The Laura Horn Art Podcast

It’s taken over 100 episodes but I’ve finally convinced Richie to sit down and tell his side of the story. If you are new around here - Richie is my husband and the co-host of this podcast. He is also an incredible boxing coach and photographer/videographer. In this conversation, Richie talks about how he got started with photography, dealing with imposter syndrome and what it’s been like to join...

In today’s podcast, I’m chatting with Richie about my favourite art techniques and how refocusing on the process can kickstart your creativity. This leads to some interesting lines of thought. Is leaf stamping sophisticated? Do I need a social media break? Should I have gone down that YouTube rabbit hole? You’ll have to tune in to find out more. What I can say is that it is a relaxed and fun conve...

This week we have a special episode. We are going back and revisiting the very first artist interviews that I ever did. So that means you’ll be hearing from Andrea Soos , Ange Miller and Wendy Solganik . What Richie and I decided to do was to take a listen to these episodes and find our favourite parts which was actually incredibly hard because there are so many good bits! But we have chosen a few...

It’s easy to get caught up chasing quick wins and instant gratification but what if you slowed down and took purposeful action towards your long term plans? Where would you be in one year, two years or five years? What projects could you bring to fruition? A book, an exhibition, a podcast, an online course, a creative network … There are so many possibilities but every single one requires consiste...

This one is a bit special. Our 100th podcast episode! To honour the occasion we are chatting about the ins and outs of running a podcast! If you are curious about what goes on behind the scenes you will love this episode plus there’s plenty of healthy banter and laughs along the way. One thing we have learned is to not take ourselves too seriously. A few things we talk about in this episode are: w...

Sometimes being an artist is hard. This week, in my first solo episode, I talk about the ups and downs of creative life and share a message of support to artists that are feeling discouraged or weary. It’s a short episode but it’s enough. In many ways, this sentiment sums up what this episode is all about. Being gentler with yourself, letting go of the endless quest for more and trusting in your o...

Who doesn’t like chatting about art supplies? Okay, maybe it isn’t Richie’s favourite thing but it is mine. I absolutely love hearing about what artists use right down to the little details - the size of their brushes, preferred substrates, go-to colours, homemade tools - I want to know it all! Are you with me on this? I hope so, as this week I am running through my mixed media artist toolkit. We...

It’s here! The Modern Mixed Media Ecourse is open for registration. In today’s episode, we go behind the scenes and chat about what it has been like to create an in-depth online course. Richie and I have created many mini-classes but nothing quite like this! Join us as we talk about our favourite parts of the experience, the challenges we faced and what are we going to do now that we’ve finally go...

My guest today is mixed media artist, Phoebe Gander. Phoebe paints semi-abstract landscapes and seascapes that are rich with layers and textural details. Originally from England, Phoebe now lives in New Zealand with her husband and three children. This is a very raw and tender conversation. Phoebe talks about how coming back to art after a long break helped her to overcome severe anxiety, cope wit...

This week we answer a question about getting comfortable with being on camera . A fitting topic given that we have spent the last few weeks filming lessons for our upcoming online course, Modern Mixed Media . We talk about the preparation that goes into a good filming day and our biggest tips for coming across well on camera. Richie also shares the checklist he uses to make sure that his cameras a...

This week we are talking about failure. Something Richie and I have become very familiar with! It’s easy to look at a person’s Instagram feed or website and feel like they have it all figured out but there’s a lot you don’t see. Over the years we have messed so many things up and questioned whether we are cut out for creative biz at all. If you feel like you are fumbling at the moment, we want you...

This week the conversation with Susan Nethercote continues! We chat about our love of learning and how this helps us to keep up-to-date on topics like Pinterest Marketing and Facebook Advertising. We also chat about the importance of being free to explore as an artist and how we both express our vulnerability and multiple art personalities on platforms such as Instagram. And it wouldn’t be an art...

What was it like to create your first online course? How did you heal after a period of burnout? How important is it for artists to have multiple income streams? Just a few of the questions that come up in this week’s Q&A style podcast episode with Susan Nethercote! Suse was a guest on my podcast last year but wow, a lot has happened since then. It felt so good to be able to catch up again and...

It’s wonderful to have the benefit of hindsight! In this episode, Richie and I take a trip down memory lane and talk about what we would do if we were starting an art business now! From developing a cohesive body of work right through to email lists and Instagram strategies - this is a big one! We’ve chatted about many of these topics individually on the podcast before but today we’re bringing the...

Is it better to have a studio at home or a studio offsite? A question that comes up again and again in the art community. I’ve always been in the home studio camp but that all changed 3 months ago! With the business growing and it becoming harder and harder to maintain boundaries between work and home, Richie and I took the plunge and leased a creative space together. Join us as we chat about how...

If you are finding it difficult to make art at the moment, you are not alone. There are many challenges that come with a pandemic. With that in mind, this week’s episode is all about bringing more ease and simplicity into your art practice. From taking up an art challenge to doing little art jobs for your future self - there’s bound to be something in there that will keep your creative mojo going!...

Sonal Nathwani has always loved sketchbooks. When she was a little girl she filled them with fashion designs, today they are often brimming with flowers. Throughout her life, they have been her safe place. Born in Africa to Indian parents, Sonal grew up in England, spent time studying art in Italy and now lives in Austria. While she has always loved art, when it came to a career choice s...

I can’t believe we haven’t devoted a podcast to this topic before. I mean Richie is a photographer after all! Oh well, here we are at episode 87, finally sharing our photography tips for artists. Join us as we chat about light, composition, props, backgrounds, editing apps and more! Richie also mentions three specific types of photographs for you to try out. The establishing shot, mid-shot and clo...

If you often make the excuse that you don’t have enough time to make art, you are going to love this episode. I say that because my guest today, Inga Buive, has mastered the art of painting while her son naps! Originally from Lithuania, Inga moved to the UK with her husband five years ago. With a background in graphic design, she found work in an e-learning company and still works in this same com...

When was the last time you gave your website some love? With many people being at home, now is a great time to dust off your little corner of cyberspace and give it a spring clean. Over the past week or two, I have been doing exactly that. Checking links, updating photos, improving functionality and spending a bit too long looking at my analytics. Join me as I chat about what website platform I us...

The Coronavirus conversation continues. Last week was a short one as, to be honest, we were in a bit of shock with everything that is going on. Since then, we’ve had a bit of time to calm down and gather our thoughts. I have also stopped thinking that I have every symptom so that’s a relief! With our kids now undertaking their schooling at home, we’ve had to make some big changes. Join us as we ch...

We stumbled and fumbled as we recorded this podcast, not knowing what to say, given everything that is happening with the Coronavirus. In the end, we decided to chat about living under lockdown, the anxiety that comes with that and how creativity can play a role in providing some comfort during this time. I talk about the projects that are keeping my mind off things and Richie shares his thoughts...

When artist, Ivy Newport, shared her latest abstract creation on Instagram, I knew I had to have her on the podcast! I’ve been following Ivy’s work for a long time and have watched her online community grow and grow. With thousands of students and a class platform with over 80 classes, it’s fair to say I had some questions! Things like: How do you approach making classes? What do you do to avoid b...

Are muddy colours bad? What about colours that you squeeze straight out of the tube? And do you need to have a signature colour palette? These are just a few of the colour conundrums we are chatting about this week. And wow, I have to say it brings up some interesting lines of thought. I didn’t realise I had such a thing against the colour wheel but, apparently I do! I also question if my painting...

Are you surrounded by unfinished paintings? Is the situation causing you stress? If you answered yes, stay tuned. In this episode, I am sharing tips and ideas to bring more closure and completion to your art practice. First up, I want to say - this is not about perfection. Quite the opposite. You’ll hear me talking about stopping at the 80% mark, turning the canvas upside down, using time limits,...