The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell

The podcast at the intersection of art, travel, business, philosophy, and life in general.

About the show

Artist Rebecca Crowell shares experiences and thoughts from three decades of painting, teaching and traveling, as well as her conversations with other artists. She is joined by her co-host, producer, and son, Ross Ticknor, who brings an entrepreneurial Millennial perspective. The conversations are broad and eclectic, focused on ideas, information and anecdotes that other artists may find helpful in their work and careers. A new episode is uploaded every weekend!

The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell on social media

Episodes

  • Episode 108: Ideas For Your Bookshelf

    January 25th, 2020  |  33 mins 19 secs
    art, books, reading, rebecca crowell

    We talked last time about the role that art-related books play in the lives of artists, and the importance of continuing to educate ourselves in various ways. This week we turn our attention to the specific titles and authors recommended by Rebecca, as well as other artists who weighed in on our Facebook poll asking for input about significant art-related books. Many artists are very passionate about their books and recommendations, which were wide-ranging.

  • Episode 107: The Importance Of Art Books

    January 18th, 2020  |  32 mins 7 secs
    art, books, reading, rebecca crowell

    Art related books play an important part in our lives, and many artists have enormous collections. These collections are an investment in the growth of an artist’s creativity and career. They demonstrate curiosity and a desire for deeper understanding. Some artists joke that collecting books is a bit of an addiction. Even a small collection of relevant books can have a profound impact on your thoughts and intentions, and can help us understand our own work, as well as other’s work better.

  • Episode 106: Interview With Betsy Williams - The Microseasons Project

    January 11th, 2020  |  39 mins 14 secs
    art, betsy williams, collaborations, interview, new mexico, rebecca crowell, travel

    In today's episode, Rebecca interviews New Mexico artist Betsy Williams about her work and recently published book.

  •

    Episode 105: Why Walk?

    January 4th, 2020  |  28 mins 48 secs
    art, creative process, rebecca crowell, travel, walking

    While this may seem to be an odd topic for the Messy Studio, it is something that is important to Rebecca's creative life and that of many other artists. Walking has numerous and well-known benefits for physical and mental health, but what can it contribute to our lives as artists? In this episode, we explore walking as one of the ways that daily life and art are integrated.

  •

    Episode 104: Questions And The Creative Process

    December 28th, 2019  |  30 mins 59 secs
    abstraction, art, creative process, questions, rebecca crowell

    The questions we ask ourselves as artists are at the root of the creative process. As artists, we are driven by the unknown. Contemplating various possibilities brings energy and change to our work. It keeps our work dynamic, and exciting, and it keeps us engaged in the creative process.

  •

    Episode 103: Intuitive Color

    December 21st, 2019  |  31 mins 28 secs
    art, color, intuition, painting, rebecca crowell

    Color is a very powerful influence in our everyday lives, and certainly in our art. It is the most studied of the visual elements by experts outside of the field of art--in biology, psychology, and in cultural studies, to name a few. As artists, we may work with color in an intuitive way, or more intellectually, each of us finding a way that suits us. There is no single correct system for using color. Our individual approach is linked to our own characters and personalities, and is often a strong aspect of our personal visual voice.

  • Episode 102: Studio Struggles

    December 14th, 2019  |  30 mins 36 secs
    art, creativity, rebecca crowell, struggles, travel

    As artists, we accept many day to day challenges as part of the creative process. Even though we all feel frustrated at times, we know that problem solving is how we grow and achieve our goals. Solving creative problems can bring great satisfaction, but some studio struggles are also very difficult and soul-wrenching. Artists at every level experience these times of defeat or despair that go beyond daily frustration.

  •

    Episode 101: Influence Vs Copying

    December 7th, 2019  |  39 mins 4 secs
    art, business, copying, influence, rebecca crowell

    No artist is wholly original. We all owe those who came before us for techniques, ideas, theories, and approaches, and we should honor these influences. Each of us references these influences in our own way. Some of us place ourselves firmly in the tradition of a certain approach to art, or even as followers of a particular artist but with our interpretation and expression, while others work from a combination of many influences. These are healthy aspects of influence. Unfortunately, there are also artists who either deliberately plagiarize another artist's work, or use so many of another artist's ideas that they come uncomfortably close to outright copying.

  • 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.

  •

    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.

  • 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.

  •

    Episode 97: Cindy Stapper: Between Realism and Abstraction

    November 9th, 2019  |  30 mins 57 secs
    art, cold wax, interview, landscape, new mexico, rebecca crowell, travel

    New Mexico painter Cindy Stapper discusses her work in which she explores the dichotomy of presence and absence through both realistic and more abstracted approaches to the landscape. Other topics that she and Rebecca talk about include the challenges of change, the pull of the wild Irish landscape, her appreciation of cold wax medium and oil, and the influence of poetry and writing on her work.

  •

    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?

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.