S1 E25. In this episode, I chat with mental health advocate and visual artist Ashley Wright. Based in Southern California, Ashley describes herself as a mental health artist, focusing on the healing power and therapeutic quality of the creative process. Ashley openly shares her journey with CPTSD and shares valuable advice for artists who face similar struggles. Join us for a raw, personal, and deeply impactful discussion surrounding the relationship between art and mental health. Here’s what we discuss:

1. The importance of being gentle with yourself if you have a mental health condition and why it’s essential to let go of guilt or shame if you need to pause on making your art.

2. Why Ashley centers her work on perception and reality in relation to derealization, dissociation, and maladaptive daydreaming.

3. What inspired Ashley to focus on landscape in her work, and why she believes it’s important to create your own rules.

4. The reasons why we believe it’s imperative to enjoy the creative process and return to that child-like place of creating work with wonder, joy, and love (without worrying so much about the end result!)

About Ashley:

Ashley’s passion for the arts has been present ever since her childhood and has expanded across multiple mediums. It started with drawing and then quickly expanded into choir, band, orchestra, and theater. It wasn't until her senior year of her BA in Music at the University of Redlands where Ashley took a painting class for the first time and she hasn't stopped painting since then.

Being tucked away in the Inland Empire, Ashley is surrounded by the beautiful San Bernardino National Forest, Joshua Tree National Park, Santa Rosa Wilderness, and the Angeles National Forest. These natural landscapes have played a huge part in her life and continue to inspire her art. Much of the imagery Ashley’s paintings are directly inspired by her surroundings, the 80s and 90s nostalgia, sci-fi, and pop culture.

Ashley’s mental health is an important part of her life and directly impacts and represents her art. She has struggled with CPTSD (Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). CPTSD comes with Dissociation, Derealization, and Maladaptive Daydreaming. These coping mechanisms helped saved Ashley’s life but living with them can feel like you constantly have one foot in reality and one foot out. These concepts influence Ashley’s art through variance in vibrancy, perception, style, and texture.

Follow Ashley on Instagram: @artbyashleywright

Website: ashleywrightart.com

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

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S1 E24. Artist, entrepreneur & curator Jessica Libor shares valuable advice for artists who seek to advance their art careers and bring their unique visions to life. As the founder of The Visionary Artist’s Salon, Jessica works with emerging artists to move beyond limiting beliefs, create their best work, and increase art sales. Additionally, Jessica curates thoughtful and inspiring exhibitions through her gallery, Era Contemporary. In this episode, Jessica provides us with an insight into her creative journey while offering helpful tips and strategies. Here’s what we discuss:

1. Why it’s helpful to stay open to different kinds of opportunities when starting your art career!

2. The importance of cultivating relationships with your collectors, and the practical steps you can take to strengthen existing relationships.

3. Why practical skills won’t be effective unless we do the inner work (hint: get clear on your limiting beliefs!)

4. What led Jessica to launch The Visionary Artist’s Salon, and why she’s so passionate about helping artists to level up.

5. Jessica’s journey as a curator, and what inspired her to open Era Contemporary Gallery.

About Jessica:

Jessica Libor is an American artist who received her Master of Fine Arts from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2014. She works in her studio in the Philadelphia area.  She is also the host of the Inspired Painter Podcast, teaches and coaches artists through founding the Visionary Artist’s Salon, and curates at Era Contemporary Gallery.

Follow Jessica on Instagram: @jessicaliborstudio + @thevisionaryartistssalon + @eracontemporary

Website: jessicalibor.com + thevisionaryartistssalon.com + eracontemporary.com

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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S1 E23. In this inspirational episode, Canadian artist and conservation activist Camille Myles encourages us to step out of our comfort zones, put ourselves out there, and trust in our capabilities. By embracing bravery and a healthy amount of risk-taking, Camille has paved the way forward in her art career. Here’s what we discuss:

1. Why Camille is passionate about pursuing a multi-disciplinary art career, and the ways in which experimentation benefits her work.

2. What inspired Camille to bridge the gap between visual art and conservation work in her creative practice.

3. The importance of making brave choices (even if they feel scary!) and taking leaps of faith in our art careers.

4. What we can learn from trusting ourselves on a deeper level, both personally and professionally.

About Camille:

Camille Myles is a French-Canadian multi-disciplinary contemporary artist and conservation activist exploring imagery that is grounded in our identity and reflects our impacts on the environment. Working in public art, painting, sculpture and installation, she creates art that tells a story linked to community connection, self-reflection and the restorative effects of nature. She received her BFA in Sculpture & Installation at Ottawa University and her MA in Heritage Conservation at Carleton University. Marrying her passion for conservation and art, she has worked as an archaeologist, in artist-run centres, the National Art Gallery in Ottawa, ICCROM in Rome, Canada’s National Trust and was a Park Superintendent at Parks Canada. Myles has exhibited extensively including Quest Art Gallery, Ottawa Art Gallery, BHA Gallery, Arts Mums United, Visionary Art Collective, Arts to Hearts Project, PxP Contemporary, Ottawa Art Gallery, Gallery 115, among others. In 2022, she was invited in 2022 to join the International Broken Forests Art Collective. She has been awarded an art residency in June 2022 at Studio H Canada in Victoria BC where she developed her new painting collection of “Crying Landscapes” - a plea for change as well as “I Stand Alone” an interactive drawing installation which has been exhibited at Quest Art Gallery in August-Sept 2022.

Follow Camille on Instagram: @camillemylesart

Website: camillemylesart.com

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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S1 E22. Are you ready to advance your art career in 2023? In our 1:1 Mentorship program, Victoria works with you individually to build a strong foundation from which you can reach your goals. From building a collector base to increasing visibility and approaching galleries, Victoria’s mentorship program is a necessity for artists who seek to navigate today's art world.

Breaking down abstract concepts into clear, actionable steps, Victoria believes in the power of practical tools and strategies when it comes to building an art career. The best part? Our 1:1 program is completely customized to your goals and needs. Over the course of 3 months, Victoria will provide you with valuable knowledge and insight to move your art career forward.

To learn more about working with Victoria visit https://www.visionaryartcollective.com/3-month-mentorship-program
Take 2-3 minutes to complete our application form and Victoria will be in touch with you. Please know that spots are limited and book up quickly!

Join our newsletter:

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Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

S1 E21. In this episode, I engage in a powerful and uplifting conversation with Columbian-American artist and entrepreneur Nicolle Cure. Together we highlight the importance of embracing mistakes and the ways in which imperfection can benefit our creative work! From building an art career while managing a chronic health condition, to learning how to trust ourselves on a deeper level, Nicolle and I hope this episode inspires and motivates you. Here’s what we discuss:

1. Building an art career in the face of chronic pain, and the ways in which we can honor our challenges while still making progress towards our goals.

2. How making art has been a healing journey for Nicolle, and why she considers art to be medicine.

3. Why it’s essential for artists to release perfectionism and comparison in order to create our best work.

4. The beauty of happy accidents and what happens when we release expectations and pay closer attention to our mistakes.

5. Why the starving artist myth needs to be dispelled, and the importance of embracing multiple passions or interests.

About Nicolle:

Nicolle Cure is a Colombian-American Artist and Hearing Health Advocate based in Miami, Florida.Her fluid abstract works explore the relationship between sound and life, inspired by her sudden unilateral hearing loss in 2017. After being diagnosed with several Vestibular health conditions affecting her hearing and balance, Nicolle shifted her creative approach and style to illustrate her experience with hearing loss through color and movement. Her mixed-media technique incorporates soft washes and mark-making to create energetic yet calming multi-layered paintings. She is constantly exploring the duality of emotions and sensations; this is represented by how she interchanges color palettes from collection to collection –  alternating from very bright and energetic colors to serene neutral palettes, contrasting a wide range of moods, sounds, and visual cues. Nicolle graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Advertising and has worked with world-renowned ad agencies and media companies. She also has an Associate's degree in Computer Arts Animation and holds multiple certifications from The Sotheby's Institute of Art.

News/Updates:

Nicolle’s next exhibit is this week @ Superfine Art Fair in Miami, February 16-19 at the Ice Palace Studios. Additionally, Nicolle is showing her work at Miami gallery in March and in Washington, DC, in April. She is also looking forward to exhibiting her work in her native Colombia.

Follow Nicolle on Instagram: @nicollecure_art

Website: nicollecure.com

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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S1 E20.  Los-Angeles-based writer Tracy Dawson teamed up with Berlin-based artist Tina Berning to collaborate on the book Let Me Be Frank: A Book about Women Who Dressed up as Men to Do Shit They Weren’t Supposed to Do (published by HarperCollins). In this episode, I chat with both Tracy and Tina about their powerful collaboration and what inspired them to highlight the stories of prolific women throughout history. Here’s what we discuss:

1. The reasons why Tracy felt passionate about writing this book, and how it’s impacted her on a personal level.

2. How Tracy and Tina connected, and what they each gained from working together.

3. The importance of highlighting these women's stories, and what we can learn from them as readers.

4. Why it’s important for us to continue engaging in conversations centered on gender equality, and the larger impact we can create by doing so.

About Tracy: Tracy Dawson is a TV writer and actor and her debut book, Let Me Be Frank: A Book About Women Who Dressed Like Men to Do Shit They Weren’t Supposed to Do, came out from HarperCollins in 2022. Dawson was a writer and lead actor on the Canadian sitcom, Call Me Fitz and won the Gemini Award and the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work opposite Jason Priestley on that show. Tracy was born in Ottawa, Canada and is currently based in Los Angeles where she lives with her life partner Isaac, who is a dog.

About Tina: Tina Berning is a Berlin based artist and illustrator mainly focusing on figurative drawing. Her award-winning work has been featured in the New York Times, Playboy, and Vogue, among others. She has exhibited internationally and is featured in numerous anthologies. Berning’s online diary featuring her daily drawings can be found on her (very popular) Instagram account (see link below).

To order a copy of Let There Be Frank, visit: harpercollins.com or amazon

Follow Tracy on Instagram: @dawsontracy + visit tracydawson.net

Follow Tina on Instagram: @tina_berning + visit tinaberning.de

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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S1 E19. Visual artists and power couple Grace Lang and Ramiro Davaro-Comas have taken the Hudson Valley by storm with their community-driven work. Utilizing art as a tool for change, Grace and Ramiro lead educational workshops and public art projects to amplify the voices of local communities. Partnering with schools, artists, and local businesses, their company, Super Stories, cultivates connection through storytelling. In this episode, we chat about their amazing company and how it got started. Here’s what we discuss:

1. What led Grace and Ramiro to launch their company, Super Stories, and why they’re so passionate about creating change at the community level.

2. How their backgrounds as visual artists inform the work they’re doing today.

3. The ways in which their work for Super Stories has impacted them on a personal level.

About Super Stories:

Super-Stories is a registered 501(c)3 non profit focusing on community storytelling through public art, educational workshops, and artist partnerships. Super-Stories was launched in 2022 by Grace Lang and Ramiro Davaro-Comas in the Hudson Valley. Grace is an American multimedia artist and educator. A deep understanding of the link between creative expression and identity development informs her work facilitating art-making workshops for children, often with a focus on exploring personal narratives. Ramiro is an Argentine/American artist with a background in public art and artist residency management. His passions for painting, storytelling, and community work have pushed him to travel throughout his career, collaborating with artists around the world. Both Grace and Ramiro love exposing kids to new techniques and materials, especially when that means kids get a chance to leave their mark in a public space. 

Follow Superstories on Instagram: @_superstories_

Website: super-stories.org

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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S1 E18. Philadelphia-based artist and entrepreneur Ekaterina Popova is known for her dreamy, intimate paintings of interiors. While advancing her art career, Kat has also dedicated herself to supporting artists through publication opportunities, mentorship, group programs, and more. Kat founded Create! Magazine to increase visibility for artists, and since then, she has started a podcast, created The Art Queens Society, and co-authored two books packed with helpful career tips. Join us for an uplifting conversation centered around art, creativity, and most importantly, investing in ourselves. Here’s what we discuss:

1. The ways in which Kat’s work has evolved over time, and how she’s grown her art career over the past decade.

2. What inspired Kat to launch her publication, Create! Magazine, and the reasons why it’s so close to her heart.

3. Important mindset shifts and concrete strategies that have helped Kat to advance her work as an artist and entrepreneur (hint: invest in yourself + commit to your own learning!)

4. What led Kat to launch The Art Queens Society + co-author two books to support emerging artists.

About Kat:

Ekaterina is an award-winning artist, author, founder of Create! Magazine and The Art Queen Society. Born in Russia, Ekaterina is known mostly for her original oil paintings of interiors. Ekaterina received a Bachelor's in Fine Art from Kutztown University in 2011 and since then has been exhibiting her work internationally. She is interested in expressive work exploring mood and emotion and is influenced by post-impressionism, fauvism, magical realism, which has enabled her to examine the subject of home, place, belonging, and identity over the past decade.Ekaterina's work has been exhibited internationally, including Cohle Gallery in Paris and Menorca, The Painting Center in New York, James Oliver Gallery, Decorazon Gallery, Affordable Art Fair, Art Miami Fairs, The Trenton City Museum, Paradigm Gallery, Delaware Contemporary, The Boxheart Gallery, A.I.R. Gallery, and more. 

Follow Kat on Instagram: @katerinaspopova + @createmagazine

Website: katerinapopova.com + createmagazine.com

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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S1 E17.  In this episode, Victoria shares essential strategies for accomplishing your goals this year. From powerful mindset shifts including manifestation + visualization, to learning more about scarcity + abundance, Victoria encourages you to build a strong foundation from which you can reach your goals. Victoria’s approach to building a successful career is rooted in mindset work, as she truly believes it’s paramount to creating your dream reality. The exercises in this episode are proven to help with strengthening mindset, and we hope they resonate with you.

To learn more about working with Victoria, visit visionaryartcollective.com and head over to the "programs" tab. You'll find information about The Artist Glow-Up Program, Victoria’s signature 4-month course for emerging artists, and Victoria’s 1:1 mentorship program.  If you're wondering which program is the better fit for you, send Victoria an email at [email protected]

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Join our newsletter:

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Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

S1 E16. In this special episode, Victoria shares her top lessons for artists in 2022. From creating a powerful morning routine, to joining a supportive art community, and being even more intentional with how you live your life, this episode will inspire and motivate you. 

Victoria shares her advice for showing up consistently and staying connected to your creativity even during the busiest times.

Although this is our final episode for 2022, we’ll be back in January 2023! Thank you all so much for tuning in.

To learn more about working with Victoria, visit visionaryartcollective.com and head over to the "programs" tab. You'll find information about her 1:1 mentorship program, as well as her group mentorship program, The Artist Glow-Up. If you're wondering which program is the better fit for you, send Victoria an email at [email protected]

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Join our newsletter:

visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag