Episodes

It’s very tempting to get obsessed with WHAT you’re making, but have you given much thought about the WHERE of your creative work? Where you make stuff. Where your head is when you’re making that stuff. Where you publish stuff! These spaces really really matter. Don’t just take it from me. I…

Today on the show we have two of my dream guests ON ONE EPISODE!! Welcome New York Times Best Selling author Mac Barnett and Caldecott Honor Winning author / illustrator Carson Ellis!! These two were both essential inspirations in my creative journey, and it’s no wonder why. They both exude artis…

Do you ever fully “find your style” for good? I don’t think so. It’s a living document.  I’ve done episodes on the topic. Taught whole classes on it. But, I’ve stayed on the hunt for over a decade, and I still have breakthroughs that surprise me. In this episode, I want to share some new thoughts…

In this special episode, we make space to honor the memory of Adé Hogue, who we lost in October, 2021. Adé was a phenomenal lettering artist and designer with an incredible, authentic spirit. Adé cared so passionately about the communities he was a part of, bringing that energy into all of his wor…

First time listening? This trailer will tell you which episode to start with, explain what the show is all about and ultimately give you a little taste for whether Creative Pep Talk is gonna be your kinda thing.

It’s so easy to get carried away focusing so much on your work, that you neglect yourSELF! BUT the quality and depth of your work comes directly from YOU, so it’s a dangerous habit to get into! In this episode, we dive into 9 powerful creative prompts that will help you connect and deepen your sen…

NFTs, 3D, AR, VR, YR. Oh you haven’t heard of YR?! Ya know, like YR are you googling what YR is. Is it because you’re curious or is it that you’re just afraid of being left behind? It’s very easy to be tempted to run your creative practice on FOBLB (Fear of Being Left Behind), but is this a renewab…

The creative brain is amazing at coming up with infinite options and connections, but sorting through and choosing which options are best and should be focused on is a totally different skill. In this episode we talk to incredible Illustrator and Youtuber Cheyenne Barton, right in the midst of wor…

Why do doctors and pilots both need checklists? Because even life saving information is easy to forget! That’s why in this episode we establish the ten ideas that define this show and what we think staying on track in your creative journey is all about. Every idea on this list significantly impact…

Think back to a time in your creative journey where you felt right on the heels of your potential and you knew the exact way to spend your energy. Pretty much all of us have been thrown off this path at this point. In this episode I want to share with you 3 specific exercises that have helped me…

Are you feeling like the world is leaving you behind? Do things feel so noisy and fast paced that you fear you don’t have a chance to ever really be seen as a creator? If you’ve been creating from a place of fear and anxiety and want to get back to creating from passion and heart, it starts with t…

There’s nothing quite like that feeling of being exactly where you’re supposed to be on the creative path. You’re seeing 5 steps ahead. Things are coming together in your work with surprising serendipity and satisfying ease. Your progress is meaningful and tangible. You’re passionate about what y…

Are you finding it hard to get your hopes up about what comes next for you creatively? Does it ever feel like no matter what you do, the results are the same? In this end of the year episode, we explore a 3 step process for finding your next step breadcrumbs, as well as the inner reservoir of ene…

Have you ever hit a wall where you really could not create ANYTHING whatsoever? Our guest Sha’an d’Anthes AKA Furry Little Peach REALLY HAS but she didn’t stay there. In this episode I want to share the 3 things that really helped her get through this creative valley. We also explore the tips and t…

Your work is totally on point. You’re doing everything “right” but somehow it’s still falling short. Well in the words of Jack Black in the movie School of Rock - “Rock isn’t about getting an A”. So what is it “about”? What is YOUR art about? In this episode we will dive into what it means to gi…

Do you like your work better than ever but feel like people “get it” less? Have you ever made something that you were certain was your best work, but no one else seemed to notice? If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with your work and why it’s not working on people, it might not be your work tha…

I have good news and bad news. Bad news first: It’s true most people are not creative. At least Aristotle wouldn’t think so. Most folks agree that the phrase “we are what we repeatedly do” is a good summary of his mindset. And so, if that’s true. The crucial mark of the artist or creator is just on…

There are so many obstacles on your creative path, and the biggest one? You! And the only self sabotage that ever really stops you is the one that we don’t know is self sabotage! In this episode I want to share a framework that you can use in 3 totally different ways to finally get out of your own …

Do you feel it? The enthusiasm in the creative world is at an all time low AND the algorithm and noise of social media is not helping! It’s taken a lot of extra work for me to find purpose and enough excitement in my work to keep at it with the kind of vigor that a creative practice requires. BUT t…

Are you sick of your work being white noise? Why does some creative work grab people and some is just yawn-worthy? If you want to unlock a deeper well of resonance in your creativity that has the power to move people - this episode is for you. In this episode we explore: 1 The Shift Needed to Mak…

Your creative voice isn’t something you go OUT to find, it’s something you go IN to find. In this special guest episode of Creative Pep Talk, we chat with incredible illustrator Rebecca Green about how to hear your ideas when you have them, storytelling and the struggle to own your strengths withou…

Some people say that creativity is all about perfect timing, but in my experience, the best work comes from those spaces where you lose track of time completely. If TIME has become a brutal master and “staying relevant”, “hitting the cultural zeitgeist”, “keeping up with the times”, “missing your …

Nothing feels better than when you’re unlocking your best work, finding the perfect opportunities and experiencing the best of your creative practice, but sometimes those times from the past can make you feel completely lost in the present. If you feel like you have lost your path at some point in …

If you hate the work you’re doing, feel lost in the pursuit of finding what you’re truly equipped for and what really lights you up, this episode is what you need. Finding which of the 10 Sparketypes you are, can help you find what type of work makes you come alive! In this episode I sit down with…