This week's chat is with the absolutely brilliant Amie McNee, author of the brand new book We Need Your Art: Stop Fucking Around And Make Something – which, by the way, is hands down one of the best books on creativity I've ever read. Seriously, I put it down halfway through just to go make some art, which is exactly what you want from a creativity book, isn't it?

Amie is first and foremost a storyteller and fiction writer, but over the past decade she's also developed this beautiful side career championing artists and documenting what it actually means to do the brave thing of making art and putting it out into the world.

We dive deep into so many juicy topics in this conversation. We talk about why creativity is literally your birthright (not something you need to earn or prove you deserve), the relationship between art-making and healing, and why perfectionism is the absolute worst trait an artist can have.

Amie shares her beautifully unromantic approach to creative practice, we nerd out about the brain chemistry of creativity and what art does to our nervous systems, and she shares all the goss about her experience with traditional publishing versus self-publishing.

But perhaps most importantly, we talk about why making art – in any form – is genuinely revolutionary when the world wants you scrolling on your phone instead. Why artists sit at the very centre of making this world a better place, and why we absolutely must be delusional and unrealistic in our creative ambitions.

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://zuzushausofcats.com/journal/ep8-amie-mcnee

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🎶 Music by the incredible Caspar Riis: ⁠https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis⁠. Used with permission.

We kick off season two of the pod with this gorgeous conversation with Andrea Schroeder, founder of the Creative Dream Incubator. What I love about Andrea is that she goes DEEP! She talks about doing the real work, the deep work, the kind that takes years and changes you from the inside out.

We dive into some seriously meaty territory here. Andrea talks about learning to sit with self-doubt instead of bulldozing through it, and how that practice has made her unshakeable even when the world feels chaotic. She shares the difference between making art for approval versus accepting your creative expression as it is - because how you do one thing is how you do everything.

But perhaps my favourite part is when Andrea talks about her hope project for 2025. In a world that feels increasingly scary and divided, she's filling an entire planner with hope. Sometimes painting, sometimes writing, just spending time thinking about hope and inviting others to do the same. It's such a beautiful act of resistance.

We also talk about being ‘women of a certain age’ on the internet and the tension between wanting to show up authentically but also feeling the pressure to conform to conventional beauty standards. Andrea's take on being "dishevelled" right now (and questioning what's wrong with anyone who isn't) feels both permissive and incredibly sane.

This conversation is for anyone tired of hustle culture who wants to build something sustainable that honours who you are. Fair warning though - Andrea's advice about going towards what you most want to avoid might be the most terrifying and necessary thing you hear all year.

✍ Read the full show notes here: ⁠https://zuzushausofcats.com/journal/ep7-andrea-schroeder

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🎶 Music by the incredible Caspar Riis: ⁠https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis⁠. Used with permission.

In the final episode of season one, I sit down with Tracy Verdugo, an Australian artist and teacher whose vibrant work and approach to creativity has touched lives worldwide. Like many of us, Tracy came to art later in life - she was 33 when she first picked up a paintbrush, believing until then that creativity was something other people did.

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://www.elinortrierstudio.com/podcast/ep6-tracy-verdugo

💻 Visit Tracy's website here: https://tracyverdugo.com/

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🎶 All music by the incredible Caspar Riis: https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis. Used with permission.

You're in for an absolute treat with this episode! I had the utter joy of chatting with the phenomenal Rachel Allen - a writer, journalist, and memoirist who's as sharp as a tack and twice as insightful.

Rachel and I dove headfirst into the glorious mess of creative writing, particularly when it comes to tackling sensitive subjects. We talked about everything from how she approaches writing about trauma (including her own) to the importance of treating every single person with compassion and humanity - even those society might deem 'unworthy'.

I was utterly gobsmacked by Rachel's ability to find the humanity in everyone she encounters. She has this incredible knack for excavating stories from the most unexpected places - from prison guards to taxi drivers.

We also chewed over the challenges of balancing honesty and authenticity in storytelling with respecting the privacy and feelings of those involved. And of course, we couldn't help but touch on the importance of self-care when dealing with heavy subjects.

If you're fascinated by the human condition and love a good, juicy story (who doesn't?), then pop the kettle on and settle in for a listen. I promise you'll come away feeling inspired, uplifted, and maybe even a tad more compassionate towards your fellow humans.

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://www.elinortrierstudio.com/podcast/ep5-rachel-allen

💻 Visit Rachel's website here: https://www.rachelcatherineallen.com/

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🎶 All music by the incredible Caspar Riis: https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis. Used with permission.

Join me for a delightful conversation with the wonderful Edward Ficklin! In this episode of Zuzu's Haus of Cats Presents… we explore the risqué world of Edward's erotic art and discuss the hurdles of being an erotic artist in our increasingly conservative digital landscape.

Edward and I chat about everything from the beauty of comics as a medium (not just a genre) to the frustrations of dealing with censorship on social media platforms. We share a laugh over his clever ways of working around the rules and talk about the importance of creating your own community when the mainstream isn't quite ready for you.

But it's not all heavy stuff - we also discuss Edward's creative process, his fondness for flowers (Georgia O'Keeffe would approve), and how he juggles his art with a day job. Plus, we delve into the wonderfully subversive world of creating art that's filthy without breaking any rules - how's that for clever?

So, if you're feeling a bit daring and want to push at your edges a little bit without being shut down by the Internet, this episode is a must listen. Enjoy, darling!

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://www.elinortrierstudio.com/podcast/ep4-edward-ficklin

💻 Visit Edward's website here: https://edwardficklin.com/

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🎶 All music by the incredible Caspar Riis: https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis. Used with permission.

I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with the multi-talented Lucy H. Pearce this week, and let me tell you, it was a corker.

Lucy is one of those people who does ALL THE THINGS - she's an artist, an author, an editor, and runs her own publishing company (Womancraft Publishing). We had a proper natter about what it's like to be neurodivergent and creative, and how getting diagnosed with autism later in life can crack your world wide open.

We dug into the nitty-gritty of being a "multi-passionate" creative (hello, kindred spirit!) and how to juggle all those balls without dropping dead from exhaustion. Lucy shared some fantastic insights about her creative process and how she approaches making art that resonates on a gut level.

And of course, we couldn't help but dive into the whole neurodiversity and creativity thing. It was fascinating to hear how Lucy's diagnosis has shaped her understanding of herself and her work, and she dished out some proper good advice for other creatives who might be feeling a bit out of step with the world too.

If you're into the intersection of creativity and neurodiversity, or just fancy hearing about forging your own unique path in the arts, you're going to love this episode - it's chock-full of inspiration and practical tips. Give it a listen and let me know what you think!

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://www.elinortrierstudio.com/podcast/ep3-lucyhpearce

💻 Visit Lucy's website here: http://www.lucyhpearce.com/

💌 Never miss an episode - sign up for notifications here: https://www.elinortrierstudio.com/podcast

🎶 All music by the incredible Caspar Riis: https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis. Used with permission.