Framing can be a challenge for us all. It’s expensive and there are so many options. If you paint on board or canvas, is it necessary? If you do decide to add a frame, what style works best? Today we’re going to delve into this topic, discuss our own approaches, and share some inside tips. We consider buying pre-made frames, having frames made online, and working with a professional framer.  The discussion also covers cost and profit concerns and how to balance those with the desire to present your work most effectively. We also talk titles after a listener asks: “How much importance do you attach to finding a good title for each painting and which comes first - the title (theme?) or the painting?”  We discuss the importance of titles to our work and how we each approach them. Finally, the decision to purchase a small painting leads Louise to re-visit her attitude to selling and Alice is feeling grateful to the people who help us with our art. Find full show notes with images at:  www.louisefletcherart.com www.alicesheridan.com  SUBMIT A QUESTION HERE Join our Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher Follow us on Instagram  @alicesheridanstudio  @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This is really a juicy one. What happens when your work culminates in a show - but you’re still feeling dissatisfied? There is no doubt that making art is an emotional journey. Showing or selling it can feel even more raw - but it depends on your attitude. Hashtags and starlings all have a helping hand this week. Louise is managing all the elements needed to hang a show and Alice wonders if getting work online at the same time as hanging a show an almost impossible feat. Even when you are doing all the work yourself there is a huge advantage in curating and arranging your own work in terms of reviewing your progress. Alice has had to pivot her hanging plans for an upcoming art fair due to a change in circumstances beyond her control. But this led to some new energy into other paintings including using her hands. How do you feel about using tools in your work?  Are you an artist with attitude? Without attempting to be psychologists (!) we share how we’ve learned to adjust how we react to certain situations or change our thoughts. For both of us this has led to lovely changes in our art and life. But it’s not always easy, and is certainly an ongoing practice. How do you respond when life throws you a curve ball? Noticing and connecting with your emotions is part of being human and can be hard to manage, especially at art fairs. We talk about keeping your energy up in the face of bad sales or an overheard comment.  Oh, and then it all veers into magic and law of attraction ;-) Thank you to Jennifer who asked “What’s the best way to find people looking to BUY art? (on social media)”. We have a few ideas but perhaps the main response will surprise you.  After she just bought a new painting which has transformed her bedroom, Alice is buoyed by how much impact art can have in a home - and seeing the result of her recent collaboration with Zoffany designers. Mentioned: Interior inspiration: Alice’s work and the Zoffany fancy photos See a sneak preview of Louise’s exhibition here See Louise's starlings here. (photo courtesy of Helen Peyton) Find full show notes with images at:  www.louisefletcherart.com www.alicesheridan.com  SUBMIT A QUESTION HERE Join our Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher 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 all struggle with time. Some of us have young children, or elderly parents or a full-time job, and even those who work full time as artists also have the pressures of marketing, gallery relations, art fairs etc. We discuss the challenges we face in terms of managing time on a day-to-day basis, and also consider the larger question of how much time we have left in our lives. If we knew we only had one year to live, what kind of work would we make? We also answer a question from Tracey who asks about when to move from playing to producing a series or a body of work (and coins the memorable hashtag "#fearofmakinganactualpainting!”) Mentioned: Alice's Connected Artist Club Louise's online courses Join our Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher Submit a question here Find us at:  www.louisefletcherart.com www.alicesheridan.com  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 can all recognise this sorry state of affairs, and it’s not fun! We discuss the difference between procrastinating, being temporarily frozen, or being truly blocked. Is a real block caused by a disconnect  between what you ‘want’ and what you are actually doing? Is it a result of losing your connection with your deeper self? While a pause is OK - and sometimes needed and necessary - we come up with some questions to ask yourself. And potentially two different ways you get get inspired again by leaning in and investigating. We also answer a listener who is struggling with multiple styles and discuss how a teenage concert reminded Alice of the importance of finding your own creative path. LINKS Mentioned: Muse Hysteria  Live version   Steven Pressfield interview Louise’s 365-day self portrait project Join our Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher Submit a question here Find us at:  www.louisefletcherart.com www.alicesheridan.com  Follow us on Instagram  @alicesheridanstudio  @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week we tackle a topic faced by artists the world over ... how do you deal with older work when your style has moved on? What do you do with that pile of old canvases or sheets of paper that no longer feel like you? Is it a waste to throw them out? Is it OK to show them with your newer work? Or can you find a way to offload them so that someone else can enjoy them? We also wrestle with the best (and worst) ways to ask for feedback on your work, discuss how to prepare yourself mentally before you do, and share the things that have inspired us this week. Links Mentioned: Coldplay documentary Paul Jarvis book Join our Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher Submit a question here Find us at:  www.louisefletcherart.com www.alicesheridan.com  Follow us on Instagram  @alicesheridanstudio  @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

This week finds us at different ends of the process. Louise has just finished several paintings in her latest series while Alice is preparing to begin new work. As she prepares to start, we talk about the importance of making a leap into the unknown - in art and in life. The impressionist Edgar Degas is quoted as saying “only when he no longer knows what he is doing, does the painter do good things.”  This week the conversation centres on the extent to which this is true. How important is it to push your work into new territory? Is risk-taking an essential element of being an artist? And if art mirrors life, do we need to find ways to bring risk into our daily lives?  We also answer a question from a listener, who asked "how long does it take to become an artist?" We discuss what it means to be an artist, and whether becoming one is a matter of fact or a matter of mindset.  LINKS >> Join the Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher Submit a question here Find shownotes on:  www.louisefletcherart.com/podcast www.alicesheridan.com/podcast  Follow us on Instagram  @alicesheridanstudio  @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

What’s Your Studio Space Like?  Some artists work in giant, light-filled spaces, others make room on the dining room table. But whatever the size, your studio set-up is a crucial aspect of your work. We discuss how to make the most of your space, why it’s important to keep making changes, and practical tips on flooring and lighting solutions. We also answer this listener question: How can I stay motivated when I don't have a deadline? Alice loves to work to a deadline, whereas Louise much prefers the space to play and experiment. Both share their perspectives on this common problem. Also discussed, Marie Kondo-ing your studio and the pros and cons of doing your own advertising. LINKS: Plasterer's light  Join the Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher Submit a question here Find shownotes on:  www.louisefletcherart.com/podcast www.alicesheridan.com/podcast  Follow us on Instagram  @alicesheridanstudio  @louisefletcher_art Credits  "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Have you ever felt selfish about your art making practice? Do you worry that it’s taking up time you should be spending on other things?  We discuss whether this is a problem unique to women, we share our own personal experiences, and we wonder if our attitude to this question only changes when we begin to understand the positive effect our art-making has on others. The knock-on effects can be far larger than we anticipate at the start. So, maybe a better question would be “how can I be more selfish?” In this episode, we also discuss a key issue for artists - the role of fear in holding us back and ask: if fear wasn't a factor, what would you make? For Alice it’s easier to ease in to a new idea in small steps whereas Louise has learnt the hard way that jumping in feet first can get you more than you bargained for.   LINKS >> Join the Facebook groups:  Art Explorers with Alice Sheridan This Painting Life with Louise Fletcher Submit a question here Find shownotes on:  www.louisefletcherart.com/podcast www.alicesheridan.com Follow us on Instagram  @alicesheridanstudio  @louisefletcher_art Credits "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Welcome to a new podcast for creatives with behind the scenes conversations about making art and the creative life with Alice Sheridan and Louise Fletcher. This podcast will be an honest insight into what it takes to be an artist. Alice and Louise are both practicing artists figuring out how to develop their creative approach and balance the business side of a rewarding creative life.  If you are an artist or aspiring creative you will find support and inspiration. If you are an art lover you will find out more about what goes in to making the art you enjoy.  Submit a question to be featured on the show at bit.ly/artjuiceQ