The Create! Podcast

What if I told you that making art literally changes your DNA? In a world that often treats creativity as a luxury or a hobby, the data is finally catching up to what artists have always felt: art is essential medicine. In this episode, Kat sits down with Daisy Fancourt , a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London, whose groundbreaking research provides the "validat...

In this episode, host Kat (Ekaterina Popova) is joined by painter Emi Avora, a London-trained and Singapore-based artist whose work blends architectural structure with lush, dreamlike abstraction . Drawing from her upbringing in Greece, Mediterranean light, mythology, and lived experiences across cultures, Emi creates immersive interiors that feel both opulent and quietly haunting . www.emiavora.c...

What happens when you stop obsessively planning and trying to control the outcome in the studio and start letting your subconscious lead the way? In this episode of the Create! Podcast, host Ekaterina Popova chats with August Vilella , a self-taught artist whose intuitive approach has landed his work in Art Basel and major galleries across Asia and Europe. August reveals how he abandoned sketches...

In this episode, I reconnect with Sharone Halevy nearly a year after our collector talk at Superfine (now The Superfair) in San Francisco. Sharone is an abstract expressionist painter who's built her entire practice around commission work and selling directly to collectors without gallery representation. We discuss her transition from theater directing to painting, why she works on sliding scales...

In this episode, Kat addresses the familiar "January tension"—the conflict between feeling ambitious about new goals while simultaneously exhausted from the past year. She explores what "sustainability" actually means for artists, moving beyond the buzzword to examine what emotionally and financially supports a creative career. Kat shares insights from Vadim Zeland's book Reality Transurfing , dis...

Welcome back to a brand new season! In this solo episode, Kat reflects on nearly a decade of navigating a full-time art career and the subtle traps that can stall creative growth. If you have ever felt busy but unfulfilled, or found yourself saying "yes" to every group show and opportunity out of a fear of missing out, this episode is for you. Kat discusses the concept that "good is the enemy of g...

In this magical start to the new year, host Kat sits down with her dear friend—psychic medium, curator, and author Sarah Potter . As we step into 2026, Sarah shares wisdom from her life-changing new book, Sober Magic: Using the Tarot and Ritual in Your Journey Away from Drinking . Together, they explore the deep intersection of art and spirituality, discussing how to navigate the "party culture" o...

In this special bonus episode of the Create! Podcast , Kat (Ekaterina Popova) sits down with artist and curator Victoria Fry, founder of The New Visionary Art Collective, for a grounded and nourishing conversation about creativity, intuition, and building a sustainable creative practice and career. Together, they explore the importance of making art for pleasure separate from career expectations,...

In this solo episode of the Create! Podcast, host Ekaterina Popova explores why maintaining a personal art practice is essential not only for artistic growth, but for mental and nervous system regulation, resilience, and overall well-being. Whether you are a professional artist navigating deadlines or a creative seeking to reconnect with your practice, this episode breaks down the neuroscience beh...

In this episode of the Create! Podcast, Ekaterina Popova sits down with Anna Denning, a multimedia artist and the founder of the NeuroArts School, to decode the powerful science behind creativity and healing.  Anna shares her fascinating background—growing up with a psychotherapist mother who used drawing to analyze and soothe emotions—and how that evolved into her expertise in "Neuroesthetics," t...

In this insightful conversation, Kat sits down with celebrated realist painter, author and educator Todd M. Casey . Known for his bestselling books The Art of Still Life and The Oil Painters' Color Handbook , Todd opens up about the winding road that shaped his artistic life, from studying at MassArt to discovering the atelier system and developing a deep appreciation for classical training. He sh...

In this episode of the Create! Podcast, Kat sits down with painter and creative mentor Felicia Forte for a deep and refreshing conversation on creative flow, intuition, burnout, and finding your true pace as an artist. Felicia shares how she moved through a major creative block, rebuilt her relationship with painting, and allowed a slower, more intuitive rhythm to guide her back to the work. She s...

In this episode of The Create! Podcast, host Kat (Ekaterina Popova) sits down with creative visionary Amy Griffith. Best known for founding the iconic pink Eaton House Studio in the UK, Amy shares the journey behind her latest, soul-stirring project: The Star Seed House in Marrakesh, Morocco. Amy opens up about the massive transition from creating a playful, celebrity-favorite party house in Essex...

In this episode of the Create Podcast, Ekaterina Popova speaks with artist and creator Tammy Dinh, known online as Uncomfy. Tammy is a sculptor, storyteller, and YouTuber whose gentle clay characters and narrative films have reached millions of viewers. She shares how returning to polymer clay during college helped her reconnect with creativity and build an online art practice that blends play, co...

Welcome back to the show! We are thrilled to host the incredible Hannah Cole of Sunlight Tax to talk about her new book, Taxes for Humans: A Simple Guide to the Taxes That Rule Your Life . This episode is must listen material for artists, curators, freelancers, and gallery professionals who want a kinder, clearer way to deal with money and taxes. Hannah is an exhibiting artist turned tax professio...

We're celebrating one million downloads! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for tuning in, sharing the show, and leaving us love on iTunes. I'm so grateful to be able to share this program with you and our creative community. In this episode of Create! Podcast , host Ekaterina Popova sits down with Colombian artist and designer Leslie Braginsky to talk about gratitude, harmony, and the beauty o...

Inspiring episode of The Create Podcast , host Ekaterina (Kat) Popova sits down with artist, author, and creativity coach Carrie Schmitt to explore what it means to fall in love with your creativity again — to trust it, surrender to it, and let it lead you toward healing and joy. Carrie shares her powerful story of transformation, from facing a life-threatening illness to rediscovering painting as...

Sometimes the most meaningful parts of our creative journey are the detours — the moments when we think we've failed or lost our way, only to realize we've discovered something new. Like a labyrinth, life guides us toward the next best thing, often better than we could have imagined. In this episode, host Ekaterina (Kat) Popova sits down with Nishant Jain , also known as The Sneaky Artist , to tal...

Hello, beautiful souls. Welcome back to The Create! Podcast with me, your host, Kat. In today's episode, I'm diving into a topic that's been deeply present in my own creative journey — the sneaky ways our ego can sabotage our growth and how to shift it. Our ego often shows up in disguise: through comparison, fear, doubt, or even the desire to "grow too fast." It's that part of us that tells us we...

In this episode, host Ekaterina Popova talks with coach and author Emily Williams , founder of I Heart My Life and creator of the I Heart Money Method. Emily shares how belief fuels action, how to move through comparison and setbacks, and how simple micro upgrades can shift your relationship with abundance. This is a grounded conversation for artists and creative entrepreneurs who want growth with...

Hello, beautiful friends. It's spooky season, with cold mornings, hot coffee, and time to face the real ghosts that haunt artists and creative entrepreneurs: scarcity, unworthiness, dabbling, and fear of expansion. In this episode, we walk room by room through the haunted house of money. Kat shares practical tools, mindset reframes, and nervous system rituals to help you release fear, build self-t...

In this week's episode, Kat is joined by  Chelsey Pippin Mizzi , author of The Shadow Path , to explore how shadow work can deepen your creative process and bring more honesty and depth into your art. Together, they discuss how the parts of ourselves we often avoid might hold the key to the work we're truly meant to make. Discover gentle, practical ways to meet your shadow through tarot, dream jou...

Welcome back to the Create Podcast. Just in time for the fall season, I am joined by Pam Grossman , a writer, curator, teacher, and practicing witch whose work beautifully bridges creativity, culture, and magic. Pam is the host of The Witch Wave podcast (called "the Terry Gross of witches" by Vulture ), the author of Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power , and co-editor of Tasch...

In this episode, I (host Ekaterina Popova) dive into what I call  The 2025 Creator Stack for Artists . These are the four simple tools you need to build trust, grow your audience, and create consistent income without burning out. We are in what I call a trust recession. Algorithms keep changing, AI noise is everywhere, and collectors are more selective than ever. That does not mean your art busine...

Are people still buying art? The answer is yes. But how you talk about your work, connect with collectors, and navigate uncertainty can make all the difference. In this episode of The Create! Podcast , host Ekaterina Popova sits down with gallerist, author, and art advocate  Liz Lidgett to discuss her upcoming book Art for Everyone , how to make art conversations more accessible, and the principle...