Ever spend half your studio time staring at a painting, mentally ripping it apart, but never actually picking up the brush? Or maybe you're scrolling Instagram right now instead of being in your studio. (I see you.) You're not broken. You're just stuck in a pattern. And once you can name it, it loses its power.

In this episode, I'm walking through nine specific, observable behaviors that show up when artists are working through self-doubt. Not vague struggles. Actual patterns you can recognize in yourself.

Because here's the thing: when you go from "What's wrong with me?" to "Oh, I'm doing that serial abandoner thing again," everything shifts. It's not a personality flaw. It's just a pattern. And patterns can change.

In This Episode:

[3:09] The Serial Abandoner — Starting painting after painting, always convinced the next one will be different

[5:00] The Mental Critic — Spending half your studio time cataloging what's wrong instead of actually painting

[7:53] The Comparison Scroller — More time on Instagram than at the easel, using other artists' work as proof you're not good enough

[10:00] The Permission Seeker — Asking everyone's opinion before trusting your own eye

[14:09] The Hiding Perfectionist — Making work, then stacking it facing the wall, waiting until it's "good enough"

[15:34] The Apologizer — Can't show work without immediately explaining everything that's wrong with it first

[17:03] The Workshop Collector — Taking class after class, convinced you need one more technique before you're ready

[23:54] The Overthinking Planner — Hours planning the perfect painting in your mind, but never committing to canvas

[25:34] The Corner Repainter — Repainting the same spot seventeen times while ignoring the rest of the painting

If you recognize yourself in one or more of these? You're in good company. This is what shows up for skilled artists working through doubt. The episode walks through what's actually happening underneath each pattern and what to practice instead.

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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. ❤️

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. ❤️