Not just talking about your studio space today, or perhaps? a kitchen table studio like where I first started my Art business, but in today's episode I share a story about how I figured out what cultivated my most inspired creative times.

It wasn't obvious to me until recently ~ first when I founded The Expansive Artists, with an intention to cultivate and support an inspired creative community of fellow Artists growing businesses along with hosting in person creative events, like retreats and workshops ~

Here's the thing: the environment and community you choose to surround yourself with can make all the difference in the way you find, tap into and express your unique creative vision.

It's way more important than you might realize.

I invited a special guest, Floral Designer and Founder of Apotheca Flowers, Alyssa Van Guilder to join me for this conversation.

We're both excited to announce that our 2020 dream of hosting an in person creative + creative business event together, is finally happening this year.

You can get all the details and save your spot to join us here!

https://floraldesign.shinepages.com/

You can find all things Alyssa Van Guilder and Apotheca

@apothecaflowers

https://apothecaflowershoppe.com/

Click here to join the Creative Thursday List

Should this podcast stay or should it go?

Inspired by a variety of conversations with creatives I had at the start of this new year, the response to a spontaneous instagram post I created that is now my most liked post of ALL TIME, celebrating the 300th CT episode, all coinciding with a BIG birthday in just 2 days - I'm assessing next steps personally, professionally and specifically with this Creative Thursday podcast.

Let's just say the lens with which I'm choosing to Mentor and Coach is shifting and I'm sharing with you why.

I'd love your thoughts on the ideas and suggestions I'm offering in this episode and then...

If you like me simply want more time to create your Art this year and make it a regular habit again, I've got 3 tips to begin feeling like an Artist again, especially if you're an Artist who's turned your Creativity into a Profession.

On a side note if you LOVE rabbits, and/or are curious about seeing and collecting a new series of Creative Thursday paintings, then you'll want to check out the new Year of the Rabbit-inspired originals right here at creativethursday.com

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, through reviews and messages.

What's your go-to when you're just not feeling inspired?

How do you get back into that Creative flow?

In today's episode, I share a story about a recent experience that I almost talked myself out of multiple times, which ended up being a game changer for me on so many levels, from learning new skills to, to future business opportunities to energizing my Creativity flow even more!

Because, as you may know, I've been painting up a storm this month and have never been so excited to making Art again.

And TODAY in celebration of a return to prioritizing creativity, for the first time all year, I'm releasing a group of original paintings. My "Coming Back To Art" Collection is launching @ 11 am PST via email first. Join the list and view the new collection as soon as they're released at creativethursday.com or click here.

In almost 300 episodes I haven't shared EXACTLY how I started my Art business, how is that possible?

The truth is that business owners can get so distracted by shiny squirrel syndrome (listen to this previous podcast episode no.) and all the latest marketing strategies, that we can miss the most obvious one that's right in front of us, and forgetting to stay focused on what works (easily!) and double down on doing more of that.

Exhibit A - me, Marisa right here mentoring you and forgetting to emphasize what was the most important foundation to growing Creative Thursday, the specific strategy that took me from selling 1 greeting card an entire holiday season to growing a 6 figure Art Business.

In this episode, I'm sharing the practice that helped me

• stay consistently connected to making my Art
• find my Artist voice
• grow my following + my email list
• find my Collectors many of whom are still collecting my work today
• and generating consistent revenue with Art sales

And if you want to go deeper on this strategy in an upcoming LIVE Masterclass I'm teaching next week, you can learn more and save your spot at Dailypaintingmethod.com

Do you think you may have found your voice but you're just too close to the work to see it?

Or is it because you're emerging that you automatically assume you don't have a voice yet?

Could it be that your work needs a more consistent practice to fully develop into a unique + elevated offering?

Spoiler Alert: you might already have the answer on how to find your voice, but you're looking outside for reassurance and validation.

That's all fine and good as long as you also know how to trust your own intuition, and as a Coach I'll remind you to look inwards for your answer, like I did in my Creative Biz Coaching over Coffee session no. 2 with New Mexico Artist, Nara.

You can learn more about Artist, Nara on Instagram

@creative.impact.art

The doors to The Expansive Artists are re-opening for the first time this year, tomorrow Friday March 18.

Join the waitlist to know as soon as they re-open.

1 month from today…I made a big announcement to my email friends last Sunday

March 7, 2007 is my Working Artist Anniversary and it was exactly 14 years ago this year, that I started making a living with my Art, and this is also the year I've decided that March 7th I'm retiring Creative Thursday.

There’s been some confusion about what I mean when I say retire. 😅

Not to worry! This isn’t the end of my business or me creating Art, it’s a new chapter and I’ll explain all the details on this week’s podcast.

Until then, it does mean that if you’ve been eyeing a Creative Thursday creation you’ll want to add it to your Collection now 😌

I'm sharing all the details behind this decision and specifically what it means for all of the areas of my business from Art to Podcasting to Mentoring.

Did I mention that I got an Egg Chair for our garden? 🥚❤️⁣
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Did I also mention that I still haven’t taken it outside yet?⁣
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And did I mention that you can find me + the studio mates (sometimes all 3 of them) in this exact spot at some point every day from coffee to wine time.⁣
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Let’s just say I unpacked the box right here in our living room, never moved it, and now we currently have an oversized piece of furniture in a space that is most definitely too small for it. ⁣
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But who cares, because these are still extraordinary times and I’ll take my comfort and joy where I can get it. And Sean is tolerating the overcrowded living room for now ⁣
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This egg chair has become my Quarantine, step away from the chaos hideaway + sanctuary. (Plus there’s a really good view out the great big picture window that looks out on our back yard from this spot)⁣
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Tell me, what’s your current sanctuary, favorite “safe” comfort + joy spot, oh and! beverage of choice? ☕️🍷

As we head into more interesting times on top of already extremely interesting times, I'm sharing 4 tips for how I'm finding stability in chaos especially over the next few weeks.

You change a painting after it has been released.

I've proven to a very action oriented self,  that personal growth is directly correlated to business growth. It's not just about all the strategy + business tips & steps you take, that brings you your kind of success, it's the inner work, the reflection, the questions you ask, the willingness to start at zero, know nothing again~ and an ongoing openness to

 REINVENT and MAKE IT YOUR OWN.

All of this to say, I sometimes turn my attendance and listening time on certain coaching calls into a time for painting. (I often encourage The Expansive Artists to do the same)

Hours of guidance + wisdom have been poured into this painting since I released it the first time, and it now holds even more meaning than before.

I chose the animals to represent their symbolism specifically for this incredible time we are living in.

The horse represents FREEDOM

The white tiger represents VISION

The black panther represents VALOR

The raven represents WISDOM

I intend for this collection of animals to be a reminder of the qualities I want to stay connected to, especially now.

The additional time invested and insight woven into this piece now represent a transformative time, one that I've been wanting to experience.

If you know my work then you know how much I'm a fan of new beginnings, but this, this is much more than a new beginning.

That time you rewrite your bio, and in search for your bio photo, come across one of your very first professional shoots from 2005.

A graphic designer & interior designer, (who really wanted to sell Art but wasn’t sure that my work was ”good enough”) I started Creative Thursday with selling my hand-painted vintage chairs.

This was one of my favorites, her name was Edith (I named each chair & wrote it on the bottom along with my signature + date)

I started this Creative Business with a passion to share my journey and inspire creativity for all 💕.

I thought if I could so this, self-taught, little to no formal training, there is no reason why you can't too!!

So my motto became, let’s do this together! I’ll take you along for the ride, share my story + give you peeks behind the curtain, opening up about challenges + wins along the way.

As I write this almost exactly 15 years to the date from the time this photo was taken (Sean, me + my chair at the entrance to the tiny Laurel Canyon bungalow we rented from a friend, when we first moved in together as a couple) - I’m ready to tell a new chapter to the story.

I did it. Built my dream business as a Working Artist, (with my paintings!) shipped over 10K packages with my Art all over the world, had a book published, designed 9 fabric collections and sold a few chairs along the way too 😊

But what happens next? 15 yrs in, what do I believe is possible now that I didn’t before & where did my fertility challenges + loss along with comparison of Artists who came up with me at the same time + expectations of where I “should be by now” slowly chip away at my spirit + confidence.

What’s next?
Evolution, reinvention, growing up, awareness, recognition of a strong, quiet wisdom + aligning with my true purpose + the desire to guide other Artists so they don’t have to experience the same struggles.

What happens when you want to evolve your work?
Artists often find success in a certain style & then feel trapped in one voice or color palette. They resist change because now their income is dependent on that 1 style. And because change is “scary” 😳

Reinvention is the story I want to tell now #creativethursdaybymarisa

It's official!! The 40" x 30" painting I've been working on throughout the L.A. Quarantine ~ one of my largest and most detailed pieces to date is complete.

The Artist’s secret to finishing a piece of work: give yourself a deadline​
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Over years of painting characters and animals in different settings I had never painted a Jungle before.

Technically I began this painting on a whim during one of our painting nights when I had my large studio almost 2 years ago.

And it had been sitting, just waiting to be finished all this time.

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​It was the extra time home and a desire not only to complete this painting but to challenge myself as a painter...something I’d clearly been avoiding which is why ahem I stopped shortly after I started... 40” x 30” is a far cry from my familiar small size of 6” x 6” 😳

Working through all the details took much longer than anticipated, and I also unexpectedly discovered how much I love having one large painting to return to day after day.

I've always felt fulfilled with my art through the process of creating and completing a piece in one sitting with my daily painting practice.

Stepping out of my comfort zone opened up a whole new avenue to explore with my work, and I can't wait to see where this leads.
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​I promised myself it would be finished at the end of the quarantine and while we’re not quite there yet, I feel a gentle shift back to some aliveness and (socially distanced) in person connection 💕and it feels like it’s time for this painting to be completed - that, and - I am also ready to begin new work!​
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Because you know what happens when you commit to regular creating- your creative inspiration gains serious momentum. The muse is in the house!

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Voila! a finished painting and a happy Artist (with even longer bangs.)

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Stay well + creative xo Marisa

​Enjoy the Quarantine Jungle!​

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