum practice. Recent projects including Dog Show (2025), How to Survive (2023), Black Lives in Alaska: Journey, Justice, Joy (2021), and Extra Tough: Women of the North (2020), which focus on topics of care, climate, interdependence, representation, Northern feminisms, and immigration. In 2020, she established the Museum’s Virtual Artist Residency program, which continues to provide unrestricted support to artists, sharing process and behind-the-scenes insights into their lives and practices. She is currently a fellow at the Center for Curatorial Leadership and is the recipient of the 2025 Marica Vilcek Prize in Art History from the Vilcek Foundation. Born and raised on Dena'ina Ełnena in Anchorage, Alaska, she holds an MFA and M.Ed and brings experience living and working across the US and Latin America to her current role.

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk

Today, Ceri talks about rejection. Something that is a part of every artist’s life - Applications declined. Emails ignored. Opportunities missed. And let’s be honest—it stings. For many artists, especially those who are neurodivergent, it doesn’t just sting. It burns.

There’s even a name for this: Rejection Sensitivity. It’s more than hurt feelings—it can feel like an existential threat, a collapse, a shame spiral. Maybe you’ve avoided applying. Withdrawn from people. Overreacted to feedback. If so, you’re not alone.

But here’s the good news: you’re not broken. This is a common pattern, and you can learn ways to soften its impact. In this episode, Ceri walks you through some steps and reflections to help you notice rejection, reframe it, and keep creating.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Unchecked rejection sensitivity quietly shapes careers. It can hold you back from applying, make you quit too soon and keep you isolated. Or you may overcompensate, work twice as hard, say yes to everything and people-please your way into exhaustion.

• Ceri shares 10 steps for dealing with rejection in a healthy way, so you can recognise, reflect on, reframe and learn from rejection and carry on creating.

• If you have a rejection that you are still hanging onto, reframe it today. Release yourself from the negativity that surrounds rejection. You don´t have to let it continue to hold you back. You can choose to release yourself.

BEST MOMENTS

“Rejection is not proof you don’t belong. It’s proof you’re showing up.”

“Rejection isn’t the enemy. Silence isn’t the enemy. Avoidance is. Not showing up is. And you—you’re already showing up. That’s where the magic begins.”

“Step one is to recognise the pattern. First you have to notice it. Rejection shows up in emotions, the stories we tell ourselves and in the body - a tight chest, a racing heart, a stomach drop.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

If you prefer reading over listening? Ceri shares a short version of every episode in her Beat the Block newsletter—delivered to your inbox every Friday. Sign up at www.cerihand.com/subscribe

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Today, Ceri is joined by a man who doesn’t just witness the future of art, he builds the infrastructure for it. Georg Bak is a pioneering digital art advisor and curator who’s spent over two decades bridging the traditional and the digital. He has advised major collectors and museums, helped shape curatorial boards, and placed historically significant works into collections that matter.

Georg is the co-founder of NFT Art Day and The Digital Art Mile, a boutique digital art fair that champions new ideas and new communities. He has curated landmark exhibitions, including the first-ever CryptoPunks show, and collaborated with Sotheby’s, Phillips, and The Vancouver Biennale.

Whether you’re AI-averse or blockchain-curious, this episode’s for the thinkers and deeply curious.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Digital art does not replace traditional art; it is a powerful expansion of it that builds on the existing foundations. When collectors recognise that true innovation comes from artists who challenge perceptions and provoke thought instead of simply following trends, the art world thrives.

Success in digital art is deeply connected to building and engaging with communities and network effects. Building lasting trust and relationships, educating and going deeper on fewer pieces of work is leading to success.

AI is opening up possibilities that are comparable in impact to the Renaissance. AI-driven tools are not only expanding artistic expression but also challenging traditional boundaries, making this a pivotal era for both artists and collectors.

BEST MOMENTS

“I think what makes maybe the difference is that the success of an artist is based on this community… The bigger the network behind an artist the more successful they are going to be.”

“I would inspire everyone to open their eyes and be curious, instead of being against everything that's new.”

“The most interesting artworks, they're not easy to understand in the beginning.”

“Art isn’t static, it’s a system, a signal, a story still unfolding.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgbak

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Last week Ceri shared something different in her episode - Grief, the Technicolour Rattlesnake - and many of her listeners wrote in to say that they recognised it instantly. That rattlesnake is still with many of us. So today, Ceri shares how you can keep making, and functioning creatively, whilst grief moves through you.

Ceri provides an alternative to trying to outrun grief by overworking, deadlines and filling every waking hour so there's no space for feeling. Or swinging the other way by hiding from the world and becoming convinced you've lost it.

If you’re moving through grief right now, you might want to come back to this episode when you don’t feel so raw.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

We mourn, not just for the loved one, but for the person we were, in relation to them and to ourselves. It can feel like the ground has fallen away completely. Grief rewires us.

Grief is a non-linear process that involves oscillating between loss and restoration, and it’s normal for emotions and productivity to fluctuate during this time.

Creative expression during grief doesn’t have to meet previous standards. Small, honest acts of making can be both healing and meaningful, even if they feel insignificant at first.

Supporting yourself through grief includes caring for your body, mind, and creativity. Movement, mindful breathing, creating micro works and finding safe rituals can all help.

BEST MOMENTS

"Grief rewires us … it is labour. It's your brain, body and heart rewriting the world without your person in it.”

"Exhaustion isn't weakness, it's biology, which is why beating yourself up for not being productive is the cruellest trick of all."

"Find your own strange scaffolding, the thing that makes you feel safe or gives your brain a rest, and don't underestimate the power of ritual."

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://cerihand.com/podcasts/personal-experience-and-artistic-expression-with-emma-talbot

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

****

Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

****

Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/

****

Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

****

Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Today, Ceri sits down with Kathryn and Dan Mikesell, the powerhouse duo behind one of the world’s most respected artist residencies - Fountainhead Arts - a game-changing residency in Miami that’s not only shaping artists’ lives but reshaping the art world itself. They support artists in building sustainable, thriving practices and to build an art ecosystem that’s equitable, global, and deeply personal.

This conversation is rich in wisdom for artists, curators, collectors, and funders alike. Kathryn and Dan share the radical generosity, strategy, and structure behind the residency’s success; why they’re committed to buying emerging work directly from artists and never flipping it; how they create chemistry between residents; and the importance of building genuine relationships that go far beyond the transaction.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Kathryn and Dan have hosted 600+ artists, from 50 countries, turning their home into a launchpad for creative careers.

Supporting fellow artists is essential for building a thriving, sustainable art community. Generosity, mentorship, and reciprocity create a culture where opportunities, knowledge, and encouragement are shared, while also strengthening your career.

Stay top of mind by regularly touching base with people and sharing your authentic self-e.g. Personal details like what books you are reading helps people to connect with you on a personal level and continue to support you.

BEST MOMENTS

“You have to put yourself out there. If you don’t naturally have that confidence, you have to push yourself to build it .”

“Generosity and reciprocity are really the most important parts of building the kind of community that you want around you.”

“Confidence is a muscle. Success looks different for everyone. Building your world begins by showing up, again and again, with authenticity and curiosity.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.fountainheadarts.org

https://www.instagram.com/fountainheadarts

[email protected]

PODCAST HOST BIO

With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.

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Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!

https://cerihand.com/membership

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Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course

Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.

https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network

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Book a Discovery Call Today

To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at [email protected]

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Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity

Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/