Paintbrush & Ivories

Masterminds for Artists with Lisa DePamphilis

In this episode, Michelle and Jennifer welcome their dear friend and fellow ‘mastermind’ goddess, Lisa DePamphilis to the podcast. Through meeting (nearly) weekly for the past 7.5 years, the three women have grown an understanding about how to do this activity well.

Masterminds can be hugely beneficial for your life and creative practice… and they can be an energy drain.

In this episode you will hear some tips on how to find a group to join or encourage others to join yours, how to set your mastermind up and run it with great outcomes for all.

Ways to connect with our guest, Lisa DePamphilis –

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisadepamphilis/

Book your Complimentary Rise Up Call:

https://calendly.com/crystalclearbranding/comp30

Artists, links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Think and Grow Rich book by Napoleon Hill https://www.amazon.com.au/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331
• Otto Scharmer from the Presencing institute, Theory U and the Case Clinics (called the pomegranate and coaching circle process by Michelle, Jen & Lisa) https://www.u-school.org/case-clinic

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Can You Really Make Money in Art? with Michele Luminato

If you have you ever struggled to believe that you CAN make good money from art, then this episode will be of interest. Michelle and her guest, American born contemporary artist Michele Luminato talk about the importance of mindset in our journey as artists making an income from our art. Michele brings a depth of experience from “corporate creative” and discusses the knowledge that she brought across from that part of her career, including the importance of uncovering your core interests, staying focused on where you want to take your art and why it’s crucial to continue taking risks.

Ways to connect with our guest, Michele Luminato:

On Instagram -

• @micheleluminato
• @OriginArt__

To join the Artist's Breakthrough Blueprint with Michele, go to: https://micheleluminato.art/breakthrough-blueprint-register.

Artists, links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Blue Man Group - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Man_Group
• Marie Forleo - https://www.marieforleo.com/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Your Creative Identity with Liz Ackerley

Have you ever pondered your creative identity and style? As artists, this is a key question.

Prompted by a quote from Cezanne:  ‘The most seductive thing about art is the personality of the artist himself’, Michelle and her guest, Liz Ackerley, a mixed media abstract artist from the UK, discuss the pursuit of our creative identity in our work.

The questioning of our interests, focus and intent within our artwork is an important part of coming to understand our identity as an artist. The skill of noticing what you notice, the practice of journaling thoughts and ideas and being disciplined with the quantum of time spent absorbing other artists’ work on social media are some of the topics discussed in today’s episode.

Ways to connect with today's guest, Liz Ackerley:

• lizackerleyart.com
• com/lizackerleyart
• com/lizackerley
• facebook.com/LizAckerleyArt
• twitter.com/LizAckerleyArt
• online courses: https://lizackerley.podia.com/

Artists, links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Rebecca Crowell’s The Messy Studio podcast – episode #167 'The Power of Intentions' https://messystudio.fireside.fm/167
• Cold Wax Academy - https://coldwaxacademy.com/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Making Creative Collaborations Work

The old proverb from West African country of Burkina Faso: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go together’ underlines the topic for today’s episode – creative collaborations. Jennifer and Michelle discuss the experiences they have had, why they believe them to offer value to artists and key areas to pay attention to, to ensure they are time well spent.

Artists, links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Jude White - https://www.judewhite.com.au/
• Trent Jansen & Johnny Nargoodah - https://gallerysallydancuthbert.com/artists/53-trent-jansen-and-johnny-nargoodah/overview/
• Pasek & Paul – Benj Pasek & Justin Paul - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasek_and_Paul
• Beautiful Chorus - https://www.beautifulchorus.com/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

The Path of Serenity for Our Creativity in Times of Change

What happens to our creative practice when big changes occur in our lives? How does that affect how we see ourselves as artists? In this episode, Jennifer and Michelle reflect on the recent changes in their lives and how that’s affected their identities as artists and how this theme of change is part of the journey many artists experience in their lifetimes. Suleika Jaouad, a best selling author was diagnosed with lukemia at the age of 22 and has gone on to embrace her writing career with the release of her memoir ‘Between Two Kingdoms: The Story of a Life Interrupted’ and now writes the Isolation Journals that she shares with her community. Clarke Reynolds, a vision impaired artist who is currently having his first London exhibition of his brightly coloured braille dot art that tells the story of his journey.

Artists, links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Suleika Jaouad
• Clarke Reynolds’s first London exhibition
• Michelle’s grandfather Edward (Ted) Blackmore’s book Adventure, Adversity and Achievement (2002)

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Self Care & The Ayurvedic Clock with Yolanda de Cuevas

Starting out the year with a focus on self-care is the topic of today’s episode. Jennifer and Michelle are joined by artist, yogi and Ayurvedic practitioner, Yolanda de Cuevas who takes listeners through an understanding of our natural rhythms as seen in the Ayurvedic practice. Managing our activities with the natural flow of energies throughout the day ( / year / our lives) can greatly help our health and wellbeing. Taking care of ourselves first, means we are more able to be alive to our creativity and give more in the world. Join the conversation with the beautiful wisdom Yolanda has to share.

Artists, links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Exploring New Places article from Michelle’s trip to south coast NSW - https://michellewalker.com.au/studionotes2/
• Plein Air Mark Making with Natural Earth Pigments video - https://youtu.be/Bu9qULi4w8k
• Yolanda’s article on the Ayurvedic Clock - https://yogahealthcoaching.com/ayurvedic-clock-war-with-time/
• US based Cate Stillman who runs Yoga Healer Community https://yogahealthcoaching.com/
• Dr Claudia Welsh - https://drclaudiawelch.com/
• Episode #15 Reflect & Release: Harvesting the Gems
• Episode #16 Dream & Bloom: Welcoming in the new year

You can contact our guest here:

• You can get onto Yolanda's newsletter list by emailing her - ydecuevas@mac.com
• Follow Yolanda on Insta - @yolandadecuevas

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

I Want My Results Now

At this time of year, many artists do an end-of-year review. One of the issues that can arise is the feeling of frustration and impatience with the speed at which we are achieving our goals and seeing the results we want. In this episode, Michelle, flying solo shares her thoughts about this issue and how to work through it. One of the ways she recommends to switch focus from any impatience is by joining one of the online art challenges that can ease you into the year and talks about several offered in January that might be of interest.

Artists, links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Episode #15 Reflect & Release: Harvesting the Gems & Episode #16 Dream & Bloom: Welcoming in the new year
• Susan Yeate’s 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge
• Tara Leaver’s 21 Days in My Artworld challenge
• Lindsay Jean Thomson’s The 100 Day Project

You can find your hosts here:

Michelle’s website | on Instagram | on YouTube

Jennifer’s website | on Patreon

The Faith Walk of An Artist

When we are called to create, we are also called to believe that our creativity is supported in every way needed so we can bring it into the world. This is ‘the faith walk of an artist’. It means to walk ‘with a trusting heart’ in the world. This is the topic of today’s episode – Michelle and Jennifer talk about these concepts as well as what happens when we trust that we are called to do our creativity and bad things, like failure and bankruptcy happen? How can we pick ourselves up and carry on.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Money Mojo for Artists 7-day Challenge - https://tinyurl.com/moneymojochallenge

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Artist Vs Artisan and the Place for Controversy

What’s in a name? Inspired by a controversial quote from performance and visual artist, Yoko Ono about what defines an artist versus an artisan, Michelle and Jennifer talk through their views on these titles and how they have come to understand the context of controversy in art-making and the important process of finding one’s voice.

Artists, resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Money Mojo for Artists 7-day Challenge – michellewalker.com.au/money
• Yoko Ono - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Ono
• John Cage and his 4’33” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4’33”
• Sleepify the silent album by American funk band Vulfpeck - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepify

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

 

Artist’s Guide to Navigating Commissions

It can be truly exciting when someone wants to commission us as artists to create an artwork. Navigating what comes next, takes some business savvy and belief in your artistic skills. Managing the contracting process as well as undertaking the work and delivering a well-received final piece can be tricky if you don’t know about the pitfalls. In this episode, Michelle talks you through the steps she follows to undertake commission work so you maintain your sanity and enjoy the process along the way.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Template for an Australian-based artist's commission agreement with a client: https://sprintlaw.com.au/articles/artist-commission-agreement/
• To be notified when the next Money Mojo for Artists Challenge is being run, go to: https://michellewalker.com.au/money-mojo-challenge-closed/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Creating in Community

“Community hones us” is a quote from Jennifer that emerges as she and Michelle talk about how community plays important roles in each of creative lives. The formal and informal communities that support us in our growth artistically can take many forms, and it's up to each of us to find the balance between being in community and dancing out for quiet alone time in the studio.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Spirit Art School https://angelsofabundanceascensionacademy.com/spirit-art-school/
• 5D Naval Chakra meditation as part of Jennifer’s Morning Light Meditations - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7fc3b1c3-3c5f-4283-8656-efe00b7bf6a5/episodes/a3368970-ef33-4cb1-8b41-9f0ad0405ff2/morning-light-meditations-5d-navel-chakra
• Alice Sheridan’s Connected Artist Club - https://alicesheridan.com/artists/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

How to Build a Body of Work

In this episode, Jennifer and Michelle talk about the concept of a creative's body of work and how they each go about it for their artistry – whether it’s for an exhibition or a new CD of music and songs – there are phases and tips for embarking, sustaining and finishing your project.

Resources and artists mentioned in this episode:

• Whitney Freya's Creatively Fit Coach Training program
• Michelle’s book, 20,000 Brushstrokes – inspiring lessons for joyful living beyond heartbreak, loss and discontent
• Jennifer’s new EP, I Am Golden – listen to clips here and how to access the whole album.

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Running an Online Challenge Part 2

Having covered the planning and preparation phases of running an online challenge in Part 1 (Episode #27), Michelle and Jennifer dive into the delivery and follow up phases in this episode. From tips on how to manage all the daily activities and communications with your participants and focus on helping your people get the results they want, to closing the challenge and the follow up and reflection steps… it’s covered for you.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Teleprompter 3 app
• Mighty Networks
• Alina Vincent – https://businesssuccessedge.com/ & https://www.facebook.com/BusinessSuccessEdge/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Running an Online Challenge – Part 1

Online challenges can be a great way to grow your following and engage with folks who are interested in similar things and give back to your community. In this episode, Michelle and Jennifer step through what you need to think about if you are keen to run your own online challenge – what to cover as you are coming up with the idea and focus of your challenge and then what needs to happen in the preparation phase before you go live. This is Part 1 of their discussion about online challenges. Next episode in Part 2 will look at the delivery of the challenge and follow up phase after it has closed.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Tara Leaver’s #21daysinmyartworld challenge - https://www.instagram.com/taraleaver/
• Jean Thomson’s #the100dayproject challenge – https://www.instagram.com/lindsayjeanthomson/
• If you are interested in the next time Michelle runs the Money Mojo for Artists Challenge, go here
• Rory Vaden’s youtube clip – Best Selling Title Formula - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw4NEwytONU
• Alina Vincent’s website – https://businesssuccessedge.com/ & facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/BusinessSuccessEdge/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

On the Art Trail

Visiting art in the outdoors has become an experience many enjoy. Regional areas and cities have seen the potential and artists have embraced the concept as a way of reaching a wider audience. In today's episode, Michelle, flying solo, talks through her recent experience of being a part of her local art trail and open studios event. She talks through the things to think about when you are making the decision to be involved, how to make your work stand out in your application, what to do in the lead up and set up as well as how to maintain yourself through the event and after. There's lots to be gained from these experiences and well, just get yourself out there!

Resources and events mentioned in the episode:

• The Australian Silo Art Trail - https://www.australiansiloarttrail.com/
• Murwillumbah Arts Trail - https://www.murwillumbahartstrail.com.au/
• Melbourne's street art - https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/art/where-to-find-the-best-street-art-in-melbourne
• The Intern with Ann Hathaway & Robert De Niro - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2361509/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Celebrating the Mother Energy of Creativity

May is the month we celebrate Mother’s Day in the US and Australia. It also happens to be Mother Mary’s month and Jennifer celebrates her annual flight around the sun. In this episode, Michelle and Jennifer discuss the mother energy and its connection to creativity, how our relationships with our earthly mothers can affect our belief in ourselves and shape our path to creative expression.

Michelle announces her upcoming event ‘Money Mojo for Artists 7-day Challenge’ helping artists get more confidence in dealing with the financial side of their art biz.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Money Mojo for Artists 7-day Challenge - https://tinyurl.com/moneymojochallenge

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

The Power of Simplicity in Art & Life

On discovering a beloved poem lost for more than 30 years, Michelle has been thinking again about the concept of simplicity. In this episode, Michelle shares the poem by William Carlos Williams and what follows is a conversation with Jennifer around simplicity in art and life that covers music triads, colour palette triads, do-ability and the zen spiritual practice known as hitsuzendo.

Artists and ideas mentioned in this episode:

• Poem by William Carlos Williams - ‘This is Just to Say’
• The Imagist Movement of poetry
• Hitsuzendo, the way of the zen brush and enso circles
• Philip Guston (1913-1980), Canadian-American painter and muralist
• Spirit Art School is the live online monthly art classes with Jennifer, Michelle and other art teachers.

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Creative Courses Online

For the past 2 years, more people have been staying home and searching for creative outlets. If you are an artist with an idea for an online art class, now’s the perfect time to dive in.

So, have you been thinking you want to create your own art course and deliver it online? Maybe you already have a course but are interested in learning what other artists are doing and how they approach the ideas and the technology wrangle. If you are a yes, then this episode is worth a listen.

Michelle and Jennifer talk through the ‘gremlins’ that might come up in thinking about diving in to teaching. They also cover how they go about deciding on their course content, the options for online teaching and hosting platforms for live and recorded workshops and the most important equipment you need to get started. At the end of the conversation, Michelle share more detail about the teaching platforms she’s investigated recently to help those wrestling with the all-important decision about which one to use.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Seven Sacred Flames book by Aurelia Louise Jones
• Jennifer’s 1^st online course: Seven Sacred Flames
• Michelle’s online 1^st course for graphic facilitators: Essentials of Visual Thinking
• Michelle’s online art course: Paint Your heART
• Conference call platforms – Instant Teleseminar, Zoom
• Spirit Art School is the live online monthly art classes with Jennifer, Michelle and other art teachers
• Sanctuary - Jennifer's monthly meditation class
• Jennifer’s Free Your Voice class
• Apps and software for video editing - VideoStudio Camtasia, OBS
• Online teaching platform options – Moodle, TalentLMS, Thinkific, Kajabi, Teachable, Kartra, SamCart

(Please note: there are NO affiliate links for any of the teaching platforms shared above.)

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

Whitney Freya & Kim Sales on Women Supporting Women Through Creativity

In this episode Michelle is joined by Whitney Freya, creator of the Creatively Fit Coaching program, artist and author, and Kim Sales an artist and Creatively Fit Coach to talk about their experiences and learning from working with women through creativity. We hear about their creative journey, what brings joy in their world, books and advice that has changed their lives and more about a wonderful current project – The Festival of Feminine Power & Artistry.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Creatively Fit Coach Training with Whitney Freya
• Zen and the Art of Making a Living by Laurence G. Boldt
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
• Susan Melrath, artist, coach in Art2Life program
• Big Magic by Liz Gilbert
• Festival of Feminine Power & Artistry – to join or donate
• My book, 20,000 Brushstrokes – inspiring lessons for joyful living beyond heartbreak, loss and discontent
• Becoming Supernatural by Dr Joe Dispenza

You can find today's guests at these places:

Whitney Freya:

https://whitneyfreya.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WhitneyFreyaCanvas

https://www.instagram.com/whitneyfreya/

Kim Sales:

https://www.kimsales.com/intro

https://www.facebook.com/KimSalesLanternLightStudioArtandCourses/

https://www.instagram.com/kimsalesartandcourses/

You can find your hosts at these places:

Michelle’s website – www.michellewalkerart.com

Michelle on Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellewalkerart

Michelle on YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/michellewalkerart

Jennifer’s website – www.jenniferruthrussell.com

Jennifer on Patreon – www.patreon.com/JenniferandMichael

So You Want to be an Author?

Is writing a passion of yours? Do you see your artistry expanding to include writing, but not sure if you know how to go about it? This episode is for you. Jennifer and Michelle talk about their experiences and learning from writing multiple books – for different audiences and with different messages. Key topics, like knowing how to get set up to start, ways to keep the momentum going, where to go for your book cover design and pricing are covered.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird
• Avid Reader bookstore, West End, Australia
• Book cover designs – 99Designs, Upwork, Fiverr
• Publishing platforms – Amazon Kindle
• Michelle’s book, 20,000 Brushstrokes
• Jennifer’s books – Amazon Author’s Page