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 “personal voice”.
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Episode 242: The Challenges of Consistency
February 25th, 2023 | 34 mins 5 secs
art, brand, consistency, creativity, development, galleries, personal voice, rebecca crowell, style
As artists we know it’s good to be open to new ideas and changes—but for marketing purposes we’re also expected to have an identifiable style that is consistent and recognizable. This basic dilemma is frustrating when you have wide-ranging interests and like to explore new ideas or media. Your work can appear to be “all over the place” and seem to lack focus. At the other extreme, being overly concerned that your work is consistent can inhibit your growth as an artist.
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Episode 239: Trusting Your Intuition
February 4th, 2023 | 33 mins 54 secs
art, communication, creativity, intuition, personal voice, rebecca crowell
As artists we all recognize that intuition plays a role in what we do, but what that role is can seem mysterious and elusive. Like many concepts in art, we tend to use the words intuitive and intuition loosely because they defy exact description. But a closer look may help you understand its place in your own way of working, and to better access its power.
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Episode 234: A Deeper Look, Step by Step
December 18th, 2022 | 33 mins 58 secs
analysis, art, communication, creativity, going deeper, growth, meaning, personal voice, rebecca crowell, style
In the process of making a work of art, the artist deals with many questions and decisions. There is a constant evaluation of asking if the piece is on the right track, and considering what is needed for the next move. What will best convey the artist’s ideas and intentions? Many of these decisions are quick and intuitive, but sometimes a more reflective and conscious process is called for.
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Episode 212: Imaginary Friends and Critics
July 16th, 2022 | 32 mins 50 secs
art, business, communication, creativity, marketing, outside influences, personal voice, rebecca crowell
When an artist creates, the people that the artist images viewing the work often are unseen presences in the studio. When we are deeply involved in our work these may fade away, but they tend to reappear when we are uncertain or involved in self-critique. A legitimate and important part of evaluating our work is trying to see the work through someone else’s eyes. But who are these viewers, exactly? Who are we creating art for, besides ourselves? Today we talk about those who view our work, how we imagine them and how much power to give them.
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Episode 201: Social Media: Friends and Followers
December 17th, 2021 | 39 mins 55 secs
art, brand, business, creativity, personal voice, rebecca crowell, social media
Many of us enjoy social media as a convenient way to share our art with others, for the sense of community it offers, and the easy way it lets us keep up with people we seldom see in person. But artists who are not enthusiastic about social media can feel pressured into participating because of the benefits it offers, yet squeamish and awkward when they do. Today we’ll talk about the role of social media in art practice and how to find a comfort level with participating if you’ve been avoiding it.
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Episode 199: Staying Adventurous
December 4th, 2021 | 33 mins 2 secs
adventure, art, creativity, personal brand, personal voice, rebecca crowell, risks, travel
As children, we all explored constantly—the world was new and we needed to try things out, push boundaries, and make discoveries in order to grow. Most of the time we were totally absorbed in these activities and found them enjoyable. Artists in their beginning phases often show a similar attitude—they are willing and eager to explore, play, and experiment in an open-ended way with few expectations. But once artistic maturity sets in we tend to settle into more predictable practices and may lose the urge to explore. There are important benefits to finding your groove and sticking with it, but how can we keep an inventive and adventurous spirit alive at the same time?
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Episode 192: Your Life & Your Abstract Voice
October 16th, 2021 | 33 mins 18 secs
abstraction, art, creativity, experience, life, personal voice, rebecca crowell
How do abstract artists focus on specific ideas in their work? How can personal voice be discovered and followed given the endless possibilities of abstraction? Today we will talk about one path that has proven to be a rich vein of ideas for many abstract artists—that of pulling from their own experiences in life to create a meaningful, personal visual language. Today we’ll talk about ways to access ideas for abstraction from what you know best, your own life.
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Episode 179: Creative Frustration
May 22nd, 2021 | 30 mins 27 secs
art, branding, creativity, frustration, personal voice, process, rebecca crowell
It’s an all-too familiar situation in the studio, coping with a work of art that seems to fight against you at every step, making each day with it a struggle. It’s so easy to become obsessed with a piece like this, trying to persuade it to cooperate, just as you might with a stubborn person. It can feel like an exhausting contest of wills, made all the more frustrating by your awareness that you are actually fighting with yourself. Today we’re going to talk about those pieces that make you want to tear out your hair or throw them out the window -window. Because we all know that feeling, right?
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Episode 176: Visual Ideas
May 1st, 2021 | 37 mins 18 secs
3d printing, art, brand, creativity, personal voice, rebecca crowell, unique ideas, visual ideas
Artists often worry that their work is derivative of another artist’s work and may be very concerned about being overly influenced by someone else’s style or technique. This problem certainly does exist in the art world and is something to guard against because most of us do want our work to be original and unique. But in every field of endeavor, people build on and respond to the work of others, and this is no different for artists. Today we talk about building on, rather than appropriating, other people’s ideas.
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Episode 175: Authenticity
April 24th, 2021 | 26 mins 30 secs
art, authenticity, brand, creativity, personal voice, rebecca crowell
The artist’s life is challenging in ways that go beyond producing strong work, as difficult as that may be. An art practice also makes huge demands of us on a personal and emotional level. Although we love what we do, all of us sometimes feel overwhelmed by these demands, which include the need for constant self-examination, brutal honesty, and being willing to push through difficulties. Yet we know that these challenges come with the territory and are the path to true personal expression. Today we will focus on the challenge and rewards of being authentic and honest with ourselves in our studio practice.