Spill your heART | n*Studio

New LIVE Webinar Series

Once a month, you can join me and a panel of professional artists to hear them sharing their personal stories and experiences in the arts. From past-life professions to finding time for art to discovering your creative style, each month we’ll be covering topics to motivate and inspire you to create and do what moves you.

Next Episode:

Coming Soon…

Watch Previous Episodes:

Episode 9: Creative JumpStart 2022 Special

This Spill your heART episode was our big Creative JumpStart 2022 Artist and Theme Reveal webinar. We had a panel that included many of this year’s artist teachers, some familiar faces and some newbies and we had a blast introducing them and also revealing our CJS22 theme: Creating Connections. Our artist teachers got a chance to talk about how they approached the theme and let us get to know them a bit better in the process. Creative JumpStart is an online mixed media workshop that I host each January with the goal of jumpstarting your creativity in the new year. We have a virtual classroom where one of 38 different mixed media art lessons publishes each day beginning January 1st. The classroom also includes a forum where students and teachers can connect and share artwork, sponsor giveaways throughout the workshop, and special live webinars and bonus content to enrich your experience even further. Learn more here: www.nathaliesstudio.com/CJS
The workshop officially goes on sale on November 29 at 8am ET and class officially begins January 1, 2022. Jump with us!

Episode 8: Artists in Residence – Where are they now?

In this episode of Spill your heART I was joined by panelists Natalya Khorover and Rhian Swierat, two artists who I interviewed at the start of the pandemic as part of my Artists in Residence series. We talked about their work, how they were approaching their art in general, and any changes to their work in response to the pandemic. Rhian explained that although before 2020 she was interested in working bigger, her circumstances did not allow it and so she began creating installation pieces instead. Natalya has also been creating installations and although at the start of the pandemic she worked on them alone, she began asking the community to get involved too and has enjoyed working with a team. Rhian shared that the memories she incorporates into her work have shifted from focusing on large events to smaller happy moments as she currently finds herself living much more in the present. Natalya described how her teaching process changed to almost entirely online and how her workshops are now primarily her very own. All three of us agreed that the pandemic has pushed us and helped us to discover new ways of displaying our artwork in public.

Episode 7: Nat’s Creative Squad – Design Team Talk

In this episode of Spill your heART I was joined by panelists Robin Seiz, Riikka Kovasin, Nicole Watson, and Emilie Murphy from my Creative Squad to talk about Design Teams. I began by explaining why I started a design team, and we quickly moved on to discuss how the team has since grown and evolved to be so much more for both myself and its members. Joining a design team can be a big commitment, and our panelists spoke about the challenges they faced including technology hurdles, time commitments, meeting assignment criteria, facing possible rejection, and battling self-doubt. The rewards were even greater though and our panelists shared how design teams have helped them grow as artists, tell their stories, create bonds within the community, develop their style, and try products and techniques that they wouldn’t have otherwise. If you are interested in joining a design team, it is important to remember that it should be a fun and joyful experience that you do for yourself, to help you on your own unique artistic journey.

Recording of Episode 6: Artistic Inspiration – Finding the Magic

In Episode 6 I discuss Artistic Inspiration with my panelists Birgit Koopsen, Amanda Trought, and DeeDee Catron. Inspiration is the magic behind creativity but it is not always readily available and in the opposite extreme it can be overwhelming. We began our discussion with a simple question: How do you find it and then what do you do with it My panelists shared their tips for finding inspiration including creative play, gardening, neighborhood walks, travel, art journaling, collaborations, assignments/deadlines, and the people in our lives. While primarily we draw from visual sources, we also discussed how music, food, and even smells could spark an idea. Sometimes we have too many ideas and lean on lists and schedules to stay focused and productive.

It’s ok to take a break from creating and we talked about avoiding the pressure to make every day. With that in mind, extended breaks can make it hard to get the magic flowing again and we shared some of the creative activities that we do that are not about making art but are never-the-less creative like dance, cooking, and reading that also help us get back.

Recording of Episode 5: Studio Organization

In this 5th episode I am speaking with panelists Tania Ahmed, Rae Missigman, and Rachel Juanita Bellamy for our topic: Studio Organization. As working artists our studios need to wear a lot of hats and studio organization and functionality are important to how we work, film, and create products. Some of us have spaces that are in our homes and are shared with other family members while others have dedicated spaces where supplies can spread out and stay out for days. Regardless of their location or size, our studios are set up to make working and playing easy, inspired, and a joy in our lives. In this episode we share our tips for organizing papers and other supplies, we talk about cleaning, we explain if and when we purge supplies, we bond over stories of family members “borrowing” our tools, and we reveal the realities of how our studios actually look. Although we are professionals, we all have our weaknesses and struggles when it comes to Studio Organization but through the years we have found ways to use our spaces to our advantage, and we share that experience with you.

Recording of Episode 4: What’s the Point – Purpose vs. Journey – Friday, May 28th, 2021 –

As artists we often get asked what is the purpose of creating our art. In this episode, Marsha Valk, Gwen Lafleur, Mystele Kirkeeng and I share our perspectives on the importance of the journey of creating. We all agree – the process can be more important than the end result. Each of us takes a moment to describe our current journeys and they range from playful enjoyment, teaching, design assignments, or something personal. One thing is clear: the journey changes and develops over time and it is not a straight line.

We talk about what we do with it all when we are done (keep, sell, gift, or even toss), the burden of keeping things (both mentally and physically), and our storage methods and limitations. We share how letting stuff go can be hard for some, but for others this isn’t an issue. Sometimes things that represent an emotional journey can be especially hard to release until we have worked through that journey as well. When it comes to selling, who buys the work can be exciting and touching too and it adds to the story of the artwork, and connects us as human beings.

Finally we talk about maintaining focus on our art, juggling responsibilities, and stepping away when necessary.

Recording of Episode 3: Social Media – Taming the Beast – Friday, April 30th, 2021-

Join artists Nat Kalbach, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, Iris Fritschi-Cussens, and Jimmy Leslie as they discuss the ups and downs, ins and outs, and the good, bad, and ugly of using social media as artists. We’ll talk about balancing privacy and sharing, potential benefits and downsides, and how participating can change your practice. Metrics, negative comments, and thoughts on how to get started will also be touched on. Let’s hear some professional perspective on taming the social media beast!

Recording of Episode 2: Beginner’s Mind – Friday, March 26th, 2021-

Join Nat Kalbach and Success Coach Karen Auld as they discuss a concept from Zen Buddhism, Shoshin, the Beginner’s Mind. Learn how to adopt a beginner’s mindset to unleash more creativity and fun in your art journey. Whether you make art for a living or just for fun, come explore how your thinking might be affecting your art.

Recording of Episode 1: “I wasn’t always a Full-Time Artist” Friday, February 26th, 2021

I am excited to bring together three artists, Seth Apter, Carolyn Dube, and Sarah Matthews, and myself to discuss this topic that many of you bring up in my workshops and on the blog. We will talk about our past careers, our path towards our dream and what tips we have for anyone who might think about becoming a Full-Time-Artist and even have the possibility for you to ask questions regarding this topic.