The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell
The podcast at the intersection of art, travel, business, philosophy, and life in general.
We found 10 episodes of The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell with the tag “creativity”.
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Episode 146: Older and Wiser: Creativity in Later Years
October 9th, 2020 | 38 mins 1 sec
aging, art, creativity, gratitude, rebecca crowell
In many ways, art is a great leveler of personal differences among those who create it. Along with other personal factors like gender and ethnicity, the age of an artist often has little or no impact on the pure, wordless first encounter between viewer and art. On the other hand, as artists we know that many aspects of our personal lives do affect the content of our work and how we go about making it. Today we are going to talk about some effects of aging on artists and their studio practices.
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Episode 144: Cooking Up Something Good
September 26th, 2020 | 48 mins 31 secs
art, collage, creativity, materials, rebecca crowell
In our almost three years of recording podcasts, we have often found ourselves comparing cooking and art in terms of process and outcome. Since our podcast description includes “life in general” we thought it would be fun to move away from the messy studio and into the messy kitchen for an episode that explores the ways that cooking and creating art share aspects of creativity.
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Episode 143: Quirky Mashups: Mixed Media Ideas
September 19th, 2020 | 37 mins 44 secs
art, creativity, fundamentals, materials, mixed media, rebecca crowell
Working in mixed media, also called combined media, expands creative possibilities, and intrigues many artists. What materials can be used together in interesting and non-traditional ways? How can you approach the overwhelming number of potential combinations? Mixed media involves the joy of experimentation, the satisfaction of discovering new approaches, and new ways of creating meaning and personal voice in your work. In today’s episode, we will sum up some of the comments made on a recent Facebook post about the topic, and talk about the reasons many artists love to work in mixed media.
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Episode 142: Material World
September 12th, 2020 | 34 mins 10 secs
art, creativity, fundamentals, materials, rebecca crowell
The materials an artist uses are one of the first things we notice when looking at art—we may see paint, clay, wood, paper, pencil, or intriguing combinations of many materials and processes. Beyond their visual impact alone, materials can also evoke feelings and ideas that add to the meaning of the work. Today we’re going to talk about materiality in art—its impact and the decisions involved in choosing art materials.
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Episode 140: Seeking Validation
August 29th, 2020 | 36 mins 42 secs
art, career, creativity, mindset, motivation, rebecca crowell, self improvement
As artists, we love knowing that our work is appreciated by other people—whether that comes to us via exhibits, sales, awards, positive comments on social media, or simply from friends and family who respond to what we do. And even though many artists would say that recognition and validation are secondary to making the work, it can be still hard to stay motivated without some positive input. Today we’ll talk about the desire for validation alongside the pure need to create and how they can complement each other in our art practices.
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Episode 139: Those Awkward Moments
August 22nd, 2020 | 42 mins 22 secs
art, career, conversation, creativity, criticism, marketing, rebecca crowell, self improvement
In a recent podcast, we talked about the remark often made about abstract artists --” my kid could paint that.” But there are lots of other things people say to and about artists that show a lack of understanding or even hostility toward art. When these happen in conversation, they can create some awkward moments. Most of us tend to feel defensive when this happens, and we can miss an opportunity to elevate the conversation. Today we’ll talk about some of these common remarks, consider why people make them, and ways to handle them gracefully.
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Episode 138: My Kid Could Do That!
August 15th, 2020 | 37 mins 44 secs
abstraction, art, child art, creativity, rebecca crowell
Saying that an abstract painting is something a preschooler could do sounds like the ultimate putdown for abstract art. It implies that abstraction is a scam, meant to fool the viewer into thinking it has actual importance and ridiculing the fact that it is sold for thousands of dollars. It also denies that it takes effort, skill, or seriousness to make the work. But can that same remark be viewed in a positive light instead? What do we lose as adult artists that children have naturally, before becoming self-conscious about their work? And is child art really the equivalent of adult work? Today discuss the relationship between abstraction and child art.
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Episode 137: Roughing It: All About Texture
August 8th, 2020 | 29 mins 48 secs
art, creativity, fundamentals, rebecca crowell, style, texture
Along with color, texture is one of the most evocative visual elements, engaging not only our eyes but our sense of touch—as well as our memories and associations. Many artists seek out ways of creating texture and consider it one of the most important aspects of their work. Yet because it is such a powerful element it needs to be used thoughtfully, and often with restraint. How can we use texture most effectively in our work, allowing it to take its place with other visual elements without overpowering them? What are the special qualities of texture that can be used to enhance our work?
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Episode 135: Are You Curious?
July 25th, 2020 | 35 mins 20 secs
art, art researching, creativity, curiosity, growth, rebecca crowell, style, technique
We were all curious as children and many artists retain that trait as vital to dynamic art practice. Yet curiosity can be fragile, disappearing in the face of information overload or the desire to seem knowledgeable and in control. To be curious, to wonder, to explore –all are aspects of ourselves that keep us young, with room to grow. Today we will look at how to nurture curiosity in your art practice and the importance of exploring and wondering, in art and in life.
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Episode 134: Editing with Energy
July 18th, 2020 | 38 mins 47 secs
art, creativity, editing, fundamentals, rebecca crowell, skills
Artists need to edit, too!. Of course, we’re all familiar with the idea of editing as it applies to writing. It is often said that every author needs an editor to make sure that their writing is technically correct, cohesive, and impactful. But as visual artists we don’t typically involve anyone else in that kind of role --it's up to us to do it ourselves. Today we will talk about editing our work for stronger and more consistent results, and point out that it need not be a chore or necessary evil.