The Laura Horn Art Podcast

This week I am chatting about how I get started with a painting. It’s a fitting topic as I’ve just started a commission piece. The first commission in a long time. My commission process in the early days was … well, let’s just say that it was less than ideal! So needless to say. I was feeling a bit nervous about diving back into custom work. But then I remembered all that I have learned. All the m...

Today we are in our new studio space. Wow! There's still a lot of organising to do but I am loving the process of making it feel like home. Meanwhile, Richie has been watching me bring in all my art supplies and wondering if there could possibly be any more! Join us as we chat about the transition and I explain to Richie why as a mixed media artist I DO need all of these things! Find the show note...

Is it a funk, is it exhaustion, is it burnout? What’s happening here? Why am I still in bed at lunchtime? Just a few of the things that have been going through my head this past week. I had another podcast episode planned for today but it didn’t feel right. So instead, Richie and I are chatting about burnout and what it is is like when your body kicks in and tells you that you NEED to slow down. M...

If like me, you are a perfectionist and sometimes feel like your art isn’t good enough - you are going to love this episode. I am chatting with mixed media artist and teacher Dina Wakley. In this conversation, Dina reminds us that art is supposed to be fun and it is much more fun when we lower our expectations and stop caring so much about making bad art. She shares the wisdom that she has gained...

We know that engagement is the holy grail of Instagram but how do you encourage more interaction on your account? Do you ask a question on every post? That seems a bit much. What about posting more video? Or maybe it’s time to master the fancy flat-lay? This week we ponder it all and take a look at the most engaging posts we’ve had on @laurahornart over the past two years. Join us to find out what...

Today I am joined by abstract artist, Betty Krause. Betty started painting when she turned 50 and has built up a thriving art business in a short space of time. How did she do it? Well, it started with a very deliberate decision to put her mixed media art supplies away and focus on becoming an abstract artist. In this episode, Betty talks about removing distractions, hanging in there as you find y...

Do you set intentions for the year ahead? I love to take a bit of time to dream and visualise what I want for my creative life. Richie is more of a take each day as it comes type so this process is quite new for him! In this episode, we talk about how we want to feel in 2020, what our word for the year is and how we are going to integrate it into our day-to -day life. We also share our biggest stu...

How good is it when your creativity flows? But why does it happen some days but not others? Recently, I had the most amazing soul-satisfying burst of painting. Four days of creative bliss. Talk about a confidence boost! It was so good that I didn’t want it to pass by without taking a deeper look at what on earth happened! Was it the new playlist I created? Or maybe it was because I was working a b...

2020 in nearly upon us, are you ready? Have you thought about your vision for next year, set yourself goals, decided on your social media strategy, pulled out your planner? Before you panic, don’t worry we haven’t either but we are starting to think about it. Want to join us? Grab a pen and paper, make yourself a cup of tea and let’s dream and scheme together. We’ve got 10 questions to help you br...

My guest today is Australian artist, Alexandra Plim. Alexandra paints energetic and intuitive abstract landscapes from her home studio in the inner west of Sydney. She describes her creative journey as a ‘Very DIY Situation’. From having an open studio when she didn’t actually have a studio to setting up her website one-handed while breastfeeding - this is an inspirational story about letting go o...

2019 has certainly delivered many a-ha moments. From finding my social media sweet spot to figuring out what my art is about (well kinda)!!! This is an honest chat about the lessons and discoveries of 2019! Speaking of walking down memory lane, over the past few days I've been looking at all of my online classes in preparation for my biggest sale ever. The Black Friday Bundle Sale. The sale is on...

This week I have the most incredible guest. I am chatting with Carrie Schmitt!  Carrie paints gorgeous expressive floral paintings. If you haven't seen her work, be sure to check it out over on Instagram ( @carrieschmitt ).  Without saying too much (trust me it is better if you hear it from Carrie), this is a conversation about being brave enough to listen to your intuition even in the d...

I’ve got nothing! That’s how this week’s episode starts. A creative block leaves me wondering if I need to return to a more rigid schedule. Maybe I’ve slowed down too much? This leads to an interesting chat with Richie about the pros and cons of scheduling creative work. I talk through my guilt over not working so much over the past few weeks and realise that maybe I have been confusing busyness w...

If you know that you want to make art but often find yourself making excuses, this is the episode for you. I am joined today by abstract artist, Pamela Bates. Pamela worked in marketing and design for 22 years until a visit to the Gardner Art Museum in Boston changed the direction of her life. She realised that what she truly wanted to do was paint and since that moment she has been doing exactly...

What art products can you not live without? What is the best way to protect your finished paintings? How do you get over the pressure to create something great every time? Just a few of the questions I am answering in today’s Q&A style episode. Thank you to everyone that submitted questions via Instagram and apologies to those that I wasn’t able to get to! If you are itching for more, pop over...

My guest today is UK artist, Mary Price, who is also known over on Instagram as the Artist In the Shed! I absolutely love Mary's colourful and vibrant work.  In this episode, she talks about transitioning from making art as a hobby to selling her work and setting up a professional art business. We chat about all the different avenues that artists can explore. Things like art markets, cafes, p...

Abstract art. I LOVE it so much and this week I am chatting about why! I am also sharing 5 tips for making abstract art. From feeling your feelings to using techniques that help you to let go of control. This episode will bring out your inner abstract artist! Access the show notes for this episode - https://www.laurahornart.com/thepodcast/63 Browse my online classes - https://www.laurahornart.com/...

Imagine giving yourself 6 months to find your style and become a ‘real artist’. On the one hand, it sounds dreamy, painting every day, but when you dig into it, that’s a whole lot of pressure! In this episode, Australian artist, Amica Whincop shares her story. This is an honest conversation about the harder side of being an artist. The struggle to find your authentic voice, the challenge of puttin...

Recording podcasts. Filming vlogs. Making online classes. Just a few of the things that you’ll find us doing on any given week. In this episode, we chat about why we love taking on these kinds of creative endeavours. We also talk about the different ways that we batch our work so that we can fit it all in and still have some down-time! Access the show notes for this episode and take a peek at our...

My guest today is surface pattern designer, Julie Hamilton! In this episode, Julie chats about her love of learning, how she got started with art licensing and what it has been like to participate in the 100-day project for four years in a row. And of course, it wouldn’t be an art podcast if we didn’t talk about supplies and techniques! Julie takes us through her process including how she paints p...

My guest today is Australian artist, teacher and best-selling author, Tracy Verdugo. In this episode, Tracy shares her story and talks about having faith in your creative journey, even when the path isn't clear. We also chat about art supplies, balancing intuition with structure and the challenge of finding your style. You can access the show notes for this episode and a bonus video where I try ou...

Where is the joy? That's what I found myself saying recently. This week on the podcast you can hear what I am doing about it. Find out what new gadget I have in the studio, which books are keeping me inspired and how I have set up my supplies and space to encourage more play! Access the show notes for this episode and a bonus video at https://www.laurahornart.com/thepodcast/58

This week’s conversation with Australian artist, Susan Nethercote , motivated me to get my paints out and start playing on a daily basis again! Susan talks about the importance of ‘volume’ when it comes to art and the magic that happens when you work swiftly and feel your way through the process. We also dig in deep with the business side of things and geek out over business structures, website pl...

Procrastination almost got the better of me last week. My schedule was clear, we were all set to film an online class but suddenly I felt compelled to vacuum. I also decided that my hair wasn’t quite right and my accounting couldn’t possibly wait. When you choose accounting as an avoidance tactic something isn’t right. So what was really going on? In this episode we take a good hard look at procra...

Whether you make art as a hobby or as a profession, the cost of art supplies quickly adds up. So how do you stretch that dollar a bit further and get the most out of your materials? Join me this week as I share my top tips for spending less on supplies, getting intentional about your work all the while increasing the quality of your art output.  I’ve shared quite a few of these tips before bu...