The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell

Even under difficult circumstances, humans have always had a strong urge to create, to make things that embody thought, emotion, spiritual and cultural beliefs. Creativity has made us unique as successful as a species and is rooted in our origins when early people first created fire, smeared ash and pigment on the walls of caves, planted gardens, and began changing and controlling their environmen...

One of the challenges of maintaining a creative practice is keeping focused in the studio; it can seem like daily life is constantly pulling us in other directions. This podcast was recorded before the COVID 19 pandemic, and for many artists, focus has become more important than ever as a way to lose ourselves in our work. Yet even if we have time to work, it can still be difficult to find a rhyth...

Rebecca interviews Irish writer Henry Martin about his book, Agnes Martin: Pioneer, Painter, Icon, discussing her life, character, and work. About this biography, museum curator Jina Brenneman wrote “No other book on Agnes Martin has been researched as thoroughly and honestly as Agnes Martin: Pioneer, Painter, Icon. Its sensitive and poetic nature makes it a must read for those truly interested in...

When the news media first mentioned the coronavirus spreading through China, few of us in the rest of the world realized the huge impact it would have. A few months later we face quarantines and severe economic consequences and many of us are facing isolation, boredom, and anxiety, as well as financial stress. In this episode we address how the current measures implemented to contain COVID-19 have...

Rebecca sits down with writer Henry Martin in Dublin, Ireland to talk about his writing process in general and his research for his book, Agnes Martin: Pioneer, Painter, Icon. Check out Henry's website at http://www.henry-martin.co.uk/ or the specific page for his book here: http://www.henry-martin.co.uk/agnes-martin/4592764574 . On Instagram go to https://www.instagram.com/henrymartinhm/ For more...

Most artists would agree that their work is an attempt at communication, even if a non-verbal one. The idea of a conversation with viewers is a helpful perspective because it implies that this communication does not exist in a vacuum, going in one direction only. We use the term “personal voice” in reference to what we are trying to communicate, but we should grant a “voice” of sorts to our audien...

Rebecca interviews Jill Whitten and Robert Proctor of Whitten & Proctor Fine Art Conservation. They discuss the process of art conservation and restoration, as well as their paths into the field and some of their projects with museums around the world. (From http://www.whittenandproctor.com/02Experience.htm ) JILL WHITTEN has been a painting conservator in private practice in Houston,Texas sin...

When sorting through advice and opinions, not all of the voices influencing us are spoken by others. We also have inner voices that comment on our work. They may be insecurities that originate in past negative experiences and these can sap our creative energy. Others are rules and formulas that we've accepted without question but don't serve us well. But not all inner voices are negative. it's als...

As artists, we all want to grow and improve our own work, and we are often surrounded by the advice and opinions of other people. While some advice is helpful, it can sometimes undermine our unique, personal voice. It can be hard to sort the good advice from the bad. It is also important to realize that our own accepted opinions may need to be challenged in order for our work to advance. Unfortuna...

Here's what we want to do with the podcast going forward... For more Messy Studio: www.messystudiopodcast.com www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast For more from Rebecca Crowell: www.rebeccacrowell.com www.squeegeepress.com

We often talk about finding balance with aspects of the creative process that seem to be opposites. For example, finding the balance between working intuitively, and working with control and intention. The way each of us finds this balance between different approaches helps to develop the unique character of our individual work and process. First of all, we should define what we mean by balance. O...

Rebecca Crowell interviews Paula Roland about her life as an artist and entrepreneur. (From https://paularoland.com/roland-bio/ ) Paula Roland is a life-long artist and teacher with an MFA in painting and sculpture from the University of New Orleans. After many years teaching painting and drawing at the college level, Paula found a niche specializing in encaustic monotype printing and related enca...

We talked last time about the role that art-related books play in the lives of artists, and the importance of continuing to educate ourselves in various ways. This week we turn our attention to the specific titles and authors recommended by Rebecca, as well as other artists who weighed in on our Facebook poll asking for input about significant art-related books. Many artists are very passionate ab...

In December of 2019, Rebecca posed a question on Facebook for the artists who follow her page. She asked, “I’d love to hear about art books you recommend -- those you keep close at hand, have helped you in some way, broaden your perspective, and/or just make a good read or a visual feast. I would define “art books” as anything related to art forms, artists, art movements, creativity, or anything t...

In today's episode, Rebecca interviews New Mexico artist Betsy Williams about her work and recently published book. https://www.instagram.com/enbistudio/ https://www.enbistudio.com/ https://www.bluebearvending.com/ www.messystudiopodcast.com www.rebeccacrowell.com www.squeegeepress.com www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast Special Guest: Betsy Williams.

While this may seem to be an odd topic for the Messy Studio, it is something that is important to Rebecca's creative life and that of many other artists. Walking has numerous and well-known benefits for physical and mental health, but what can it contribute to our lives as artists? In this episode, we explore walking as one of the ways that daily life and art are integrated. There are many paralle...

The questions we ask ourselves as artists are at the root of the creative process. As artists we are driven by the unknown. Contemplating various possibilities brings energy and change to our work. It keeps our work dynamic, and exciting, and it keeps us engaged in the creative process. These questions may be big or small. Where is a particular piece heading? What “works”, and what does not? When...

Intuitive Color Color is a very powerful influence in our everyday lives, and certainly in our art. It is the most studied of the visual elements by experts outside of the field of art--in biology, psychology, and in cultural studies, to name a few. As artists, we may work with color in an intuitive way, or more intellectually-- each of us finding a way that suits us. There is no single correct sy...

As artists, we accept many day to day challenges as part of the creative process. Even though we all feel frustrated at times, we know that problem solving is how we grow and achieve our goals. Solving creative problems can bring great satisfaction, but some studio struggles are also very difficult and soul-wrenching. Artists at every level experience these times of defeat or despair that go beyon...

No artist is wholly original. We all owe those who came before us for techniques, ideas, theories, and approaches, and we should honor these influences. Each of us references these influences in our own way. Some of us place ourselves firmly in the tradition of a certain approach to art, or even as followers of a particular artist, but adding our own expression and interpretation. Others are less...

For many artists, some form of outside employment is necessary to make a living. Their day jobs often have little or nothing to do with their creative lives, but some have developed income streams that evolved naturally from their studio practice. This approach leads to a more integrated approach to earning a living. Today we’re focusing on some examples of art related side hustles. In preparation...

While most artists have a way of working that is their main focus, many of us also explore other media or approaches on occasion. While in general it is good to have something that you stick with to develop ideas and master techniques, side trips can be intriguing, and even helpful in feeding new ideas back into your main art practice. In episode 79 of The Messy Studio Podcast we talked about the...

Our Studios, Our Sanctuaries There are few things artists are more passionate or opinionated about than their personal workspaces. In the past we’ve touched on many aspects of individual studio environments including the kind of sounds that artists prefer as they work (Episode #95 of The Messy Studio Podcast). Today we’re going to further explore what makes art studios unique and special to those...

New Mexico painter Cindy Stapper discusses her work in which she explores the dichotomy of presence and absence through both realistic and more abstracted approaches to the landscape. Other topics that she and rebecca talk about include the challenges of change, the pull of the wild Irish landscape, her appreciation of cold wax medium and oil, and the influence of poetry and writing on her work. h...

Dealing With Rejection We’ve all suffered through rejections both major and minor. Like the cycle of ebbs and flows that we talked about in episode 94 of The Messy Studio Podcast, rejection in various forms is a part of an art career that we have to deal with on a regular basis. How can we stay positive and motivated when we are being told we didn’t make the cut? What does rejection really mean in...