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

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

We had planned to take break this week, but we just couldn't do it! So, here we are with a bonus episode all about preparing for a new year. This year, we are taking very different approaches - Alice is relaxing into letting things happen in an easy way, while Louise has spent some time defining clear goals and then breaking them down into scheduled tasks. This is a reversal of roles from prior years and so in this episode, we dive into what is driving both of us. Why has super-organised Alice not yet started to develop a plan? Why has laissez-faire Louise suddenly  decided to create highly structured plans? It turns out that we have both made these changes to address what didn't work for us in prior years and to suit our individual preferences. And this is so important ... there are many different ways of approaching new year's planning and there is no right or wrong. What most matters is to find a way of working that is right for you. We also share what has excited and inspired us ... for Alice it was watching Brian Rutenberg's YouTube videos (specifically Studio Visit 48) and for Louise, it was realising how important social media has been in finding her target audience. Mentioned: Find out about Alice's Connected Artist Club and join the interest list here: https://alicesheridan.com/artists/ Brian Rutenberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp3017D6Tkc The book recommendations episode: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/e6chml 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

The last module of Louise’s Find Your Voice course is all about risk and adventure. Alice has just been on an adventure of her own - one that Louise also could have experienced but chose not to. This week, we discuss how important risk and adventure are in our work and in our lives. Can we have one without the other? Do we tend to take risks in some areas of our lives while avoiding them in others? And what is the payoff when we do venture out of our comfort zone? We also discuss the emergence of new things in our work. How do we know when a new direction is meaningful as opposed to being an aberration? How do we choose which ideas to follow and which to let go? Do we actually need to decide anything or can we just let the work develop?  Mentioned: Haramara, Mexico https://haramararetreat.com/  Barns Courtney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrV90gXmOpA Guilt TV show https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0009qm2/guilt-series-1-episode-1 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

Rachel Davis joins Louise as a special guest this week for a fascinating mindset discussion.. Rachel is an artist, a practicing psychologist, and a creativity coach, making her especially qualified to discuss this week's topic - imposter syndrome. First identified in 1978, this is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments and has a fear of being exposed as a "fraud."  Imposter syndrome can be pervasive (affecting all areas of your life) or situational (for example, only arising when you have your own gallery show or the first time you book a stand at an art fair) but it is estimated that 70% of the population has experienced it at some time. Rachel and I discuss our own experiences with imposter syndrome, debate whether artists are especially vulnerable to it, and share our strategies for overcoming the issue when it arises for you.   Mentioned Rachel Davis art and creativity coaching: https://www.racheldavisstudio.com/ Rachel's psychology website: http://www.drruthkalb.com/ ICB Building (regular open studio events): http://icbbuilding.com/ 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

As artists sometimes we are not that organised... we like to be free spirits, right? But this really doesn't work if we want to move our careers forward and take advantage of all the opportunities available to us. This week, we discuss our own approaches to planning for events such as exhibitions, contests, art fairs and workshops. Louise admits that she has missed out several times because of a lack of planning, while Alice has developed a system to ensure this doesn't happen. As we chat, we share practical tips and strategies including how to find the opportunities in your area, and what dates to monitor.  We also share our excitement at having created paintings that feel different - and are either the best things we've ever done, or destined for the bonfire. We're really not sure which! Mentioned Lund Studios  https://www.lundstudios.co.uk/courses-2020 Courses at Seawhite Studios https://www.emilyballatseawhite.co.uk/ Discerning Eye   https://discerningeye.org/exhibition/intro.php Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, Mall Galleries (ENTRY DEADLINE: Friday January 3rd 2020) https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/call-for-entries/open-exhibitions/royal-institute-painters-water-colours Royal Academy Summer Exhibition  (OPEN 6 Jan - 17 Feb) https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/summer-exhibition-2019 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