What to do when decades of work are stacked against your walls and you can't remember the last time you made a decision about any of it. You know that feeling when you walk into your studio and see paintings leaning against every wall, flat files overflowing, canvases stacked so deep you've forgotten what's in the back? And underneath it all, that low hum of dread: What's going to happen to all of this? Maybe you've been making work for decades. Grad school pieces, late-night sessions after t...
What to do when you catch yourself in “courtroom mode” You named it. You know you're doing it. You can hear yourself cross-examining every brushstroke, cataloging evidence that you're not good enough, delivering a guilty verdict before the paint dries. But what do you do when you catch yourself mid-spiral? This one's the follow-up to Your Studio Isn't a Courtroom — the practical side. Because recognition without tools leaves you stuck watching yourself repeat the same pattern. And if y...
You look around your studio and see them everywhere — canvases turned to the wall, paintings shoved under the bed, works-in-progress stacked in corners. Each one started with complete conviction that this time would be different. But somewhere around the messy middle, you bailed. Again. And now you're wondering: What's wrong with me? Nothing. You're not lazy, you're not lacking discipline, and you're not broken. You're doing something that makes complete sense when you understand what's actua...
What really happens when you return to your art — and how to make work again without getting stuck in what could have been. You took time off from your art. Maybe it was a few months. Maybe it was twenty years. You built a life, raised kids, held it together, paid the bills — and now you’re trying to come back. But instead of feeling proud of everything you carried, you feel... behind. Disconnected. Like you lost something. Like you’re supposed to apologize for the years you weren’t paintin...
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 recogniz...
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 bli...
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 professi...
Welcome to the finale of our CREATE spiral series! Today we're diving into expansion - when you're ready to be seen in a bigger way but the thought of taking risks makes your heart race. I share my three circles framework for understanding your capacity for risk: comfort zone, stretch zone, and terror zone. Plus the crucial piece most artists miss - how to recharge after expanding so you can take progressively bigger steps without burning out. What You'll Learn: How to read your nervous syste...
If you’ve ever felt like you want someone else to approve every brushstroke before you can call a painting “done”… this episode is for you. We’re at the T in the C.R.E.A.T.E. Spiral, and it’s a big one: TRUST. Not blind trust. Not perfectionist trust that only kicks in after everything looks flawless. We’re talking about real, moment-to-moment self-trust—the kind that guides your decisions while you’re still unsure. This episode breaks down: Why we’re wired to outsource approvalHow to build t...
Ever wonder why your studio feels… suspiciously quiet? Like things are finally working—but instead of celebrating, you start spiraling? Welcome to the Alignment phase of the CREATE Spiral. In this episode, I break down the strange emotional landscape of finally clicking with your voice—and why that ease can actually feel more unsettling than resistance. You’ll hear why this moment of calm might be the biggest sign that you’re doing it right. We’ll talk about: The inner voice that whispers “Th...
Ever get to that point in a painting where nothing’s working the way you thought it would? Where the idea is still in there somewhere, but the canvas isn’t cooperating? That’s not a mistake. That’s the part where things get real. In this episode of the Savvy Painter podcast, we’re talking about the Exploration phase of the Creative Spiral. The phase most artists dread, not because they’re doing it wrong, but because it asks them to stay with what’s actually happening in the painting. Not the ...
Resistance isn’t laziness—it’s fear wearing a disguise. Let's break down the REAL reason resistance shows up right after creative excitement kicks in—and how to move forward without force. If you’ve ever found yourself avoiding the studio for no “good” reason, this one’s for you. We're going to talk about why resistance is actually a turning point in your creative spiral, not a sign to stop. Plus, hear how one artist in Growth Studio used this awareness to navigate a wave of unexp...
That “lost” feeling? It’s not a problem. It’s the process. Today kicks off a special series I’ve been quietly building behind the scenes for a while now. It’s called the CREATE Spiral, and it’s a new framework I’ve developed to help artists understand why we get stuck and how to move forward—gently, without shame, and without needing to have it all figured out. In this first episode, we’re talking about the very first phase of the spiral: Curiosity. If you’ve been in a fog, wondering why noth...
JD Wissler 1963-2025 This is a re-broadcast of an episode from August 2015. JD was an incredible painter and a beautiful soul. Go outside. Look up. Be in awe of what you see. ❤️ Do you spend more time thinking about making art than actually making it? Start things you never finish? Make work and then stack it against the wall, facing inward, so you don't have to look at it? If any of that sounds familiar, I'd love to chat. Click here: savvypainter.com/survey to tell me what's going ...
You ever look at another artist and think, “Ugh—I wish I had their confidence”? That thing they just seem to have—like it came standard and yours got left out? Yeah. Let’s talk about that. This week’s episode breaks down the myth that confidence is something you’re either born with or not. I’ll show you how confidence works more like painting—something you build, refine, and grow with each stroke (even the messy ones). Whether you’re struggling to price your work, share it online, or ju...
Today, we’re talking about something that every artist encounters—but few talk about openly: rejection. Whether it’s a juried show, a gallery application, or simply putting your work on social media, the fear of hearing “no” often holds artists back in big ways. But here’s the truth: rejection isn’t the problem. It’s the meaning we attach to it that creates so much pain and paralysis. Antrese breaks down: Why rejection feels so intense—and why that’s totally normalThe science behind the physi...
Have you ever been so immersed in your painting that you completely lost track of time? That magical moment where everything clicks, the inner critic goes quiet, and it feels like the brush is moving on its own? That’s what we’re diving into today—flow state. But here’s the twist: is flow always a good thing? Or can it actually hold you back from experimenting and growing as an artist? In this episode, I’m bringing you inside Growth Studio for a real, unfiltered conversation with artists who ...
Do you often feel guilty or frustrated when you see a piece of unfinished art in your studio? Instead of seeing that as proof of something wrong with you or your art practice, let’s transform your relationship with your works-in-progress and unlock new (and often overlooked) possibilities! In this episode of the Savvy Painter Podcast, learn how unfinished work holds the key to your next creative breakthrough. I explore the various types of incomplete pieces and the emotional baggage attached ...
Art is inherently slow. It demands time, thought, and presence, so embracing that slowness is essential for creating meaningful work and maintaining your artistic well-being. Yet, many artists feel behind in their art journey because they’re not producing fast enough. In this episode of the Savvy Painter Podcast, I’ll challenge the idea that faster is better in the art world. You’ll discover how hustle culture distorts our perception of the artistic process and get a refreshing perspective th...
Does staring at a blank canvas sometimes cause you to question your abilities? Many artists (even those you admire) struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, and the current chaotic world only amplifies those feelings. But what if the only thing holding you back is the mere thought that you aren’t an artist? In this episode of the Savvy Painter Podcast, we’ll dismantle the myth of the "real" artist and explore why waiting to embody this ideal is a waste of time. You’ll discover how impo...
soraya shakib
I really needed to hear it thank you👏👌
Caroooole
As usual, great episode! A show of beautiful sisterhood, empathy and solid advice
Caroooole
"I thought a 'real' artist farts out masterpiece after masterpiece." Thanks you Antrese for this! I loled hard but it will stay with me :)
Caroooole
I'm in this podcast and I don't like it (but thank you!)
Jake Villarreal
This was a nice relaxing cast to listen to, even if there wasn't a ton of info about large scale painting. I liked looking up the artist references at the end