This week, we’re discussing comfort zones. This is a phrase coined by a business consultant called Alasdair White who described it as: “a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person, and they are at ease, and in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress. In this zone, a steady level of performance is possible.” That doesn’t sound too bad does it? But psychologist Robert Yerkes suggested that to perform at our best we need to be in a state of what he called ‘optimal anxiety.’  Too anxious and our performance goes down, but it seems that we are at our most creative when we are just outside of what is comfortable for us. This week, we discuss these ideas and debate whether it’s necessary to stay comfortable and safe in some areas so that we can be brave and bold in others. We also offer some questions you can use to determine whether you are working at ‘optimal anxiety’ or whether you are holding yourself back. Those questions are: What areas are your comfort zones? Is this where I want to be? How am I feeling about this? (What beliefs are holding me in this energy space?) Where might a risk it take me? (Long-term benefit) Where am I over-complicating this? (how could I make it easy?) Other topics this week include the value of community, an unusual approach to painting edges, and a new way of looking at an ‘impossible’ project Mentioned: CVP sign-up: https://workshop.art2life.com/cvp-2020/ Art Juice Buddy group for CVP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JUPbuddies2020CVP Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

If you are an artist, this is the time of year when you start to hear about CVP, the online 12-week course taught by Nicholas Wilton. (Full name: The Creative Visionary Program). We have both taken this course in the past and Alice now works as a CVP coach. In this extra episode, we discuss our own personal experiences with the program and answer some of the questions that we are most frequently asked. Our discussion covers financial considerations, the logistics of online learning, how much individual guidance you can expect, how much time is needed, and which kinds of artists can most benefit. Does this work for you if you are a beginner? How about a skilled professional? Should you take it if you paint realistically? Or is it just for abstract artists. We cover all this and more in a frank and wide-ranging conversation. We also invite you to a special Facebook group that we will be hosting for anybody who signs up through our link (bit.ly/cvp2020). Please note we have to check each name with Nick’s team, so please be patient as we admit you into the group. You can find that group by searching Facebook for JUP CVP BUDDIES 2020 or clicking the link below. Mentioned: Sign up for CVP via Art Juice at bit.ly/cvp2020 See stories from others who have taken the program here: https://workshop.art2life.com/cvp-2020-inspiration/ Then come and join us in our special Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JUPbuddies2020CVP/ Sue McNenly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suemcnenly/?hl=en  Contact either of us via our websites: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com or on Instagram:  @alicesheridanstudio @louisefletcher_art Credits: "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Do you find that your painting time is being eaten up by admin and emails and marketing and social media ... not to mention spouses and kids and parents and pets?  Even when we love what we do, it can be stressful to cope with competing demands on our time. This week Alice is fiercely protecting her painting time despite pressure to do other things, while Louise is facing up to her tendency to put others' needs ahead of her own.  We discuss our strategies for managing overwhelm, offer tips for prioritising what matters, and debate whether it has ever been possible for an artist to simply make their art on a full time basis. We also discuss the value of good framing and Alice shares her experience of receiving a very special letter. Mentioned Juiced Up Buddies group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/juicedupbuddies/ RWS Contemporary 2020: https://www.royalwatercoloursociety.co.uk/exhibitions/36-rws-contemporary-watercolour-competition/overview/ Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or 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 a question from an artist who wrote: "I can draw well, and I paint in watercolour and acrylics but my style is all over the place. How can I find a style and settle on it?" We discuss whether you need to settle on a specific style, or whether it's OK to have multiple strings to your bow. Perhaps this varies depending on your goals for your art. We also share our own individual journeys,  and debate whether there are concrete steps you can take to find your own style. An artist's style, we agree, is the result of many different choices (subject matter, media, process, and decisions about colour and design and value among many other things). But it is also something that evolves - and that is perhaps never fully defined. After all, many of the "greats" changed styles multiple times as they explored different ideas or different ways of making their work. Most of, we both feel that your style is something that comes through doing rather than thinking - you must make work and in the process of making that work, you find your style. This is also one with giggles over builders, a few tears and even disagreements over confectionery! Mentioned Join the free Art2Life online workshop HERE: https://www.louisefletcherart.com/for-artists/art2life/ Lesley Birch: https://www.lesleybirchartist.com/ Alice Sheridan - Canopy: https://alicesheridan.com/landscape-unlocked/ Laura Horn Art podcast: https://www.laurahornart.com/thepodcast Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week's chat was inspired by Michael Neill's book "Creating the Impossible." The book, which is subtitled "A 90 Day Program to Get Your Dreams Out of Your Head and into the World," argues that we can accomplish more than we ever imagined without the constant stress and pressure associated with high achievement and asks "what if creating what you want to see in the world isn’t dependent on believing in yourself, or even believing that it’s possible?" In other words, if we get out of our own way, and stop telling ourselves something isn't possible, new possibilities and opportunities start to reveal themselves. In this episode, we discuss the idea of the mind as a "virtual reality generator" and explore what happens when we change the way we are thinking. If we allowed for the possibility that our wildest dreams might be attainable, how would we act differently? And what might unfold as a result? We also celebrate reaching dizzy heights on the Apple podcast charts and share our excitement about letting loose and making some bold moves on works-in-progress. Mentioned: Michael Neill Creating the Impossible: https://www.michaelneill.org/ctibook/ Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Louise is flying solo as Alice prepares for an art fair. Many artists dread the idea of marketing, but this week, Louise shares her belief that marketing doesn't have to feel pushy or unpleasant. With content marketing, it can be as simple as  letting people know what you're up to. In this episode, she shares the lessons she learned from corporate marketing including why documenting is so much easier than creating, how storytelling can attract your ideal art buyers, and why engagement is so important for your success.   But this is not just an episode about the theory of marketing - there are also practical tips and strategies to help you think how you could use these ideas in a way that feels good to you. Mentioned Seth Godin: https://seths.blog/ Gary Vee: https://www.youtube.com/user/GaryVaynerchuk/videos?view=0&sort=p&shelf_id=11 Copyblogger: https://copyblogger.com/blog/ Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week American artist Nicholas Wilton returns to discuss the question: "what do you wish you had known 10 years ago?" Our discussion ranges from materials and brushes, to deeper more personal realisations, including tough lessons about authenticity, the need to find your own process, and the importance of relaxing into who are you really are. We also discuss our experiences as teachers and the lessons we have watched our students learn and Nick shares a particularly challenging experience he had as an emerging artist. It is always inspiring to discover that all artists experience the same highs and lows and that we make many of the same mistakes. As you listen to this conversation, it will become apparent that you are never alone ... your struggles are the same as ours, your triumphs feel the same as ours ... we are all on the same path and we can all offer a helping hand to anyone who is behind us. Finally, we share our plans to do just that by building a supportive community in a Facebook pop-up group. You won't want to miss this! Mentioned: Art2Life free workshop: https://bit.ly/art2life2020 Juiced Up Workshop Buddies 2020 (Facebook group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/juicedupbuddies/ Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This is our one-year anniversary. When we started the podcast, it felt like quite a risk ... neither of us had any idea how to make a podcast and we had to figure it all out on the fly. Reflecting back on the last year sparked a discussion about courage inspired by the Brene Brown book "Daring Greatly."  The title for her book came from this Teddy Roosevelt quote: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”  We discuss the role of vulnerability in connecting with our audiences, the importance of allowing ourselves to be imperfect, and the need to act even when you are terrified.  We also respond to a question from Susan, who wrote: "There is a hilarious song by Morrissey called 'We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful' and I am wondering if you have lost any friends along the way. Do you notice some people just getting standoffish, angry or acting differently the more you succeed?" Mentioned: Sign up for Free Art2Life workshop Brene Brown TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjNtWRBdXws Caroline Goyder ‘Find Your Voice’ book - available for pre-order: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Find-Your-Voice-Confidence-Situation/dp/1785042831 Caroline in action with some tips for speaking with confidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0325A8-_A4 Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

At one time or another, most of us have considered giving up making our art. In this episode, we share our own experiences and discuss why this feeling arises. Perhaps we have ambitions that exceed our current skill level and this leads to disappointment with the results. Sometimes, we are not creating what we really want to create, leading to boredom and burn-out. It is also common for people to become discouraged when they lack a support system and even when they have a spouse or partner who actively discourages their art-making. The conversation leads us to conclude that all these issues can be addressed - we can find support elsewhere, we can improve our skills through education and practice, and we can start to make art that we really love instead of just doing the same old thing. This week we also tackle the topic of returning after a break and offer our different perspectives on how to get back into your work after the holidays. Mentioned Find out about Alice's Connected Artist Club and join the interest list here: https://alicesheridan.com/artists/ Link to louise’s Flickr album of self portraits https://www.flickr.com/photos/63799511@N05/albums/72157663186899771 Link to studio tidy post How to Kon Mari Your Studio See Alice's sketchbook progress page HERE Nour the artist/Ocado delivery driver! Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio or Louise @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

In our first episode of 2020, we tackle the idea of success. Many of us have been planning for the new year, but what is it that we want to achieve? Is money the ultimate measure of success? Is recognition more important? What about our success as a friend or spouse or parent? In this episode, we dig into our own personal definitions and, as with most things, we find that there is no one right answer. We also discuss how much our ideas of success change over time - what we wanted at 25 is never going to be the same as what we want 20 years later.  Our conversation also covers second-hand art books, a Tate Modern exhibition that Alice really didn't like, and the newest star on Tik-Tok (the world's fastest growing social media platform). Mentioned: Alice's Wait list for Connected Artist Club: https://www.alicesheridan.com/artists Charlie D'Amelio on Tik-Tok: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF0ysSzsNFc&t=56s Gary Vee interviews Charli D'Amelio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpEszCguMJU Olafur Eliasson at Tate Modern: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/olafur-eliasson  Youtube millionaire: https://www.youtube.com/user/SunnyLenarduzzi Sign up for our newsletters at: www.alicesheridan.com www.louisefletcherart.com Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast Buy us a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice Follow us on Instagram: @alicesheridanstudio @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License