Your Creative Push

Jane Samuels is an artist and psychogeographer from the United Kingdom.  She has developed a love for the arts, politics, teaching, and animal and human rights campaigning. Currently working as a professional artist from Hare Court Studio and an SpLD tutor in Manchester’s Universities, Samuels continues to develop work grounded in Psychogeography, which challenges the boundaries of legality, public vs. private space, and our relationship with the land.  Her work is housed in several private collections, and she continues to exhibit across the UK. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/janesamuels In this episode, Jane discusses: -The experience of teaching in prisons. -The factors that led to her 10-year gap in art and what finally brought her back. -Her Abandoned Buildings project and some of the exploits that she has gotten into. -The inspiration behind her Anatomical Landscapes series. -The difference between the immediacy of photography and the slow-burn of drawing and her need for both. -Her practi

Kelli Klymenko embraces all aspects of art.  He is an artist, storyteller, photographer, teacher, yogi, husband, father, science aficionado and free thinker - experiencing life in one of the most inspiring and picturesque places on earth: Sedona, Arizona, where he lives with his wife and children. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/kelliklymenkoreplay In this episode, Kelli discusses: -How when he was younger, he drew on any surface area he could find. -How he has dabbled in many different forms of art, but he loves photography especially because it is so quick. -His opinion that people should be sharing most of the work that they do, instead of only their best. -How he is sometimes surprised by the photos that are extremely successful in terms of "likes" because of how little time he put into it in comparison to others. -His iPhoneography course and why it is important. -How easy it is to change the way you look at the world in terms of photography, and how easy it is to share your photos. -How gr

Maria Brophy has been an art agent to her husband Drew Brophy since 2001, and a business consultant to creative entrepreneurs since 2009. In her former life, Maria worked in the corporate world for two agonizing decades before she escaped the 9 to 5 grind. Since then, she’s deliberately designed her life as a non-stop adventure, traveling extensively with her husband and two kids while surfing and backpacking some of the most magical places in the world. Her new book, Art, Money & Success is a workbook of strategies for the full-time artist. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/mariabrophy In this episode, Maria discusses: -The experience of leaving her full-time job to help her husband, Drew Brophy, with his art career. -How you can make a slow transition into a new creative career by cutting back your work week to three or four days. -What led her to create her book, Art, Money & Success. -Why it took her so long to start writing her book and why it took her so long to finish after she start

Matthew Miller is an active lifestyle artist who paints because it puts him into a flow state and makes him feel truly alive.  Most of his artwork celebrates the human body in action, and the mental states that go along with it. In addition to art, he also gets his fix of flow state through challenging physical activities.  As a retired rugby player, ironman triathlete, and fitness coach (his day job), it is his goal to create art that celebrates an active lifestyle. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/matthewmiller In this episode, Matthew discusses: -How art has always been a part of his life. -The role that philosophy has played in his life. -The importance of writing out your “perfect average day.” -Dealing with insomnia, how it affected his life, and eventually led him to the feeling of hitting rock bottom. -His discovery of live art. -How artists shouldn’t wait around for a gallery to find you and the importance of going out and creating your own opportunities. -His experimentation and plans to

Zaria Forman's large-scale compositions of melting glaciers, icebergs floating in glassy water and waves cresting with foam explore moments of transition, turbulence and tranquility.  Zaria's drawings convey the urgency of climate change by connecting people to the beauty of remote landscapes. Her works have appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, the Wall Street Journal and The Huffington Post.  Her drawings have also been used in the set design for the Netflix TV series House of Cards. Her most recent achievements include participation in Banksy’s Dismaland (Aug-Sep 2015), a solo exhibition at Winston Wächter Fine Art in New York City (Sep-Oct 2015), and a four week art residency in Antarctica aboard the National Geographic Explorer (Nov-Dec 2015). Her next solo show is at Winston Wächter Fine Art, Seattle, WA, opening Sept 7th, 2017.  In this episode, Zaria discusses: -Some of her earliest influences, especially her mother, Rena Bass Forman. -How a trip to Greenland opened up her eyes and h

David is a freelance illustrator and street artist from Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in small-scale, improvised and (mostly) light-hearted chalk art.  Most of these drawings (most notably "Sluggo") have appeared on sidewalks in Ann Arbor and elsewhere in Michigan, but some have surfaced as far away as subway platforms in Manhattan and construction debris in the Sonoran Desert. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/davidzinn In this episode, David discusses: -How he prefers to label himself as a “someone who draws stuff” or a “compulsive doodler.” -How his drawing stemmed from shyness as a great way to avoid eye contact with other people. -The way in which his street art stems from his fear of a blank canvas. -How a blank canvas stops people like him because of the infinite possibilities that it offers, and how he needs to constrain those possibilities in order to get started. -His disappointment with the way that people assume that being an artist means being something separate that they are not c

Zan Romanoff is a writer of essays and fiction, mostly focused on food, feminism, television and books.  She graduated from Yale in 2009 with a B.A. in Literature, and now lives and works in Los Angeles.  She is the author of A Song to Take the World Apart, and her latest YA novel, Grace and the Fever. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/zan In this episode, Zan discusses: -How writing has played a part in her life since she was very young. -The unexpected result of one of her pieces ending up in The Paris Review. -How she tricked herself into writing her first novel. -The idea of wanting or needing permission from other people to call yourself a writer. -Talking about your creative passion with other people and wanting to protect it from scrutiny, jokes, or small talk. -The similarities and differences between writing and therapy. -How she wants to be honest with her young audience so that they trust her. -A long period of writer’s block after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend and thus losing

Joel Daniel Phillips lives and works in San Francisco, CA. His work focuses on large-scale charcoal portraiture exploring the social structures in his immediate surroundings.  He is fascinated by the intricacies and commonalities that we share as humans, and he searches for moments when our projected senses of self are transparent, allowing deeper, more truthful emotions to become visible. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/jdphillips In this episode, Joel discusses: -Moving to San Francisco and starting his series of portraits. -The way in which the portraits began as a way for him to understand his surroundings and ended up being his way to tell the story of the people that we avoid looking at. -The delicate way that he approaches his subjects and the vulnerability that both he and his subjects must offer through the process. -How it became easier to get people on board once he started to build a body of work and his integrity spread via word-of-mouth. -His process of meeting, speaking with, and ph

Al Marconi is a Spanish guitarist and composer who has been a professional musician since 1997. During that time has managed to notch up over 30,000 sales of his independently marketed self-produced recordings, Equilibrium (1997), Monument (1999), Esperanto (2001), Terra Nova (2007), Insomnia (2011), and his latest album, Alchemy (2015). Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/almarconi In this episode, Al discusses: -His early musical inspirations growing up. -How he initially was interested in heavy rock and heavy metal. -The contributing factors in his transition from heavy rock. -Patrick Woodroffe’s advice to pursue what you’re most passionate about, not what you can do best. -The instantaneous feedback that you get from playing music and how that differs from drawing or painting. -Being inspired by classical music, but also realizing that he didn’t want to simply replicate what other people had created – he wanted to create himself. -Being open to taking inspiration from many different sources and f

Alatar is a genderfluid digital artist who creates character-driven adult illustrations. Their work includes both fanart and original content, and attempts to explore a wide range of body types, ethnicities, gender identities and sexualities. They are also the host of the podcast Blue Magic, where they interview other creatives in the erotic field. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/alatar In this episode, Alatar discusses: -Their origin story and how they first became interested in the idea of sexuality in art. -Dealing with religious guilt and how it contributed to artistic block. -Their “depressive fallout” and the drawing of Cloud, Tifa, and Aeris that had been waiting to be drawn. -How they didn’t consider their adult illustrations to be “real work” because it was not safe for work. -Their advice to feed those ideas that have always been in the back of your head/heart and to pay attention to how it makes you feel. -How giving in to a long-term creative urge can make you go Super Saiyan, where o

Dani Ives is a self-taught fiber artist from Arkansas who has developed a beautiful and unique technique, which she calls “painting with wool.”  She creates two dimensional works of art directly on fabric.  Her inspiration comes from a love of nature and science, which has an enormous influence on her work. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/daniives In this episode, Dani discusses: -How she became an artist in a roundabout way after getting a degree in biology and conservation education and then worked at a zoo as an educator. -How she first became interested in needle felting. -The challenge to do something new every week for one year, and how that led her to start doing wool paintings. -Her transition from working at the zoo to creating art full time, and how pet portraitures helped her to generate income. -How her process is different than traditional wool felting. -How people are often surprised by how her art mimics traditional paintings and drawings. -The effect that nature has on her art and

Lori Richmond is a corporate creative director turned picture book maker.  She is the author-illustrator of Pax and Blue and Bunny’s Staycation, coming in 2018.  She is also the illustrator of A Hop is Up and several other picture books. Lori is also a runner, and she documents her race training by drawing what she sees on her runs, in the same amount of time as each run via the hashtag #ViewFromMyRun. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/loririchmond In this episode, Lori discusses: -How she started with her illustration and picture book making as a hobby and then slowly transitioned into making it her job. -Her advice to not quit your job before you know that you can make money from your “side hustle” and also that you would actually enjoy doing it. -The story of how Pax and Blue came to be. -Being observant of the world around you and maintaining a childlike wonder. -How and why she started running. -How she was struck with the idea for #ViewFromMyRun -The overwhelming positive response she got fro

Sarah W. Goldhagen taught for ten years at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and spent many years as the Architecture Critic for the New Republic. She’s written about buildings, cities, and landscapes for publications all over the world. Sarah’s new book, Welcome to Your World: How the Built Environment Shapes Our Lives is a thoroughly entertaining, eye-opening manifesto arguing that the buildings we live and work in deeply affect us, physically and psychologically, and that we can’t afford the soul-crushing architecture we mostly subject ourselves to.  Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/sarahgoldhagen In this episode, Sarah discusses: -How her book, Welcome to Your World is a shift from the work she previously did. -“Blindsight” and how we take in information subconsciously or nonconsciously. -How there is no such thing as a neutral built environment.  It is either helping you or hurting you. -The story of when she had to change her setting while writing her dissertation. -What creative people ca

Tyler Thrasher collects found objects and deceased creatures, and grows delicate, gorgeous crystal clusters on them.  His unique talents for combining chemistry and artistry have gained his work some much-deserved attention.  He is also an artist, music producer, traveler, rare plant collector, and photographer.  Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/tylerthrasher In this episode, Tyler discusses: -How he decides what he is going to use as a creative outlet on a day-to-day basis. -How creative people have a baseline to create and then they pick an outlet to do that creating. -The importance of pursuing your curiosities and scratching every single itch. -Remembering that the reason we started doing something creative in the first place wasn’t to become the greatest at it or to try to make money from it, but because we were curious about it. -How his crystallized natural art started. -How his interest in caves started and his analysis as to why he loves them so much. -The importance of writing down all o

Yellena James is an artist who uses pens, inks, markers and acrylics to combine complex abstract forms into dazzling images which take on lives of their own.  Her colorful arrangements of organic shapes and tangled lines are at once floral and alien, organic and sci-fi She has participated in shows around the U.S. and overseas including solo exhibitions at Giant Robot, the Here Gallery, and the Hijinks Gallery and she has done illustration work for Anthropologie, Crate and Barrell, Relativity Media and many others. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/yellena In this episode, Yellena discusses: -Growing up in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. -How she developed her creativity despite the conflict that was happening all around her. -Her family’s move to Florida and where she went from there. -How she started doing pen and ink work in her sketchbooks because she didn’t have studio space. -Her decision to post her work on Etsy and where that led her. -How bloggers began to notice her work and how that ena

Christina Mrozik is an artist from Michigan who uses pen, ink, marker, and watercolor to compose semi-surreal visions of nature that are very different from the usual paintings of serene landscapes and friendly animals.  She is currently based in Portland, Oregon and enjoys working with arts education nonprofit groups. She is currently being shown at Antler Gallery until June 26th. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/christinamrozik In this episode, Christina discusses: -How there is no clear-cut path for artists and creative people, and how each one needs to walk their own path. -How art acts as a mirror in which you can learn more about yourself from what you create. -The importance of pursuing your curiosities. -Embracing the idea that you will learn more than you will be able to create. -How everyone has a finite capacity, and it is just a matter of utilizing that capacity over and over so that it can grow and so that you can grow. -Looking back to work you made very early in life and seeing the

Tai Taeoalii is an amazing artist who uses ballpoint pen to create surreal pieces of art intended to stimulate the viewer’s mind and evoke honest emotion.  Tai has recently taken his art “on the road,” using the time that he is not busy creating to tour the U.S. at various art galleries, museums, and art fairs. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/artbytaireplay In this episode, Tai discusses: -His creative origins, doodling in class with a ballpoint pen, until selling his work on Ebay. -How he is now 38, but only really discovered who he is and his style 6 or 7 years ago. -How at art festivals and art fairs, you get to talk to the people buying your work and you get to get feedback from them. -How he starts a piece with an idea, and doesn't think much from that point on until the piece is done. -Listening to music helps him tap into his subconscious, much like doodling while on the phone. -The difficulty he experiences in attempting to do commission work, and why he doesn't do it anymore. -What it is

Amy Kuretsky is a health coach, acupuncturist, and herbalist with expertise in traditional Chinese medicine, digestive health, and a wide variety of nutritional plans.  She coaches creative entrepreneurs to be their healthiest selves and to tap into the energy that is the source of everything we do. Amy also hosts Health Fuels Hustle, a podcast all about living a healthier life as a creative. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/amykuretsky In this episode, Amy discusses: -How she came to be an acupuncturist and a health coach for creatives. -How she got off of all the drugs that she was taking for an autoimmune disease. -Her advice for creative individuals like Youngman who suffer from burnout and let their health fall by the wayside. -The importance of establishing our priorities and being aware of the fact that we say “yes” to too many things. -Her method for doing a “brain dump” to rid yourself of the things that take up your energy but don’t bring you money or joy. -Creative entrepreneur’s hesitan

Marta Nael is a Spanish artist currently working for Ediciones Babylon as an artist and art director.  She has a love for all painting techniques, using both digital and traditional media.  After completing her Fine Arts degree, she specialized in concept art and matte painting.  This allowed her to develop her own style, which could be described as a game of light and color, or Digital impressionism when it comes to digital media. Marta has published four books, her latest being Sketchbook 2. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/martanael In this episode, Marta discusses: -Some of her earliest creative memories. -The lessons she learned in art school. -Her switch from traditional to digital painting and the initial resistance she received from her professors. -Her advice for people who are afraid to get into digital painting for various reasons. -Where she gets her inspiration for her concept art. -The story behind “Darth Monroe.” -Her early process for starting a piece of art and how she knows which

Blake McFarland is a recycled materials artist who uses recycled rubber tires to create amazing lifelike sculptures of tire animals.  In addition to his tire sculptures, Blake is a painter and he also creates murals out of recycled wine corks. Blake is also a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/blakemcfarland In this episode, Blake discusses: -Having two identities as a baseball player and an artist and how he balances those two worlds. -How the baseball offseason provides months of time that he can fully devote to his art. -The type of art (and planning) he does during the baseball season. -How he started as an acrylic painter and sold his very first piece. -How Goodyear reached out to him to make sculptures for the Cotton Bowl. -His method for deciding what specific type of art to do in a particular day. -The initial resistance of people not understanding what he meant when he told them he wanted to create tire sculptures, and his decision to create it