Podcast – Adventures in Arting Podcast

On this episode of The Adventures in Arting Podcast, Julie and Eileen dive into the often uncomfortable—but absolutely essential—topic of critique in the creative process. From school report cards to artistic peer reviews, Julie & Eileen explore how feedback shapes our growth, why it sometimes hurts, and how to develop a healthier, more productive relationship with it. This episode is part of...

In This Episode: Julie and Eileen dig into how artists can define who they are, what they offer, and why people should follow or support them. Whether you’re writing an artist bio, pitching a class, or just figuring yourself out—this episode gives you the language and tools to clarify your creative identity. You’ll learn: Why defining your identity is key—even if you’re “just” a hobbyist The diffe...

In this episode, Julie and Eileen explore how frameworks can transform your creative process from scattered to sustainable. Discover why the best artists—from jazz musicians to painters—use structure to fuel, not restrict, their creativity.  Learn how to:  Overcome blank page paralysis  Use the “P.E.E.” method (Practice, Experiment, Embrace)  Improve your work with the Art Parts method   Apply des...

Episode 167: 10 Questions to Catch Up and Spark Creativity Welcome back to the Adventures in Arting podcast! After a much-needed hiatus, we’re diving back in with an episode designed to help you reboot your creative engine—whether you’ve taken a break from art, podcasting, or anything else. In this episode, we’re sharing 10 thoughtful questions that can guide you through a creative reset. The ques...

Episode Summary: Welcome back to Adventures in Arting! After a long break, we’re diving back into inspiring conversations about creativity, art practice, and the artistic journey. In this episode, Julie interviews award-winning mixed media artist and instructor, Mary Correa. Mary shares her journey from corporate trainer to full-time artist, her approach to building a creative business, and her in...

Episode Title: Organizing Small SpacesPodcast: Adventures in Arting with Julie Fei-Fan BalzerHosts: Julie Fei-Fan Balzer & Eileen Hsu-Balzer Episode Summary:In this episode, Julie and her mom, Eileen, dive into practical strategies for organizing small art spaces. They explore ways to maximize creative space, whether you’re working in a tiny apartment, a shared living area, or a dedicated stud...

On this podcast (recorded over three weeks), I share my highs and lows, break throughs and frustrations with a drawing class I’m taking at the Danforth Art Museum in Framingham, MA. Overall, this experience reminded me that the creative process often involves pushing beyond simple exercises. It’s about synthesis — connecting ideas — and allowing for unexpected discoveries. The key is to continuall...

An Artwork Statement is a piece of writing that gives context to a specific artwork. It often explains the meaning, inspiration, techniques, and context behind a specific artwork or series. Your statement may address the materials used, the process, and the narrative or concept behind the piece. The purpose is to provide deeper insight into a particular piece, helping viewers connect with and unde...

This episode covers the Adventures in Arting podcast’s origin story, technical challenges, evolution, ups and downs, and the significance of surpassing 21 episodes, and most importantly: a bit about Mom’s upbringing and relationship to art. ​ And as always, you get to enjoy the dynamic between us — our banter, shared experiences, and future plans for the podcast. ​ The podcast blends personal anec...

From her home in northern British Columbia, Canada, through her video lessons on her website and YouTube, Angela Fehr has created a community of watercolor lovers that spans the globe. She wants every painter to know the freedom of fearless self expression and she has made it her mission to share this empowering message through lessons in heart-prioritizing watercolour technique and loose intuitiv...

Today on the podcast we’re chatting about Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: Growth Mindset: Definition: A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, learning, and persistence. Characteristics: Embracing challenges, persisting through setbacks, seeing effort as a path to mastery, learning from criticism, and finding inspiration in others’ success. Exa...

Lydia Leonard left this comment on my YouTube channel: “I’ve been following you for years and always marvel at your genius! Moving walls? So smart! I sort of have the same thing but I have a hard time putting everything back where it belongs! I’ve been trying to reorganize but I get distracted by all the cool things I find. Do you have any focusing ideas to keep me motivated?“ Specific to her magp...

I like to think of the podcast as a conversation — between me and Mom — between me and Mom and a guest — between me and Mom and YOU! Thank you so much to all of you who leave comments and send emails. We read them all and appreciate them all. This Listener Mail episode is packed with so many thoughtful comments from you guys! Thanks! Links: Tip the Artist: PayPal. Me/balzerdesigns Sign up for the...

As I mentioned in the previous podcast, Mom and I snuck in the night before the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) here in Boston — The museum’s annual Art in Bloom event at the end of April.  This is always one of my favorite events of the year.  In case you don’t know what Art in Bloom is: It’s a weekend festival that transforms the MFA’s galleries into a floral showcase, with floral designers and garden...

Mom and I snuck in the night before the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) here in Boston — The museum’s annual Art in Bloom event at the end of April.  This is always one of my favorite events of the year.  In case you don’t know what Art in Bloom is: It’s a weekend festival that transforms the MFA’s galleries into a floral showcase, with floral designers and garden clubs from across the region carefully...

The title of this episode is a bit of a double entendre.  We’re going to discuss my personal art practice and the parts I’ve devised for it, but in doing so, we’ll also be discussing the framework I’m using for the online community: My Art Practice . On the podcast I begin by talking about where the idea for My Art Practice came from and then I talk you through the vision… …the various parts of th...

We have a very special guest for this episode of The Adventures in Arting Podcast: Carolyn Dube! Carolyn Dube is a mixed media art explorer and educator who found freedom through play. She explores the colors of the rainbow, avoids rules whenever possible, and lets the little kid inside her free as she shares her colorful journey. You can find her sharing the play at aColorfulJourney.com , designi...

On today’s podcast, Mom and I are discussing self-care, the Worcester Art Museum , and a mixed media collage class I taught in Hartford. Links: Tip the Artist: PayPal. Me/balzerdesigns Sign up for the Friday FREE newsletter: https://forms.feedblitz.com/bco   Monthly Membership: https://bit.ly/JulieMembership   Take an online class: https://balzerdesigns.com/Classroom/ Shop: https://www.juliebalzer...

This one is a doozy. Mom and I definitely do not see eye-to-eye at all on this topic and it makes for a very lively conversation! Maria Popova at The Marginalian wrote a 2013 blog post called “Art as Therapy: Alain de Botton on the 7 Psychological Functions of Art”   It’s an exploration of the book “Art as Therapy” by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong.  I read an interview with Alain de Botton an...

I stumbled across a post from Dr Louise R Mayhew on Instagram: @louisermayhew that blew my mind. She shared a post with a cover slide that says: “Did you know that there’s more than one art world?”  There are at least four she goes on to say: Experimental Traditional Retail Community On the podcast Mom and I discuss the details of the categories as Dr. Mayhew lays out and add our own thoughts to t...

You guys leave so many great and thoughtful comments. Mom and I wanted to discuss them and I hope to make this a regular feature of the podcast. Keep the great comments coming! Links: Tip the Artist: PayPal. Me/balzerdesigns Sign up for the Friday FREE newsletter: https://forms.feedblitz.com/bco   Monthly Membership: https://bit.ly/JulieMembership   Take an online class: https://balzerdesigns.com/...

Talking about your artwork effectively can enhance how it’s perceived and understood.  Talking about it ineffectively can make people less interested in your work. One of the big keys is to consider your audience. Generally speaking, you’re going to be speaking to: Fellow Artists, Art Folk (Curators, Gallerists, Collectors, Etc.), or the General Public. During the podcast, we go over how to handle...

Mom came up with today’s topic. It’s a fair question. Do you think that the artistic life is solitary or based in community? Links: Tip the Artist: PayPal. Me/balzerdesigns Sign up for the Friday FREE newsletter: https://forms.feedblitz.com/bco   Monthly Membership: https://bit.ly/JulieMembership   Take an online class: https://balzerdesigns.com/Classroom/ Shop: https://www.juliebalzer.com/shop.ht...

“Putting yourself out there” refers to various strategies artists use to gain exposure, connect with audiences, and advance their careers. During this podcast we’ll talk about some ways to make the process of putting yourself out there easier – especially if you’re an introvert or insecure. Remember that putting yourself out there is a gradual process, and it’s okay to take it at your own pace. Ce...

This week we are continuing our discussion about our abstract art likes and dislikes. Here is some of the artwork we discuss on the podcast: Click on any image to view it larger. On the podcast I also share a list of 15 questions you can ask yourself when viewing abstract art in order to better understand and appreciate it. Links: Tip the Artist: PayPal. Me/balzerdesigns Sign up for the Friday FRE...