Art Juice: A podcast for artists, creatives and art lovers

This week, we're digging into the subject of abstract and non-objective art. We consider the different types of abstraction, from its beginnings with Hilda F. Klimt through the abstract expressionists and their focus on emotion, all the way to the more conceptual modern day abstraction. We also consider where to draw the line between art and simply making marks, and we share our own experiences with abstraction. Finally, we offer suggestions for those artists interested in abstraction, but unsure how to go about it, including the importance of identifying your 'why.' We explain why having an idea behind the work will sustain you when things get challenging and how it helps you make decisions, strengthens your desire to keep working, and protects you against ill-informed criticism. This feels like a topic we need to come back to again and again, because there is so much to discuss. But we hope this first conversation sparks some ideas or spurs a discussion. Mentioned: Join the free Art2Life workshop HERE. (started February 15th but you can still join) Vitamin D:New Perspectives in Drawing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-New-Perspectives-Drawing-Themes/dp/0714845450 Ways of Drawing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ways-Drawing-Royal-School/dp/0500021902/ Anna Sigmond Gudmundsdottir https://www.gudmundsdottir.com/ Find our websites:  www.alicesheridan.com  www.louisefletcherart.com Follow us on Instagram: @alicesheridanstudio  @louisefletcher_art "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week saw us both experiencing self-doubt brought on by limiting beliefs. This inspired us to create a list of the most common beliefs that we feel hold artists back. This is so important, because these beliefs are often unspoken and we might even experience them, not as beliefs but as facts of life. When this happens, we don't even realise there is anything we can do about them. By bringing them out into the light and questioning them, we can often gather the courage to move forward despite our fears or doubts. So, join us as we discuss these pesky beliefs and share our thoughts on how to manage them.  Mentioned:  Join the free Art2Life workshop HERE. Starts February 15th Find our websites: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Follow us on Instagram:@alicesheridanstudio @louisefletcher_art "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week our special guest is Californian artist and Art2Life founder Nicholas Wilton. Nick has been helping artists to raise their game for many years and he has been a pivotal figure in both our careers. In this conversation, we discuss what it takes to elevate your work, whether talent has anything to do with success, and the magic that can happen when you start to make unique and personal work. The conversation goes deeper when Nick reveals the personal issues that made him finally commit to his art, and he also shares the vulnerabilities that come with greater success. Finally, Nick explains why teaching is so important to him and his art practice. This is a conversation you won't want to miss - and be sure to sign up for the free workshop he is teaching later this month. This once a year event has the power to transform your life (as we know all too well!) Mentioned: Join the free Art2Life workshop HERE. Starts February 15th Find our websites: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Follow us on Instagram: @alicesheridanstudio @louisefletcher_art "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Have you found your creative well has run dry of inspiration? Especially recently? This week we have two projects to share with you which will help inspire and re-invigorate your art. The 100-day project was started by the designer Michael Beirut and has since become an annual free global art project for creatives. Just pick an action, do it consistently for 100 days and share it. Today we meet Lindsay Thomson who has been involved in co-ordinating the project since 2017 We talk through some tips on how to pick your project - maybe choosing one of the three key areas projects often cover: play, practice or produce. We also discuss how specific to make it, how figuring out your motivation can really help, what your starting point might be, and how to find time. The project kicks off on 31st Jan and runs until May 10th. What to do now: 1. There are some great FAQs and tips on the website page where you can also sign up for the newsletter.  http://the100dayproject.org 2. Go to @dothe100dayproject account on Instagram to share one of their recent posts to announce your commitment :-) Look in the Stories for a Q&A session done earlier this month 3. Think of your project and share using #the100dayproject and your own personal invented hashtag Artist, psychologist and creativity coach Rachel Davis, who some of you may know from her AJ visits, will be offering free support, accountability, inspiration and humour through her IG account @racheldavisart.bayarea as she embarks on her third #100 day project. Rachel knows this terrain really well and is ready to help you stay on the creative track, even when self doubt, boredom and frustration show up, as they inevitably will. Follow #100daysupportwithrachel to keep up with what she’s offering and so she can comment on your journey. Mentioned: Don't forget to join the free Art2Life workshop HERE which starts on 15th February. These online lessons are a great guide for you to learn a new approach to making personal, powerful and authentic art. If you follow and learn from these we are happy!  Follow and find Lindsay @lindsayjeanthomson  “Does this sound like fun? I'm not sure. But some years, up to two dozen students start the assignment. And some years, more than half drop out before the end. Everyone starts with high hopes. But things get repetitive by day ten. By day twenty, no matter what you've decided to do, it feels like you've been doing it forever. And bridging the end-of-year break is always a big challenge. But the students who get past day thirty or forty tend to get in a groove that will take them through to the end. Here's a sampling of what's been done through the years, including some of my favorites. Read about the original Michael Beirut project here: https://designobserver.com/feature/five-years-of-100-days/24678 Find our websites: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Follow us on Instagram: @alicesheridanstudio @louisefletcher_art "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week, we answer a listener question from Maxine, who asked about the best ways to sell art online. This is a huge topic and perhaps a little ambitious for a one-hour episode, but we decided to give it our best shot! In a wide-ranging discussion, we discuss the importance of a website and email list as a "home base" for your marketing, so that no matter where people find you, they can sign up to stay in touch. But we also cover other options and ways to get started if you don't yet have a website, including social media, licensing opportunities and third party websites such as Saatchi Art.  And we stress that even when you do have a website, it's not enough to just set it up and then wait for people to arrive. You will always need to drive traffic to your site and finding ways to do this is an important element of your marketing strategy. Mentioned Louise's Art Tribe membership group is currently accepting new members. Join for a free trial month at: https://thispaintinglife.mykajabi.com/art-tribe Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

As working artists, we have both used social media to build an audience and make sales. In this episode, we discuss how we approached social media when we first started, what we learned along the way, and how it plays into our marketing strategies today. This is an honest and open discussion that includes what we didn't understand, what we got wrong, and where we still need to improve. But having built solid and loyal followings on platforms such as Instagram, Youtube and Facebook, we both have sound advice about different ways to leverage these free resources to build your art career.  Building a following on social media is a slow process, but the results speak for themselves.  These platforms certainly have their downsides, but artists have never been able to take such strong control of their own marketing or been able to reach so many people free of charge. We hope you find our conversation thought-provoking and perhaps inspirational. Mentioned: Sketchbook Project: https://www.sketchbookproject.com/ Patrick Gale book 'Take Nothing With You': https://www.amazon.co.uk/Take-Nothing-with-You/dp/B07C2V4F5N/ Link to episode 59: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/eb63c0 Mini Seawhite concertina sketchbook: https://www.cassart.co.uk/drawing/paper-3/sketchbooks/seawhite-concertina-sketchbook-70-pages-140gsm.htm Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

As we look ahead we ask if the creative space you have suits the artist you want to become and look at some ideas to help you grow. This week we're discussing the pros and cons of our different studio set-ups. Louise has a studio in her garden while Alice recently took the leap and rented a large studio away from her home. As our discussion reveals, there are pros and cons to both arrangements. For example, home studios are ultra-convenient and allow for quick pop-ins, while studios away from home can give much more space and also more privacy. We also share some tips for maximising the space you do have and suggest that sometimes there are options we haven't allowed ourselves to consider.  As you think about your plans for your space, Alice recommends thinking a few years ahead - what kind of artist do you want to be and what kind of space will that artist need? In this episode, we also catch up with what's been happening over the holiday, and share where we are with our planning. Finally, we would like to wish all of you the happiest and most creative of new years and to thank you for your ongoing support. We couldn't do it without you! Mentioned: If you are clearing your existing working space, this post gives you some key pointers to help: How to kon mari your studio Charlie Brooker's Death to 2020 Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

As we develop our plans for the coming year, we dive into a discussion about our goals. This episode was recorded two weeks in advance, so it’s early in our planning process, but we already have some ideas forming. Our discussion includes how we each use Trello as an organisation tool; the value of clear mission statements; and the role of limiting beliefs (how much do we shape what’s possible through our beliefs about what is impossible?). Alice also shares her new system for checking whether commitments overlap, and we discuss the need to balance teaching with time spent developing our own work. Above all, we stress that this has to be personal for you and not based on what anyone else thinks. And finally to close the episode - and the year - Louise reflects on what she wants for her work, Alice stresses the importance of flexible goal-setting and we both wish you a very happy, creative and productive new year. Mentioned:  Best Art Year Ever download Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

For our 100th episode, we are delighted to welcome Seth Godin to the podcast. Seth is a bestselling author and all-round amazing guy and his new book "The Practice" is subtitled "shipping creative work." With this book, Seth is on a mission to inspire everyone to make a powerful commitment to themselves and their art. In this lively conversation, he explains why the world doesn't need any more paintings (and what it actually needs instead); challenges us all to be artists not painters, explains why he never reads his reviews, and shares his thoughts on balancing art and commerce. We also discuss the importance of knowing your audience, and why  picking that audience determines the course of your art career. As you will hear, Seth is a genuine art lover and has lots of interesting stories to tell. Grab a notebook and prepare to be inspired! Mentioned The Practice by Seth Godin https://www.amazon.co.uk/Practice-Seth-Godin/dp/0241470048/ Seth's Blog https://seths.blog/ Connect with us Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Last year we ran a special event called Your Best Art Year Ever, in which we led 3,500 people through a planning process to ensure that 2020 would indeed be their best year ever. Of course then Covid came along and threw everything up in the air. Nevertheless, life continued and this week, we’re looking back on our plans to see where they went well, where we had to change course, and whether we learned anything that we can take into 2021. Our conversation spans dreaming big dreams, setting clear goals, understanding your motivation, and the need for flexibility when things change. We also answer a listener question from Jennifer, who is struggling with how to stay authentic in her work. Mentioned The Practice by Seth Godin https://www.amazon.co.uk/Practice-Seth-Godin/dp/0241470048 Buy the Purely Abstract artist lesson bundle HERE Find the full Artist bundle including Alice's lesson HERE Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week, we feature our third positive lockdown story - this time, our guest is American artist Rachel Davis, who transformed her attitude and her art business when Covid forced the closure of an important show and the cancellation of all her plans. Initially depressed and listless, Rachel was inspired into action after a friend held a successful online event. Despite her lack of technology experience, Rachel decided to launch her own virtual open studio and subsequently designed and managed a successful online fundraiser. She also had work selected for several prestigious shows and made a rather special sale. We both found Rachel's story super-inspiring and we hope you enjoy it too. Mentioned: Rachel Davis https://www.racheldavisstudio.com/ This American Life Kid logic  https://www.thisamericanlife.org/605/kid-logic-2016 Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week's episode was inspired by two different listener questions. Cathie asked whether likability matters when it comes to appreciating art (for example, does it matter that Gauguin might not have been the nicest person?). Meanwhile, Pam asked how much she has to reveal about herself in order to sell her work. We decided it would be interesting to debate this idea of the artist persona and how much it matters. Our discussion begins with great artists who were, let's say, less than perfect. Does the fact that Caravaggio committed at least one murder mean that we can't appreciate his art? If he had been alive today, would he have been shunned by galleries and collectors, thus depriving us of his work and influence? And how much does it matter if we find out that our favourite artists have traits and habits we don't like? We then go onto to discuss the importance of persona when it comes to selling our own work. How much - if anything - do we need to reveal? How honest do we need to be? Is it enough to simply show our work - or do we need to show more of ourselves? And what are the key messages we should be sending? Mentioned Alice's Connected Artist Club https://alicesheridan.com/artists/ Maggi Hambling documentary https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000nx23 Mary Wollstonecraft statue https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/10/mary-wollstonecraft-finally-honoured-with-statue-after-200-years Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week, we're returning to a listener question from episode 93, when Cherrie asked if we knew of any positive lockdown stories. As the UK enters a second national lockdown, we decided to talk with two artists about how they have made the most of this strange year. First, Alice talks to Faye Bridgewater, who has really stepped up her game in 2020, earning success after success as a result of her courage and hard work. Then, Louise chats to Gwynne Penny, who shares a heartwarming story of turning negative feelings into a beautiful and inspiring creative project. Both these conversations are a reminder that we cannot control what happens, but we can control how we react to it. We also discuss our progress on our work and send our best wishes to Tracey Emin as she recovers from major surgery following a cancer diagnosis. Mentioned Faye Bridgewater https://www.fayebridgwater.com/ Gwynne Penny https://www.gwynnepenny.com/ Gwynne's book https://www.gwynnepenny.com/memories-of-st-ives-in-print/ The Painter and the Thief trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ohk9IQrmSc Pamela Caughey video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6CsWdF-854 Join us Alice's Connected Artist Wait List https://alicesheridanstudio.mykajabi.com/connected-interest Louise's Art Tribe sign-up page https://thispaintinglife.mykajabi.com/art-tribe Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week, we answer listener questions from Maroulla, Caroline, Helen and Jane, who all wanted to know about finishing and presenting work. We start with titles... how important are they? Is it OK to go with 'untitled' or can a creative title enhance the impact of a painting? And how do we come up with titles for our own work? We also share our secrets for sealing and varnishing work, cover a variety of framing options, and finally discuss our approach to packaging (including where we think we can improve). As usual, we also catch up with what we've both been up to (spoiler alert - lots of painting this week!) and enjoy a special letter about creativity written by the author Kurt Vonnegut to a class of schoolchildren. Mentioned: Morten Lassen contemporary painter Rebecca Hossack Gallery Join us Alice's Connected Artist Wait List https://alicesheridanstudio.mykajabi.com/connected-interest Louise's Art Tribe sign-up page https://thispaintinglife.mykajabi.com/art-tribe Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

With only two months until Christmas, this seems the perfect time to revisit a topic we first discussed in episode 43 - how to encourage people to consider giving your art as a holiday gift (or requesting it as one for themselves!) This time, we cover the importance of good copywriting; the benefit of a flexible returns policy; and the value of offering gift certificates. We also suggest ways to create and market less expensive items such as prints, coffee table art books, mugs, and calendars, and we discuss how "drop shipping" firms can reduce costs and workload. In other news, Louise has had a breakthrough on some large paintings that she feels have really pushed her into new territory and this sparks a discussion about what that means. What does it feel like to be working in a new way? How do we recognise what works and re-create those conditions over and over again?  Mentioned Contrado https://www.contrado.co.uk/ Red Bubble https://www.redbubble.com/ The Rabbit Hole  https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole Kate Green http://kategreenart.com/ Join us Alice's Connected Artist Wait List https://alicesheridanstudio.mykajabi.com/connected-interest Louise's Art Tribe sign-up page https://thispaintinglife.mykajabi.com/art-tribe Find us and sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Alice @alicesheridanstudio Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License