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Ross Ticknor
Co-Host of The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell
Ross Ticknor grew up surrounded by art and artists, and studied 3D art and ceramics in college. He has worked as a commercial kiln operator, web designer, vineyard supervisor, and as an audiobook producer and voice talent. He is serial entrepreneur, having started several companies including Clear Water CBD and [Tick Digital Media](rossticknorvoice.com). He an his wife, Kara, now reside in Florida, and will soon welcome a baby boy into their growing family.
Ross Ticknor has hosted 235 Episodes.
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Episode 100: The Art Of The Side Hustle
November 30th, 2019 | 34 mins 3 secs
art, art income, business, rebecca crowell, self employment, side hustles
For many artists, some form of outside employment is necessary to make a living. Their day jobs often have little or nothing to do with their creative lives, but some have developed income streams that evolved naturally from their studio practice. This approach leads to a more integrated approach to earning a living. Today we’re focusing on some examples of art related side hustles.
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Episode 99: Branching Out
November 24th, 2019 | 36 mins 26 secs
art, creative process, exploration, medium, rebecca crowell
While most artists have a way of working that is their main focus, many of us also explore other media or approaches on occasion. In general it is good to have something that you stick with. This helps to develop ideas and master techniques. However, these side trips can be very intriguing, and even helpful feeding new ideas back into your main art practice.
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Episode 98: Our Studios, Our Sanctuaries
November 16th, 2019 | 39 mins 28 secs
art, design, rebecca crowell, studio
There are few things artists are more passionate or opinionated about than their personal workspaces. In the past we’ve touched on many aspects of individual studio environments including the kind of sounds that artists prefer as they work (Episode #95 of The Messy Studio Podcast) Today we’re going to further explore what makes studio spaces unique and special to those who work in them.
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Episode 96: Dealing With Rejection
November 2nd, 2019 | 27 mins 4 secs
art, business, rebecca crowell, rejection, self improvement
We’ve all suffered through rejections both major and minor. Like the cycle of ebbs and flows that we talked about in episode 94 of The Messy Studio Podcast, rejection in various forms is a part of an art career that we have to deal with on a regular basis. How can we stay positive and motivated when we are being told we didn’t make the cut? What does rejection really mean in the big picture of our lives as artists?
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Episode 95: What’s On In Your Studio
October 27th, 2019 | 28 mins 46 secs
art, music, rebecca crowell, sound, studio
Artists, as well as other other working professionals, create auditory environments within their work spaces. What enhances their work flow in terms of music, talk, or silence? Some people never consider this question when designing their own studio, and placing careful consideration on how best to optimise a work environment using sound can have a big impact on the quality of work an artist is able to produce.
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Episode 94: Ebbs and Flows
October 18th, 2019 | 32 mins 8 secs
art, business, ebbs and flows, mindset, rebecca crowell, self improvement
The ebbs and flows of income (and other positive events) are challenges for any self-employed person. But we have to learn to deal with slack times if we want to persist. Once you become discouraged it can be easy to lose your motivation and even think about giving up. Today we’ll cover some strategies and thoughts that can help if you’re in the midst of a downturn, and also ways to take the best advantage of the good times.
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Episode 93: Considering Commissions
October 12th, 2019 | 30 mins 51 secs
art, business, commissions, rebecca crowell
Many artists work regularly on commission and depend on this arrangement for income. Yet others find their restrictions challenging, accept them with reservations, and may even refuse them completely. Artists may also be confused about how to proceed the first time they are offered a commission. In this episode we’ll consider both the benefits and drawbacks to working on commission as well as what to consider when accepting one.
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Episode 92: Formal Mentorships
October 5th, 2019 | 28 mins 19 secs
art, business, mentorship, rebecca crowell
We continue our discussion about mentoring, with the emphasis on formal or paid arrangements, how they work for both mentors and mentees, and how they are beneficial.
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Episode 91: Mentor/Friend Relationships
September 27th, 2019 | 28 mins 15 secs
art, friendship, mentorship, rebecca crowell
Working with a mentor is a long tradition in the art world, in which a less experienced artist looks to one who is more experienced for guidance and training. Is art mentoring still important in the age of instructional videos, books, workshops, and artist groups? What do we gain from having a mentor, or from mentoring other people? Today we will talk about the unique offerings of mentorship, and tips for both mentors and mentees. Our focus today is on the more informal kinds of mentoring as opposed to more formal or paying relationships.
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Episode 90: Sharing Studio Secrets
September 21st, 2019 | 31 mins 45 secs
art, art process, art secrets, business, rebecca crowell, technique
Rebecca and Ross discuss why sharing your process and techniques with others helps to advance your own work and career.
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Episode 89: Working On Your Website Part 2
September 12th, 2019 | 30 mins 52 secs
art, business, rebecca crowell, website
Rebecca and Ross continue their discussion on building your artist website.
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Episode 88: Working On Your Website Part 1
September 8th, 2019 | 35 mins 59 secs
art, business, rebecca crowell, websites
Rebecca and Ross discuss common pitfalls in artist websites and why your website is important.
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Episode 85: What is Unique About Abstraction?
August 17th, 2019 | 32 mins 36 secs
abstraction, art, rebecca crowell
Many people find abstraction very challenging to either create or appreciate because it seems so different from more realistic approaches and it seems hard to find a way in. Although in some ways there are radical differences, there are also some basic similarities with representational art. Today we’ll talk about abstraction in a way that may help your efforts to understand it as an artist or art appreciator.
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Episode 84: What the Creative Process Teaches Us
August 10th, 2019 | 25 mins 21 secs
art, learning, rebecca crowell, self improvement, spirituality
A few weeks ago Rebecca posed the question on Facebook, “what has your art practice taught you? Are there things you’ve learned as an artist that help you with other aspects of life? There were a lot of responses that were deep, insightful and passionate. Today we’re going to talk about this topic and some of what the artists said who responded to the question.
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Episode 83: Your Art Stories
August 3rd, 2019 | 29 mins 58 secs
art, journey, mindset, rebecca crowell, self improvement
When we are in the midst of things, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture of our own journey as an artist. We tend to focus on the day to day, the ups and downs of whatever we are currently working on, as well as on future goals and plans. But every now and then it’s good to appreciate the path we’ve walked on to this point, how one thing has led to another.
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Episode 82: Giving an Artist Talk
July 28th, 2019 | 31 mins 50 secs
art, public speaking, rebecca crowell
Public speaking ranks very high when it comes to events in your life that create anxiety. Yet as part of an art career at some point you will be called upon to speak about your work. This could range from an informal gathering of people you know to an interview on widely shared media. Why should you embrace these opportunities and how can you handle them without too much stress?