The Artist’s Journey

It's a busy and also strange time of year with the global pandemic weighing heavy on many this holiday season. For many the holidays are a bright light in these darker times, but lets be honest this year has been an uphill battle. We all deserve to take a day off and truly listen to our own needs. As creatives it's imperative we recharge in order to produce our best work and to avoid burning out. This is a reminder to take a break, you have more than earned it. 

This week is all about F-Arting, AKA failed art. Childish humor aside, in this episode we discuss how making bad art is necessary part of a thriving creative practice. We talk through some of our big art fails, and what we've learned from these experiences. In fact, we find gratitude for the failures and point out how they've paved the way for some of our current successes. We hope everyone can find some gratitude for the ups and downs of this creative journey, and that you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! 

Today Erin guides listeners through a gratitude meditation directed at their creative practices. Appreciating aspects of creating art that we often take for granted, and encouraging everyone to allow thankfulness into the studio this week. 

The truth is we've all experienced "burn out" in some way, shape or form. Julia & Erin discuss preventative measures you can take to lessen the effects of "burning out" and/or avoid it all together particularly when it comes to your creative practice. 

Today Julia breaks down some of the basics about creating a successful commission experience for both you and your client. Commissions are ALL about communication, and Julia explains how to create that clear line of communication throughout each step of the process. 

What do you all know about fine leathers? Well you're about to learn a bit from the mastermind behind Iron Rivet, Kai Huggins. We discuss how Kai got into this unique practice, and how he got his business off the ground. Perhaps most importantly, Kai explains the fuel behind everything he does: curiosity!  

Encouraging you all to trade you canvas in for something new this week, maybe it's leaves, maybe it's a pumpkin or a gourd? Who knows! Get outside the box and make something different for the FUN of it - that's an order from the Gesso Girls. 

The Holidays are around the corner, and we all don't need another reason for 2020 to be stressful. So the Gesso Girls break down some ways to effectively and efficiently sell art during the holidays. These includes marketing tips, attracting new customers, ways to combat shipping expenses, packaging and more!

In this episode, Julia asks listeners to create some sort of creative prompt to reinvigorate their practice. Julia made her own Sketchtober calendar this year, and is so far loving the freedom she has to just explore within these prompts. So we encourage you to have fun, get loose and share your prompt or whatever you create with us on social! 

If interested Julia's Sketchtober challenge, you can subscribe to her Patreon to get the full calendar: https://www.patreon.com/JuliaHagenArt

In this Episode, Julia tells a story about her not-so-motivating college commencement speech...Both Erin & Julia then talk about how they have dealt with the whole "starving artist" mentality that seems to be pushed on artists far too often!