This is How We Create

What does the advice, "Just be yourself," mean when you are still figuring out who you are as an artist? In this episode, photographer Martine Severin shares her "prickly" journey to discovering her creative voice and why the path from imitation to authenticity is rarely a straight line. We discuss the "gap" between our taste and our abilities, the pressure artists of color face to be original yet palatable, and why a simple concept changed how she approaches her work. If you are tired of performing for applause and ready to find a voice that feels like home, this episode is for you.

This episode is a replay. You will also find it as episode 195.

00:13 The Taste Gap

02:29 The Portfolio Review

04:40 Imitation vs. Authenticity

07:02 The Trap of Originality

09:20 The Burden of Representation

11:38 Voice as a Garden

Listen to the show on your favorite streaming platform!

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube:

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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Imagine the people you trust telling you that your lifelong dream is a dead end. I sit down with Curtis Santiago to discuss the difference between natural talent and an undeniable calling.

We tear apart his framework for manifesting realities, surviving criticism, and knowing when to blow up your current path to build something better. If you ever feel stuck in a comfortable routine or wonder if you are ignoring your real purpose, this conversation will hand you the tools to trust your internal compass and step into your true creative power.

00:00 The Boy In The Creative Hub

04:43 Redefining Roles And The Retreat Of A Childhood Bedroom

06:35 The Difference Between Talent And Calling

11:36 Playing The Black Keys For Sadness

19:07 Colonial Trauma And Preserving Caribbean Roots

23:56 Putting Infinity Inside A Ring Box

27:18 The Master Manifester

32:11 The Renaissance Man Reimagined

36:48 Navigating The Critics And The Naysayers

Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube:

Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talwst/?hl=en

Website: https://www.curtissantiago.art/

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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Registration for No Fear November opens on October 20!

What is the cost of inaction in your life? How many projects do you have as ideas but aren't putting any effort into? In this episode, I share the psychological framework you need to break free from fear patterns and stop waiting for motivation to strike.

You will uncover why action must precede confidence, how to leverage temporal landmarks to reset your mind, and the 25-minute strategy that dismantles creative resistance.

Reclaim your momentum, run your own no-fear month, and start keeping the high-stakes promises you make to yourself.

00:00 The Unsent Pitches Holding Us Back

01:29 Story Time: A Fireplace Epiphany in Saugatuck

03:48 The No-Fear Month Challenge

05:00 Unlearning #1: Action Precedes Confidence

06:13 Unlearning #2: The Fresh Start Effect

07:42 Unlearning #3: You Do Not Need Desire to Act

08:10 Step 1: Pick Three Specific, Completable Actions

09:30 Step 2: Put It on the Calendar

10:32 Keeping Promises to Yourself (The Swedish Fish Lesson)

12:56 Step 3: 25-Minute Timers and ADHD Strategies

15:24 Dismantling Brain Objections and Fear of Rejection

17:17 Environment Design and Body Doubling Tools

Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube:

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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Today, figurative painter Miranda Forrester reveals what it takes to stop shrinking and start restructuring the canvas on your own terms.

She unpacks the shock of realizing standard primary colors could never capture her reality as a Black queer woman and explains how a simple shift in her palette changed her artistic trajectory.

We discuss the stigma surrounding motherhood in the art world and how surrendering to the unstructured chaos of daily life can unlock your greatest body of work yet.

If you ever feel like you have to choose between living authentically and achieving professional success, hit play to discover how your reality is actually your biggest creative advantage.

00:00 - Reclaiming Your Narrative from an Outdated Industry

01:01 - Finding Your Authentic Style When You Lack Representation

03:24 - Why You Must Reject the Standard Tools to Build Your Voice

05:05 - The Color Mixing Strategy That Will Transform Your Work

07:49 - Using Underground Media and Film to Shape Your Vision

10:41 - Defying the Stigma of Balancing Family and Ambition

14:29 - Extracting Masterpieces from the Chaos of Daily Life

16:48 - A Step-by-Step Breakdown of a Working Artist's Process

19:01 - Breaking Tradition by Creating on Unconventional Surfaces

20:17 - Expanding Your Portfolio into Surface and Textile Design

22:20 - Redefining Success Through the Inevitable Ebbs and Flows

Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube: https://youtu.be/-vd12fLHzYM

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miranda_forrester/?hl=en

Website: https://www.mirandaforrester.com/

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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In part two of our grant preparation series, I reveal why artists face rejection and share the exact mindset shift that changes everything.

We tackle the unspoken rules of funding panels, how to strategically scale from local micro-grants to national fellowships, and why proving your project's momentum matters far more than pitching your talent.

Stop letting minor technicalities ruin your chances at securing real financial backing and learn the step-by-step framework to build a funding portfolio that turns your artistic ambitions into fully funded realities.

00:00 The Deadliest Grant Application Mistake

02:33 How to Make Your Project Feel Inevitable

04:57 Defining Your Scale and Securing Real Numbers

07:13 The Stepping Stone Strategy for Massive Grants

09:42 Follow the Rules or Face Instant Elimination

11:56 Navigating Brutal Arts Funding Rejection

14:09 Your Three-Year Strategic Action Plan

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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What happens when the urge to break free finally overpowers the habit of people-pleasing? Sometimes the heaviest trauma acts as the catalyst you need to unlock your artistic language. I sit down with multidisciplinary visual artist and architect Tasanee Durrett to trace her incredible leap from an oppressive eight-year relationship to exhibiting at Expo Chicago. She reveals how she picked up a paintbrush for the very first time during lockdown to process her hidden pain and accidentally discovered a unique aesthetic. If you feel stuck in a routine that doesn't look like your own, this conversation will give you the tools to translate your unspoken struggles into a vibrant, unstoppable creative career.

This episode is a replay. You will also find it as episode 62.

00:00 Introduction

00:53 Finding Cultural Roots in Chicago Museums

03:54 The Transition From the Midwest to the Desert

05:35 Exploring the Black Experience in Architecture

08:32 How Communities and Spaces Shift Over Time

11:24 Navigating the Politics of Corporate Architecture

15:50 Escaping Abuse and Finding Freedom on Canvas

19:09 Evolving a Unique Artistic Language During Lockdown

26:36 Sketchbooks, Black Liturgies, and Unlocking Authenticity

31:09 Inside a Working Artist's Income Pie

Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube:

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tasaneeart/?hl=en

Website: https://www.tasaneeart.com/

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

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We're pulling back the curtain on the mysterious world of artist grants to reveal exactly how this system operates and where the real money actually sits. Stop draining your own bank account to support your art and claim the financial backing your boldest vision deserves.

This episode is a replay. You will also find it as episode XXX.

00:00 The Mystery Behind Artist Grants

00:46 A Quick Message From iCode

01:03 Debunking the Elite Artist Myth

01:25 Defining the Modern Artist Grant

02:40 Navigating Local State and National Funding Amounts

04:30 Locating Hidden Funding Opportunities

05:30 The Local First Strategy for Winning Capital

06:33 Identifying Your True Artistic Needs

09:03 Tracking Annual Deadlines for Future Success

10:04 Your Strategic Grant Research Homework

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

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What happens when you stop fighting your creative identity? In our conversation, contemporary artist Cristina Martinez shares how to set fierce boundaries around your craft and convert your personal story into work that commands attention.

00:00 - Breaking a 200-Year Public Art Streak in Seattle

02:10 - Introducing Contemporary Artist Cristina Martinez

02:48 - How Butterfly Gardens Fueled Her Creative Identity

05:00 - Pivoting from Fashion Illustration to Fine Art

07:18 - Embracing Texture and Storytelling on Canvas

09:40 - Navigating Commissions and Saying No to Brand Partnerships

14:00 - Prioritizing Art as a Vital Necessity

17:35 - Nurturing Creativity in a Household of Three

20:18 - Quiet Wisdom for Her 18-Year-Old Self

Follow her on Instagram:

Website: https://www.juneandmars.com/

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

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When you peek behind the curtain of a podcast, you see the hidden engine holding everything together long before the microphone turns on. In this episode, my lead producer Daniel Espinosa and I unpack the exact three-phase framework that transforms chaotic creative ideas into a seamless production machine. Master our framework so you can protect your artistic energy and elevate your craft without burning out.

Chapters

00:00 - Stepping Behind the Mic: Producer Daniel Espinosa

02:28 - Sponsor Spotlight: iCode

03:04 - Podcast Expectations vs. High-Level Audio Reality

06:08 - Building Authentic Relationships with Contemporary Artists

09:03 - The Three-Phase Framework: Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production

11:11 - Deconstructing the Master System Spreadsheet

14:15 - Why We Batch Record 50 Episodes a Year

15:41 - The Cold Pitching Math: Reaching 420 Guests to Book a Full Season

22:30 - Crafting the Story Arc and Thinking Like the Listener

24:41 - High-Volume Recording in Medellin and Energy Management

27:42 - Process Over Perfection: Never Compare Your Beginning to Someone's Middle

Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/4fcopgQSpotify: http://bit.ly/4fdkiBsYouTube: https://youtu.be/1a9mw2hQl5Y

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elthorny/

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives

Could your biggest career breakthrough come from a time of isolation? Photographer Polly Irungu bought her first camera with money from working at McDonald's to cope with moving to a new place. She didn't know then that she was starting a global movement.

In this episode, I talk with Polly about how she started Black Women Photographers, worked with big brands like Nikon and Adobe, and learned that saying yes to every low-paying job was hurting her health.

You will learn how to find your own artistic style, build a community from scratch, and set strong boundaries to avoid burnout.

00:19 The McDonald's Paychecks and the First Camera

01:18 Surviving Culture Shock in Oregon

04:52 Turning Isolation Into Human Connection

07:33 Gravitating Toward Black Joy

10:10 Photograph Everything to Find Your Niche

14:08 Building Partnerships with Major Brands

18:01 The Unexpected Allyship Behind Black Women Photographers

23:41 Setting Boundaries and Protecting Your Peace

24:57 The Danger of Saying Yes to Everything

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pollyirungu Website: https://blackwomenphotographers.com/

Website: http://www.martineseverin.comFollow on Instagram: @martine.severin | @thisishowwecreate_ Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://www.martineseverin.substack.com

This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Podcast show art is designed by Violetta Encarnación. Music by Timothy Infinite.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review

• Follow us on social media

• Share with fellow creatives