Claim OwnershipArt Life Plan Podcast
Subscribed: 4Played: 163
Subscribe
© Cookie Redding
Description
Art Life Plan is a podcast about building a creative life that feels real and sustainable. Hosted by artist and educator Cookie Redding, the show explores how art fits into everyday life, how to keep growing as a creator, and how to build an art career without burning out. Each episode offers practical ideas, honest conversations, and a look at what it really means to live a creative life today.
76 Episodes
Reverse
Pausing can feel risky when you’re a creative person. It can feel like losing momentum or falling behind. In this episode, I talk about why pauses aren’t a failure or a lack of motivation, but a necessary part of how creative work actually functions. We look at what a pause can really look like, why creativity doesn’t disappear when you slow down, and how stepping back can quietly change your relationship with your work. If you’ve been feeling tired, stuck, or pressured to keep producing, this one’s for you.
If you’ve ever felt behind as an artist or like your path doesn’t look the way it’s “supposed” to, this episode is for you. We talk about why most creative lives aren’t linear, how detours and pauses are part of the process, and why progress isn’t always visible from the outside.This is a grounding conversation about letting go of comparison, moving at a pace that fits your real life, and trusting that your timeline doesn’t have to match anyone else’s to be valid.
We made it to February! So, January was a bit of a slog (mostly thanks to snow, also thanks to some burnout) and now there's some action in the studio. In this episode, I chat about processes (and being ok with yours!) as well as .... what to do about selling our art? (or better...when should we sell our art?)Visit me on the website or on instagram.
It's still quiet in my art studio but....things are brewing. I sense a new series is coming and I've been having some fun with the "fig tree" challenge linked below. Ellbat: I have 365 Days to change my life (first video)and her video that follows the above on the system.
1It's a quick catch up episode on my week 1 on my self-imposed creative sabbatical. How has your first "official" post-holiday week been for your creative practice?
New year…new creative year. In this episode, I’m talking about where I’m actually at right now in my process, what’s feeling real, what’s feeling messy, and what I’m carrying into this next season. No resolutions. No pressure to reinvent myself. Just an honest check in on energy, time, capacity, and the kind of creative rhythm I want this year. Did you make a resolution? Do tell!The chat on Stefan Sagmeisters creative sabbaticals: https://timesensitive.fm/episode/graphic-designer-stefan-sagmeister-sabbatical/My article on substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-183245977
Not financial. Emotional. In this episode, we do an emotional budget review of the year. What drained you more than it was worth. What refilled you that you didn’t protect enough. Where your creative energy really went. A simple reflection that helps you reset without shame and choose one small change for the next season.
This episode sits right in that in-between space ...the moment where one creative year is closing and another hasn’t quite begun yet. We’re talking about thresholds… standing between two doors, one behind you and one ahead, and deciding what you want to leave behind and what you’re ready to carry forward.It’s not about setting resolutions or having everything figured out. It’s about pausing long enough to notice what no longer fits, what still feels alive, and how you want to step into what’s next. If you’re feeling reflective, a little uncertain, or quietly ready for a shift, this episode is for you.
In this episode we look back at your creative year by listening to what your work has been trying to tell you. I walk you through simple ways to review your art, notice patterns, pay attention to what kept showing up, and see where you felt most alive in your practice. If you are craving a gentler year in review for your creative life without pressure or perfection, this reflection is for you.
Today we’re talking about what it really means to close your creative year on purpose. In this episode I walk you through simple ways to mark the end of this season in your art life… tidying your studio, choosing a “year’s piece,” letting go of unfinished projects, and naming what this year felt like in your practice. If you’re craving a gentle end of year reset for your creativity without pressure or perfection, this one is for you.
This episode explores the value of unfinished art and why not every piece needs to be complete. We talk about how half-finished work can spark new ideas, support experimentation, and reveal deeper patterns in your creative process. If you struggle with unfinished projects or feel pressure to complete everything you start, this conversation will help you see your creative practice with more clarity and kindness.
Ever find yourself half-painting, half-emailing, half-scrolling, and wondering why your brain feels fried? Yeah… same. In this episode, we’re talking about single-tasking and giving one creative thing your full attention. It’s not about being perfect or disciplined; it’s about slowing down enough to actually enjoy what you’re making. We’ll dig into what happens when you stop trying to do it all at once and just make one thing, start to finish, without splitting your focus.
What happens when you let yourself sit in the blank space...before the idea, before the plan, before the work even begins? In this episode, we’re talking about the void: that quiet, sometimes uncomfortable space where creativity starts to take shape. It’s not about forcing inspiration but learning to listen to what shows up when everything else goes still.We’ll dig into why pauses matter, how to get comfortable with not knowing, and how that empty space can become the most honest part of your process.Visit: artlifeplan.com or follow on instagram @cookiereddingart
Welcome to NOvember. A month of choosing less so you can create more. In this episode, I talk about what happens when we stop saying yes to everything and start protecting our creative energy instead. It’s not about quitting or ghosting. It’s about clarity, boundaries, and making space for the work that matters. Let’s explore what shifts when you start saying no on purpose.
Life gets loud. Art can help you slow down. In this episode, we talk about using your creative time as a breathing space… a way to reset, refocus, and feel more like yourself again. You do not need hours or the perfect setup. Just a few minutes of making can bring a little calm back into your day.Sign up for the newsletter at: https://www.cookieredding.com/newsletterSay hi on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cookiereddingart/
In this episode, we talk about slowing down. Not because you have to, but because your work deserves the time to become what it’s meant to be. “Slow Creation” is about learning to enjoy the pace of your own process instead of rushing to keep up with the world. We’ll explore what it really means to give your art breathing room, how to sit with unfinished work, and why slower projects often become the ones that stay with you the longest.Whether you’re in the middle of a piece that’s taking its time or just need a reminder that art doesn’t have to be fast to be meaningful, this episode is here to help you reconnect with your process and trust your own timing.
In this episode of Art Life Plan, we’re talking about what happens when you try to plan your creativity a little too much. Every artist I know works differently. Some dive in with no plan at all and others can’t start until every detail is mapped out. Most of us live somewhere in between. I’ve been thinking a lot about how planning can help but also how it can get in the way. When does structure give you clarity and when does it start to drain the life out of your work? We’ll look at how to stay open to surprise, how to notice when your plan is holding you back, and what it feels like to let your process lead again.
What if you stopped worrying about how it all turns out? In this episode, we’re talking about what happens when you stop gripping your work so tightly and start trusting the process again. Letting go of outcomes doesn’t mean you don’t care...it means you make space for your art to surprise you. We’ll talk about the freedom that comes from releasing expectations, the calm that shows up when you stop chasing perfection, and how to create because it feels right, not because it has to prove anything.It’s about loosening your hold… and letting the work lead for a while.
We don’t always get long studio days, but creativity can still thrive in the small windows of time that life gives us. In this episode, I talk about how to keep your practice alive in the margins, why those short bursts matter, and how they help you stay connected to your art even in the busiest seasons.
As artists we live in the tension between solitude and community. We need time alone to focus and hear our own ideas, but we also need the support and connection of others who understand what it means to build a creative life. In this episode I talk about how those two sides can work together instead of pulling us apart.
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States