The Create! Podcast

In this episode of The Create! Podcast, host Kat (Ekaterina Popova) sits down with creative visionary Amy Griffith. Best known for founding the iconic pink Eaton House Studio in the UK, Amy shares the journey behind her latest, soul-stirring project: The Star Seed House in Marrakesh, Morocco. Amy opens up about the massive transition from creating a playful, celebrity-favorite party house in Essex to renovating an ancient, spiritual sanctuary in the heart of the Medina—a project requiring patience, donkeys for transport, and deep trust in the process. This conversation is a masterclass in letting faith be stronger than fear. Amy and Kat discuss the practicalities of funding long-term creative visions, the importance of diversifying income to protect your artistic joy, and how to design spaces that engage all the senses. Whether you are an artist planning a massive installation or an entrepreneur looking to pivot, Amy's intuitive approach to life and business will inspire you to take the leap. In this episode, we cover: From UK to Marrakesh: The serendipitous story of how Amy fell in love with Morocco and decided to build her second immersive art installation there. The Star Seed House: Renovating a centuries-old property without cars, learning local craftsmanship, and honoring the "soul" of a building. Faith vs. Fear: How to navigate the anxiety of big, expensive creative projects and why Amy painted "Let your faith be stronger than your fear" on her walls. Creative Process & Neuroscience: Amy discusses her photographic memory, sensory filing system, and how she visualizes spaces before they exist. Financial Sustainability for Artists: The importance of having non-creative income streams to relieve pressure on your art practice. Slowing Down: What living in the Medina has taught Amy about patience, devotion, and the spiritual side of creativity. Guest Bio: Amy Griffith is an artist, creative director, and the founder of Eaton House Studio, a world-renowned, pink-hued art installation and location hire in the UK. Most recently, she founded the Star Seed House in Marrakesh, Morocco, a spiritual sanctuary and immersive design project. Amy is known for her intuitive design process, creating spaces that are not just visually stunning but emotionally resonant. She is currently launching a curated shop in Marrakesh featuring vintage caftans and natural perfumes. Connect with Amy Griffith: Website: Eaton House Studio Instagram: @eatonhousestudio Resources & Links Mentioned: Create! Magazine on Substack: Subscribe for fresh articles, art tips, and insights at createmagazine.substack.com Call for Art: Apply to our latest open calls, exhibitions, and publishing opportunities at createmagazine.co/call-for-art Create! U: Explore our online learning platform for artists at createu.co Support the Podcast: If this episode lit you up, please share it with a friend! We would also be so grateful if you could leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help more artists find the show. Website: createmagazine.co Instagram: @createmagazine

In this episode of the Create Podcast, Ekaterina Popova speaks with artist and creator Tammy Dinh, known online as Uncomfy. Tammy is a sculptor, storyteller, and YouTuber whose gentle clay characters and narrative films have reached millions of viewers. She shares how returning to polymer clay during college helped her reconnect with creativity and build an online art practice that blends play, comfort, and storytelling. Tammy discusses growing up during the 2008 recession, navigating scarcity, and learning to trust that a creative life can also be a stable one. She and Kat explore the role of routine, rest, and community, as well as the challenges of burnout and how Tammy rebuilt her practice with new boundaries and a more sustainable mindset. This conversation offers honest insight into starting from scratch, finding your creative voice, and building a long-term career that supports both your art and your well-being. Topics Discussed • Rediscovering polymer clay and reconnecting with childhood creativity • Building an online art career through storytelling and character design • Growing up with financial uncertainty and navigating scarcity • Burnout, recovery, and creating a sustainable art practice • Using small, consistent habits to rebuild creative momentum • The value of community, friendship, and in-person creative connection • Writing, Substack, and expanding creative identity • Returning to handmade work with new boundaries and care About Our Guest Tammy Dinh is an artist, sculptor, and storyteller creating imaginative clay characters and narrative videos under the name Uncomfy. She shares her process and creative practice through YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and her online shop. Find Tammy Online Website: https://www.uncomfy.store YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tammydinh Instagram: @uncomfyco TikTok: @uncomfyco Follow Create Magazine and Ekaterina Create Magazine: https://www.createmagazine.com Kat Popova: https://www.katerinapopova.com Instagram: @katerinaspopova

Welcome back to the show! We are thrilled to host the incredible Hannah Cole of Sunlight Tax to talk about her new book, Taxes for Humans: A Simple Guide to the Taxes That Rule Your Life. This episode is must listen material for artists, curators, freelancers, and gallery professionals who want a kinder, clearer way to deal with money and taxes. Hannah is an exhibiting artist turned tax professional. She shares the personal story of being dismissed by an accountant and how that experience inspired her to build a more humane, accessible approach to taxes for creatives. If you have ever felt judged, confused, or "bad with money," this conversation will feel like a deep exhale. You will hear Hannah reframe money as a tool for good, with examples like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, and offer encouragement for anyone who has avoided looking at their numbers out of shame or fear. ✨ Current Open Call at Create! Magazine Share your work with us for upcoming issues and opportunities here: https://www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art In this episode, we talk about: ✍️ The inspiration behind Taxes for Humans and why Hannah put everything she teaches in her programs into one affordable, comprehensive book (just 27 dollars). 🚫 How being dismissed by an accountant pushed her to create Sunlight Tax and become an advocate for creative people who are tired of feeling talked down to. 🤯 Why the fear of "not having it together" is the number one thing creative entrepreneurs have in common and how it fuels imposter syndrome. 🎨 The artist and accountant divide, and how Hannah bridges two very different worlds so artists can step into their power as entrepreneurs. ✨ How to get good at taxes and money management while keeping your soul, your vision, and your unique creative spark. 💰 A simple mindset shift to see money as a powerful tool for impact instead of something scary or shameful. 📈 Hobby versus business, what the IRS actually looks for, and why the bar for being considered a business is much lower than most artists think. 🧾 The single most important first technical step you can take today to get organized and compliant, even if you feel behind. Hannah's approach is a beautiful balance of order and creative chaos. She shows you that you can be a serious artist and also be excellent at money and taxes. Do not let fear keep you out of the studio or away from the career you really want. Connect with Hannah Cole and Sunlight Tax 📚 Get the Book Taxes for Humans: A Simple Guide to the Taxes That Rule Your Life https://www.sunlighttax.com/book 🌈 Free Tax Deduction Guide Download Hannah's rainbow colored visual guide to tax deductions to print and pin above your desk: https://www.sunlighttax.com/deductionsguide 🌐 Website https://www.sunlighttax.com 📸 Instagram @sunlighttax

We're celebrating one million downloads! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for tuning in, sharing the show, and leaving us love on iTunes. I'm so grateful to be able to share this program with you and our creative community. In this episode of Create! Podcast, host Ekaterina Popova sits down with Colombian artist and designer Leslie Braginsky to talk about gratitude, harmony, and the beauty of bringing art into communities. Leslie shares her inspiring journey from Colombia to the U.S., how gratitude shaped her perspective as an artist and mother, and how she began creating inclusive, meditative coloring books that celebrate women of all backgrounds and body types. Together, Kat and Leslie discuss how to reconnect with creativity for joy—not just productivity—and how to create harmony between art, business, and life. Leslie also shares how she's using art to build connection in her local community through collaborative coloring gatherings. Before the interview, Kat reflects on balance and alignment and invites artists to submit their work to Create! Magazine's Winter Solstice 2026 Print Issue, curated by Sarah Potter, celebrating transformation, renewal, and light through the dark. In This Episode, You'll Learn: How gratitude can transform your creative practice Finding beauty and self-acceptance through art The importance of making art for joy, not just results How to bring art into your community and create meaningful connections Leslie's story of healing, motherhood, and creative flow Links Mentioned: ✨ Submit to the Winter Solstice 2026 Issue: https://www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art 🎨 Explore Create! Magazine: https://www.createmagazine.co 💖 Learn More About Leslie Braginsky: Website: https://www.the-pistils.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslie.braginsky/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lesliebraginsky 🖌️ Connect with Kat: Website: https://www.katerinapopova.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katerinaspopova

Inspiring episode of The Create Podcast, host Ekaterina (Kat) Popova sits down with artist, author, and creativity coach Carrie Schmitt to explore what it means to fall in love with your creativity again — to trust it, surrender to it, and let it lead you toward healing and joy. Carrie shares her powerful story of transformation, from facing a life-threatening illness to rediscovering painting as a divine and loving force that carried her through darkness and back into light. Together, Kat and Carrie discuss creativity as a sacred relationship — one rooted in devotion, acceptance, and self-compassion rather than perfection or control.   You'll hear insights on: Reconnecting with your creative spirit through trust and love Letting go of judgment, pressure, and self-criticism Finding inspiration and meaning in difficult seasons Healing creative wounds and learning to create for joy, not approval Viewing creativity as a living, supportive presence in your life   Carrie's book, Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist, is an invitation to remember the beauty and wisdom that flow through you every time you create. 🕊️ Mentioned in This Episode Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist by Carrie Schmitt Create Magazine's Winter Solstice 2026 Print Issue, curated by Sarah Potter → Submit your work: https://createmagazine.co/call-for-art Explore micro-courses and creative business resources at https://createu.co 🎧 Connect Follow Kat on Instagram: @katerinaspopova Follow Create! Magazine: @createmagazine Discover Carrie's art, retreats, and programs: https://www.carrieschmittdesign.com

Sometimes the most meaningful parts of our creative journey are the detours — the moments when we think we've failed or lost our way, only to realize we've discovered something new. Like a labyrinth, life guides us toward the next best thing, often better than we could have imagined. In this episode, host Ekaterina (Kat) Popova sits down with Nishant Jain, also known as The Sneaky Artist, to talk about curiosity, permission, and finding beauty in the everyday. Nishant shares how writer's block led him to a thriving art practice, how he built a loyal global community through Substack, and why keeping secrets and creating privately can reignite your passion. If you've ever questioned your creative direction or struggled to share your art meaningfully in the digital age, this conversation will remind you that detours are destiny — and that creativity doesn't have to be loud to be powerful. 🖋️ About the Guest Nishant Jain is an artist, writer, and podcaster known as The Sneaky Artist. He sketches people and places in public spaces, capturing the quiet poetry of daily life. A former engineer and scientist, Nishant left academia to pursue storytelling full-time. His new book, Make Sneaky Art, invites readers to build a joyful sketchbook habit rooted in curiosity and play. Book Tour → The (Sneaky) Book Tour Buy the Book → Make Sneaky Art Follow Nishant → SneakyArt Substack ✨ Episode Highlights How creative detours become the path to purpose Reframing failure through curiosity and exploration Balancing art-making with building a creative business Why keeping a "secret sketchbook" protects your voice Building authentic connection through storytelling Thank you to Our Sponsor Welcome to the Jungle — Josh Brown's immersive exhibition — opens in New York City this November. For two days only, canvases pulse with color, hidden gazes peek from the leaves, and the city transforms into something wild, alive, and untamed. 📍 147 Broome St, NYC 🗓️ November 14–16 Join Josh Brown's studio list at joshbrownart.com for RSVP access, collector previews, and behind-the-scenes as the jungle comes to life. Interested in sponsoring The Create! Podcast or advertising with Create! Magazine? Contact alicia@createmagazine.com for information and options. 💖 About the Host Ekaterina Popova is an artist, certified master coach, and founder of Create! Magazine and Create U. Through her podcast and platforms, she helps artists and visionaries build joyful, sustainable careers on their own terms. Explore: createmagazine.co Learn: www.createu.co Read: Create! Substack https://createmagazine.substack.com Follow: @katerinaspopova @createmagazine

Hello, beautiful souls. Welcome back to The Create! Podcast with me, your host, Kat. In today's episode, I'm diving into a topic that's been deeply present in my own creative journey — the sneaky ways our ego can sabotage our growth and how to shift it. Our ego often shows up in disguise: through comparison, fear, doubt, or even the desire to "grow too fast." It's that part of us that tells us we need a certain number to feel safe or successful, that we "should be further ahead," or that our current progress isn't enough. I'll share how these patterns have shown up in my own business and art career — and the lessons I learned while reclaiming gratitude, trust, and presence in the process. Then, I'll be answering your amazing questions from our Create! community over at @createmagazine broadcast channel, including: How to handle taxes or debt while starting your creative business What to do during slower art seasons and how to prepare for them How to navigate criticism from friends or other artists And how to start attracting more collectors and buyers on social media Before we dive in, a quick reminder that enrollment is now open for my live coaching program, The Art of Money — a six-week experience designed to help you release money blocks, rewrite your money story, and step into a new level of abundance and confidence as a creative entrepreneur. We begin November 4, and I would love to guide you through this next chapter. 👉 Join here: www.thecreatecollective.com/money You can also explore Create! Magazine, discover featured artists, and stay inspired at www.createmagazine.co If this episode resonates, share it with a creative friend, tag me on Instagram @katerinaspopova, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a new release. Thank you so much for tuning in — I'm so grateful for you. If this episode resonates, please leave us a review on iTunes, it means the world! 

In this episode, host Ekaterina Popova talks with coach and author Emily Williams, founder of I Heart My Life and creator of the I Heart Money Method. Emily shares how belief fuels action, how to move through comparison and setbacks, and how simple micro upgrades can shift your relationship with abundance. This is a grounded conversation for artists and creative entrepreneurs who want growth without burnout. 💡 What You'll Learn How to generate belief before results Practical ways to move through fear, doubt, and comparison Micro upgrades that shift money mindset without overspending Turning setbacks into leadership and service Blending simple strategy with mindset for sustainable growth 🔗 Links Join Art of Money Coaching with Kat → https://thecreatecollective.com/money Create! Magazine → https://www.createmagazine.com Ekaterina Popova on Instagram → @katerinaspopova Create! Magazine on Instagram → @createmagazine Emily Williams Website → https://www.iheartmylife.com Emily on Instagram → @emilywilliams The I Heart My Life Show Podcast → Listen on Apple Podcasts

Hello, beautiful friends. It's spooky season, with cold mornings, hot coffee, and time to face the real ghosts that haunt artists and creative entrepreneurs: scarcity, unworthiness, dabbling, and fear of expansion. In this episode, we walk room by room through the haunted house of money. Kat shares practical tools, mindset reframes, and nervous system rituals to help you release fear, build self-trust, and transform your financial story into fertile ground for growth. Nothing is wasted. Even past mistakes can become compost for future abundance. In This Episode The ghost of scarcity and how to feel safe in success The phantom of unworthiness that hides behind perfectionism The spirit of dabbling and how to replace distraction with devotion The fear of expansion and how to stay grounded while growing Practical rituals for safety, clarity, and abundance Listen If You Want To Stop letting money anxiety control your art practice Reconnect with your creativity as a source of abundance Learn how to regulate your nervous system when success feels scary Feel empowered to charge your worth and grow sustainably Join The Art of Money If you're ready to heal your relationship with money, worth, and abundance, join Kat's live group program: 👉 The Art of Money: A Six-Week Coaching Program for Artists and Creatives Inside this experience, you will: Identify and release money blocks and old stories Build financial safety and self-trust Create practical structure for your creative income Learn tools to manage and grow your money with ease Program runs November through December. Spaces are limited. Connect & Learn More 🌐 Create! Magazine — Read new artist features, open calls, and creative career articles. 📚 Create! U Courses — Explore micro-courses for artists and creative entrepreneurs. 💌 Subscribe to Create! Dispatch on Substack — Weekly essays, artist spotlights, and creative business advice. 🎨 Follow Kat on Instagram — Daily art, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes updates. Disclaimer This episode is for educational and coaching purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Always consult a licensed professional for personalized guidance.

In this week's episode, Kat is joined by Chelsey Pippin Mizzi, author of The Shadow Path, to explore how shadow work can deepen your creative process and bring more honesty and depth into your art. Together, they discuss how the parts of ourselves we often avoid might hold the key to the work we're truly meant to make. Discover gentle, practical ways to meet your shadow through tarot, dream journaling, and ritual—and learn how to see this work as a safe retreat rather than a confrontation. 🌒 Highlights What shadow work is and what it isn't How to meet and name your shadow with curiosity and compassion The creative power of what's hidden: why your "shadow" often holds your best ideas A gentle 10-week structure for working through The Shadow Path How shadow work can help you reconnect with authenticity, depth, and creative flow One simple daily practice to begin integrating your shadow today 🔮 Resources Mentioned The Shadow Path by Chelsey Pippin Mizzi Tarot for Creativity and The Tarot Spreads Yearbook by Chelsey Pippin Mizzi Tarot for Change by Jessica Dore The Artist's Way and The Listening Path by Julia Cameron The Artemisian — an educator and writer guiding inner work through archetypal studies and Jungian psychology, offering structured yet intuitive frameworks and tools for personal growth Jungian Online courses on self-portraiture and shadow work Upcoming Dark Shadow, Golden Shadow by Shannon of The Tarot Diagnosis Chelsey's website: tarotforcreativity.com Substack: The Shuffle Instagram: @pipcardstarot Sponsored by Create! Magazine This episode is brought to you by Create! Magazine, your destination for contemporary art, inspiration, and opportunity. ✨ Open Call: The Spirit World is now live! Submit your work to be part of our upcoming curated virtual exhibition and printed catalog exploring the mystical, spiritual, and uncanny. Deadline: October 31, 2025 👉 Submit your art at createmagazine.co/call-for-art 🖤 Connect Explore Create! Magazine: createmagazine.co Read our Substack: createmagazine.substack.com Join our learning platform: createu.co Follow Kat on Instagram: @katerinaspopova Follow Create! Magazine: @createmagazine

Welcome back to the Create Podcast. Just in time for the fall season, I am joined by Pam Grossman, a writer, curator, teacher, and practicing witch whose work beautifully bridges creativity, culture, and magic. Pam is the host of The Witch Wave podcast (called "the Terry Gross of witches" by Vulture), the author of Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power, and co-editor of Taschen's Witchcraft volume in the Library of Esoterica series. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME, and more. She has also organized exhibitions such as Language of the Birds: Occult and Art at NYU and spoken at institutions including MoMA and Columbia University. Her brand-new book, Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path to Creativity (Penguin Life & Hay House UK, October 14, 2025), is a guide to connecting with the creative force through ritual, history, and practice. It explores how artists and visionaries such as Hilma af Klint, David Bowie, Octavia E. Butler, and Leonora Carrington have used magic as part of their creative process, and how you can do the same in your own life. In This Episode, We Discuss Pam's creative roots and how she began merging her artistic and magical practices Misconceptions about witchcraft and how the archetype of the witch has evolved How Magic Maker links art and magic, showing that creativity itself can be a spiritual practice Practical rituals to protect your studio time and invite inspiration, from lighting candles to leaving offerings or simply asking for guidance The idea of "low frequency" and "high frequency" desires in art and business, and how to balance material needs with higher intentions Pam's experiences speaking at institutions like MoMA and casting a love spell on stage at Carnegie Hall with Jinkx Monsoon The role of research, fascination, and intuition when writing a book Artists who inspire her including Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Hilma af Klint, Max Ernst, and Kurt Seligmann Resources and Mentions Books by Pam Grossman Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path to Creativity (Penguin Life & Hay House UK, 2025) → Pre-order here Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power (Simon & Schuster, 2019) What Is a Witch (Tin Can Forest Press, 2016) Witchcraft (Taschen's Library of Esoterica series, co-edited with Jessica Hundley, 2020) Podcast The Witch Wave – Pam's long-running podcast on art, culture, and magic Exhibitions and Projects Language of the Birds: Occult and Art (NYU, 2016) → languageofthebirds.org Art of the Occult by S. Elizabeth (recommended resource) The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting 1890–1985 (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1986) Artists Mentioned Hilma af Klint David Bowie Octavia E. Butler Leonora Carrington Remedios Varo Max Ernst Kurt Seligmann Create! Magazine Open Call We are now accepting submissions for our fall curated exhibition and catalog: The Spirit World. This virtual show explores the mystical, eerie, and uncanny, making it the perfect theme for the season. Deadline: October 31, 2025 What selected artists receive: inclusion in the curated online exhibition, a feature in the professionally designed print and digital catalog, a blog post on Create! Magazine, and a spotlight across our international platforms. 👉 Apply now at createmagazine.co

In this episode, I (host Ekaterina Popova) dive into what I call The 2025 Creator Stack for Artists. These are the four simple tools you need to build trust, grow your audience, and create consistent income without burning out. We are in what I call a trust recession. Algorithms keep changing, AI noise is everywhere, and collectors are more selective than ever. That does not mean your art business has to suffer. I am sharing what has been working for me this year, the lessons I have learned, and how you can lean into connection, trust, and real growth. 🎉 Special Announcement Create! Magazine is celebrating its ninth anniversary. To mark the occasion, we have opened our Call for Art for Issue #54, our anniversary edition. Selected artists will be featured in print and digital editions, on our blog, and across our social platforms. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2025. Submit your work here: www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art 🎙 What You'll Hear in This Episode I share what the trust recession means for artists and why it can actually be an opportunity. I break down the four pillars of the Creator Stack, including community platforms, email lists, AI workflows, and simple sales systems that support growth without leading to burnout. You will also hear how I have been using these tools in my own practice and how you can adapt them to fit your creative business. 🌐 Connect + Explore Create! Magazine → www.createmagazine.com Create U Courses → www.createu.co Instagram → @createmagazine | @katerinaspopova Substack → createmagazine.substack.com  

Are people still buying art? The answer is yes. But how you talk about your work, connect with collectors, and navigate uncertainty can make all the difference. In this episode of The Create! Podcast, host Ekaterina Popova sits down with gallerist, author, and art advocate Liz Lidgett to discuss her upcoming book Art for Everyone, how to make art conversations more accessible, and the principles that keep artists and entrepreneurs resilient through shifting times. Liz shares powerful insights on: Why collectors are still buying and how to build trust in today's market Simple, accessible ways to talk about your art without overcomplicating it The key role consistency, systems, and flexibility play in long-term success How to stay authentic and connected while showing up online and in person This conversation is packed with practical wisdom and encouragement for artists and entrepreneurs ready to thrive in today's art world. 📚 Resources & Links Pre-order Liz's book Art for Everyone: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Art-for-Everyone/Liz-Lidgett/9781668078709 Collect art: www.lizlidgett.com Submit your work to Create! Magazine: www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art Explore on-demand courses at Create U: www.createu.co Read more stories, tips, and interviews: createmagazine.substack.com Connect with us on Instagram: @createmagazine

In this special solo episode, I, Ekaterina Popova, share important updates about the future of the podcast, the magazine, and our community. What began back in 2018 as Art & Cocktails has now grown into more than 400 episodes featuring painters, sculptors, writers, mystics, musicians, and healers. After all these years, it is time for the next chapter. I am bringing the podcast back under the Create! Podcast name, and this shift reflects my broader vision of uniting the magazine, the membership, and the podcast under one roof. For me, this is about simplicity, synergy, and building a stronger creative home for artists, writers, entrepreneurs, and seekers of all kinds. In this episode, I share the journey from Art & Cocktails to Create Magazine and now back to Create. I explain why simplifying brands makes creative work stronger, how this rebrand will make resources and community more accessible, what the future of our membership will look like as it evolves into the Create Collective, and why this is not an ending but a natural expansion. Whether you have been here since the beginning or you are tuning in for the first time, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the heart of Create and where we are heading together. Explore Create Magazine's Substack: createmagazine.substack.com Learn more about open calls and membership: createmagazine.com

In this episode, I, Kat Popova, founder and editor of Create! Magazine and certified master coach, share practical ways for artists and creatives to strengthen their money and success mindset, even during uncertain times. You will learn how to release what is outside your control, rewrite limiting beliefs, focus on your desires and goals, and take small but powerful actions toward the future you want to create. Connect with us: Instagram: @createmagazine Resources: www.createmagazine.co