Savvy Painter Podcast with Antrese Wood

Painting is hard, but the suffering part is optional. Why is it that when things are hard, we pile on extra layers of difficulty? When we are not aware of our thoughts, we don't notice how much harder we make it on ourselves when we think "this painting isn't working" or "I just don't know how to paint (fill in the blank)"  In this episode I show you how painters...

Have you ever needed a mental health day? What reasons do you give yourself for not allowing yourself the time? I just took a month (and some change) to be with family and recharge my batteries. In this episode, I give you a snapshot into my thoughts about allowing what is while taking care of yourself.  Support the show And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Po...

Where are you on your creative journey? Do you have the right pieces in place yet or are you still trying to figure things out? If you feel like this last year or so has taken you through the wringer, you are not alone! Many of us are just now starting to get our bearings back after a year of isolation and adjustment. Here to help us navigate through the ebb and flow of creativity and the wild jou...

When was the last time you really stopped and paid attention to your surroundings? As an artist, I have spent years training my eyes to pay attention to shapes, colors, and so many other aspects of the visual arts that listening to my surroundings was never a top priority. What can we learn from our surroundings when we deliberately slow down and begin to really pay attention?  Over the years I’ve...

If you were to sum up your creative career in a phrase or theme, what would it be? Has your style evolved over the years in little ways or in large shifts? If you are one of those artists that like to experiment and likes to play around and maybe feels like you are bouncing around a bit and dipping your paintbrush into many different genres of art, this is an episode for you!  I am thrilled to int...

What helps you bring your full and authentic self to your time in your studio? Are there certain activities or habits that help you get in the right mindset to start your day and get those creative juices flowing? If you’ve been around the Savvy Painter community for very long, you know that I am a huge fan of meditation and mindfulness. I have seen the direct correlation between self-exploration...

What is it that catches your eye when you are determining what to paint? Do you look for color that speaks to you, are you drawn to certain subjects or locations? Growing up in Australia, Mary Tonkin quickly became enamored with, “The bush” - a term mostly used in the English vernacular of Australia and New Zealand where it is largely synonymous with backwoods or hinterland, referring to a natural...

When was the last time you encountered a painting that really moved you? What feelings did the painting evoke? Did your initial impression of the painting remain or change the more you pondered it? I love hearing stories from fellow artists who have found themselves entranced by or enamored with the artwork of their peers. On this special episode, I had the opportunity to speak with a returning Sa...

Sometimes we can sabotage our creativity without even realizing it. We think we can buckle down or toughen up to just get it done. But what if there is a better way to inspire your creativity? What if you can create from a place of authentic joy without the drama? That's what we explore in this episode of the Savvy Painter podcast! Support the show And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a...

How do you feel heading into 2021? Do you feel like you just need the clock to strike 12:01 am on January 1st, 2021 before you can even begin to hope for anything good? This  has been a tough year, to say the least. But what if there was a way to acknowledge the struggle without letting it bog you down and rob you of your fun, joy, and passion for your art? As I’ve grown and developed professional...

In this interview with the artist Steven Walker, we explore how dedication, focus, and setting the right priorities creates an environment that empowers creativity and excellence in the studio. What grounds you in the chaos that life throws your way? Is your painting what grounds you and keeps you headed in the right direction? Maybe for you, it’s family or friends who keep you focused on what rea...

Do you find yourself struggling with perfectionism? What do you do to turn down the volume and focus on what really matters? I’ve heard from so many of my friends and peers over the years about this topic that I decided to open it up to my Groth Studio participants. Several students were kind enough to open up about how they’ve dealt with perfectionism in the past and the strategies they used to o...

Have you ever felt like you just don’t “fit in” at non-artist gatherings? What do you do with that feeling? Do you shrink back and retreat to the safety of your peers and insulate? Or do you press into the discomfort and forge your path? Everyone’s story is going to be different and that’s the beauty of our corner of society, we embrace the mosaic of diversity - but what would it look like if we w...

How do you feel about the big idea you’ve been keeping on the back burner? Does the thought of executing your big idea fill you with excitement, dread, or somewhere in-between? Those big creative ideas that bubble up deserve their time to shine - so what are you waiting for?  Let’s face it, most of us shy away from pulling the trigger on a big idea because we are scared or overwhelmed. What if the...

When it comes to your time at the canvas, do you paint from observation or with reference photos and other tools? Have you had the opportunity to experiment with the size and scale of your paintings? I know that artists like you will be thrilled to hear from the brilliant and talented artist, Mike East.  Mike is a representational painter who lives in Flordia with his wife and two children. Over t...

Who was it that inspired and empowered you as you began your journey as an artist? Did you have a family member who nurtured and encouraged your creative aspirations? Maybe it was a peer or a mentor from afar - almost everyone has that special person or group of people who spurred them on as an artist.  While our world continues to grow more interconnected with the help of the internet, it’s impor...

What comes to mind when you think of the word,  failure?  Do you start internalizing the word? Do you hear that inner voice roaring the negative talk that sends you spinning? Or have you found a way forward to understand and overcome the fear of failure that plagues so many artists?  By no means will I say that I’ve discovered all the answers or everything you need to know when it comes to recogni...

How did you get to where you are right now in your career? Can you remember and identify clear moments that brought you to where you are today? How have you evolved over the years? It’s funny how often we become unaware of the passage of time - you think you’ll be stuck in a phase FOREVER and blink - 10 years go by just like that!  I’m learning to slow down and really appreciate the time I’m in, y...

The last time we had an Office Hours episode I got a ton of positive feedback so I decided it would be good to feature another session. These topics and questions come from our Savvy Painter Growth Studio. Artists just like you who are looking for ways to hone their craft and move their creative process forward have all found a supportive environment with the Growth Studio.  For just a peek into w...

Have you ever stood in awe of a large scale painting? When was the last time you felt like a painting sucked you in so totally that you could almost say you lost yourself in that painting? I love to explore and encounter the sheer magnificence that large scale paintings have to offer. Here to give us a welcome peek behind the curtain of his large scale paintings is the artist, Jivan Lee.  Jivan Le...

I’ve been hearing a lot of questions from long time listeners of the podcast and from fellow artists who are taking some of my growth courses. This episode is the result of compiling some of those questions to provide helpful answers to artists like you! I don’t have all the answers but I have picked up some helpful tips and insights over the years and I can’t let that go to waste. If you have any...

Do you remember that initial spark of creativity or that idea that ushered you on your journey to become an artist? For many of us, that spark was so long ago that we feel like we were born with it. Sometimes we can lose sight of our creative spark or it may even dim over the years - here to give us a powerful perspective from an impressive and seasoned career is the artist, Charly Palmer.  Charly...

I know that talking about race and the on-going impact of racism is a challenging subject, to say the least. Given the recent events of police brutality in the United States, I wanted to do my part to create a space where we can discuss positive solutions and really understand what our black neighbours are experiencing. Many of you are scared and unsure of what the future will bring and if anythin...

Have you ever tried painting from memory? How did it turn out for you? Have you ever thought of a picture as a thing in and of itself rather than a memory of the image it captures? I was thrilled to get the opportunity to speak with the talented and engaging artist, Edwige Fouvry who often takes the approach of painting from memory.  Edwige Fouvry was born in Nantes, France, in 1970, and currently...

When was the last time you saw a painting that really challenged you? How do you typically react to paintings that portray suffering or difficult political topic? I am grateful for the opportunity I had for a long-ranging conversation with the artist, Max Ginsburg.  Max is a native New Yorker, many of his paintings center on people and places around New York City. Max also draws on themes of peace...