The Create! Podcast (formerly Art & Cocktails) is your space for inspiration, encouragement, and practical insight at the intersection of contemporary art, creative business, and mindset. Hosted by artist, coach, and Create! Magazine founder Ekaterina Popova, the show is designed to help you grow your art career, expand your creative vision, and build a sustainable, joyful life. Through candid conversations with artists, entrepreneurs, writers, curators, and thought leaders—as well as empowering solo episodes—you'll find tools, ideas, and stories that remind you that life itself is your canvas, and you have the power to create a career and future that truly supports you. Find us at www.createmagazine.co/podcast — where the conversation about art and business starts.
What does it really cost to "get chosen" in the art world, and when does it make more sense to bypass the gatekeepers and bet on yourself? In this episode, we welcome back Sharone Halevy and Alex Mitow from The Superfair for an honest, unfiltered conversation about what art fairs actually are and why they matter for artists in 2026 and beyond. We strip away the smoke and mirrors of traditional gallery representation to talk about the financial realities nobody likes to admit out loud. From spending $6,000 on shipping for a dream international show only to surrender a 50% commission and fund your own travel, to Alex's story of sleeping in a Paris basement for three weeks while losing thousands on an exhibition that looked incredible on paper, we get real about the true price of "exposure". We also unpack why an art fair is one of the most powerful, concentrated feedback engines an artist can access, where a sale is just one small piece of the long-term value. We break down how to overcome the fear of representing yourself in a booth, how to turn casual visitors into loyal collectors, and why owning your narrative, your collector relationships, and your proceeds is worth more than waiting for permission. Plus, Sharone and Alex share an exciting look at what is next for The Superfair, including new fairs launching across the country. In This Episode: The Core of an Art Fair: What an art fair really is and the evolving role it plays for independent artists today. Beyond the Sale: Why real-time, in-person feedback at a fair is one of the most valuable career assets you can build. The Unspoken Costs of Gallery Shows: The reality of shipping fees, 50% commission cuts, and self-funded travel for international exhibitions. When to Be Paid vs. When to Invest: Be Paid: When a commercial business (like a restaurant, hotel, TV placement, or corporate collection) uses your artwork to enhance its own brand or revenue. Invest: When you are actively building your own collector community, retaining buyer contact information, and keeping 100% of your proceeds. Booth Strategy: Practical ways to overcome self-representation anxiety and turn casual passersby into long-term collectors. Dismantling Art World Gatekeeping: Why nobody "knows everything" about art, and why owning your story matters more than traditional validation. What's Next for The Superfair: Upcoming national launches and how artists can get involved this year. Listener Perk: Save $250 on Your Booth: Mention Create when applying or booking to receive $250 off any booth with The Superfair. Connect & Resources: Website: www.thesuperfair.com Book a Free Discovery Call: Schedule a 15-Minute Meeting with The Superfair Subscribe to Our Substack: Create! Magazine on Substack
In this episode, I'm (host Ekaterina Popova) joined by Bonnie Christine, fabric designer, artist, and founder of a multi-seven-figure surface pattern design education business. We talk about what it actually takes to turn a creative gift into real income, how to get started in pattern design even with zero experience, why she believes we have a responsibility to pass on what we know to others, and how she's built her life around her passion rather than the other way around. Bonnie shares the full story, starting in her mom's quilt shop, teaching herself Adobe Illustrator with no design background, and working up the courage to cold call art directors until a company offered her a contract. In this episode: Turning a creative gift into real, sustainable income How to get started in surface pattern design, even with no prior experience Why passing on what you know is part of the creative journey, not separate from it Designing a life around your passion instead of the other way around Why she believes it only takes 10 seconds of courage to change everything Her "one thing a day" philosophy and the power of daily consistency What she's building now with Pattern+, Pattern Magazine, and Flowerie Connect with Bonnie Christine: Website: https://www.bonniechristine.com Podcast: The Professional Creative Stay connected with Create!: Join our Substack for weekly stories, resources, and behind the scenes updates: https://createmagazine.substack.com Visit https://www.createmagazine.co for artist opportunities, open calls, and more
What does it mean to feel seen? Five years ago, the Tracy Piper asked that question and turned it into SEEN, an ongoing portrait and storytelling project rooted in community and connection. In this episode, we talk about how the project began, how she has used her practice to serve the people around her, and what it takes to keep a personal project like this going year after year. Now in its fifth year, SEEN includes over 250 participants and five published volumes, with a new book and exhibition launching this July at Art Tower in Portland. In this episode: How motherhood led Tracy to start asking people what it means to feel seen The ritual behind SEEN, from open call to painting to exhibition Why the project is free to participate in What she's learned from five years and 250 stories Her new show and book launch in Portland this July Advice for artists building a sustainable creative practice Connect with the Tracy Piper: Website: www.thetracypiper.com Instagram: @thetracypiper Call For Art We're currently accepting submissions for Issue No. 59, guest curated by Indira Cesarine of The Untitled Space, deadline July 31st. We're also celebrating our 10th anniversary with an art prize, deadline also July 31st. Learn more at www.createmagazine.co. We share regularly on Substack at Create! Magazine, www.createmagazine.substack.com
Getting a gallery to say yes can feel like the end goal, but it's really where the real work begins. In this episode, Kat breaks down what makes a gallery partnership actually work for both parties, from the signs a gallery is genuinely invested in your career to the economics artists rarely get straight answers on. She also shares the questions worth asking before you sign anything, and how to evaluate a partnership you're already in. In this episode: The signs a gallery partner is genuinely looking out for your best interest What to watch for early in a gallery relationship How commission splits, payment terms, and exclusivity actually work The questions worth asking before you sign How to evaluate a gallery relationship you're already in Mentioned in this episode: Follow Create! Magazine on Substack: createmagazine.substack.com Submit to the Create! Magazine 10th Anniversary Art Prize: www.createmagazine.co/prize This episode is sponsored by Hecho Lovely. Monica Mejia Davenport is a private painter, and Hecho Lovely is where that art becomes something you wear. Every piece is handcrafted from carefully chosen materials, carrying the same intention as her studio work. Discover the collection at www.hecholovely.com and follow the studio on Instagram at @hecholovely. Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts. We read every one and will share our favorites on upcoming episodes.
In this solo episode, Kat gets honest about a lesson she's still relearning 15 years in: protecting her own art practice. An inspiring gallery visit and a painful past experience resurfacing reminded her of what matters, how to protect it, and understand the value of our art and personal relationship to it. What You'll Hear The artist's date that reminded Kat to get back to the pure joy of art Her past solo show cancellation, and what resurfacing it taught her Why not every gallery experience is a bad one, and how to find the right partners How her first sloppy 100-day challenge changed her relationship to painting Chasing validation vs. finding satisfaction in showing up Join the Challenge Kat's Spend More Time With Your Art Challenge starts July 15, 2026 . It's a 21-day commitment to showing up for your own practice, open to any medium. It is not a painting course (though three of Kat's own painting examples are included), it's about reclaiming your relationship with your art, one small commitment at a time. Join Spend More Time With Your Art → Loved this episode? Send Kat a DM on Instagram or email info@createmagazine.com , she'd love to hear from you.
If you have ever felt like you are running a marketing agency instead of an art practice, you are not alone. In this episode, I sit down with Alex Mitow and Sharone Halevy, the dynamic duo behind Superfair, now in their 11th year as one of the most artist-forward art fairs in the country. We talk about what they are witnessing in real time across the artist community, why burnout is at an all-time high, and what actually works when you strip away the noise. We cover: Why social media has aged and what that means for your practice The concept of force multipliers and how to find yours What artists are doing that is getting in their own way Why in-person connection is the ultimate leverage point How to come back to life creatively when you are running on empty What it actually looks like to exhibit at an artist-forward art fair LINKS AND RESOURCES Book a free 15-minute discovery call with the Superfair team (mention Create! Magazine for exclusive listener discounts): https://calendly.com/d/cqt2-fkf-54v/15-minute-discovery-meeting Learn more about Superfair: https://www.thesuperfair.com Celebrate ten years of Create! Magazine with our first ever Annual Art Prize, open now through July 31: https://www.createmagazine.co/prize Submit to our current open calls and stay up to date on everything Create!: https://www.createmagazine.co Join us on Substack. Articles are free for your first seven days, and your support keeps us sharing artists, career tips, and resources with the community: https://createmagazine.substack.com CONNECT WITH SUPERFAIR Website: https://www.thesuperfair.com
What if the missing ingredient in your creative life isn't more productivity, but more loafing? In this solo episode, Kat shares a personal update from her summer and an honest reflection on burnout, rest, and the radical act of doing less. Drawing from the book Writing, Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd, she introduces the concept of creative loitering, and makes the case that your imagination actually requires aimless, unstructured time to do its best work. Kat reads from the chapter "Creative Loitering," explores why slowing down is not laziness but a prerequisite for original thinking, and shares how she has been building more space into her own life, from beach reads and Paris Review issues at the hair salon to long European-style dinners and mornings with no agenda. This episode is an invitation to reclaim your human mind, protect your creative energy, and trust that stepping back is sometimes the most productive thing you can do. In this episode: Creative loitering: what it means and why it matters for artists and makers Excerpts from Writing, Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd and Joie: A Parisian's Guide to Celebrating the Good Life by Ajiri Aki The analog bag trend and other small ways to reduce scrolling and add presence Join the conversation on Substack: https://createmagazine.substack.com Share what you're reading, how you're resting, and what you'd like to hear more of on the show. Follow Kat: Instagram: @ekaterinaspopova | @createmagazine
This episode is two things in one: an honest, personal check-in from Kat as we head into summer, Q&A from our community. followed by a conversation with San Diego-based Mexican painter Yahel Yan, a Create! community member whose 100-day challenge journey ended in a full solo exhibition. Kat opens by sharing what has been on her mind lately, from the turbulence in the art world and the economy to a growing sense that artists deserve more privacy, more mystery, and more protection of the creative and intellectual work they have built over years. She reflects on the pressure to share everything online, the times that oversharing has cost her, and why she is choosing to reclaim some intentional secrecy, not as gatekeeping, but as a form of boundaries and self-respect. She also answers questions submitted by listeners through the Create! broadcast channel on Instagram, covering practical topics like what to do when you do not have a mailing list at an exhibition, how to approach interior designers as potential clients, how to identify your ideal collector when you are just starting out, and where collectors are actually discovering new artists today. Then Kat sits down with Yahel Yan, a Create! Magazine featured artist and community member, for a conversation about her winding path to painting, the deeply personal chair series that became her signature work, and what it felt like to complete and exhibit 100 paintings in 100 days. Yahel grew up in Mexico City, surrounded by color and the energy of a sprawling metropolis. After pursuing graphic design and building a family, she arrived in San Diego in 2000, pregnant with her third child, navigating a new country, a new language, and a new life. Art became her anchor. When her youngest started preschool, she returned to the studio and has been painting ever since. Her "Chairs Are People" series began in 2012, almost by accident. Yahel had always collected small chairs, filling her home with so many she joked there was nowhere left to sit. When she began painting them, something shifted. She started seeing chairs as personalities, as stand-ins for human presence, romance, grief, and memory. Many come from the street, discovered and abandoned, each one a mystery she gets to invent. Others she takes on what she calls field trips, photographing her own chairs in new environments before bringing them back to canvas. Earlier this year, Yahel participated in the Create! 100 Day Challenge, painted all 100 pieces, and turned them into a solo exhibition, presented as grids of nine that let viewers spend hours discovering objects they had not noticed at first glance. She shares why she never planned to show the work publicly until she simply had to. In this episode, you will hear: Kat's solo Q&A segment: What is weighing on her in the art world right now, and how she is choosing to respond Why she is reclaiming privacy and mystery in her practice and her business What to do when you do not have a mailing list at a show (and how to start one) How to approach interior designers as potential clients for your work How to identify your ideal collector when you are just starting out Where collectors are actually finding emerging artists today Conversation with Yahel Yan: Growing up in Mexico City and how that shaped her palette, energy, and sense of movement Why she chose graphic design over fine art, and how that path served her Moving to the United States with two children and one on the way, and how creativity helped her build community in a new country The origin of "Chairs Are People" and how chairs became characters with stories and feelings Finding chairs on the street and taking her own chairs on "field trips" to photograph in new environments Joining the Create! 100 Day Challenge and discovering unexpected joy in painting food, hot sauce, and other overlooked objects Exhibiting all 100 paintings as a grid installation and the experience of seeing them as one complete body of work What is next: a ceramics workshop in Maine with her daughter Links mentioned in this episode: Yahel Yan on Instagram: @yahel.yan.art Yahel's website: yahelyan.com Create! Substack (subscribe free or paid): createmagazine.substack.com Create! broadcast channel: follow @createmagazine on Instagram Join the next 100 Day Challenge cohort waitlist: www.createmagazine.myflodesk.com/challenge
Content creation burnout is real, and if you have ever hit a wall with showing up online, this episode is for you. Ekaterina sits down with Nicole Bedard, brand photographer, video storyteller, and strategist who specializes in helping makers, artists, and designers capture their authentic studio flow and process. Nicole shares how small, consistent commitments and intentional visual storytelling can help you attract the clients, collectors, and opportunities you actually want, without the overwhelm. In this episode: Why content creation feels so hard for artists and how to move through it How to capture your process in a way that feels natural and authentic The role of brand photography and video in building trust with collectors Practical strategies for showing up consistently without burning out Links: Nicole Bedard: www.nbphotog.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nbedardphotog LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicolebedardphotovideo Brand Visual Checklist: https://bit.ly/brand-visuals Sponsor: Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2026, over $77,000 in prizes including a $10,000 grand prize. Deadline July 17, 2026. Enter at https://beautifulbizarreartprize.art/ Substack: createmagazine.substack.com
Independent curator, cultural critic, and co-founder of ARTNOIR, Larry Ossei-Mensah, joins us for a deeply reflective dialogue on his dual identity as a high-profile champion of the arts and a dedicated ceramic artist. Larry pulls back the curtain on his stunning debut ceramic solo exhibition in New York, What Survives the Fire, and shares invaluable wisdom on the patience it takes to build a practice that stands the test of time. Whether you are an emerging creator navigating the contemporary landscape or an established practitioner looking to protect your studio time, this conversation is a rich, peer-to-peer exploration of what it truly means to live a life dedicated to art. In this episode, Larry and Kat discuss the shift from photography and global curatorial projects to discovering a profound, tactile language in ceramics, how clay continually humbles you and why that is a beautiful metaphor for life, practical strategies for protecting studio time while balancing high-profile community work, making decisions driven by intuition and discernment rather than spectacle, how strategic international travel and cross-cultural dialogue shape a creative practice, and why doubling down on maker culture is one of the most important things we can do right now. Connect with Larry: Instagram: @larryosseimensah ARTNOIR: @artnoir.co | artnoir.co All About Clay: @allaboutclayny Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive behind-the-scenes articles, exhibition highlights, and digital resources: createmagazine.substack.com Ready to share your work with the world? View our latest open calls at createmagazine.co/call-for-art
Jo Gamel is back, and this conversation covers a lot of ground. A Philadelphia-based fine artist, gallery liaison, teaching artist, science fiction writer, and member of the music project Medal of Jupiter, Jo embodies what it looks like to follow genuine curiosity across disciplines without apology. In this episode, we get into her participation in the 100 Day Painting Challenge, how she built a consistent studio practice around a fully funded medical billing program, and what it actually takes to show up for your work when your schedule is packed. Jo shares how she used block scheduling to protect her 5 a.m. studio hours, how pre-selecting a limited palette and 300 reference photos from her phone set her up for creative flow rather than decision fatigue, and how her miniature series became a portal into memory, travel, and her great-grandmother's immigration story. We also talk about the sensory, cafe-style exhibition she mounted at the Jane Gallery, the power of immersive art presentations, and why she believes every artist should be loudly celebrating their wins so others know what is possible. Jo has shown at the Louvre during Paris+ Art Basel, Chelsea Old Town Hall during London Art Week, and the European Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona. This fall, she is directing the Arts League gallery for Collective Futures (a citywide Philadelphia collaboration, October 2 to 23, themed around Bohemia as a trans-historical state of mind), and she announces something she visualized years ago: she will be showing at the Stockholm Affordable Art Fair this September. This one is full of practical insight, ancestral warmth, and a lot of encouragement to say the big dream out loud. In this episode: What it means to be pluridisciplinary and why the old masters were too Building a block schedule that actually holds up during a demanding program How the 100 Day Painting Challenge became a meditation on petite pleasures and personal history Creating a fully immersive, sensory gallery experience on your own terms The role of community and mutual aid in a sustainable art career Why sharing your achievements is just as important as achieving them Jo's upcoming exhibitions in Philadelphia and Stockholm Links and resources: Join us on Substack: https://createmagazine.substack.com Jo Gamel: www.jogamel.com Jo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jogamel/ Join the Create! Collective: https://createcollective.mykajabi.com/collective Free Studio Workbook and Workshop: https://createmagazine.myflodesk.com/studio-party 100 Day Challenge Waitlist: https://createmagazine.myflodesk.com/challenge Connect with Jo: www.jogamel.com Past episode: https://createmagazine.substack.com/p/mixed-media-magic-embracing-a-multi-245
There is a next-level version of you already waiting and this episode will help you step into it. Drawing on a decade of running Create! Magazine and watching hundreds of artists grow, Kat (Ekaterina Popova) lays out exactly how to graduate to the next stage of your career, whether you are a visual artist, a maker, or a small business owner. The identity shift that unlocks real momentum, a framework for choosing opportunities worth your time, and a clear five-step action plan you can start this week. HIGHLIGHTS The identity shift behind every real level-up Why your behavior follows your identity, and how to update it How the art world defines career stages, and why you get to decide what counts The three kinds of opportunities, and which ones actually move you forward A five-step action plan to step into your next level this month THE 5-STEP ACTION PLAN Audit where you actually are Define your next level specifically Do the mindset and presentation work: bio, website, CV Get into a solution-oriented room Become generous and give from your experience SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by Blue Green Galleria Fine Art , specializing in Chinese and Asia-Pacific contemporary artists. Catch them at the first-ever Salt Lake Art Show , May 14 to 17 at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. Find them at booth A202 with a duo presentation by Yana Hu and Long Han. https://bluegreengalleria.com | Blue Green Galleria on Artsy CREATE! COLLECTIVE Your environment shapes what you believe is possible. The Create! Collective is our membership community of artists and creative entrepreneurs winning grants, opening galleries, and building bigger tables. Join ours or build your own, but find a room that lifts you up. https://www.createmagazine.co/collective SUBSCRIBE + SUBMIT Create! Dispatch on Substack: Studio Sundays, open calls, and tips every week. Free tier available. Support independent publishing for $10 a month. https://createmagazine.substack.com Submit to Studio Sundays: our free Sunday feature spotlighting your workspace. https://airtable.com/apptRl5pIcdTzhYLt/pagcaZN4AGQpEUkjy/form CONNECT @createmagazine | https://www.createmagazine.co
Indira Cesarine is an artist, curator, and the founder of The Untitled Space, one of New York City's most vital independent galleries. She has built a practice that refuses to be contained by a single role, and this conversation is a behind-the-scenes look at how she does it. We sat down to talk about her current exhibition "In Full Bloom," a group show featuring 34 women artists working with floral and botanical imagery as a vehicle for transformation, identity, and power. But we went much further than the show itself. Indira shares what it took to open and sustain an independent gallery in New York, how she thinks about building a curatorial vision that is both intellectually honest and visually compelling, and what it means to remain a practicing artist while running an institution. If you have ever wondered what it looks like to hold multiple creative identities at once and build something meaningful across all of them, this episode is for you. In this episode: What led Indira to found The Untitled Space and what the early years actually looked like How she develops a curatorial concept from first instinct to finished exhibition The way her own studio practice informs how she reads and selects the work of other artists What she looks for in a group show and how individual voices come together into something larger Sustaining creative leadership over the long term without losing the work that started it all Links and resources: "In Full Bloom" is on view at The Untitled Space, 45 Lispenard Street, New York, NY through May 22, 2026. Visit www.untitled-space.com for full details. Submit your work to Create! Magazine. We are currently accepting submissions for upcoming issues and exhibitions. Visit https://www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art to apply. Free masterclass: Sell More Art. Build a sustainable practice and start earning consistently from your creative work. Register at https://courses.createmagazine.co/sell-more-art-free-training-2026 .
Ekaterina Popova sits down with Liz Lidgett, gallery owner, art advisor, and author of the newly released book "Art for Everyone: How to Collect Art and Personalize Your Space on Any Budget." Liz has built a thriving gallery and design practice in Des Moines, Iowa, and has spent her career making the art world feel welcoming, joyful, and genuinely accessible to collectors at every level. In this conversation, they explore the business side of building a sustainable art career, including how artists can better connect with collectors by focusing on home-ready presentation and offering varied price points. Liz also shares what she wishes more artists understood about the collector relationship, and how she turned her location into a superpower rather than a limitation. Whether you are an artist looking to grow your career or someone who has always wanted to bring more art into your home, this episode is full of practical insight and genuine encouragement. In this episode: What inspired Liz to write "Art for Everyone" and who it is for How artists can make their work more collector-ready The importance of varied price points and accessible entry pieces Building a gallery and creative career outside of major art hubs What collectors are really looking for when they walk into a gallery Links and Resources: Get the book: Art for Everyone by Liz Lidgett Liz Lidgett Gallery: lizlidgett.com Follow Liz on Instagram: @lizlidgett Submit your work to Create! Magazine: createmagazine.co/call-for-art
In this episode of the Create! Podcast, host Ekaterina Popova sits down with Amy Cavanaugh Royce , the Executive Director of Maryland Art Place (MAP) . Amy shares her journey from a professional touring cellist and recording artist to a leader in arts administration, providing a candid look at the resilience required to sustain a major contemporary arts hub . The conversation explores the intersection of creative empathy and executive leadership, emphasizing why protecting physical space is vital for the health of a city's creative economy . Episode Highlights The Evolution of a Practitioner: Amy explains how her background as a freelance musician allowed her to bring a unique level of empathy to her leadership role . Understanding the Process: She highlights the importance of leaders understanding what it takes for artists to get to a final product to effectively advocate for them . Protecting Creative Real Estate: A discussion on Amy's commitment to retaining MAP's 20,000-square-foot building in downtown Baltimore to ensure artists stay within the context of general commerce . Fundraising and Resilience: Amy offers insights into the different funding landscapes of DC and Baltimore, noting that persistence is key and that a "no" from a potential donor often simply means "not now" . Creating Artist Opportunities: From the "Out of Order" annual auction to managing the Maryland State Arts Directory, Amy explains how MAP connects artists with collectors and public art projects . The Bromo Art Walk: Amy previews the upcoming event on May 14th , featuring a New York–Baltimore exchange curated by Jim Condren and Glenn Goldenberg . About Maryland Art Place (MAP) Maryland Art Place (MAP) inspires, supports, and encourages artistic expression through innovative programming, exhibitions, and educational opportunities while recognizing the powerful impact art can have on our community . MAP creates a dynamic environment for artists of our time to engage the public by nurturing and promoting new ideas . MAP has served as a critical resource for contemporary art in the Mid-Atlantic since 1981 . Take Action Submit Your Work: Visit the Create! Magazine Call for Art to find current opportunities to get your work in front of a global audience. Support the Mission: Learn more about Maryland Art Place, become a member, or donate by visiting mdartplace.org . Visit the Gallery: Explore the current exhibitions at 218 West Saratoga Street, Baltimore, MD .
Ten years ago, I took the leap into full-time creative entrepreneurship with no roadmap, no guarantee, and a lot of hope. This episode is my honest look back at what actually got me here, and it is not a highlight reel. I recently had the honor of spending two days at Michigan State University as a guest lecturer and juror for the undergraduate senior show. The organizers asked me to speak about failure, not success. That invitation sent me into a real reflection on the moments that broke me open and ultimately built everything I have today. In this episode I share what I wish I had known at 27, including why I stayed too long in projects that had expired, how learning to quit strategically changed everything, why your non-negotiables have to come before your goals, how I learned to stop shrinking under criticism without losing my empathy, the difference between goals that are truly yours versus ones you inherited from someone else's definition of success, and why every significant thing I have built grew directly out of a previous failure. I also talk about losing our first book deal, a solo show that nearly got canceled, the shadow side of stubbornness, and why knowing what hill you are willing to die on matters more than any strategy. This one is personal. It is also practical. I hope it meets you exactly where you are. Did this resonate? Let's chat! Tag me over at @katerinaspopova on IG To join the Create! Collective membership community, visit createmagazine.co/collective. For our subscription, membership, mini courses, and more, visit createmagazine.co/join.
In this episode, Kat welcomes Marina Granger back for another installment of their ongoing series . They dive deep into the nuances of identity, confidence, and a unique manifestation practice Marina has utilized since she was twelve . Whether you are transitioning into a new career phase or simply feeling a dip in your creative self assurance, this conversation offers a quick, actionable ritual to realign with your highest potential . Episode Highlights Identity and Visual Recognition : Marina shares how a recent change in hair color triggered a shift in her confidence because she did not recognize herself in her self referential system. The Power of Upgrading : The conversation explores how our identities grow through the many seasons of life and why it is vital to upgrade your self image as you evolve . Overcoming Paralysis : Marina shares a success story about a client who was paralyzed by doubt but managed to finalize exhibition dates and a press release within 45 minutes of using this technique . Practical Joy : The duo discusses upgrading your everyday experience through small details, like using fancy Italian toothpaste, to create a domino effect of success . The Mirror Technique: A Step-by-Step Guide Marina describes this as the "lazy girl manifesting technique" because it is fast, powerful, and only needs to be done every few years to keep you going . Wisdom for the Creative Journey Marina encourages artists to embrace failure, noting that the more you fail, the more you succeed . For those feeling overwhelmed by the opinions of the industry, she suggests focusing on how you want to feel and taking small daily actions that reflect your desired identity . Resources and Links The Artist Advisory : Discover more mindset and career resources at theartistadvisory.com . The MFA Podcast : Tune in for real life advice on building a sustainable art career . The Artist Academy : Join Marina's career course for practical and "mystical" tactical training . Call for Art : Explore current opportunities to share your work at createmagazine.co/call-for-art . Courses: Start learning now at www.createu.co Connect on Instagram : Follow Marina at @theartistadvisory .
So much of what we hear right now is about what is changing, what is closing, what is shifting. In this solo episode, Ekaterina Popova cuts through the noise to focus on what has remained true across every platform, every trend cycle, and every era of the art world: the core principles of getting paid for doing what you love. Kat takes us back to her teenage years, painting prom backdrops and dance team sets for a hundred dollars at a time, with no connections, no following, and a kind of blissful confidence that the work would find its people. That early experience shaped a belief system that carried her through years of building a creative business, and she traces exactly where that belief started to crack, what planted it back, and what she wishes she had known sooner. In this episode, Kat shares how her earliest art sales happened long before social media existed, why the doubt she absorbed in art school was some of the most expensive she ever entertained, what the relationship with your own work has to do with whether it ever sells, and how she hired a coach this week with nothing more than an Instagram DM and a clear sense of what she needed. This one is for the artist who keeps waiting for the right moment, the bigger audience, or the better strategy. The strategy, it turns out, has been the same all along. Work with Kat: https://espopova.com/home Connect with Kat at info@createmagazine.com and follow along at @createmagazine on Instagram. Submit to our current call for art: https://www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art
What does it actually take to make art and make a living at the same time? This week, Ekaterina Popova sits down with Mason Currey, author of the beloved Daily Rituals series and his brand new book, Making Art and Making a Living (Celadon Books), a rich, research-driven look at how artists across centuries have funded their creative lives. From day jobs and patrons to inheritances, government grants, and a few schemes that fall into grayer territory, Mason has compiled the stories so many of us have needed to hear. In this conversation, he and Kat explore why community matters more than most creatives realize, how constraints can actually be an artist's greatest asset, and the practical power of reverse engineering the career you actually want. If you have ever asked yourself whether you are doing this whole creative life thing right, this episode is your answer. Spoiler: you are in very good company. In this episode: Why community and creative scenes have always mattered more than solo genius How Mason's entire career grew from a blog post he wrote while procrastinating The surprising truth about artists who got everything they wanted, and still couldn't work Baudelaire, Whistler, and what history's most dramatic artistic money struggles can teach us about our own How to reverse engineer the career you want by studying the people who have it Why constraints, including financial ones, are often where the best work comes from The power of doing something, even a small, imperfect, DIY version of your vision Links and resources mentioned: Making Art and Making a Living by Mason Currey: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250824523/makingartandmakingaliving/ Mason Currey's website and newsletter (Subtle Maneuvers): masonwcurrey.com Best American Essays series (mentioned by Mason as a career research tool) Work with Kat + explore Create! Magazine: Create! Magazine celebrates working artists through features, interviews, and juried open calls. Submit your work, explore available articles, and join the community at createmagazine.co. Ready to grow your art career with step-by-step guidance? Explore micro courses on marketing, sales, visibility, and more at www.createu.co Visit www.createmagazine.co and click Programs to learn more. Private mentorship and coaching with certified master coach, Ekaterina Popova https://espopova.com
If you have been going through a funk, whether it is burnout, a creative slump, seasonal blues, or just feeling stuck, this episode is for you. Kat gets real about the challenges she faced this past winter, including some big personal changes, and shares the honest unglamorous things that helped her climb back out: taking care of her body, dropping what was not serving her, shifting her mindset around showing up, and finding people who cheer her on too. No toxic positivity here, just real talk and practical perspective for anyone ready to get back on track. Ready to stop navigating this alone? Kat works with working artists and creative entrepreneurs through private coaching at espopova.com. If you are ready to get back on track with someone genuinely in your corner, learn more and book a session at www.espopova.com .
