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 “rebecca crowell”.
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Episode 166: Reinventing Yourself
February 20th, 2021 | 32 mins 52 secs
advice, art, change, creativity, personal development, rebecca crowell
Many of go through times in our lives when we make radical changes—either by choice or because of something imposed on us by circumstance. But even if the big change is something, we want to make mixed feelings are inevitable and stressful as we let go of the old and step into the new. Big changes challenge the very idea of who we are and how we operate in the world. How can an art practice help us through a time when we either need --or want--to reinvent ourselves?
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Episode 165: Creating A Daily Series
February 13th, 2021 | 33 mins 26 secs
art, creativity, daily art practice, habits, personal development, rebecca crowell, series
Working in series is usually an involved process in terms of both time and focus. Artists are often known for series that explore ideas in a sustained, deep way. But the intriguing aspects working in series can also happen in a quicker, more spontaneous way, with a new piece each day. Today we’ll look at working in series with a sketchbook, or using other small or quick formats, and explore how this can be an important part of an artist’s practice.
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Episode 164: Abstraction and Your Inner Child
February 7th, 2021 | 37 mins 42 secs
abstraction, art, children's art, creativity, mark making, rebecca crowell, symbols
We all drew, painted, and made things out of playdough and construction paper as little children, in spontaneous and unselfconscious ways. Some of us retain those memories, and we may also have children or grandchildren whose artwork we love. The art of children affords an intriguing view of a very different way of seeing and thinking than we have as adults, and many abstract artists have found it a source of inspiration. Today we look at some special qualities of child art and how it may feed our abstract ideas.
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Episode 163: Abstracting With Symbols
January 31st, 2021 | 33 mins 12 secs
abstraction, art, creativity, fundamentals, rebecca crowell, symbolism, symbols
Abstract artists find many ways to bring meaning to their work. For some, this may be purely an investigation of color, line, or other elements. For others—it is the expression of emotion or evoking aspects of the visual world. Today we’re going to look at another powerful way that artists can bring meaning to abstraction—through the use of symbols, whether personal in origin or more universally recognized.
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Episode 162: When Is It Finished?
January 23rd, 2021 | 35 mins 17 secs
art decisions, creative process, creativity, finishing, messy studio, rebecca crowell
Every time we make a piece of art, we reach the point of deciding if it’s finished --yet as common as this moment is in studio life, it is often one of doubt and second-guessing. What are some meaningful criteria for when something is done? Are there questions to ask ourselves in declaring something finished? Do we have to finish everything, or is it OK to abandon certain pieces? Today we will look at this ordinary but complex process of deciding a work of art is done.
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Episode 160: Making Stone Soup - Interview with Phyllis Lasche
January 9th, 2021 | 43 mins 46 secs
art, collaborations, creativity, interview, phyllis lasche, rebecca crowell
Rebecca interviews Phyllis Lasche about her artist collaboration project, Stone Soup!
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Episode 159: Lessons From 2020
January 3rd, 2021 | 38 mins 53 secs
2020, art, change, creativity, growth, learning, personal development, rebecca crowell, retrospective
At the end of 2020, we’re overloaded with reflections in the media about how society has navigated this strange and difficult pandemic year. On a personal level, we all have stories of struggles, loss, insights, and changes. Today we are especially interested in what this time has meant for us as artists. Last week, Rebecca posed the question to our listeners “How did 2020 impact your work?” and today on our first podcast of 2021, we’ll share some of the responses we received as well as our own thoughts.
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Episode 158: Abstracting with Emotion
December 26th, 2020 | 39 mins 25 secs
abstraction, art, color, creativity, emotion, fundamentals, line, rebecca crowell
Abstract artists are sometimes stereotyped as uninhibited people who slap paint down in direct response to strong emotion. But this idea is far from true and accurate. While many abstract painters do aim to express emotion and mood, their approaches vary widely --from spontaneous to highly controlled. And even the most intuitive artists need to thoughtfully consider their use of the visual elements and design principles. Today we will look at painting abstractly as an expression of emotion, mood, remembrance, or other states of mind.
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Episode 157: Well Being
December 19th, 2020 | 41 mins 49 secs
art, mindset, personal development, rebecca crowell, richard davidson, well being
Every so often, we like to address the ways that creativity and well-being intersect, and it seems appropriate to do so now as we come to the end of a very difficult and stressful year. In a recent seminar on Buddhist philosophy, neuroscientist Richard Davidson spoke about four pillars of well-being—awareness, connection, insight, and purpose—all of which are practiced every day in the studios of artists as part of the creative process. Today we’ll take a closer look at these ideas and consider how an art practice enhances a positive state of mind during stressful times.
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Episode 156: Abstracting with Lines and Marks
December 12th, 2020 | 33 mins 8 secs
art, creativity, drawing, elements, fundamentals, line, mark making, rebecca crowell
Lines and marks in a work of art connect the viewer very directly with the hand of the artist. They can express individuality, add structure, and show evidence of the artist’s process. Perhaps because these visual elements can reveal so much, many artists are self-conscious about using them and when they do, the results can appear contrived, awkward, or random. How can we use lines and marks in purposeful ways that feel right to us? What might more intentional use of lines and marks bring to our work?