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Podcast – Adventures in Arting Podcast

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Hosted by Mother and Daughter Eileen Hsü-Balzer and Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, the Adventures in Arting podcast is a lively discussion of artful living. Topics range from creating art (painting, sewing, scrapbooking, lampworking, etc.) to viewing art (museums, galleries, the theatre, etc.) to the artful home (cooking, dressing, decorating etc.) to managing a career in the arts. All aspects of arting are discussed between the two hosts, as well as with a variety of guests.

  • 32 minutes 37 seconds
    153: Adventure to Hartford

    On today’s podcast, Mom and I are discussing self-care, the Worcester Art Museum, and a mixed media collage class I taught in Hartford.

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    17 May 2024, 1:04 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    152: The 7 Functions of Art

    This one is a doozy. Mom and I definitely do not see eye-to-eye at all on this topic and it makes for a very lively conversation!

    Maria Popova at The Marginalian wrote a 2013 blog post called “Art as Therapy: Alain de Botton on the 7 Psychological Functions of Art”  It’s an exploration of the book “Art as Therapy” by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong.  I read an interview with Alain de Botton and I loved everything he had to say about the function of art.

    “Art can help us with our most intimate and ordinary dilemmas, asking: What can I do about the difficulties in my relationships? Why is my work not more satisfying? Why do other people seem to have a more glamorous life? Why is politics so depressing? The purpose of this book is to introduce a new method of interpreting art: art as a form of therapy. It’s the authors’ contention that certain art works provide powerful solutions to our problems, but that in order for this potential to be released, the audience’s attention has to be directed towards it in a new way (which they demonstrate), rather than towards the more normal historical or stylistic concerns with which art books and museum captions are traditionally associated. The authors propose that the squeamish belief that art should be ‘for art’s sake’ has unnecessarily held back art from revealing its latent therapeutic potential. This book involves reframing and recontextualising a series of art works from across the ages and genres, so that they can be approached as tools for the resolution of difficult issues in individual life.”

    This is what he said about the 7 functions of art:

    “art works can help us to remember what matters; they also lend us hope; they dignify sorrow; they expand our horizons; they help us to understand ourselves; they rebalance us; and lastly they make us appreciate the familiar anew.”

    This is the Matisse painting I referenced during the podcast, “Woman on a High Stool”:

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    9 May 2024, 3:29 pm
  • 47 minutes 19 seconds
    151: 4 Categories of Art?!

    I stumbled across a post from Dr Louise R Mayhew on Instagram: @louisermayhew that blew my mind.

    She shared a post with a cover slide that says: “Did you know that there’s more than one art world?”  There are at least four she goes on to say:

    • Experimental
    • Traditional
    • Retail
    • Community

    On the podcast Mom and I discuss the details of the categories as Dr. Mayhew lays out and add our own thoughts to the mix. I find it to be a really useful rubric. What do you think?

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    2 May 2024, 3:18 pm
  • 1 hour 38 seconds
    150- Listener Mail

    You guys leave so many great and thoughtful comments. Mom and I wanted to discuss them and I hope to make this a regular feature of the podcast. Keep the great comments coming!

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    25 April 2024, 4:29 pm
  • 45 minutes 21 seconds
    149: How to Talk About Your Artwork

    Talking about your artwork effectively can enhance how it’s perceived and understood.  Talking about it ineffectively can make people less interested in your work. One of the big keys is to consider your audience. Generally speaking, you’re going to be speaking to: Fellow Artists, Art Folk (Curators, Gallerists, Collectors, Etc.), or the General Public. During the podcast, we go over how to handle each type of conversation so that you’re understood and of interest to your audience.

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    18 April 2024, 3:50 pm
  • 45 minutes 56 seconds
    148: Must the Artistic Life be Solitary?

    Mom came up with today’s topic. It’s a fair question. Do you think that the artistic life is solitary or based in community?

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    11 April 2024, 4:49 pm
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    147: Putting Yourself Out There

    “Putting yourself out there” refers to various strategies artists use to gain exposure, connect with audiences, and advance their careers. During this podcast we’ll talk about some ways to make the process of putting yourself out there easier – especially if you’re an introvert or insecure. Remember that putting yourself out there is a gradual process, and it’s okay to take it at your own pace. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small, and acknowledge the courage it takes to share your creativity with the world.

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    4 April 2024, 4:17 pm
  • 51 minutes 58 seconds
    146: Abstract Art Likes & Dislikes: Part 2

    This week we are continuing our discussion about our abstract art likes and dislikes. Here is some of the artwork we discuss on the podcast:

    Click on any image to view it larger.

    On the podcast I also share a list of 15 questions you can ask yourself when viewing abstract art in order to better understand and appreciate it.

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    28 March 2024, 3:51 pm
  • 48 minutes 23 seconds
    145: Abstract Art Likes & Dislikes: Part 1

    In this episode of The Adventures in Arting Podcast, Mom and I are discussing our likes and dislikes when it comes to abstract art. Here’s a peek at some of the art we are looking at in part one:

    Click on any of the images for a larger view.

    Tune in next week for part 2!

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    21 March 2024, 3:42 pm
  • 51 minutes 25 seconds
    144: Making Time for Art

    I recently asked my newsletter subscribers what was the biggest obstacle to their creativity and many people said: time.

    Nobody has “free time.”  But we all can make time for art.  Even though my job is art-related, it doesn’t mean that I get to make art all day.  I try to set aside at least 10 minutes a day to do some personal work just for me. 

    Let me help you figure out how to make time for art in your life. There are two stages of this process: identify the problems and make the art habit easier.

    IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS

    Identify your priorities.  

    This is where you have to have a real talk with yourself.  Would you rather scroll TikTok in bed or go make some art?  It’s fine to scroll TikTok, but then don’t beat yourself up about it.  Ask yourself what are your priorities?  What would you sacrifice for time to make art? Is making art a goal or an aspiration?

    Log your time to see what you really do in a day.

    Keep a detailed log of your activities throughout the day. This can be done manually with a pen and paper or by using time-tracking apps or tools. Be sure to record everything you do, even small tasks or breaks.

    Pay attention to what distracts you during the day. This could include notifications on your phone, social media, emails, or interruptions from colleagues or family members.

    Review your time log at the end of the day/week.

    Based on your analysis, pinpoint specific activities or behaviors that are wasting your time. This could be excessive time spent on social media, unnecessary meetings, procrastination, multitasking, or inefficient processes.

    Make a Plan.

    Once you’ve identified your time-wasters, take proactive steps to reclaim that time. Set boundaries around activities that consume too much time or are not essential to your goals. For example, limit your social media usage to specific times of the day or disable notifications.

    You can also experiment with different time management techniques to improve your productivity and minimize time-wasting habits. Techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique.

    1. Get a to-do list and a timer.
    2. Set your timer for 25 minutes, and focus on a single task until the timer rings.
    3. When your session ends, mark off one pomodoro and record what you completed.
    4. Then enjoy a five-minute break.
    5. After four pomodoros, take a longer, more restorative 15-30 minute break.

    The 25-minute work sprints are the core of the method, but a Pomodoro practice also includes three rules for getting the most out of each interval:

    1. Break down complex projects. If a task requires more than four pomodoros, it needs to be divided into smaller, actionable steps. Sticking to this rule will help ensure you make clear progress on your projects.
    2. Small tasks go together. Any tasks that will take less than one Pomodoro should be combined with other simple tasks. For example, “write rent check,” “set vet appointment,” and “read Pomodoro article” could go together in one session.
    3. Once a pomodoro is set, it must ring. The pomodoro is an indivisible unit of time and can not be broken, especially not to check incoming emails, team chats, or text messages. Any ideas, tasks, or requests that come up should be noted to return to later.

    I use a variation of this method with a timer and art time.  Just 10 minutes of truly focused time – usually in my art journal or sketchbook.  My class “Art Journaling: 10 Minutes a Day for 30 Days” is based on this idea.

    MAKE THE ART HABIT EASIER

    Do it early in the day.

    Every day starts with the best intentions, but it doesn’t always end the way I expect it to.  I’ve learned that it’s best if I start my day with whatever art project I want to get done in order to ensure that it happens.  The later in the day I wait for those ten minutes, the less likely they are to happen.

    Truth be told, I’m most creative at night.  But waiting until then has too many negative life consequences.  So I make an effort to make art in the morning before I can start to feel guilty about the dishes in the sink or the phone starts ringing or I get sucked into a vortex of e-mail.

    It’s not dissimilar from the theory of exercising in the morning.  You have to do it before you have time to make excuses for why you’re not doing it!

    Don’t try to create great art.

    Pressure can be good.  After all, they say that necessity is the mother of invention.  But pressure can also be paralyzing.  Don’t let yourself stare at that blank page, canvas, wall, whatever.  Just plunge in and try something.  If it doesn’t work, great!  That means that you’ve learned something.  This is where an art journal, a studio notebook, a sketchbook, or a bullet journal can be a great companion — a place for experimentation and risk taking, not a place to create beautiful finished art.  Keep the focus on play.

    Leave your art supplies out, if you can.

    I recently rented space in a print shop with a press and it took me thirty minutes to set up and almost 45 minutes to clean up.  Out of a four hour block of time, that’s significant.  Taking things out and putting them away is super time consuming.  If there’s any way you can find to leave a project out do it.  If you don’t have a dedicated space, these are some solutions:

    • Baking rack and baking sheets – or even a tray that can be placed on a shelf or under a couch/bed
    • A rolling cart or desk.
    • A closet that becomes a workspace.

    Do it in fits and starts.

    Remember, ten minutes of art doesn’t all have to be in one block — two minutes here, five minutes there, it all adds up!  And you don’t have to be in your art studio to make art.  Car rides, waiting in lines, at a meeting, etc.  The trick is to have projects ready for when you’re standing around:

    • What can you do on your phone or tablet?  Analyze art?
    • Carry a notebook. 
    • Have project bags packed and stashed.
    • Turn on artist mindset.
    • Take photos and use the notes app on your phone.

    Give yourself accountability.

    Join a challenge, grab an art buddy, come to Group Coaching with me.  Find a way to create a deadline for yourself.

    Links:

    Thanks for listening and subscribing!

    14 March 2024, 3:39 pm
  • 39 minutes 33 seconds
    143: Is it time to change your social media diet?

    You know how they say that you are what you eat?  Well, I think you are what you consume on social media.  Just like a diet you eat, what you visually and mentally consume can affect your mood, energy, and general health.  And just like a regular diet, it’s personal.

    On the podcast, Mom and I discuss WHY you might want to change your social media diet as well as HOW you can do it.

    7 March 2024, 4:52 pm
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