Blog: Spill your heART

Spill your heART – Catching Up with Artists and What’s Next

If you didn’t catch our Spill your heART Episode 8, you can watch a recording below. I was joined by some of the artists I interviewed back in 2020 for my Artists in Residence series. We were in lockdown so all of us became “artists in residence” in our own homes. I was curious how these artists were adapting and moving forward since we last spoke. Check it out:

Here is a little overview of the webinar:

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.

Join us for the next Spill your heART – it’s our BIG Creative JumpStart 2022 Reveal Special

Next Episode:

Episode 9: Creative JumpStart 2022 Special

Join us for our Creative JumpStart 2022 Theme and Artist Reveal Special! During this Spill your heART episode we will be introducing our theme and also sharing the artists that will be teaching for this 11th year of the CJS online workshop. Each year for Creative JumpStart we craft a theme designed to be both inspiring and relevant to the times and this year we’ve definitely got both covered. Tune in to learn more and to meet some of the mixed media artists who will be creating lessons for the workshop this year. Each year we have familiar faces and new, all assembled together to help you JumpStart YOUR Creativity in January 2022!

Register to attend here

Leave a comment

Artists in Residence – SYH Webinar Tomorrow, Sept. 24th

Join me tomorrow, September 24th at 12noon ET for my latest Spill your heART episode! I’ll be chatting with 3 artists who I interviewed last year as part of my Artists in Residence interview series – when we were all in lockdown and “artists in residence” at home.

Register HERE to attend this live event.

Mario Robinson, Natalya Khorover, and Rhian Sweirat will be here to talk about what they are up to, how those lockdown projects turned out, and to let us know how they are approaching their artmaking these days.

Spill your heART is my monthly webinar series where I get together with artists from around the world to discuss the nitty gritty of being an artist, creating, finding inspiration, staying on top of things, navigating social media, and so much more! It’s a great platform for sharing experiences and advice and best of all, our audience gets a chance to participate in the discussion in the live chat and can even ask the panelists questions live in the Q&A. Register to attend this live event.

Leave a comment

Spill your heART – Episode 7 and Upcoming

If you didn’t catch our Spill your heART Episode 7, you can watch a recording below. I was joined by some of my Creative Squad members past and present – Emilie Murphy, Nicole Watson, Robin Seiz, and Riikka Kovasin to discuss what it’s like to be on a Design Team:

Here is a little overview: In this episode of Spill your heART I was joined by panelists Robin SeizRiikka KovasinNicole 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. Watch the webinar to learn more!

And join us for the next one on September 24th:

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

2020 was the beginning of unprecedented challenges and changes to daily life around the world. When the pandemic forced us into lockdown, I was inspired to find a new way to connect with my artist friends and I dreamed up an interview series called Artist in Residence. Suddenly all artists were “Artists in Residence” in their own homes and I was curious how they were coping, continuing their craft, adapting to their circumstances, and generally getting on in a very different world. In this I am revisiting Natalya Khorover, Rhian Swierat and Mario Robinson to find out: Where are they now? We will chat about any long term changes, project updates, and future plans. While there are still massive issues to overcome with regards to the pandemic, some aspects of life are returning to what we once knew and it will be interesting to hear some perspective from these artists.

Friday, September 24th at 12noon EDT (NYC time) – Register here to attend

Leave a comment

Design Team Talk – SYH Webinar Tomorrow Aug 27th!

Get ready for my Creative Squad on tomorrow’s Spill your heART!!!

I’ve got 4 of my Creative Squad members – past and present – ready to talk about Design Teams! Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be on a Design Team? We’ll hear from 4 veterans on what it takes to join one, how to flourish, what it’s like to create “on assignment”, and what they’ve taken from the experience.

Register to Attend the LIVE Webinar on Friday, Aug 27th at 12noon ET (NYC time).

My panelists will be Robin Seiz, Riikka Kovasin, Nicole Watson, and Emilie Murphy, sharing their Design Team experiences. Also our audience will have a chance to participate in the discussion in the live chat and may ask the panelists questions live in the Q&A.

Join us! Register HERE.

Leave a comment

Spill your heART – Episode 6 and Upcoming

If you didn’t catch our Spill your heART Episode 6, you can watch a recording below. I was joined by Birgit Koopsen, Amanda Trought, and DeeDee Catron to discuss Artistic Inspiration – Finding the Magic.

Here is an overview of the webinar:

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.

Join us for the next one on August 27th:

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

Join our design team discussion with Nat’s Creative Squad members Robin Seiz, Riikka Kovasin, Nicole Watson, and Emilie Murphy. Our panel will talk about what it takes to join and flourish on a design team, how they approach assignments, the fun and challenge of participating, and what they take away from the experience. Nat’s Creative Squad has been around since 2016 and has been host to a variety of members with a broad range of styles and backgrounds. Get to know some of them a bit better and bring your questions about design teams, mixed media art making, and the idea of creativity on assignment.

Friday, August 27th at 12noon EDT (NYC time) – Register HERE to attend.

Leave a comment

Artistic Inspiration – Finding the Magic – SYH Webinar Tomorrow!

I hope you will join us tomorrow July 30th at 12noon EDT for our next Spill your heART webinar: Artistic Inspiration – Finding the Magic. 

I will have panelists Birgit Koopsen, Amanda Trought, and DeeDee Catron on to discuss our episode 6 topic: Artistic Inspiration. We will share practical tips for finding and energizing your artistic mojo and discuss how to encourage it when it gets sluggish or goes missing. Our goal is to help you find the magic so that you can stay in your artistic groove. Register HERE to join the live webinar.

Leave a comment

Spill your heART – Episode 5 and Upcoming

Did you join us for the latest episode of Spill your heART? If not, you can enjoy the recording below. In Episode 5 we discussed the topic: Studio Organization with my panel of artists: Rachel Juanita Bellamy, Rae Missigman, and Tania Ahmed. In the episode we share photos and stories from our own working studios, we discuss the challenges we still struggle with, and we share solutions that we use to keep our spaces as organized and functional as possible so that we can easily create when it’s time. Check it out:

Here’s an overview:

In this 5th episode I am speaking with panelists Rachel Juanita Bellamy, Rae Missigman, and Tania Ahmed 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.

Join us for the next one on July 30th:

Episode 6: Artistic Inspiration – Finding the Magic

Join me along with panelists Birgit Koopsen, Amanda Trought, and DeeDee Catron as we discuss that all important but sometimes elusive ingredient to creativity: Inspiration. As professional artists we will share practical tips for finding and energizing your artistic mojo. We’ll also discuss how to encourage it when it gets sluggish, takes a temporary hiatus or when it goes completely missing. Whether you are looking to cultivate inspiration naturally or to take more deliberate actions to get back into the groove, this webinar will focus on tips and tricks for locating, encouraging, and maybe even fabricating artistic inspiration so that you can get on with things and make the magic happen.

Friday, July 30th at 12noon EDT (NYC time) – Register HERE to attend.

Leave a comment

Spill your heART – Next Webinar Tomorrow, Friday June 25

Join us tomorrow, Friday June 25th at 12noon EST for the next LIVE Webinar episode of Spill your heART! Register here to attend. This time we will be discussing Studio Organization with 3 guest panelists: Tania Ahmed, Rachel Juanita Bellamy, and Rae Missigman.

Spill your heART – Once a month, you can join me and a panel of professionals 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.

Episode 5: Studio Organization – Let’s talk about Studio Organization! This is a topic that came up again and again in a recent survey I posted to my readers, so in this Spill your heART episode we’ll be tackling the issues you mentioned most. Join my panelists Tania Ahmed, Rae Missigman, and Rachel Juanita Bellamy as we address the problems of studio organization, supply overload, and what to do when you’ve got stuff all over the place. We’ll discuss general organization including the pros and cons of keeping supplies visible and creating sections, and we’ll debate whether a tidy studio is a good studio or a messy one is the real deal. Big space / small space, shared space / dedicated space, in your home / offsite – it all informs how you organize and create.

See you tomorrow! Register HERE to attend.

 

Stay in the loop: Sign up to our newsletter HERE so you do not miss the next episode!

Leave a comment

Spill your heART – Episode 4 and Upcoming

Did you join us for the latest episode of Spill your heART? If not, you can enjoy the recording below. In Episode 4 we tackled the topic: What’s the Point – Purpose vs Journey with my panel of artists: Marsha Valk, Gwen Lafleur, and Mystele Kirkeeng. In the episode we discuss our own artistic journeys and all the twists and turns they take, we share what we do with all the stuff we create, and we talk about how it feels to let go of certain pieces. Check it out:

Here’s an overview:

As artists we often get asked what is the purpose of creating our art. In this episode, Marsha ValkGwen LafleurMystele 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.

Next Episode:

Coming Soon: This time I’m getting together with Tania Ahmed, Rachel Juanita Bellamy, and Rae Missigman for Episode 5: Studio Organization. Join us on Friday, June 25th at 12noon EDT. Register here today.

Let’s talk about Studio Organization! This is a topic that came up again and again in a recent survey I posted to my readers, so in this Spill your heART episode we’ll be tackling the issues you mentioned most. Join my panelists Tania AhmedRae Missigman, and Rachel Juanita Bellamy as we address the problems of studio organization, supply overload, and what to do when you’ve got stuff all over the place. We’ll discuss general organization including the pros and cons of keeping supplies visible and creating sections, and we’ll debate whether a tidy studio is a good studio or a messy one is the real deal. Big space / small space, shared space / dedicated space, in your home / offsite – it all informs how you organize and create.

Friday, June 25th at 12noon EDT – Register HERE to attend.

Leave a comment