Building a Creative Life with Pam Vale

What if the blocks in your life aren’t external, but in how you’re thinking? I explore the power of mental framing in yoga and life, and how small perspective shifts can unlock creativity, control, and personal growth. About Pam Vale (Series Creator): Pam Vale is an artist, writer, and observer of creative life. Her work centers on noticing, listening, and documenting the small, often overlooked m...

Pam Vale reflects on a period of personal and creative transformation, driven by an internal need to release and redefine her professional and personal goals. She discusses the process of purging old creative supplies and projects to make space for new growth, aligning her external world with her internal changes. About Pam Vale (Series Creator): Pam Vale is an artist, writer, and observer of crea...

In this episode, I share the new direction for Building a Creative Life in 2026. We explore how creativity shows up in everyday life…not in lessons or formulas, but in the small moments, choices, and attention we bring to the world around us. I explain what this podcast will offer: quiet reflections, unhurried conversations, and insights from both artists and people who wouldn’t call themselves cr...

You Are Creative is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. One year in, I’m pausing to reflect on what podcasting has taught me about creativity, rest, and living like an artist in real life. In this episode, I share the themes that kept returning again and again curiosity, storytelling, beauty, identity, and the quiet...

In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on the creative season I’ve been in…launching my Substack, finishing a book, starting this podcast, and what 2025 has taught me about creative freedom. I talk about the gentle rebellion I’m inviting all of us into, why creativity is a birthright, and how I’m building tools and support for people who are ready to reclaim their creative identity. If you’re longin...

In this conversation, I talk with author Urmila Menon about the creative journey behind her beautiful book, Color Coded. We explore the messy parts of storytelling, how identity and creative expression shape each other, and what it really takes to move through imposter syndrome. Urmila’s honesty and vulnerability reminded me that sharing our stories isn’t just creative…it’s deeply human. If you’ve...

In this heartfelt conversation with therapist and writer Nicola Farnhill, we explore what it really means to reconnect with our authentic selves after trauma or disconnection. Nicola shares how creative expression - whether it’s through art, writing, or simply living more intentionally - can help us return to who we truly are. We talk about how trauma shows up in the body, why self-expression is s...

Subscribe to my sister Substack, Travel like an Artist - a weekly companion to this podcast where I share creative travel stories, resources, interviews, and ways to see the world (near and far) like an artist. In this episode, I sit down with artist, teacher, and life coach Leslie O’Leary for a heartfelt conversation about what it really means to navigate creative and life transitions. Leslie ope...

Creative Mentor Sessions If you’re ready to notice the magic around you, join me for a creative mentor session. Together we’ll explore new projects, uncover hidden gems and weave meaningful rituals into your daily routine. In this episode, I’m inviting you to rethink holiday gifting - especially for the people who are impossible to shop for. Instead of grabbing random “art stuff,” I walk you throu...

Subscribe to my sister Substack, Travel like an Artist - a weekly companion to this podcast where I share creative travel stories, resources, interviews, and ways to see the world (near and far) like an artist. In This Episode In this episode, I sit down with Lisa Tener, award-winning author and writing coach, for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about the deep connection between creativity...

If this episode spoke to you, join me over on my sister Substack, (free or paid) Travel like an Artist. It’s where I share creative travel stories, resources, and interviews on seeing the world through a creative lens. You can hear the beginning of this conversation in this previous podcast: In this episode, I’m talking about something close to my heart - how to make museum visits more meaningful...

What if creativity wasn’t something extra to fit in, but a way of living and learning every day? In this episode, Pam Vale talks with Montessori educator Jessica Brown, founder of Clementine Montessori, about how creativity shows up in parenting, education, and community. Jessica shares her journey from traditional teaching to Montessori, the power of creating environments where children can explo...

A single Instagram image pulled me across an ocean. In this episode I tell the story of following that small, inexplicable nudge to London and what I learned standing inches from hand-stitched period costumes about craftsmanship, attention, and how to live like an artist. I share practical prompts for following your spark, curating travel that matters, and noticing the small details that transform...

What if your trauma could become a doorway to creativity, healing, and self-discovery? In this powerful conversation, Pam Vale sits down with therapist and coach Nicola Farnhill to explore how trauma shows up in our lives, how somatic healing and creativity can help us reconnect with our inner child, and why living authentically is key to emotional well-being. Together, they unpack ideas like posi...

What if you didn’t have to choose just one thing ? In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Van de Vliet, a multi-passionate creator, nature photographer, and collector of all the hobbies, to talk about living creatively with ADHD. From finding mindfulness behind the lens of a camera, to cooking that’s equal parts chaos and joy, to embracing travel without a plan, Kelly shares what it really means t...

What happens when you stop writing to perform and start writing to connect? In this conversation, Nina opens up about her creative pivot, from a career in journalism and PR to writing freely on Substack. We talk about losing your voice, finding it again, and why travel, journaling, and community can change everything. If you’re craving a slower, more honest relationship with your creativity, this...

Every artist has a process - but here’s the secret: no two are alike, and even your own process will change over time. In this solo episode, Pam Vale opens the door to her own creative rituals, from late-night dictation sessions to visualizing every step of a mural before the brush even touches the wall. You’ll discover why structure can actually create more freedom, how to catch ideas before they...

In this inspiring conversation, Pam Vale sits down with author, creativity coach, and near-death experiencer Susie Pearl to explore how creativity can transform our lives. From her career in PR working with global icons like Madonna, Michael Jackson and The Spice Girls, to surviving brain cancer and embracing a new path of healing and meditation, Susie shares her wisdom on unlocking creativity, th...

What happens when you give yourself permission to follow all your creative threads? In this bright and energizing episode, I talk with artist and multi-passionate creative Charlie Nebe about how trying new things, making long-term projects, and leaning into community can transform the way we think about art and expression. We explore why crafting and play aren’t just hobbies - they’re tools for gr...

In this episode, Pam explores the power of daily rituals and how they can spark creativity in surprising ways. From morning tea to noticing patterns in nature, these small acts of intention aren’t about perfection - they’re about presence. Pam shares personal stories, insights from past guests, and practical ways to bring more creativity into your everyday life. Tune in to discover how simple ritu...

When you hear the word sketchbook , do you instantly think, “Not for me…I can’t draw”? You’re not alone. But here’s the truth: sketchbooks aren’t just for artists, and they don’t have to look any certain way. In this episode of Building a Creative Life , Pam Vale explores the many forms sketchbooks can take - from urban sketching to junk journals, crow journals, travel logs, messy books, pretty bo...

Are you someone who loves all the hobbies and feels like you’re “too scattered” to be taken seriously? In this solo episode of Building a Creative Life , host Pam Vale challenges the old idea that being “multi-passionate” is a weakness. Instead, she shares why variety is a superpower in the creative process and how it can open unexpected doors of self-discovery, joy, and growth. From knitting and...

Hello creative friends, Today’s episode is a little different, I’m kicking off a four-part solo series where we’ll slow down together, reflect on what we’ve been building, and make space to actually notice our growth. - Pam Do you ever finish something incredible… and then immediately move on without celebrating it? In this first episode of Building a Creative Life, host Pam Vale opens up about wh...

In this inspiring and thoughtful conversation, Pam Vale sits down with illustrator and digital artist Milena Milak to talk about creativity, neurodivergence, and the freedom of embracing both analog and digital tools. They discuss the value of sketchbooks, overcoming perfectionism, and the accessibility of digital art for hobbyists. Milena shares how she transitioned from UX design to children’s b...

Pam Vale shares a story about almost saying no, but instead, she said yes. In this solo episode, Pam recounts the surprising journey that began with a simple promotional email and led to a deeply moving creative experience at Chepstow, a lesser-known historic home in Newport, Rhode Island. This is a heartfelt reminder that art is for everyone, beauty lives in the overlooked, and that following a s...