What does it really mean to have your own back as an artist? In this episode, I share why safety isn’t just about gloves and turpentine — it’s about building trust with yourself in the studio. When you know you won’t tear yourself down for “failing,” you’re free to take risks, explore messy ideas, and grow in ways you never thought possible.

This conversation comes straight from my own sketchbook experiments and our 30-day Self-Trust Challenge inside Growth Studio. You’ll hear how awkward blind contour lines, negative space trees, and even 100 “bad” drawings can become proof that you’re on the right track.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:

Episode Map

• [0:42] Why self-trust always begins with safety — and why that has nothing to do with paint fumes.
• [3:29] The awkward stage that makes most artists quit — and how to stick with it.
• [7:51] Five drawings that “failed” — or five steps closer to something new?
• [15:48] The messy middle: where ideas sprout before they make sense.
• [20:58] Could you survive 100 “bad” paintings to reach the one that works?
• [25:42] Why doubt and frustration don’t mean stop — they mean human.
• [26:34] Kindness as a creative strategy: how to meet yourself without criticism.
• [29:29] The ultimate reframe: safety, trust, and the artist you’ve always wanted to be.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

Ever notice how one “wrong” brushstroke can send you into a spiral? You’re standing in your studio, brush in hand, and suddenly the inner courtroom opens up. The judge, jury, and executioner? All you.

This episode is about what I call self-aggression. Those tiny but brutal ways we attack ourselves for daring to experiment, for not being perfect, for being… human. And here’s the thing: it’s costing you way more than you realize.

I’ll walk you through why we confuse self-criticism with professionalism, how it’s secretly strangling your creativity, and what happens when you trade all that punishment for curiosity instead. (Hint: your studio becomes the safest, most exciting place to create.)

You’ll hear real stories from Growth Studio: Leslie catching herself in an “auction spiral,” Megan reframing her supply list, Scott protecting his energy, and Cece navigating the push-pull of play vs. control. Plus, I’ll share a micro-meltdown of my own and how I turned it around.

If you’ve ever started an apology tour before showing your work, or if you’ve ever thought “I’m such an idiot” mid-painting—this one’s for you.

Your Episode Map

0:23 – The brushstroke that ruins everything (or does it?)
1:59 – How “I’m such an idiot” sneaks into your studio
5:49 – Why being hard on yourself isn’t “professional” (it’s poison)
7:39 – Curiosity vs. criticism: the C in CREATE that changes everything
8:32 – What self-aggression is secretly costing you (spoiler: it’s huge)
13:12 – Real Growth Studio stories: auctions, supply lists, and saying no
25:00 – My own meltdown over a 2-inch drawing
36:01 – The truth bomb: self-trust is the ultimate creative flex

For Your Studio Wall

Words worth pinning next to your easel:

• “Curiosity opens possibilities. Criticism shuts them down.”
• “Failure isn’t evidence against you—it’s information for you.”
• “Your studio is not a courtroom. Make it a laboratory.”
• “Treat yourself like your favorite student.”
• “The way you talk to yourself shows up on the canvas.”

What to Bring Into the Studio With You

• A daily rep: catch one micro-aggression and reframe it with curiosity.
• Neutral share rule: present your work without the apology preface.
• Constraints as safety: same size, same tools, familiar setups = freedom to explore.
• A pre-painting intention: I’m here to explore, not to be perfect.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

Welcome to the finale of our CREATE spiral series! Today we're diving into expansion - when you're ready to be seen in a bigger way but the thought of taking risks makes your heart race.

I share my three circles framework for understanding your capacity for risk: comfort zone, stretch zone, and terror zone. Plus the crucial piece most artists miss - how to recharge after expanding so you can take progressively bigger steps without burning out.

What You'll Learn:

• How to read your nervous system to know when you're stretching vs. pushing too far
• The difference between healthy recharging and avoidance
• Common expansion mistakes that lead to burnout or stagnation
• Why expansion creates an upward spiral back to curiosity
• Practical steps to start expanding strategically this week

Key Takeaway: You don't have to be fearless. You just need to take one small, strategic risk and then care for yourself afterward.

Perfect for artists ready to submit work, raise prices, or share more boldly - without the overwhelm.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

If you’ve ever felt like you want someone else to approve every brushstroke before you can call a painting “done”… this episode is for you.

We’re at the T in the C.R.E.A.T.E. Spiral, and it’s a big one: TRUST.

Not blind trust. Not perfectionist trust that only kicks in after everything looks flawless. We’re talking about real, moment-to-moment self-trust—the kind that guides your decisions while you’re still unsure.

This episode breaks down:

• Why we’re wired to outsource approval
• How to build trust as a tangible, daily practice (not just a mindset)
• What it actually looks like to trust yourself in your studio—even when doubt shows up

You’ll leave with small, doable actions to build that trust muscle—without needing to overhaul your entire process.

Your Episode Map

1:00 — Why we’re wired to seek approval—and why it’s not your fault
4:00 — When copying helps you grow… and when it starts holding you back
7:18 — The simplest trust-building practice: say what you like and don’t like, out loud
10:26 — Trust isn’t confidence—it’s resilience
11:45 — How to stop spiraling and guide your own development
15:13 — Three small ways to practice trust this week—no perfection required
16:48 — Every time you choose yourself over fear, your inner artist gets louder

What to Bring Into the Studio With You

(Because listening is just the beginning)

This week, try making one decision in your painting process without asking anyone else. Pick a color, title, price, or direction—and don’t crowdsource it. Just follow it through and observe what happens.

Then DM me on Instagram @savvypainterpodcast and tell me what you noticed. I love hearing how this lands for you.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

Ever wonder why your studio feels… suspiciously quiet?
Like things are finally working—but instead of celebrating, you start spiraling?

Welcome to the Alignment phase of the CREATE Spiral.

In this episode, I break down the strange emotional landscape of finally clicking with your voice—and why that ease can actually feel more unsettling than resistance. You’ll hear why this moment of calm might be the biggest sign that you’re doing it right.

We’ll talk about:

• The inner voice that whispers “This is too easy—what’s the catch?”
• Why your brain interprets ease as danger
• How alignment isn’t a plateau, it’s a powerful shift in momentum
• What changes (and what doesn’t) in your studio when you’re in this phase

And most importantly—how to trust this part of the journey without self-sabotaging your way out of it.

Your Episode Map:

[01:25] What alignment actually is—and why artists feel so uneasy here
[03:27] The eerie quiet of self-trust (and why it feels off)
[05:35] Your voice gets the mic for the first time
[07:41] You still feel discomfort—but you’re not layering judgment on top
[09:11] “Growth = struggle” is a lie we need to unlearn
[10:23] What alignment looks like in your studio day-to-day
[13:06] The question to ask when you feel ease: “Is this what I want?”
[15:15] Why it feels like things are falling away—not being added
[17:24] Craving chaos? You might be ready to expand
[18:32] Alignment = your voice getting stronger
[21:32] You didn’t get lucky. You got aligned.

Words worth pinning next to your easel:

• “This isn’t a plateau. This is what it feels like when you’re no longer working against yourself.”
• “The quiet is your voice finally getting a turn at the mic.”
• “You still feel discomfort. You’re just not spiraling from it anymore.”
• “You didn’t lose your edge. You stopped fighting yourself.”
• “You’re not stuck—you’re integrating.”

What to Bring Into the Studio With You

• Notice what’s not there: fewer cranky voices, less panic, more space.
• Reframe the weird quiet as a sign of progress—not a problem to fix.
• Pull out your last few paintings—look for patterns, not problems.
• Let it be enough. This phase doesn’t need a breakthrough to be valuable.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

Ever get to that point in a painting where nothing’s working the way you thought it would? Where the idea is still in there somewhere, but the canvas isn’t cooperating?

That’s not a mistake. That’s the part where things get real.

In this episode of the Savvy Painter podcast, we’re talking about the Exploration phase of the Creative Spiral. The phase most artists dread, not because they’re doing it wrong, but because it asks them to stay with what’s actually happening in the painting. Not the plan. Not the ideal image in their head.

Just… this. Right here.

It’s uncomfortable, often messy, and full of not-knowing. But it’s also where your voice starts to take shape, not as an idea, but in the act of making.

🎧 Episode Map
[2:55] Why your painting doesn’t match the idea in your head (and why that’s normal)
[5:45] What “not knowing” really means, and why your brain fights it
[9:50] Intuitive painting isn’t winging it. There is a plan. It just looks different.
[12:40] The experimenter’s crisis: this isn’t what I thought it would look like
[15:10] The two thoughts that tend to paralyze painters in this phase
[17:30] Why looking bad might be a good sign
[20:00] This is where your voice starts to show up—in motion, not in theory
[23:45] What to do when you have no idea what to do next
[26:00] Try this instead: make it truer, not prettier
[28:30] Exploration isn’t aimless. It’s a choice to stay with what’s here, even if it’s unclear

🎨 For Your Studio Wall
Some reminders worth keeping close:

• “Messy isn’t the opposite of skill. It’s how skill gets built.”
• “The painting gets honest when you do.”
• “You’re not supposed to know before you do the thing.”
• “It’s not a straight line, and it’s not supposed to be.”

What to Bring Into the Studio With You
Because just listening isn’t the point

• A willingness to get lost, on purpose
• Permission to make 20 versions no one ever sees
• Curiosity over control
• The guts to keep going when things look weird (because they will)

💬 Talk to Me
What’s your relationship with the messy middle?

Leave a comment on Instagram (@savvypainterpodcast) or DM me and tell me how you know you’re in the exploration phase.

You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out in isolation. This is what we practice inside Growth Studio, week after week.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

Resistance isn’t laziness—it’s fear wearing a disguise. Let's break down the REAL reason resistance shows up right after creative excitement kicks in—and how to move forward without force.

If you’ve ever found yourself avoiding the studio for no “good” reason, this one’s for you.

We're going to talk about why resistance is actually a turning point in your creative spiral, not a sign to stop. Plus, hear how one artist in Growth Studio used this awareness to navigate a wave of unexpected yeses.

Your Episode Map:

• [00:01] The real reason resistance shows up—and why it means you’re growing, not failing.
• [04:45] The “I AM” trap: how we confuse resistance with identity.
• [11:30] What your brain fears MORE than failure.
• [13:00] Growth Studio story: When you get what you asked for
• [20:00] Why your brain thinks change is dangerous—
• [25:00] The smallest moves to shift resistance and restore your momentum.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

That “lost” feeling? It’s not a problem. It’s the process.

Today kicks off a special series I’ve been quietly building behind the scenes for a while now.

It’s called the CREATE Spiral, and it’s a new framework I’ve developed to help artists understand why we get stuck and how to move forward—gently, without shame, and without needing to have it all figured out.

In this first episode, we’re talking about the very first phase of the spiral: Curiosity.

If you’ve been in a fog, wondering why nothing’s exciting you in the studio anymore…

If you’ve felt disconnected from your work, unsure what you want to paint next…

If you’ve caught yourself saying, “Is this all there is?”—this episode is for you.

You’ll learn why this phase is not a detour—it’s a necessary (and powerful) part of your creative growth. And I’ll show you how to move through it in a way that invites clarity, energy, and momentum back into your practice.

Your Episode Map

Major moments, minute by minute.

• [0:00–3:00] – Growth isn’t linear—meet the Create Spiral
• [4:00–6:00] – Fear and uncertainty aren’t problems—they’re part of the path
• [7:00–8:00] – Curiosity is your most underrated studio tool
• [9:20–12:00] – That “blah” feeling? It’s a clue, not a dead end
• [12:00–14:00] – You can’t rush clarity—give curiosity room to grow
• [15:00–16:30] – Follow the tiniest spark—even if it makes no sense (yet)

📌 For Your Studio Wall

The words worth pinning up next to your easel.

What to Bring Into the Studio With You

Because listening is just the beginning.

If you're in that murky place where everything feels kind of blah, you’re not broken. You’re just in the curiosity phase—and that’s a vital part of your growth as an artist.

Try this:
Open a journal or sketchbook and finish the sentence:
👉 “I'm really curious about…”

Let that be your starting point.
Not what will sell. Not what looks impressive. Just what feels quietly alive for you right now.

Let it be messy. Let it be uncertain.
Let it be enough.

And if this episode hit home, come say hi on Instagram:
@savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear what your curiosity is whispering to you.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️