What does it really mean to have your own back as an artist? In this episode, I share why safety isn’t just about gloves and turpentine — it’s about building trust with yourself in the studio. When you know you won’t tear yourself down for “failing,” you’re free to take risks, explore messy ideas, and grow in ways you never thought possible.

This conversation comes straight from my own sketchbook experiments and our 30-day Self-Trust Challenge inside Growth Studio. You’ll hear how awkward blind contour lines, negative space trees, and even 100 “bad” drawings can become proof that you’re on the right track.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:

Episode Map

• [0:42] Why self-trust always begins with safety — and why that has nothing to do with paint fumes.
• [3:29] The awkward stage that makes most artists quit — and how to stick with it.
• [7:51] Five drawings that “failed” — or five steps closer to something new?
• [15:48] The messy middle: where ideas sprout before they make sense.
• [20:58] Could you survive 100 “bad” paintings to reach the one that works?
• [25:42] Why doubt and frustration don’t mean stop — they mean human.
• [26:34] Kindness as a creative strategy: how to meet yourself without criticism.
• [29:29] The ultimate reframe: safety, trust, and the artist you’ve always wanted to be.

Do you spend more time thinking about making art than actually making it? Start things you never finish? Make work and then stack it against the wall, facing inward, so you don't have to look at it?

If any of that sounds familiar, I'd love to chat.

Click here: savvypainter.com/survey to tell me what's going on. If it seems like I need more info, I'll reach out to schedule a call.

Thanks so much!

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