Colour Me Happy! - By Brandi Hofer Studios

You can work on something piece by piece, no matter what season of life you’re in. You never know what those little pieces might become when you bring them all together. -Brandi This episode is a special one! I was back live on the West Coast, broadcasting from Samantha Agar’s studio, alongside Samantha and Jennifer Forsyth to chat about their incredible new project, Invents Stories . For almost a...

Being an artist never has to look one particular way. There is room for all of us, and there is NO one right way to be creative. HUGE episode alert! We are joined by none other than Danielle Krysa, aka The Jealous Curator , for a very special early-release episode of Colour Me Happy! Danielle and I get into all the things: what it really means to be a working artist, navigating motherhood and a cr...

Not everything that feels urgent is important, and not everything on your to-do list deserves your energy. -Brandi   This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast!  Episode Description We’re talking about the must-dos, should-dos and could-dos with Alison Weaver! It’s so easy to get caught up in the endless list of things that need our attention, the anxieties of everyday life and all the expectations we p...

Be conscious of developing a routine that works for you, because someone else’s schedule doesn’t have to be your schedule.-Brandi   This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast!  This week I’m chatting with Canadian artist Courtney Caroline about her vibrant, colourful still life paintings, getting geeky about our favourite art supplies and my newfound love for R&F Oil Sticks! We also talk about showi...

When things feel overwhelming, just take the next step. Small, manageable things done every day can add up to something really big. -Brandi This week I’m chatting with Courtney Florence, one of my mural class students who took what she learned in the class and jumped into a summer full of mural projects! We talk about what mural work is really like behind the scenes, from giant walls and unpredict...

Creativity is better when you have someone to share the messy middle with. - Brandi   This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast!  Creative friendships can be such a gift. In this episode, we talk about finding the people you can lean on, bounce ideas off, and talk to when you’re stuck because chances are, they’ve been through something similar too. Alli shares how moving from working solo to collaborat...

Success doesn’t have to look the same in every season of your life. Sometimes the most creative thing you can do is listen to yourself and redefine what success means to you. - Brandi What if making art could be therapeutic, but sustaining a creative life meant learning when to push forward and when to step back? In this episode, I sit down with Canadian artist Alexandra McLaughlin for a conversat...

Sometimes it takes a moment that shakes you awake to realize you don’t want to sleepwalk through your life.-Brandi We don’t often have writers on the podcast, so this conversation with poet and author Madalyn Hughes was such a treat. We talk about how writing and art can beautifully go hand in hand, and how creativity doesn’t always need hours of uninterrupted time to exist. Sometimes it starts wi...

Burnout...Sometimes the routine that saves you isn’t about getting more done. It’s about finally creating space to come back to yourself. -Brandi What happens when you realize you can’t keep living the way you’ve been living? In this episode, art therapist Leah Guzman joins Brandi to talk about overcoming burnout, breaking free from people-pleasing, and creating routines that help you feel grounde...

Can you decide to change your life? The answer is yes. You just have to take the big dream and break it into small steps. - Brandi What happens when you decide the life you’re living doesn’t have to be the life you stay in? Lauren Springer shares the brave journey of moving her family from Seattle to Lisbon and the lessons she learned about taking big, overwhelming dreams and turning them into sma...

Your past doesn’t have to stay in the past. It can become part of the art, the stories and the spaces you create. This episode is a very special West Coast artist visit with Samantha Agar and Rose Currie. We had the honour of stepping inside Samantha’s stunning studio and home on Vancouver Island, a space so inspiring you’ll want to go home and make art all day. Samantha shares how her upbringing...

Not all our best ideas come in the studio. Sometimes they find us on a walk, while reading, or sitting with a cup of tea. - Brandi Jane Chipp Art shares how ordinary objects, memories and everyday moments can become the starting point for meaningful art. From discovering a stranger’s photographs and handwriting to creating a 100 Day Project that led to the book Artful Memories, Jane talks about st...

What if the only thing standing between you and the creative career you dream about is the courage to put yourself out there? The magic happens when you’re willing to be seen. Your vulnerability isn’t a weakness. It’s the very thing that makes your art unforgettable. - Brandi In this episode of the Colour Me Happy Podcast , I sit down with portrait artist Florence Lee for an honest conversation ab...

Our creativity doesn’t have an expiry date. Every life experience has been preparing you to create the art only you can make. This week on the Colour Me Happy Podcast, I’m joined by one of my dear friends, Susan Salvati , joining us from the beautiful west coast of Canada. We talk about what it means to pursue your passions at any age and why it’s never too late to begin. Susan shares how years of...

“The moments that changed my life the most were the ones where I believed in myself before I had any guarantees.” Artist Jaime Hamilton joins me to share about the power of surrounding yourself with inspiring people, finding mentors who encourage your own voice, and why some of the biggest opportunities in life only happen after you take the leap. Jamie talks about how stepping away on a creative...

The life you’re dreaming about isn’t waiting for the perfect time. Take the leap, trust yourself, and discover the extraordinary hidden in the ordinary. -Brandi Artist Clare Howell shares how one spontaneous trip to Ireland changed everything... What began as an unplanned adventure grew into a life of creativity, connection, and courage. From traveling solo across Europe in a motorhome to becoming...

Every experience, every detour, every season of your life becomes part of your art. Trust the journey because it’s quietly shaping the artist you’re becoming. -Brandi Not every lesson happens in the studio. In this heartfelt conversation, Charlotte Hamilton shares how travel, life experience, curiosity, and years of creating have all shaped the artist she is today. We explore why some creative les...

Before we were busy, we were dreamers. Creativity is how we find our way back. - Heather What if the artist you’re searching for has been there all along? In this episode of Colour Me Happy , we’re joined by Joyful Living Counselling to share the heart behind our 2027 Portugal Creative Retreat. Together, we explore expressive arts therapy, rediscovering a sense of play, and reconnecting with the v...

Sometimes the biggest creative breakthrough isn’t changing what you’re making—it’s changing the environment you’re making it in. Artist Michelle Allen joins Colour Me Happy to talk about how a move from the rainy Pacific Northwest to sunny Tucson transformed not only her quality of life but her creative energy. We explore how the people we surround ourselves with, the places we choose to live, and...

Collect what you love. Your home should tell your story, not impress someone else. We are personally obsessed with a great Gallery Wall: they allow you can hang all your memories and treasures! We were thrilled to have Gallerist & Author Liz Lidgett joins us to challenge the idea that art is only for experts or the wealthy. We talk about overcoming the fear of walking into galleries, trusting...

If an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The best opportunities in art are built on real relationships, not expensive promises. - Brandi What does a genuine creative partnership look like, and how can artists protect themselves from scams disguised as opportunities? In this candid conversation, Rosso Art and Brandi share nearly 40 years of combined experience navigating the ar...

"The more materials you explore, the more skills you gain—and eventually you’ll find the medium that helps you say exactly what you want to say.” — Viktoria Maliar What happens when two artists start geeking out over art supplies? In this episode, artist Viktoria Maliar shares her favourite materials, why she loves working with oils, and what it really takes to build a life as a full-time art...

Real creativity often happens in the middle of the chaos, not outside of it. Even if you take 15 minutes a day just for you, it counts! In this honest and deeply relatable episode, Brandi sits down with artist and mother McKenzie Elston to talk about the emotional crossroads so many creatives face. From school morning meltdowns to the pressure of constantly monetizing creativity, they unpack the r...

What if the first step to living a creative life is simply believing you are worthy of one? In this inspiring conversation, Carrie Schmitt shares how creativity begins with self-worth. Together, Brandi and Carrie discuss the stubborn courage required to protect your energy, say no to what no longer serves you, and remain devoted to the life you know you are meant to live. This episode is a reminde...

Fear can ask endless questions. Intuition makes a clear statement and your body already knows the answer. This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast     I sit down with Jennifer Halls to explore how to quiet the noise of overthinking, move beyond fear, and begin trusting the inner voice that has been guiding you all along. Jennifer shares powerful insights from her new book You know: How to Invite &...