Why does your art matter when the world feels heavy, uncertain, or even chaotic? If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Who am I to create right now?”—you’re not alone. But that might be the wrong question.

In this episode of the Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re talking about what it means to make art during difficult times. If you’re an artist feeling disconnected, stuck, or unsure whether your work even matters right now, this conversation is for you.

We’ll look at why creative burnout is so common in overwhelming seasons, how to reconnect with your practice when it feels impossible to show up, and why your art is not just valid but vital. You’ll learn how to calm your nervous system, process tough emotions without pushing them down, and use your studio as a place of resistance, healing, and humanity.

Because making art isn’t frivolous, it’s how we stay connected. It’s how we resist isolation. And it’s precisely what the world needs more of.

3:31 – The importance of acknowledging your emotions without letting them take over
7:14 – The better question to ask, and why now is exactly the right time to make your art
15:16 – How to work with your emotions instead of pushing them down
19:34 – Why it feels like your art doesn’t matter (and the most powerful way to push back against that)

Mentioned in Why Your Art Is Exactly What We Need Right Now

The Marginalian

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How often have you heard phrases like, “Go big or go home,” or “Just put yourself out there”? Society loves to advocate for taking big risks. Yet too many end up freezing or avoiding risk-taking entirely when the leap they’re being asked to make feels too big for them. Thankfully, there’s a middle ground between taking a big risk and taking no risks at all.

In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, I’ll show you the power of taking small, controlled risks to build your confidence and gradually increase your risk tolerance. You’ll see why big leaps often backfire and halt your progress, and discover how to expand your risk-taking comfort zone without overwhelming yourself.

2:59 – The nervous system’s role in your risk-taking confidence and the advantage in taking small risks 

8:41 – How approaching risk-taking like a ladder or video game expands your confidence

15:23 – Signs that you’re taking too big a risk and techniques to regulate your nervous system when things feel too scary

17:41 – How to know when it’s time to level up your risk-taking and expand your tolerance

22:23 – Biggest takeaways, your challenge for the week, and a final message

Mentioned in Why Taking Big Risks Can Backfire (and What to Do Instead)

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When things don’t go your way in your art practice, what do you do? Like many artists, you might beat yourself up with lots of self-criticism and judgment. You’d be better off creating the habit of having your own back instead. That way, you’ll actually speed up your progress and not look back a year from now with regret that you’re still stuck in the same place.

In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, I’ll reveal exactly what having your own back looks like, why it’s a crucial skill you must learn, and how not doing so can hold you back for years. I’ll also discuss the impact of creating this habit on you as an artist and how compassionate support (from yourself and/or others) helps evolve your art practice.

2:53 – Why self-criticism doesn’t make you a better artist

8:04 - How getting rejected isn’t really about your work

10:29 – What having your own back means and why it’s a crucial skill to develop

14:52 – How creating the habit of having your own back impacts your art practice

17:02 – Explicit and implicit messages you’ve received that encourage self-criticism

20:16 – Why compassion and empathy in the face of rejection help you evolve

24:46 – Why feeling ready to show your work isn’t likely or necessary

Mentioned in Not Having Your Own Back Has Cost You Years of Progress

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Your brain automatically runs scripts on repeat. But are those scripts helping you or playing like mini horror movies in your head? With the right mental rehearsal approach, you can create scenarios that help turn around any unsatisfactory results of your art practice. 

In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re going to get into what mental rehearsal is and why it’s one of the most powerful, yet underutilized tools for artists. You’ll discover how you’re always mentally practicing something repeatedly, how your current results are proof, and what happens when you change what you’re rehearsing in your brain.

2:24 – What mental rehearsal is and some ways you’re probably using it wrong

7:05 - Why the brain makes mental rehearsal so effectively powerful (with a client example)

12:42 – The effect mental rehearsing might be having on your art practice right now 

14:33 – Another example of what can happen when you switch your mental rehearsal 

17:19 – The difference between artists who succeed and those who stay stuck

Mentioned in Why Mental Rehearsal Is a Powerful Tool for Artists

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Is the problem really your art—or just how you’re looking at it?

We’ve all been there. You step back from something you’ve just created, and your brain instantly goes, “Ugh, this is awful.” Maybe even, “What if people see this and think I have no idea what I’m doing?” That little voice in your head? It’s not just being dramatic, it’s actively sabotaging you.

In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re digging into how your brain warps your perception of your own work, why that inner critic is so convincing, and, most importantly, how to quiet it so you can share your art with confidence. Because if you don’t believe in your work, how can you expect anyone else to?

1:58 – Negativity bias of the brain and how it affects your perspective

4:07 - One Growth Studio member’s journey from self-doubt to public recognition

6:52 – The cycle of doubt you experience with your work

10:46 – Three steps to override your brain and overcome self-doubt

16:48 – How to practice talking about your art to build confidence 

Mentioned in Your Brain Is the Worst Art Critic (And What to Do About It)

Why Get Your Work Critiqued?

Exploring Your Art Without Overthinking or Overwhelm

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Do you ever feel anxious or freeze up when someone asks about your work? You want people to see and love your art, but talking about it can feel overwhelming. And if you struggle to talk about your art, you might miss opportunities to connect with potential buyers.

In this episode of The Savvy Painter Podcast, we’re diving into why learning to talk about your art is so important. I’ll share how your words can shape the way collectors experience your work, what it really costs to stay silent, and why there’s no “wrong” way to talk about your art—even if it feels intimidating.

4:24 – Why your art won’t speak for itself and why you need to help it

10:26 – What happens when you stay silent instead of engaging with potential buyers

13:36 – How connection shapes a collector’s experience and influences their decision to buy

17:40 – How talking about your art builds confidence and conviction in your work

20:37 – The impact of clear communication when applying for shows, grants, and residencies

22:07 – The biggest fears artists have when discussing their work and why they don’t need to worry

27:06 – The key to feeling comfortable talking about your art and a quick challenge to help you practice

Mentioned in How to Talk About Your Art Without Feeling Awkward

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As a kid, did you wish you were like Cinderella and had a fairy godmother who could just wave her magic wand and president you with whatever you wished? Unfortunately, this idea of a fairy tale character coming to save the day is every bit as fantastical as the art police scenario talked about last week. Just as no one is coming to arrest you, no one is coming to save you, either.

In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, you’ll learn how to be the hero of your own story instead and give yourself the best odds to succeed as an artist. I’ll share the scope of the responsibility you need to take on, provide insights and suggestions to help you get clear on and envision what you want inside and outside the studio, discuss the importance of focusing on what you can control instead of what you can’t (like social media algorithms), and more.

3:55 - How to stack the odds in your favor and give yourself the chance to create the practice you want

6:39 - How to envision your perfect day and the results you want to get in your art practice

11:28 - Better questions to ask yourself about what you want so you can create a fulfilling practice

13:50 - Why you often feel helpless as an artist and what happens when you don’t know what you want

16:06 - What you need to know about social media and the importance of focusing on what you can control

21:37 - Why you don’t need to know all the answers to start (but what is required of you right now)

26:21 - One final suggestion that can keep you moving forward 

Mentioned in You’re the Hero of Your Own Art Story

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Do you believe that if you think outside of the box and actually apply that thinking to your work that the art police will come to arrest you or take away your brushes? As absurd as that seems, refusing to follow your instincts as an artist because of your fear of negative nancy voices still has the same effect on you. You’re so worried about doing everything “by the book” that it causes you to question your decisions and your work, to the point where you stop yourself from doing it.

So in this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, we’ll dismantle the myth that there’s a correct way to create, show, or sell your art and that some invisible authority is waiting to catch you in the act if you stray away from doing it “right.” I’ll also give you some truths, strategies, and tools to help you more easily embrace your creative inner voice and artistic instincts without fearing others’ negative beliefs or thoughts.

1:24 - The irony of being an artist living in a world with other human beings

4:06 - How fear of the art police can manifest, regardless of your education level

8:23 - Extremes that artists go back and forth between and its impact on them and their art

12:27 - The long history of creativity and the cognitive dissonance artists have about mistakes

16:33 - How to check in with your own voice when you hesitate to do artwork you feel called to do

18:42 - Ways to introduce playfulness and experimentation into your art and how your subconscious mind helps

21:14 - How tapping into your own creative voice protects and empowers you

23:04 - Tools to help you clear the mental chatter and reconnect you to your instincts

Mentioned in There Are No Art Police—So Why Are You Following Their Rules?

The Far Side Comic Strip by Gary Larson

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Noticing the small wins you’ve gained can have a big impact on your practice as an artist. That insight was what I loved hearing about most in my conversation with Leslie Rae Cannon, an artist from Atlanta, Georgia and a member of Growth Studio. She graduated with an art degree from Presbyterian College, and now as an empty-nester has traded in carpools and play-dates for canvases and paint brushes.

In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, you’ll learn how small wins have helped Leslie grow as an artist, from overcoming her fear of putting her work out there to becoming really selective about which gallery she allows to show her art. You’ll also hear about the importance of developing a supportive community and how that’s helped Leslie recognize her own progress.

1:34 - A sense of who Leslie is and what she’s discovered about herself as an artist

5:56 - The process Leslie goes through when working on or in between projects

8:56 - How Leslie felt inspired to create her hydrangea collection and allowed herself more freedom in painting them

15:25 - Leslie’s transition from being really excited about her work to wanting to show her work

19:37 - One way that people have been drawn to some of Leslie’s paintings and a recent decision that saved her from sitting in frustration

26:10 - How Leslie has evolved into the habit of consistently putting her toe in the water to get her work into a gallery

33:50 - The impact of Leslie’s belief in the law of attraction and manifestation on her success

39:17 - How Leslie has gotten into the practice of noticing her small wins

41:26 - How Leslie shifted from trying to get in front of as many people as possible to being able to pick and choose her shows

47:37 - What today’s Leslie would tell herself (or other artists) if this were three or four years ago

Mentioned in How Small Wins Impact Your Art Practice with Leslie Rae Cannon

Leslie Rae Cannon Art | Instagram

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

How to Confidently Price Your Artwork Without Overwhelm

How to Stop Procrastinating and Finally Price Your Artwork

Julep Gallery | Dunwoody Gallery

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Do you feel a twinge of anxiety or regret settle in after you’ve set a goal? It’s similar to how people often feel after making a big purchase. You get really excited about your goal, only to feel this wave of doubt sink in. I call this goal phenomenon “goal remorse.”

In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, we’ll dive deeper into what goal remorse is and why it pops up. I’ll also give you some tips to calm the overthinking of your goal, help you feel good about your decision, and stay on track with your vision.

1:36 - What goal remorse is, why you feel it, and questions to ask yourself when the goal you’ve set is too vague

7:57 - A close cousin of “shiny-object syndrome” that leads to goal remorse and the bigger win you gain by committing to your goals

14:20 - How recognizing that you’re in a negative thought pattern, challenging it, and reframing it will help defuse it

17:00 - One of my favorite and constantly used tools for calming down the nervous system

19:19 - The power of self-hypnosis or mental rehearsal to train your brain to trust yourself and your instincts when it comes to your goal

21:44 - An important thing to remember after you’ve committed to a goal and the importance of scheduling time for reassessing

24:25 - How to give yourself accountability to help eliminate any sort of goal remorse or doubts around your goal

Mentioned in Doubts Don’t Mean You Chose the Wrong Goal

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Setting goals isn’t just about the end result; it’s also about personal growth and transformation. You feel disappointed and perhaps like you’re spinning your wheels a bit when you don’t achieve what you’ve set out to do. And a struggle to decide the ‘right' goal for you might be getting in the way of that feeling of satisfaction, happiness, and pride in your art practice.

So how do you choose if you have a million ideas and feel like you can’t pick just one to go with? In this episode of The Savvy Painter podcast, you’ll learn about the common fears associated with goal-setting and the part your brain plays in the process. I’ll also give you some practical tips to help you decide which goals to pursue.

1:58 - What setting goals helps you avoid and common struggles of artists who don’t have clear goals

8:32 - Why artists struggle with choosing the “right” goal and trusting their decision

16:34 - Why your brain creates obstacles to achieving your goals and how to deal with it

21:09 - How to decide if you feel like you have too many ideas

25:52 - The importance of trusting your decision once you’ve made it

Mentioned in How to Decide on the “Right” Goal

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