Margo is joined by Aussie Surface Pattern Designer Rachael King. Obsessed with pattern from an early age, Rachael King grew up watching her talented mother making clothes not only for her and her siblings but for bridal and formal events too. While working in her mom's fabric shop, she mused over how the pattern repeated over the fabric and wondered how fabric was printed and wouldn't it be wonderful to design fabric too? It took another 23 years before Rachael was able to start a diploma in graphic design that would then lead into her dream of becoming a surface pattern designer. Represented by Nerida Hansen at Surtex in 2017 led to her first licensed collection with Spotlight stores and since then she has worked with fashion, homewares and greeting card companies, been a part owner in a print-on-demand fabric business, self-published two books, and is now teaching and mentoring in her much-loved industry. Rachael adores the connection she makes with fellow designers through her various touchpoints and feels very privileged to be able to inspire and nurture emerging surface designers.

Margo and Rachael discuss:

• Rachael’s creative path and how her mom instilled a love for creativity in her

• Self-publishing her book, Pattern Pulse, after initial rejection

• Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Big Magic, and how it catalyzed her creative endeavors

• Tribulations and triumphs of women in the creative business landscape: asserting value, advocating for fair compensation, and having a network of peers and mentors

• The importance of physical art in a digital age

• Why individuality and authenticity are crucial to the art industry

• How artists can stay true to their unique style while also being commercially viable

• Challenges of building a creative community in Australia

• The influence and support that often comes from maternal figures in fostering creativity

• Thoughts and tips for artists facing low payment offers

Connect with Rachael:

www.rachaelking.com.au

www.patternpulse.com.au

www.instagram.com/rachaeldoesdesign

www.instagram.com/australiansurfacedesigners

www.facebook.com/rachaelkingdesignsbrisbane

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

In this part 2 of 2 episode, Margo is joined by founder of Lonesome Pictopia, Melanie Nead. Rooted in American tattooing, the wild spaces of the Pacific Northwest, and the belief that all work should be a force for good, Lonesome Pictopia is a woman-owned design collective creating magical worlds with original wallpapers, textiles, and murals. After fifteen years as a custom tattoo artist, Melanie turned her love of plants and pattern to creating one-of-a-kind, hand-painted murals, with an eye on releasing a house line in the spirit of historic wallcoverings. Their deeply designed wallpapers are traditionally printed in the UK by a sustainable manufacturer of some of the finest wallpapers in the world. Her work has appeared in Architectural Digest, Luxe Magazine, Casa Vogue Brazil, and the Business of Home podcast, among many others.

Margo and Melanie discuss:

• How to manage project expectations, setting clear boundaries and communication with clients

• The power in systems in order to save time and costs

• How building in a margin of error to the cost of projects has helped her team

• Infusing personal values and making a social impact into her work

• Math and knowing your numbers as a creative business owner

• Positioning yourself and how it can build confidence

• And more!

Connect with Melanie:

www.lonesomepictopia.com

www.instagram.com/lonesomepictopia

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by founder of Lonesome Pictopia, Melanie Nead. Rooted in American tattooing, the wild spaces of the Pacific Northwest, and the belief that all work should be a force for good, Lonesome Pictopia is a woman-owned design collective creating magical worlds with original wallpapers, textiles, and murals. After fifteen years as a custom tattoo artist, Melanie turned her love of plants and pattern to creating one-of-a-kind, hand-painted murals, with an eye on releasing a house line in the spirit of historic wallcoverings. Their deeply designed wallpapers are traditionally printed in the UK by a sustainable manufacturer of some of the finest wallpapers in the world. Her work has appeared in Architectural Digest, Luxe Magazine, Casa Vogue Brazil, and the Business of Home podcast, among many others.

Margo and Melanie discuss:

• Her creative path and the transition from tattoo artist to surface pattern designer

• navigating the balance between tradition and innovation within her art

• How to manage project expectations, setting clear boundaries and communication with clients

• Infusing personal values and making a social impact into her work

• The difficulty that comes with shifting career paths

• Discovering a passion for design after tattooing

• The impact of design and creativity on mental health

• The magic that comes from authenticity and experimental drive

• Business systems for creative entrepreneurship and how platforms like Instagram can still be a powerhouse for business growth

• Balancing the need for creative mental space with the business demands of schedules and deadlines

• Maintaining and revitalizing historic crafts and artistic expressions

• Cinema as a design inspiration

Connect with Melanie:

www.lonesomepictopia.com

www.instagram.com/lonesomepictopia

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined once again by surface pattern designer, intuitive art maker, and course creator Jessica Swift. As a child, Jessica sported a nearly-permanent Crayola marker stain on her left arm, from pinky to elbows so, naturally, she became an artist. She creates colorful, uplifting artwork and manufactures her own products in her studio in Portland, Oregon. She also collaborates with inspiring companies and publishers to create branded products such as fabric, stationery, puzzles, books, and more. She's the author of 3 books and teaches online classes on topics including pattern design, color, and intuitive art-making.

Margo and Jessica discuss:

• The pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of Jessica’s career as an artist

• How she combines outer art mediums with an inner focus for healing

• Using art making as a portal for personal discovery and self expression

• How to tune out external noise in order to trust your inner voice better

• How engaging with art can impact decision-making

• Jessica’s approach in how she uses art as a vehicle for personal growth and insight rather than just an aesthetic outcome

• Authentic expression online

• Her upcoming course, Unleashed: A Creative Journey to Inner Freedom

Connect with Jessica:

www.jessicaswift.com

www.instagram.com/jessicaswift

https://www.artforselfcare.com/unleashed

Windowsill Chats Episode 105

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined once again by artist, metalsmith, teacher, creative business coach, writer, and entrepreneur Megan Aumen. Megan has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for art, design, and creativity. In addition to her eponymous jewelry line and various other creative pursuits (including textile design, painting, and sculpture), she runs Designing an MBA, where she talks and teaches about the intersection of art and business, and Artists and Profit Makers, an online mentorship program for creative business owners. She is the author of four books, including Try It & See and Permission to Be an Artist.

Margo and Megan discuss:

• The importance of experiential art

• Understanding the seasonality of a business and why it’s important

• Her journey with both self-doubt and self-empowerment when it comes to valuing creative work

• Rest and relaxation for creatives and how she integrates principles into her own life to maintain a healthy creative process

• Traditional advice that’s often given to artists regarding problem-solving and how it can limit their creative expression and the impact of their work

• Generative AI: ethical considerations and its impact on creative workers

Connect with Megan:

shop.meganauman.com

instagram.com/meganauman

youtube.com/meganauman

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by book-loving, notebook-hoarding literacy teacher educator who is on a mission to change lives one book and one notebook at a time, Stephanie Affinito. Stephanie blogs about the power of leading literate lives and podcasts weekly on books and reading, writing and notebooks and everything in between. Stephanie shares about the transformative power of reading and writing and how her own personal journey of rediscovering creativity through self-expression and the joy of literature.

Margo and Stephanie discuss:

• Reading and writing as a form of therapy

• Understanding restorative reading practices

• The science behind reading for mental and physical health

• The connection between literacy and emotional well-being

• Encouraging joyful reading habits

• Building a book apothecary

• The importance of starting with achievable goals

• Establishing rituals around reading

• And so much more

Connect with Stephanie:

www.alitlife.com 

www.instagram.com/AffinitoLit 

www.facebook.com/AffinitoLit 

www.twitter.com/AffinitoLit 

www.threads.net/@affinitolit 

www.getliterate.co

stephanie-affinito-0cab.mykajabi.com/envelopesofliteratelove

stephanie-affinito-0cab.mykajabi.com/workwithstephanie

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

The one and only Lisa Congdon is back in the windowsill for an honest conversation on work life balance, creating harmony and ease in life, and what she’s given up in order to have more of what she wants. Illustrator and author Lisa Congdon is best known for her colorful, graphic drawings and hand lettering. She works for clients around the world including Comme des Garçons, Crate and Barrel, Facebook, MoMA, REI, and Harvard University among many others. She is the author of ten books, including the starving-artist-myth-smashing Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist and her latest book Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic.

Margo and Lisa discuss:

• The notion of work life balance and Lisa’s current take on it

• The process of engangling herself from being a workaholic

• Creating a self care and wellness practice

• The importance of non-monetized hobbies

• The learning lessons that come from decision making

• Why she always says “every mistake is progress”

• The 80/20 rule when it comes to business income

• Print on demand

• How being disciplined has allowed her more freedom in her life

Connect with Lisa:

https://lisacongdon.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lisacongdon/

Art Inc. by Lisa Congdon

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by California photographer and retreat creator and host, Sarah Leader. Sarah received her first camera at the age of 8 and hasn’t stopped photographing since but her why and who she photographs has evolved several times over while still saying true to her own style and uniqueness. She found a passion for empowering women through the art of photography in 2010, which evolved into a retreat offering called "Persephone Unleashed.” Persephone Unleashed was born from Sarah’s belief that women are magic, as well as her fiery passion to document beautiful creatures as they break free of their chrysalis. Her approach to photographing women is founded on authenticity & self-compassion, and she practices it by showing up to that space with you, unapologetically herself — awkward, messy bits and all.

Margo and Sarah discuss:

• Her personal journey with creativity and photography

• The inspiration and story behind Persephone Unleashed (stemming from her own Postpartum Depression) and how it’s evolved since its inception

• Using photography as a form of storytelling

• How she approaches photographing women with authenticity and self-compassion

• How she uses photography as a tool for empowering women and how self portraiture contributes to their sense of self and liberation

• Margo’s experience at Persephone Unleashed

• Creating an environment that encourages women to break free and embrace their authenticity

• Tips for how individuals can embrace their own unique beauty and tell their stories through photography (even if they're not professional photographers)

• The incredible team at Persephone Unleashed

• Upcoming events and more

Mentioned:

Exploring the Interwoven Journey of Spirituality and Creativity: Jade Chen on Shamanic Practices, the Potency of Nature, and Personal Evolution (Episode 174)

Connect with Sarah:

www.persphoneunleashed.com

www.instagram.com/persephoneunleashed

https://sarahkathleen.com/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by former Windowsill Chats guest, Lori Siebert. Lori, an accomplished artist with a rich background in graphic design and art licensing, shares the evolution of her creative journey, reflecting on the major shifts in her life post turning 60, from handling significant losses to prioritizing joy and self-care. Together, they share insights into recent personal health discoveries and why they’ve decided to prioritize their health now and how they hope to encourage you to do the same. Lori also shares on the shift in her career, choosing projects that resonate personally after selling her studio building and relieving financial pressures. She discusses how this pivotal decision, along with a newfound pursuit of happiness through self-care, led her to acknowledge her chameleon-like adaptability as a signature mark in her art.

Margo and Lori discuss: 

• The intersection of creativity and health and why you can’t have one without the other

• Discovering new creative passions that aid in wellness such as cooking

• Plank contests and pilates

• Unique art challenges and how they infuse their lives with inspiration

• How intergenerational relationships impact Lori’s creative process

• Prioritizing sleep

• Managing time and maintaining a healthy balance between work, self-care, and creativity

• Upcoming events and plans for Lori

• And more!

Connect with Lori:

http://www.instagram.com/lorisiebert.studio/

http://www.pinterest.com/lorisie

http://www.facebook.com/lorisiebertstudio

www.lorisiebert.com

Connect with Margo:

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.windowsillchats.com

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

Margo is joined by tax expert Hannah Cole who specializes in working with creative businesses and mission-driven solopreneurs. A long-time working artist herself, she’s helped tens of thousands of self-employed people skill up with accessible tax and money education, through her Money Bootcamp program, speaking engagements from Florida to Alaska, and on the Sunlight podcast. She is the founder of Sunlight Tax. As artists carve their paths through various industries, they encounter a myriad of challenges, yet financial literacy is rarely addressed, leading to feelings of failure and shame. Today's conversation with Hannah sheds light on this systemic failure and turns it into a journey of empowerment and self-compassion (something all creatives should have)!

Margo and Hannah discuss:

• The responsibilities that come with being a small business owner in the US

• Navigating self-employment taxes and optimizing deductions

• Personal struggles that Hannah faced within her own creative career and financial literacy

• What propelled her towards accounting education

• How she acts as a translator between the creative and tax worlds

• Simple advice artists can implement today when it comes to money management

• Her Money Bootcamp program and podcast

• How to save more money

• And more!

Connect with Hannah:

www.instagram.com/sunlighttax

www.sunlighttax.com

www.sunlighttax.com/podcast

Make Taxes Easier and Stash an Extra $130k in Your Savings https://go.sunlighttax.com/free

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

In part two of this two-part episode, Margo is joined by illustrator, product designer, toy creator, and bookmaker of sophisticated and simple objects that inspire and delight young and old alike, Suzy Ultman. from graphic design to creating educational content for children, Suzy emphasizes the importance of infusing personal beliefs into professional projects and how hardships in her life such as her divorce and the loss of her sister played a role in her own creativity and imparting it on children. Make Time for Play is the main philosophy behind everything that she does as an artist and her signature products celebrate play, creativity, connection, and community in the world around us. 

Margo and Suzy discuss:

• Her desire to create more Jewish products to represent her culture and heritage

• How personal struggles influenced her creative process and approach to life

• The self-growth and happiness that comes alive through creativity

• Using social media as a creative tool

• Rediscovering the joy of Shabbat and what it brought back in to her life

• The importance in finding time for creativity, self-reflection, and relationships

• Her new kids stationery collaboration

• And more

Connect with Suzy:

www.instagram.com/suzyultman

www.suzyultman.com

Connect with Margo: 

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.windowsillchats.com

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill