Next week I will have the pleasure of visiting Michigan State and speaking with art students over the weekend. Opportunities to pass on tips and encouragement to young artists are one of the highlights of my life as an artist and creative entrepreneur. So when I asked my community what they would want to hear, I was met with an onslaught of suggestions, from the usual (pricing, finding a gallery) to color theory, style, and so much more. As much as all these elements matter, they won’t fit into a 30-minute speech.

The truth is, as helpful as all the suggestions are, I had to reconnect with my younger self: a grad in her early twenties, practically still a baby, who naively expected to get a job and figure out the art world after attending a small state school for four years. In reality, no one figures out life that quickly, and if they do, I’m sure they’ll pivot and evolve over time anyway.

Even though I knew what I wanted, I was relentlessly followed by two unwanted companions: fear of the unknown and anxiety about my future. My nervous system during that time spiraled and shut down frequently. I would constantly attend lectures like the one I’m about to give, search for how artists were making it, research what jobs I could have, and relentlessly nag my professors about how to make money or sell art. My questions were not uncommon, and to this day, the artists I work with often begin with those same two questions. But the answers wouldn’t provide the solution to my problems, because they are as individual as we are. There is no formula or cookie-cutter path for artists. We each have to puzzle the pieces of our lives together, one step at a time. That said, I do believe some business and career basics should be in place with options, which is part of the reason my friend and classmate Alicia Puig and I co-wrote two books, the Complete Smartist Guide and the Creative Business Handbook.

The truth is, you can’t learn everything in four years. You simply don’t know what you don’t know, but every step you take and every new discovery you make in your work will guide you to the next one. I thought a degree would solve all my problems, but despite throwing myself into extracurricular activities and trying to be the best student I could be, I learned early on that it simply isn’t enough. Learning continues forever. Yes, it can be expensive, but it can also come in free and affordable forms like books, podcasts, YouTube videos, online courses, and, when you’re ready and have a budget, working directly with a mentor who has been where you are going.

The other important thing to remember is that college professors offer what they know, and I am genuinely grateful for the gems of wisdom and universal truths I picked up from their experiences. But they are not immune to a rapidly changing world, and right now, each week brings shifts in technology, the art market, and the job market alike. When I was graduating, Instagram wasn’t even a thing yet!

So if I could travel back in time to that anxious yet hopeful and optimistic girl with bangs she cut with dull scissors in the bathroom mirror and a streak of CVS pink hair dye, I would say these things to her:

Learn to Trust Yourself and Your Art

I know it sounds cheesy, but I still believe our dreams were given to us for a reason, and I have receipts. There were things I wrote down years ago that came true, like international exhibitions, my home, and other experiences. There are still things on that list, and I’m okay with letting them unfold in their perfect timing. I went against the logical advice of my high school guidance counselor to pursue an international business career. I know he meant well, and in many ways he was right. I had a hard time in some seasons. I had terrible day jobs. I went through a period of real struggle with no money, not to mention countless rejections and failed projects. But even though I faced some of my greatest fears, I would choose this life over and over again. The temporary discomfort is worth it to meet your dreams.

You’re Gonna Figure It Out

More than knowing WHAT to do, how to make money, or how to land a gallery, I would tell my younger artist self to embrace being a resourceful, solution-oriented person. I was a bit of a whiner back then and I’m not proud of it. What I know now is that I am creative, and that creativity can be applied to business challenges or to creating my own opportunities when none exist. I would tell her: you’re going to be okay, and you will figure out the next step. No one knows what’s ahead, but we can all do our best with what we have today.

Look for Signs That It Will Work and Monitor Your Mind Diet

When you’re from a small town or the first artist in your family, your circle may not get you. It is very important that you don’t let people’s lack of knowledge or experience about where you’re going plant seeds of doubt in your mind and soul. Seek out people, even if at first it’s only through books and podcasts, who have done something similar to what you’re dreaming of. Their existence rewires what’s possible. You don’t have to know them personally for their story to prove that what you’re after isn’t just a fantasy.

I saw a quote the other day on Instagram that stopped me cold: “Is it really delusional if someone’s already done it?” Your mind diet is the content you consume and the information you feed yourself. If you’re constantly reading bad news, absorbing stories about how terrible the art market is, or engaging in ongoing complaint sessions with fellow artists about slow sales and the algorithm, eventually you will start to see the world through that lens. You don’t have to cut anyone out, but just like eating Doritos won’t improve your health or fitness, doomscrolling and complaining won’t improve your chances of success. Indulge in moderation, friends.

After successfully selling hundreds of original paintings, traveling the world for my shows, and seeing my work on the pages of blogs and magazines I once dreamed about, I know that anything is possible. The trick is not letting the naysayers or our own doubt stop us from trying. And failure will happen, so you may as well befriend it and stop letting disappointment and fear keep you from trying again.

Most importantly, I would give her a hug and celebrate her for choosing a non-conventional, creative, and unique path to bring more art, joy, and opportunity into this world so others can do the same.

Ekaterina Popova is a painter, founder of Create! Magazine, and host of the Create! Podcast with over one million unique downloads, and a certified master coach helping artists build joyful, authentic, and sustainable careers and businesses. For more than ten years she has built a career as a working artist and six-figure creative entrepreneur, selling hundreds of original paintings, exhibiting internationally, and building a global community of artists and creatives. She is the co-author of the Complete Smartist Guide and the Creative Business Handbook, and the founder of the Create! Collective, a membership community for working artists. She coaches artists and creative entrepreneurs through her private practice.

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I have been on both sides of this for over a decade, and I want to share everything I know.

As the founder of Create! Magazine, I receive pitches every single week from artists, writers, collaborators, and brands. I can usually tell within the first two sentences whether someone has done their homework or sent a copy-paste blast to fifty inboxes at once. Not because I am looking for reasons to say no, but because genuine, specific outreach has a feeling to it that is impossible to fake.

I have also spent years on the other side of that equation, cold emailing galleries, pitching publications, and reaching out to people who felt completely out of my league at the time. My co-author Alicia Puig, who wrote The Complete Smartist Guide with me, spent years working inside galleries reviewing exactly these kinds of submissions.

Between the two of us, we have seen everything. What works, what gets quietly ignored, and what kills an otherwise strong application before anyone even looks at the work. Here is what actually moves the needle in 2026.

Start here: you are not bothering anyone

The biggest thing standing between most artists and the opportunities they want is not their work. It is the story they tell themselves before they ever hit send.

Maybe you talk yourself out of applying because the gallery feels too established. Maybe you keep waiting until your website is more polished, or you draft the email and then sit on it for weeks. This is so common and so understandable, and it is also the thing that quietly costs artists years of momentum.

Here is the truth: many galleries are actively looking for artists. Publications need content. Opportunities exist because someone is waiting to fill them. Your job is simply to show up as the right fit, and you genuinely cannot do that from the sidelines. Self-belief has to come before the pitch, not after you get a yes.

🔍 Do your research before you do anything else

In 2026, we have more tools than ever to help us write and research, which means there is really no excuse for a lazy application. Galleries and editors can spot one immediately, and taking a few extra moments to write something thoughtful and specific makes an enormous difference.

Before reaching out to any gallery or platform, spend real time on their website and social channels. Get to know who they already represent. Ask yourself honestly whether your work fits their aesthetic and price point, what their artists have in common, and what kind of collectors they reach. The more specific your answer, the stronger your pitch will be.

If you can visit in person, do it. Walk the space, get a feel for the energy, and talk to someone on the staff if the timing feels right. An opening night is not ideal for a long conversation since the team is focused on clients and sales, but a quiet afternoon visit or a natural lull at a fair can be a genuinely lovely way to introduce yourself before you ever send a formal submission.

For publications, read several recent issues or posts before pitching. Understand their tone, their audience, and their visual language. A pitch that lands in the wrong inbox is just a missed opportunity for everyone.

One gentle note: if a gallery’s website clearly states they are not currently accepting submissions, rather than sending a cold pitch anyway, look for other ways to stay in their orbit. Attend their openings, support their artists, engage genuinely with their community. Relationships built over time open more doors than any unsolicited email.

✉️ What to include in your outreach

The goal is simple: make it easy for the person reading your email to say yes. Here is what a strong outreach email includes:

• A personalized opener. One specific sentence that shows this is not a mass email. Reference a show you attended, a recent issue you loved, or an artist they represent whose work genuinely resonates with you. Specificity signals intention and people feel it.

• A clear, confident introduction. Who you are, what you make, and what you are reaching out about. Two to three sentences is plenty.

• Your website link and a small selection of strong images. Make it effortless for them to see your work in under thirty seconds. Links only, no massive attachments.

• A specific ask. Are you inquiring about representation? Responding to a call for art? Pitching a feature idea? Name it clearly because vague emails tend to get vague responses, or none at all.

• A warm, confident close. Your contact information, a simple next step, and no apologizing for reaching out. You belong in this conversation.

If you had the chance to meet this person before emailing, mention it right at the top. Even a brief introduction at an opening creates a sense of continuity that makes your email feel like the beginning of a relationship rather than a cold pitch.

📝 The template that still works

Alicia and I included a version of this in The Complete Smartist Guide and it holds up beautifully in 2026. Use it as a starting point and make it your own:

Dear [Name],

I am reaching out to submit my work for consideration [or: in reference to your current open call]. My current body of work [one to two sentences describing your work and what drives it]. I have recently exhibited at [notable exhibitions] and my work is part of the collection of [institutions if applicable]. [Add any relevant press, residencies, or awards.]

Please find attached my artist statement and resume, along with a selection of images. You can view more work at [website]. I would love to connect and am happy to answer any questions.

Warm regards, [Your name]

Feel free to adjust the tone to fit who you are writing to. A contemporary commercial gallery has a different energy than an experimental nonprofit space, and your pitch can reflect that.

📱 Social media etiquette in 2026

This comes up a lot so let’s talk about it honestly.

Pitching via DM is generally not recommended, especially without an existing relationship. If you do reach out on social media, make sure it feels like a warm introduction rather than a cold ask. Tagging galleries repeatedly in your posts or dropping portfolio links in comments tends to read as overeager and can actually work against you.

It is also worth knowing that most gallery social media accounts are managed by an assistant or marketing person rather than the director. Your DM may simply never reach the right person, and even if it does, an Instagram profile is not the ideal place to present your work professionally.

Let social media do what it does best: build your presence, show your process, and draw people toward you organically. Gallerists and curators are absolutely scouting on Instagram in 2026, and the most effective approach is to let them discover you there and then follow up through more formal channels when the time is right.

🕊️ Following up without the anxiety spiral

Once you send your application, try to genuinely let it go. Easier said than done, I know. But putting your energy into the next opportunity rather than refreshing your inbox is both healthier and more productive.

If you have not heard back after two weeks, it is completely appropriate to send one short, warm follow-up that restates your ask in a single sentence. If there is still no response after that, it is time to move on gracefully. Most non-responses are about timing, inbox overwhelm, or simply not being the right fit in that moment. None of that is a reflection of your work or your worth as an artist.

Give it six months, come back with new work to share, and keep the relationship warm where you can. The art world is genuinely smaller than it looks.

A note on where careers actually get built

Gallery representation is a wonderful path for many artists, and it is also just one path. It is not necessary for every artist at every stage, and it is worth remembering that the most resilient art careers in 2026 are built on multiple streams: direct collector relationships, online sales, licensing, editorial features, teaching, speaking, and community.

A gallery can open beautiful doors, but it cannot build your career for you. Your personal brand, your online presence, and the people around you do more of that work than most artists realize, and those things are entirely within your power to build right now.

The only thing left to do

Go send the email.

Not next week when your website is updated, not after you finish a few more art, not when you feel more ready. You are ready now. You are not bothering anyone. And the opportunity you have been waiting for is genuinely not going to pitch itself.

You’ve got this. 🤍

If you want to go deeper on the strategy side of pitching, outreach, and building a career that actually sustains you, that is exactly what we work on inside Create! Collective. We have resources from both artists and galleries on what they look for, how to pitch, and how to grow with a real community behind you.

Enrollment is open through March 30 at createmagazine.co/collective.

You can also grab a copy of The Complete Smartist Guide by Alicia Puig and Ekaterina Popova for the full breakdown of everything covered here and so much more.

And if you prefer to learn by watching, the full video version of this is live now on the Create! YouTube channel.

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“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.”

―Banksy

Sometimes I imagine I look like someone who has just survived a shipwreck, crawling out of the foamy sea onto land, only to be hurled back into the water moments later.

It doesn’t always feel great to celebrate wins and milestones as a self-employed artist and creative entrepreneur. Many times the wins feel like little rafts holding me over until I can reach dry land, except the dry land never seems to arrive.

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As a highly sensitive person, I am sometimes in awe of the fact that I’m still at this game of pursuing my dreams and building a business around them after ten years (next month).

I still have days when I fantasize about a “normal job” with a steady paycheck, a 401k, and health insurance paid for by an employer rather than me. But I’m wise enough to know that the traditional path has its own challenges, and my colleagues in the corporate and academic sectors probably fantasize about the time-freedom and flexibility that self-employment brings. At the end of the day, there is no such thing as perfect stability, and challenges are a rite of passage for any human being, regardless of industry or career path.

When I talk about quitting what I’ve built, I know I’m not talking about the joy my art brings me, or the incredible humans I get to meet, or the milestone or occasional financial win that gives me wind under my wings, even for a short while. I want to quit most when my ego decides we should be further ahead, or when I’m mulling over business decisions that ended up hurting me instead of propelling me forward, or when a rude comment online makes me want to close my laptop, throw my phone into the ocean, and never look back. But those obstacles and nagging voices are not what I do, or who I serve, and they certainly aren’t the reason I should give up.

So every time I’ve wanted to throw in the towel over the past decade, I’ve had to pull back in order to leap forward. And sometimes, when I don’t have the energy to leap, I at least take that baby step rather than give up entirely.

Now that I’m ten years in, there is a whole other reality: I am an equal contributor to my household, and I have to consider that, despite all its challenges, a six-figure salary is hard to come by in the arts. This is exactly why I created my own business back in 2016.

Deconstructing What We’re Doing and Why

Recently, I took three months to maintain my business at just enough of a baseline to keep basic operations running, with no forced growth. I temporarily stepped away from new private clients, events, and other abundant but energy-consuming elements in order to focus on why I’m building this, who I am, and whether I’m truly committed to this life.

My triggers as a business owner are not unique: financial setbacks, overbooking myself, and not leaving enough time for thinking and personal creativity. I’ve learned that having space to think and dream is crucial not only to my mental health but to the health of my small business. My minor irritants are online trolls, social media noise, and the pressure of “keeping up with the algorithm,” which I’ve written about a few times over the past year.

But this post isn’t to complain. Especially after taking time to address and prevent further burnout, I’ve come out the other side with some good news.

I like being free to make art. I love serving fellow artists and art lovers in our community. I love the magazine. I was just tired. And the Banksy quote at the beginning of this article rings true again.

After a hard season, after rejection, loss, disappointment, a difficult stretch in the studio, a slow sales period, burnout, or a difficult client situation, it’s crucial to allow yourself a break and then get back on the horse when you’re ready. Of course, if you’re self-employed like me and rely on showing up to pay the bills, you can’t fully lounge and do nothing. (Check out my low-energy artist strategy post on Substack for more on that.)

Here is how I’ve been approaching the return after a period of exhaustion and disappointment. I hope it helps you too.

1. Refresh Your Vision

Get clear on your dream and vision for your life. What do you want? If anything were still possible and you knew the answer was yes (because everything is still possible, my friend), what would you want for your life and your business? This is your vision, your map. I always come back to this, even when I’m battered by life.

2. Find Your Purpose Again

Your “why” is the light that will guide you through the darkest moments. Maybe it’s your family, the younger version of you, or a person you love and want to serve. Maybe it’s your love of art, or mentorship, or healing. You know what inspires you and keeps you up at night. Reconnect with that.

3. Find Your People

There are always a handful of people who share your purpose and even your vision. They might be someone you connected with at school, at a workshop, or even online. Reach out to remind yourself you’re not alone. This is one of the biggest reasons I started the Create! Collective (formerly Art Queens, in 2019). I was dealing with a legal issue from a former mentor, felt alone and wrongfully accused, and needed to know I wasn’t on this journey by myself.

4. Find Your Power from Within

We all have that fire in us, that light born of deep purpose. It’s not the “podcast bro” motivation that flickers out at the first sign of inconvenience. It’s the part of us that believes in our dream, in a better world, and in what’s still possible. Know that a dream has been given to you so you can carry it out, even if it looks different than you originally imagined. Lean into your own fire and let it move you forward, even when all you can manage are baby steps.

5. Lock In on Your Identity

Time and again we see successful people fail, lose their businesses, their money, or their status, only to rise again. This isn’t luck. This is identity at work. When you practice believing in yourself as a capable, successful person, temporary setbacks won’t destroy you. They become the arsenal and the wisdom that propel you forward, and eventually you’ll find yourself mentoring others through the same things. None of my successes taught me nearly as much as my failures did. They hurt. They’re hard. But they are the true gifts in disguise.

6. Allow for Setbacks and Slower Times

Sometimes grinding mindlessly in the name of “growth” is just wasted energy. I mentioned stepping back for a few months to reconnect with my why, lightening my schedule to get my passion back. There were times when I wanted to quit the membership, stop showing my work, and even sell the magazine, because it got so hard to keep going. But I’ve come to recognize that as my mind and body begging for a break. Deep down, I would regret letting go of what I’ve built.

7. A Holistic Approach

We are not just our minds. We are body and spirit too. When we neglect one part of ourselves, the rest suffers. During this season I took steps to nurture my health, addressed some symptoms that had been bothering me, hired a nutritional coach for accountability, and let go of habits that were wreaking havoc on my nervous system. It was the darkest time of year and February hit hard, but coming back this month is a reminder that I made the right call. The light is coming back both outside and inside.

If you, like me, took some time to process, to heal, or to reconsider what you’re building, you are not behind. You are getting clarity, removing noise and distraction, and choosing to return because you truly want to, not because you’re stuck or feel like you have to.

So here’s to the next decade, approached with clarity, intention, and alignment.

Let’s bring purpose and joy back into what we’re creating, and spend less time fretting over what went wrong, in exchange for the possibility of everything going right, as long as we don’t give up.

About the Author

Ekaterina Popova is a contemporary oil painter, publisher, and creative entrepreneur. She is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Create! Magazine and host of The Create! Podcast, with over a decade of experience building a life and business around art. She created the Create! Collective, a membership community for professional artists navigating the realities of a creative career with intention and sustainability.

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After fifteen years as a working artist, multiple coaching certifications, and endless self-development books later, it finally “clocked” for me. And I’m standing on business here, in the words of Justin Bieber, to tell you that the strategy we are all seeking is incredibly simple. But it certainly is not easy to put it to practice. It requires faith and a deep self-awareness.

Here is the big, capital-T Truth I wish I knew earlier: the sale begins long before the sale.

Our success is a result of deep inner work that happens before the studio, the canvas, the photograph, or the sculpture. It happens before we ever share a finished piece online or in a physical gallery. But don’t let this scare you. The energy work and the confidence are so much more important than any external behavior or tactic you can deploy to “get success.”

The Identity Architecture

Now, don’t get me wrong. As a Sagittarius with a Libra rising, I am wired for ambition and adventure. I came into this world to achieve big things, chase bold dreams, and do it all with (hopefully) some semblance of beauty and balance. I have no problem dreaming big.

But here is where I noticed a discrepancy in our pursuit of the dream: we often put the external event first instead of the identity and the inner work.

In my subconscious programming studies, we talk about the hierarchy of change. Our deeper purpose is always at the top of the pyramid, and that is where the identity of a successful creator is built, from the inside out.

This isn’t just “woo-woo” fluff, and I say that as someone who fully embraces the woo. It maps onto Robert Dilts’ Logical Levels of Change, and it’s backed by behavioral science. In Atomic Habits, James Clear makes the case that the most powerful level of change is identity, not outcomes, not even process.

“True behavioral change is identity change,” he writes.

When you stop trying to achieve being a successful artist and start being a successful artist, your habits, decisions, and daily actions reorganize around that belief automatically. Research shows that once a person believes in a particular aspect of their identity, they are far more likely to act in alignment with that belief and to persist even when it’s hard (Clear, Atomic Habits, 2018).

When you shift at the identity level, your brain’s Reticular Activating System, the filter that determines what you notice in your environment, begins surfacing opportunities that match your new self-concept. You literally start seeing differently. You walk into a gallery opening as a peer, not a hopeful outsider. You price your work as an established artist, not someone apologizing for taking up space.

Every tiny action becomes a vote for the person you are becoming.

Money is Energy. And So is Your Work.

Here is where it gets even more interesting, and where Ken Honda’s Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace with Your Money cracked something wide open for me.

Honda teaches that money is energy. It can be “Happy Money,” flowing with love, generosity, and appreciation, or “Unhappy Money,” surrounded by fear, anxiety, and guilt. The distinction isn’t about how much you have. It’s entirely about the energy behind how you earn, spend, and receive it.

“It’s about the energy you carry, not how much you have or how much you make,” Honda says.

Now think about what this means for your art practice.

When you paint from obligation, from fear of falling behind, from “I have to post something this week,” that is Unhappy Money energy baked into the work before it’s even dry. The anxiety travels with it. And the people who might love your work? They can feel it, even if they can’t name it.

But when you make something because you needed to, because a feeling demanded to be expressed, because you were genuinely moved, that is Happy Money energy. That is the work that finds its people.

Honda’s central practice is simple: say “arigato” (thank you) when money comes in, and say “arigato” again when it goes out. Gratitude activates the prefrontal cortex and reduces cortisol, literally rewiring our stress response around money. But beyond the neuroscience, it is a practice of relationship. Treating the flow of money the same way we treat the flow of creative energy. With trust, with openness, with gratitude rather than grip.

Your art is the same. When you release a painting with genuine love for what it is, not white-knuckling the outcome, it flows differently. It lands differently.

The Anatomy of a Recent Win

Just recently, I sold another painting. Here is a little bit about how that came to be.

I was in a positive state of mind with heightened awareness. I noticed my dog Kolibri sleeping on the bed, this cozy, utterly perfect little scene. I took a mental screenshot of both the image and the feeling it gave me. I took a photo. I painted it months later.

I already knew, no matter what the outcome, that I deeply connected with this image and it just needed to come out. I took off any pressure of making it “successful,” knowing there was a feeling I wanted to convey and pass on to someone who resonated with it. That was the whole job.

I shared it with my gallery, they connected with it, and they found a buyer. This process works beautifully with direct sales too.

The sale wasn’t a result of a reel, a hashtag, or a gimmick. I simply shared what I made. But the conviction behind the making was the most important part. Not the method of sharing. Not the color palette. The energy and purpose were the foundation. Happy Money energy, from start to finish.

Alysa Liu and the Permission to Come Back on Your Own Terms

I need to talk about Alysa Liu, because her story just gave me chills in real time.

Alysa Liu became the youngest U.S. women’s figure skating national champion ever at 13. She competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics at 16. Then she retired, packed her skates in a closet, went to college, and let herself just be a person.

A ski trip in 2024 reminded her what gliding felt like. She went back to the rink on her own terms, choosing her own music, controlling her training, taking full creative ownership. “If I feel like I’m skating too much, I’ll back down,” she said.

On February 19, 2026, she won Olympic gold in Milan, delivering a career-best performance in a gold sequined dress to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park.” Radiant, fully herself, and in third place going in.

Her coach said it simply: “We know she wasn’t here to win a medal. She was here to skate and to enjoy it.”

After the win, Liu said: “Finding my joy again was the most important thing.”

That is the whole strategy. She chased the feeling, and the gold followed. This is Happy Money energy in its purest form, and it is the most sophisticated creative business strategy there is.

Standing on the Foundation

My point is to keep it simple.

If our work is a combination of transferring our energy and love, combined with sharing our skill, then it is just about showing up, falling in love, and sharing that love.

Build the identity first. Heal the money energy. Release the work with gratitude.

The results will follow. The foundation is already within you.

Further reading: James Clear, Atomic Habits and Ken Honda, Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace with Your Money

Ready to Do This Work Together?

I have a small number of openings for 1:1 coaching, and this is where the real transformation happens.

We go deep on your specific practice, your money story, your creative blocks, and the identity architecture underneath your business. If you are a working artist who is tired of spinning your wheels and ready to build something sustainable, from the inside out, I would love to talk.

This is not a formula. It is a genuine co-creation rooted in everything I have learned over fifteen years as both a practicing artist and a business mentor.

[Book a discovery call here] — spots are intentionally limited, and I only work with artists I know I can truly support on a deep level.

Is there anything more delicious than discovering a new artist you love? Moving through the crowded galleries of the Philadelphia Museum of Art last week, exploring the Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100 show, I found just that.

Though the show itself celebrated the movement and incorporated incredible work spanning Duchamp, Dalí, Chirico, and Magritte, the last gallery took my breath away. A dark blue sanctuary featuring the work of Dorothea Tanning, Leonora Carrington, and my new favorite: Remedios Varo. I am late to the game, I know, but the artist kept popping up in my life. At first I heard the name on Pam Grossman’s podcast, then the name kept following me until Varo’s work quite literally stopped me in my tracks.

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The Journey of the Sorceress

Originally from Spain, Remedios Varo’s life was a series of narrow escapes. She fled the Spanish Civil War for Paris, only to be forced into exile again when the Nazis invaded. She eventually found her home in Mexico City in 1941, a place that allowed her spiritual practices and studio work to bloom into the intricate, mystical worlds we see today.

Her precision was a gift from her father, a hydraulic engineer who taught her technical drawing and perspective from a young age. You can see this influence in her work: her “magic machines” and gothic architectures are rendered with a structural logic that makes the impossible feel entirely plausible. To support herself during those early years in Mexico, she took on commercial work, including creating detailed medical illustrations for Bayer. This “day job” refined her hand even further, eventually allowing her the freedom to dedicate her life to her personal visions.

Alchemy and the Three Witches

The “witchy artist” in me rejoiced to learn that Remedios did not just paint magic; she lived it. In Mexico City, she formed a legendary bond with Leonora Carrington and the photographer Kati Horna. They were nicknamed “The Three Witches” by their circle. Together, they studied alchemy, Tarot, and Jungian psychology. They treated their daily lives as a surrealist experiment, often performing rituals, sharing dreams, or cooking “surrealist meals” designed to evoke specific emotions.

Varo was known to charge her crystals in the moonlight and perform specific rituals while mixing paint on her palette. She viewed the studio as an alchemical lab where base materials were transmuted into spirit. This is evident in her delicate, gem like paint application. In the PMA exhibition, her painting Icon (1945) drew me in immediately. The luminous crescents in the sky are not just pigment; she inlaid actual mother of pearl into the wood to create a literal, celestial glow.

The Rise to Recognition

While she was deeply respected within her immediate circle, Varo’s “fame” arrived relatively late. She didn’t have her first major solo exhibition until 1956 in Mexico City. It was a massive success, establishing her as one of the most important voices of the movement. Tragically, she died at the height of her career in 1963, prompting André Breton to call her “the sorceress who left too soon.”

Today, we are seeing a massive resurgence of interest in her work. From the 2022 Venice Biennale to the current Dreamworld show in Philadelphia, the world is finally catching up to her genius. She reminds us that being an artist is about more than just making “pretty things.” It is about constructing a world that honors both the technical and the transcendental.

Sources

• Philadelphia Museum of Art, “Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100” (Exhibition details, 2025–2026).

• National Museum of Women in the Arts, “Artist Profile: Remedios Varo” (Details on her engineering background and education).

• Janet A. Kaplan, Remedios Varo: Unexpected Journeys (Biographical details on her life in Mexico and “The Three Witches”).

• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), “Remedios Varo: Science Fictions” (Insights into her grattage technique and use of mother of pearl).

• Joanna Moorhead, The Surreal Life of Leonora Carrington (Context on the collaboration and friendship between Varo and Carrington).

• The Spiritual Arts Foundation, “Remedios Varo: The Visionary as Alchemist” (Analysis of her magical and occult practices).

A pang of guilt hit me recently as, one by one, I remembered the messages I forgot to reply to and the tasks I have yet to check off my list: unanswered emails, forgotten DMs, and a pile of shipments at my front door already a few days behind. It was the stunning realization that I do not, in fact, “have it.”

Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s low iron.

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Blame it on the 957 never-ending days of January. Blame the relentless cold of this winter or the fact that we’ve all been in content and delivery overdrive for the past decade. Since the emergence of Instagram (a tool I am still grateful for), it kind of felt like I got on a treadmill that continued to accelerate until I flew off with no desire to hop back on. I opted for the stationary bike next to it instead. I’ve decided to pedal at a leisurely pace, with no fear of falling again.

A few months ago I wrote about “breaking up with the content monster,” but what is the actual solution to our collective content fatigue? How do we fix the exhaustion we all feel from showing up too much? After all, if you’re a self-employed creative, you have bills to pay. Giving up on our dreams isn’t an option either.

So, where do we go from here?

The Engineering of “Easy”

When building machinery, engineers don’t ask how much they should be doing. They ask: What is the easiest, most simple, and efficient way for me to get there? Right now, I could use this same approach when it comes to my art, my business, and my life. I don’t want to be on my deathbed reminiscing about unanswered emails, DMs, and Reels I was busy designing while years of my precious life were flying by at lightning speed.

Even when the iron supplements from Thorne arrive at my doorstep, I hope to continue on this peaceful, sustainable path. Sustainable and efficient doesn’t mean we do nothing. It just means we stop wasting our precious life force on things that don’t matter and mindfully bring harmony into the equation. It means ensuring our posting, thinking, creating, and sharing all work together for the same purpose.

The Science of the Fried Brain

It isn’t just in your head. The exhaustion you feel is a biological response to the digital age:

Decision Fatigue: Every Etsy tag or Reel transition is a micro-decision. Research shows the prefrontal cortex has a limited “fuel tank” for executive function. When you spend it all on the algorithm, you have zero “creative juice” left for the canvas (Baumeister et al., 1998).

The “Freeze” State: Burnout is a nervous system response. When the “Content Monster” feels like a threat, your body enters a “freeze” state to protect you. You aren’t lazy; you’re recalibrating (Porges, Polyvagal Theory).

Attention Residue: Switching between emails and painting creates “attention residue,” making it nearly impossible to reach the flow state required for high-level art (Newport, Deep Work).

Ikigai

Now we’re getting closer to the Ikigai. This is the Japanese concept, often visualized as a Venn diagram, representing the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

For me, it’s my art and my lived experience as an artist and founder, the experiences I create, and the programs I build. The purpose remains the same while the medium evolves. Underneath the titles, the message and purpose stay steady. So, what is it for you?

Journal on this: What contribution do you want to bring to the world?

Identify your Superpower: What comes easily to you? For me, it’s painting and sharing. I love to write and record podcasts and courses.

The Need: What do people want or need from you and me that we can contribute and help them with? Beautiful art? Workshops to share your skill? Relaxing retreats? Nothing is off-limits here.

Tactics to Protect Your Energy

1. Kill the “S” Word

We all need to stop saying “should.” Feeling you should do something isn’t a good reason to do it. Being devoted, keeping a promise to yourself and others, or showing up for your dream is what matters. Remember you’re in charge and you get to decide whether or not to participate in an activity.

2. Boundaries Protect Your Molecules

The biggest energy zappers in my low-energy artist state? A lack of boundaries. I recently had to send a few uncomfortable messages asking people to please use email instead of Instagram DMs to reach me. The sheer volume of DMs I couldn’t respond to was stressing me out.

The Audit: What’s draining your energy that you can lovingly redirect without being in avoidance? Boundaries protect our little molecules of precious energy, the energy we need to make art and show up. Have the hard conversation and you’ll be thankful you created some space for yourself.

Setting boundaries might look like:

• Turning off notifications during studio hours

• Setting an autoresponder directing people to email for business inquiries

• Blocking out “no meeting” days for deep work

• Saying no to opportunities that don’t align with your Ikigai

• Limiting how many platforms you’re active on

The discomfort of setting a boundary is temporary. The relief and energy you gain back is permanent.

3. Be the Master of the Tools

Be the master of the tools, not the slave to the screen. I have to remind myself that I get to use the internet and my paints. I am the master of my craft, and I get a say in how and when I use them. This might mean scheduling content in advance or writing down ideas only when I feel good and have the energy. This may mean taking a day off from sharing. You are the boss.

Practical ways to master your tools:

• Batch your content creation during high-energy periods

• Use scheduling tools so you’re not chained to posting in real-time

• Keep a running note of ideas so you’re never starting from scratch

• Give yourself permission to recycle and repurpose your best content

• Turn off the app when you’re creating, not consuming

Remember: Instagram is a tool for your business, not your business itself. Your art is your business.

4. Carve Time for Money-Making Activities

We all have bills to pay, and if you’re self-employed like me, this activity is non-negotiable. Setting time aside for planning that next print drop, workshop, or commission announcement, and following through intentionally, will save your business. And honestly? When you show up with love rather than “shoulds,” you post the things that light you up. You naturally attract money-making opportunities that way. Instead of scrambling, carving out a few hours a week to focus on growth can help prevent stress and burnout.

Money-making activities that actually move the needle:

• Planning your next product launch or collection

• Reaching out to galleries or potential clients

• Creating an email nurture sequence for your list

• Developing a new workshop or course offering

• Updating your shop with new work

• Following up on commission inquiries

These activities deserve your best energy, not the scraps left over after you’ve given everything to the algorithm. Schedule them like the important business meetings they are. Protect that time fiercely. Your future self will thank you when the income flows in without the panic and hustle.

Remember friends, for low-energy times and people like us, we need to protect the very last bit we have so we can keep going. That protection itself will eventually give us our fire back.

I love you. Eat your greens, take your vitamins, and log off from time to time.

Ekaterina Popova
Contemporary oil painter, founder and editor-in-chief of Create! Magazine, and host of The Create! Podcast. Through nearly a decade of championing global artists, I’ve built a platform dedicated to helping creatives build sustainable, anti-hustle careers without sacrificing creative integrity.

createmagazine.com | katerinapopova.com

The path of pursuing a career in the arts for the last fifteen years has taught me that the journey is both as simple and as complex as you can imagine. Early on, I spent so much time wrestling with what to do, what to paint, later on what to post online, and who to reach out to. I was constantly hoping for some miraculous event that would finally put me on the path to my dream life.

I used to think that when someone finally noticed me, I would do the work. I thought that once the work sold, I’d paint bigger, or once I got the grant, I’d finally start that new body of work. But the reality is always the other way around.

The Science of Starting with Joy

We often think that success leads to happiness, but psychological research suggests the opposite is true. According to the “Broaden-and-Build” theory developed by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, positive emotions like interest and love do more than just make us feel good in the moment. They actually broaden our sense of possibility and our ability to process information.

When you start from a place of doing what you love, your brain is chemically primed to see opportunities that a stressed or “discipline-only” mind would miss. This isn’t just fluffy advice. It is about how our biology responds to interest. Love and curiosity trigger the release of dopamine, which enhances creative problem-solving and cognitive flexibility. By starting with the thing you love, you are literally building the mental resources needed to sustain a career.

Moving Beyond the “When/Then” Trap

The real secret is that the vision must always come before the validation. We often wait for a sign to start, but devotion is required long before the proof arrives. It is not about a hardcore, drill-sergeant lifestyle of waking up at 4:00 AM. It is about really loving what you do and wanting to spend more time doing it. As a byproduct of that time, you get better. You articulate your vision more clearly, and people eventually respond to that.

Just this morning, I received a payment for paintings sold last month. While that feels normal to me now, it was once a burning hope for a younger version of myself who just wanted someone to want the things I loved creating. I’ve realized that I am only responsible for nurturing my own vision and falling in love with the process. People can sense when things are forced or formulaic, but they truly feel passion and love. When you resonate with your own work, the world eventually starts to resonate with it too.

Making the Day a Work of Art

Moving forward, my focus isn’t just on scaling a business or “growing my art career,” but on a deeper question: How can I make my day a work of art? When the path is enjoyable, you don’t have to force yourself to show up. It is kind of like how no one has to force you to get ice cream in the summer. You want that sweet, creamy, delicious dessert. If you are struggling with a creative or even business block, ask yourself if you are making the work for you or if you are following external pressure.

When you make something you are proud of, you naturally want to share it with the world. The social media and the newsletters happen on their own because they are just a byproduct of that excitement.

Let’s keep it simple.

Let’s follow our hearts and respond with love. That is what we, and the world, actually need.

I must say that I’ve trained my algorithm perfectly. On my Instagram Discover feed, I am greeted with stunning art process videos, luscious paintings, silly dog videos, and running memes. It’s a curated digital sanctuary.

But the shadow side of this is the “zing.” You know the one: that familiar sting of comparison and self-doubt that hits every time I see an artist doing something extraordinary. Suddenly, I’m spiraling into questions about my own skill, my relevance, or my contribution. We’ve all heard that comparison is the thief of joy (attributed to Theodore Roosevelt), and while jealousy can occasionally be a helpful compass, I’ve learned something over my 15 years as a professional artist: while that “zing” is a natural human response, it is also completely irrelevant.

The Polarities of the Art World

As artists we have big dreams, big goals, and high standards, and I applaud that in us. But in reality, the art world is a giant place. We dance on the polarity of $18,000 “invisible” sculptures (Salvatore Garau, Io Sono), duct-taped bananas (Maurizio Cattelan, Comedian), and near photo-perfect paintings rendered with mechanical, microscopic precision.

Whatever your aesthetic or preference, you are entitled to your taste. The point is that the art world is big enough to host us all: the emotional and expressive messy canvases, the photorealism, the conceptual art, the humor, the naive and outsider depictions, and everything in between. As many humans as there are on the planet, there is a “foot for every shoe.”

The Reticular Activating System: What Are You Looking For?

This is your reminder to celebrate your quirks. The things you judge about yourself are actually your style and they are the thumbprints of your identity.

This comes down to the way our subconscious minds work. We all have a Reticular Activating System (RAS): a bundle of nerves in the brainstem that acts as a filter, deciding what information is important enough to enter our conscious awareness (Source: Encyclopedia of Neuroscience). Think of it like this: if you decide you want to buy a red car, suddenly you see red cars on every highway. If I tell you to look for a pink elephant, your brain is primed to find one. I dare you to stop thinking of it.

The same applies to our careers. If we focus on “not being enough,” our brain will tirelessly show us evidence of how not enough we are. When we stay in that negative frame of mind, we essentially “filter out” the opportunities and the space that actually exists for us. We notice more and more how others are doing it “better” or have more opportunities, proving to our brain that “we’re right! We’re not cut out for this and everyone else already nailed it.”

To free us from self-loathing and self-doubt, I wanted to share a chapter from our book, The Complete Smartest Guide, to encourage you to set the self-judgment aside and realize there is more than enough room for whatever you are creating.

Excerpt: You Belong in the Art World

From The Complete Smartest Guide by Alicia Puig and Ekaterina Popova

Over the years, we have had the pleasure of attending numerous museum exhibitions, gallery openings, and art fairs. The one unifying factor across these events is the diverse range of work featured by galleries, museums, nonprofits, and other institutions around the world.

The best opportunity to see this in action for yourself is to visit an international art fair. We challenge you to attend at least one in the coming year to see what we mean. There are paintings, sculptures, installations, prints, photography, mixed media, and more, all at varying price points. If any of these artists can be exhibited at this scale, you can too, if that is your dream.

Redefining Success

While artists are touted as some of the most adaptable and free-thinking people, it’s surprising that so many still expect their careers to go smoothly from point A to point B. There is not one linear path to success as an artist. You have to first define what success means to you in order to accomplish what you want in your career. Once everyone realizes that their goals are different, we won’t feel forced into competition with one another and will embrace the fact that there is a niche for everyone.

Embrace Your Creative Superpower

It’s easy to get caught up in following artists online who work similarly to each other, but through a decade of making our way in this industry, we have learned that the art world is broad and has room for all types of work. There are no limits to what you can create and what you can achieve doing what you love with the skills you possess naturally.

When You’re Not One of the “Who’s Who”

Neither of us had strong ties (or any!) to the art world before we embarked on our careers. While some have an easier time through connections, what is more important to focus on is hard work, professional presentation, and clarity.

Instead of criticism toward those who seem to “have it easy,” we’d all do better to embrace compassion. Refusing to reinforce barriers between “haves” and “have nots” creates a more welcoming community where artists of all levels can feel accepted.

Create Without Limitations

Artwork can be funny, political, romantic, or tragic. You can use found materials or even trash (like Leo Sewell’s “Junk Sculptures”). If there are rules in the art world, they aren’t about what type of work you should make.

Once you embrace your aesthetic, background, and passion, your distinct voice will shine through. We want you to understand and believe that there is enough room for everyone, as long as you are willing to own who you are. The only advice we have is to be yourself. It’s a lot easier than trying to pass as a second-rate copy of someone else.

Follow Your Passion

When Kat graduated, she was very insecure. She felt trapped by the comparison game, obsessing over how to make paintings that were “contemporary enough.” She tried to force uniqueness, but the harder she tried, the less authentic the work became.

Over time, she realized her audience responded most when she simply painted what she loved: exploring the luscious texture of oil paint and getting lost in the moment. Art is a transfer of energy; viewers can sense if you aren’t naturally excited.

One morning, Kat posted a simple painting of her bedroom. That day, it went viral. Was it a fluke? Maybe. Or perhaps it was the result of consistently showing up and promoting the work she actually cared about until someone noticed.

“It’s Been Done Before”

Just because a subject has been explored doesn’t mean you can’t put your spin on it. Hundreds of artists have painted interiors, but your voice and background make your version unique. To experience success, you must unapologetically use your voice and be consistent.

Don’t worry if your immediate community doesn’t “get” you yet. Eventually, you will connect with like-minded individuals and find your tribe.

Right Place, Right Time

Alicia used to feel discouraged by “30 under 30” lists, until she realized: who actually cares? Success is success, whether you are 25 or 85, self-taught or an MFA holder. Not having a solo show by a certain age is not a failure. Everyone’s journey is different. Even if it takes longer than expected, you will find your place.

Take Action This Week:

• Expand Your Horizon: Visit an exhibition or art fair outside of your usual “niche.” Write down what takes you out of your comfort zone.

• Find Your Peers: Find 10 artists you admire who work with similar subjects. Study their process to see what is possible for you.

• Own Your Story: List three things that make your perspective unique. How can you use those “quirks” to describe your work to your audience?

Celebrate Your Unique Artist Hand

At the end of the day, no one else can move the brush, click the shutter, or mold the clay quite like you do. Your “artist hand,” those specific quirks, preferences, and even the “mistakes” you try to hide, is exactly what the world is waiting for. We wrote The Complete Smartist Guide specifically to help you bridge the gap between that unique creative spark and a sustainable, professional career.

Whether you are navigating the comparison game on social media or trying to figure out how to land your first gallery show, remember: you don’t need to be a second-rate copy of someone else. You are already the only first-rate version of you.

About the Book

The Complete Smartist Guide: Essential Business and Career Tips for Emerging Artists By Ekaterina Popova & Alicia Puig

This is the book with all of the practical information about how to actually make a career in the arts that we never learned in art school. Packed with tips, hints, and actionable steps from our personal experiences, this essential guide for self-taught and emerging artists covers:

• Business Tactics: How to sell more art and build a thriving business.

• Marketing: Exact steps to promote your work online and reach global audiences.

• Mindset: Actionable advice on overcoming creative burnout, imposter syndrome, and the comparison game.

• Industry Insights: Interviews with inspiring contemporary artists like Ashley Longshore, Alonsa Guevara, and Erika Lee Sears on licensing, commissions, and finding your voice.

  Read Our Books

Hidden creatures, floating heads, and strange figures in the shadows fill the canvases as I enter the latest exhibition at the Barnes Foundation. I viewed Henri Rousseau’s work years ago on a college trip and frequently visit the pieces in the permanent collection here in Philadelphia. However, seeing these paintings together in a gallery feels like stepping into another universe entirely.

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Once I moved past the crowds and tour guides, I found a silent moment with the French artist’s work in the current show, Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets. Learning about his story and philosophy is a special treat on a gloomy winter day.

While we celebrate his paintings today, his contemporaries often ridiculed his work. Rousseau was not a perfect human with a pristine background. In 1863, he joined the army to avoid prison after a small theft from an employer. He served time in the military to lower his sentence and proved that a perfect past is not a requirement for becoming a great artist.

One element that stood out as I floated through the galleries was his intricate attention to foliage. He achieved incredible contrast despite his naive painting style. We see this in the stillness of early works like Carnival Evening (1886). Here, the shadows hold secrets, with a strange face peering from the darkness while a couple glows beneath the winter moon.

Rousseau was the self-proclaimed inventor of the term “portrait-landscape.” As a painter, I adore this concept. It suggests his compositions are not about a particular physical setting. They are inner worlds constructed by the artist that are dreamlike, disturbing, and mystical all at once.

Some paintings made me laugh, perhaps unintentionally. The Past and the Present (1899) features floating heads in the sky. This wedding portrait honors his second wife and himself, but the severed heads of their deceased former spouses hover above the ceremony. It is strange and delightful. It felt like a permission slip to paint the unconscious, the bizarre, and the unlikely.

Exotic themes prevail in Rousseau’s work. We see tigers and horses in deep, lush jungles under the orange orb of a sun. The famous The Sleeping Gypsy (1897) embodies this perfectly with its inexplicable encounter between a lion and a sleeping figure under a moonlit sky. In paintings like The Snake Charmer (1907), one can stare and discover hidden creatures like birds, monkeys, and snakes. This forces the eye to slow down and wander through the deep green to discover something new with each look.

Maybe Rousseau’s generation did not always understand his compositions, but today they offer a respite. They give us an excuse to go inward and embrace the uncanny in our own life and work as artists.

Small Pictures for Small Homes

In terms of his business practices, it was interesting to discover that Rousseau practiced what I often encourage artists to do. He did not rely only on big institutional success. He made art accessible to the people in his life. Rousseau sold “little landscapes” to his neighbors, shopkeepers, and artisans for around 40 francs. This was a little less than a decent weekly wage at the time. He made his living this way alongside offering violin lessons. The artist celebrated the ability to share his work by participating in salons and competitions for a fee regardless of how the critics received it.

We can take lessons today on honoring our quirks and letting go of tradition. We must go all in on our vision no matter how strange or awkward it may feel. It is delightful to see the obsession of the artist and the exploration of the human psyche in this age of AI. It is a true celebration of the love of painting.

About the Author Ekaterina Popova is the founder and editor of Create! Magazine and the host of the Create! Podcast. An artist, coach, and creative entrepreneur, she is the founder of the Create! Collective, a community dedicated to the success of working artists today.

Sources & Exhibition Notes

• Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets is on view at the Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia) through February 22, 2026.

• Biographical details, including Rousseau’s “portrait-landscape” term and the 40-franc price of his small works, are drawn from the exhibition wall text and the accompanying catalog.

• The Past and the Present (1899) and Scouts Attacked by a Tiger (1904) are part of the Barnes Foundation collection.

From the science of creativity to the business of grit.

Winter is the season of the studio. It is the time we go inward—retreating to the easel or auditing how we live with the art around us. If your 2026 resolutions involve taking your creative practice (or your health) more seriously, the publishing world is ready to meet you there. I’ve curated the three essential reads to preorder this season: a scientific prescription for well-being, a no-nonsense career handbook, and an accessible guide to finally getting art on your walls. Here are the must-reads we’re adding to the cart.

1. The Science

Title: Art Cure Author: Daisy Fancourt Release Date: Feb 3, 2026

The Hook: We know the four pillars of health: diet, sleep, exercise, and nature. Dr. Daisy Fancourt argues we’ve forgotten the fifth: The Arts.

Why You Need It: This isn’t a “nice-to-have” sentiment; it’s hard science. Fancourt, a director at the WHO’s Collaborating Centre on Arts and Health, utilizes decades of neuroimaging and biomarker data to prove that art is a measurable health intervention. From reducing inflammation to building neural pathways, this book validates what every artist intuitively knows: creativity is a biological necessity.

Preorder if: You want the data to back up your art habit, or you’re looking for a non-pharmaceutical way to lower stress this year. Preorder Art Cure here

2. The Mindset

Title: Future Relic Author: Daniel Arsham Release Date: March 17, 2026

The Hook: “Inspiration is for amateurs.”

Why You Need It: Daniel Arsham didn’t become the cultural ubiquity he is today (collaborating with everyone from Dior to Pokémon) by waiting for lightning to strike. He did it by treating the studio like a job. This is part memoir, part brutal tactical manual on the art of the grind. Arsham breaks down the mystique of the art world, offering frameworks for everything from landing gallery representation without an MFA to negotiating licensing deals.

Preorder if: You are done with the “starving artist” myth and want a masterclass on scaling a creative business from the ground up. Preorder Future Relic here

3. The Collection

Title: Art for Everyone Author: Liz Lidgett Release Date: April 21, 2026

The Hook: A gallery owner’s guide to curating a space that looks like you, regardless of your budget.

Why You Need It: The art world thrives on being intimidating; Liz Lidgett thrives on dismantling that gatekeeping. This is a practical handbook for the collector in all of us. Lidgett demystifies the jargon of pricing, commissioning, and framing, offering room-by-room guidance to transform your home. It’s an accessible roadmap to moving past “poster art” and into a collection that holds meaning.

Preorder if: You have empty walls, a budget, and no idea where to start. Preorder Art for Everyone here

Happy Reading!

I’m still easing into the year, avoiding the January hype and focusing on two things: sustainability and depth. This encompasses areas like health, finances, creativity, and relationships.

But today I want to talk about creating a customizable map for our creative businesses, the kind that holds us and provides structure and financial support for studio time, joy, rest, health, and more. Life is for living, not grinding away, though I do believe in having a healthy work ethic.

I wanted to riff on some of the main pillars and ethos I’ll be applying to 2026 after a decade of bumping my head against the walls of being both a small business owner AND an artist (a lethal combination if I ever saw one, LOL).

1. Focus on what you love first.

One thing I noticed is that the employee mentality stuck around long after I quit my day job. Subconsciously, this was a sticky pattern because I often found myself prioritizing other people’s projects and ideas before my own. But being an artist is all about creating things that don’t exist yet, and that includes business.

I will be the first to tell you that the moment you start experiencing an ounce of success, everyone and their mom will have great ideas and opportunities for you. You have to become a ruthless editor or curator of your life and work.

The other trap is chasing MONEY rather than what you want to do, and I will contradict myself later in this post because money is obviously super important, but there’s a caveat.

What happens is we often say yes to projects and business partnerships that may pay us some money, with the goal that if we just work hard enough, we’ll save up and be able to do the thing we actually want to do. The problem is that day never comes. The projects take over, and your studio is collecting dust.

Make time for what you love, no matter how little, and get in the habit of putting your work first. Trust me.

2. It doesn’t have to be sexy to be lucrative and profitable.

I’ve recently written about thousands of dollars I spent on projects that weren’t profitable, and there will always be an abundance of those. Not all of them are wasted—sometimes you need that confidence boost in your career. But in order to keep the lights on and pay the bills, I recommend finding your “bread and butter.”

For some it’s commissions, for some it’s prints, for some it’s online mentoring or courses. Your bread and butter should be something simple you enjoy that doesn’t feel like super hard work, but something you’re skilled at, can recreate again and again, and brings value or meets the need of your collector.

Here’s the thing: the creator economy hit $250 billion in 2023, but according to recent data, only about 12% of creators earn more than $50,000 annually. The ones making sustainable income? They’ve identified their bread and butter and doubled down on it.

Some of my most FUN and financially lucrative projects have involved small originals I had a blast painting, online courses I would have showed up for anyway, and a membership that gave me the community and support I also needed. Create out of love and make it easy. It’s a bonus when your offer comes with great margins and the ability for you to have fun.

3. Kick the imposter syndrome to the curb. That b*tch gets expensive!

If I had known how much that little inner critic/imposter syndrome voice would cost me in my business, I would have silenced it so much sooner. As an artist, I felt like I needed a fancier studio, international shows, and impressive PR features.

In terms of my online platform, I wasted thousands of dollars on professional design that ended up being non-functional, costing me even more money when I lost my ability to make sales for a few weeks and even months. I still cry over that lost money.

You don’t need a fancy building or giant team to get started. If you must upgrade certain parts of your business, do it over time, intentionally, and know that you’re the magic maker—not the space, equipment, or person you hire. They can add small helpful tweaks but they can’t replace the heart and soul of your art or business. This was an expensive mistake I will not be making again.

4. Invest in continuous learning in micro ways.

There may be a time in your life when hiring a coach and mentor is necessary and in your budget. But for the rest of the time, there are very cheap and even free ways we can get mentorship and support.

Podcasts, books, and YouTube interviews can be a starting point to help you learn from those in your field achieving great things. Even hearing your role model’s mindset can be helpful. You can imagine what they would say to you when you need encouragement or help with a big decision.

Joining artist communities can be an accessible entry point to growing your business or career. Studies show that creators with strong peer networks are 3x more likely to sustain their creative practice long-term. If you’re a visual artist, I’m celebrating 6 years of my community, The Create! Collective (formerly the Art Queens). I believe in continuing education whether it’s from a book you borrow from the library or an online course with someone a few steps ahead.

5. Simplify and clarify.

Deep down we all know what we want. We may feel confused or overwhelmed, but in reality, we know how we want our lives and businesses to go. Don’t go against yourself. If you need a break from commissions, for example, be honest and trust yourself to replace that income with something else that fits your current state and energy level.

While I’m a big proponent of multiple income streams, make sure you pick one thing to deeply focus on each month so you don’t overwhelm your mind with too much. Mastery is possible with multiple streams of income too, just not at once.

The data backs this up: creators who focus on 2-3 core revenue streams rather than 5+ report 40% higher satisfaction and more consistent income. We don’t need to do everything at once.

I’m wishing you a peaceful, joyful, and longgggg art career this year and beyond.

Connect with me:

Want more honest conversations about building a sustainable creative life? I’m Kat, founder and editor-in-chief of Create! Magazine, where we’ve been championing contemporary artists for nearly a decade.

I also host The Create! Podcast (1M+ downloads) where I talk with artists, writers, curators, and creative entrepreneurs about the real shit nobody tells you about making art and money.

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Let’s build something that lasts.

It’s tempting to fall into a pit of despair when we are bombarded with negative news reports, social media doomscrolling and seemingly everyone around us experiencing lack and struggle. And while I’m not diminishing real financial stress or actual hardship, I do find that dwelling on the darkness, lack and negativity rarely brings in the opposite. While it may feel nice to commiserate and feel less alone when money gets tight or opportunities dry up, I know in order to shift, we must of course acknowledge the situation but not stay there.

As someone who experienced food shortage and the fear of going hungry in Russia in the 90’s as well as adjusting to the life of an immigrant, couch surfing in college and barely being able to pay for student loans making minimum wage, then losing my business in 2016 and living off my credit card, I am no stranger to financial anxiety. I acknowledge the many other privileges I have: my health, my education and the support of dozens of people who came to my rescue with boxes of spaghetti when things got really tight. But I have my own share of experiences when it comes to dealing with lack.

Just like looking in a rearview mirror can’t help us safely drive toward our dream destination, looking at what’s wrong without shifting our focus to opportunities and another desired reality isn’t going to result in miraculous change. I’m talking to myself here too, friends. So despite the economy and the personal setbacks, how do we shift into a more prosperous reality without ignoring the facts and burying our head in the sand?

Let’s start with the basic practice of feeling safe in this moment and in our body.

Grounding in Safety: Recognizing What’s Working Right Now

Our nervous system will go into fight or flight when it doesn’t deem our circumstances safe. Though a big bill or a sales slump typically won’t kill us, we will feel threatened. So how do we shift out of fear and into a sound, solution-oriented mind?

Start by noticing your senses and recognizing safety in your environment: food, shelter, basic needs. Move onto gratitude for what you do have and what is working: community, past successes, even credit cards or the ability to borrow money can be ways we can recognize blessings and evidence of what is working in our lives at the moment.

The Quantum Field: Where Possibility Becomes Reality

Next is tuning into our desires. Once we no longer feel like our lives are in danger we can dream and begin thinking of the unlimited possibilities that exist in the quantum realm.

Here’s where I fully geek out, and where science meets what we might call manifestation or conscious creation.

In quantum physics, particles exist in a state of superposition, existing in all possible states simultaneously until they’re observed. The famous double-slit experiment proved that the act of observation literally collapses the wave function into a specific reality. The observer effect shows that consciousness plays a fundamental role in creating reality at the quantum level.

Dr. Joe Dispenza’s work bridges neuroscience and quantum physics, showing that when we combine elevated emotion (gratitude, joy, love) with clear intention, we’re essentially sending an electromagnetic signature into the quantum field. Our thoughts aren’t just electrical impulses contained in our skull. They’re measurable frequencies that extend beyond our body and interact with the field of infinite possibilities. His research shows that people in coherent emotional states can literally reorganize matter and influence outcomes previously thought impossible.

Vadim Zeland and Reality Transurfing

Russian quantum physicist Vadim Zeland developed the concept of “Reality Transurfing,” which proposes that infinite variations of reality exist simultaneously in what he calls “the space of variations.” Every possible version of your life exists right now as a potential reality: the one where you’re struggling, the one where you’re thriving, the one where you just sold out a solo show.

The key, according to Zeland, is reducing what he calls “excess potential,” the energetic charge we create through extreme emotions, overthinking, and attachment to outcomes. When we’re desperate for money or obsessed with lack, we create resistance that pushes our desired reality away. Instead, he suggests we choose our desired reality like selecting a radio station, then maintain the frequency through our thoughts and emotions without force or desperation.

Zeland’s concept of “sliding” is particularly relevant for artists in financial stress. We often slide from our desired reality into increasingly negative alternatives by focusing on what’s wrong. The antidote is to consciously redirect our attention to the “life track” we want to experience, treating it as just as real (because quantum mechanically, it is) as our current circumstances.

The Reticular Activating System: Your Brain’s Reality Filter

Here’s where quantum meets neuroscience in a practical way. Your brain has a network called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) that filters the 11 million bits of information bombarding your senses every second down to the roughly 40 bits you can consciously process.

Your RAS is essentially programmed by what you tell it is important. This is why when you decide to buy a red car, you suddenly see red cars everywhere. They were always there, but your RAS now flags them as relevant.

When you’re focused on lack, struggle, and financial stress, your RAS filters reality to show you more evidence of lack. You’ll notice every rejection, every slow sales period, every artist doing better than you. When you consciously redirect your focus to abundance and possibility, your RAS starts flagging opportunities, potential clients, and solutions that were invisible before.

The Field: Lynne McTaggart’s Research

Science journalist Lynne McTaggart’s book The Field compiles decades of research showing that we exist in a vast quantum energy field that connects all matter and consciousness. Studies on intention experiments show that focused group intention can measurably affect physical reality, from changing the molecular structure of water to influencing random event generators.

For artists, this means your sustained intention and emotional state aren’t just internal experiences. They’re forces that interact with the field around you, potentially drawing opportunities, resources, and people into your orbit.

A New Year Ritual: Clearing Space for What’s Coming

Before diving into practical daily rituals, I want to share what I do before the new year to set the energetic stage for abundance. This isn’t about perfection or elaborate ceremonies. It’s about creating physical and mental space for new possibilities.

Write your unfiltered dream list: Set aside an hour and write down every dream and goal that comes to mind, completely unfiltered. Don’t worry about how realistic they seem or whether you “should” want them. Include everything: lifestyle dreams (travel, home, daily routines), financial goals (specific income numbers, financial freedom), health aspirations (strength goals, energy levels, sobriety milestones), and art career visions (gallery shows, collections, recognition, impact). This isn’t a to-do list. It’s permission to dream without limits. Let yourself want what you want.

Clear your creative space: Physical clutter creates mental clutter. Go through your studio and donate clothes you don’t wear, art supplies you’re not using, and materials from projects that no longer resonate. When you clear out what’s stagnant, you make room for fresh energy and new ideas. I find this process almost meditative. Each item I release feels like I’m saying “I trust that what I need will come.”

Cleanse the energy: Once your space is clear, light a candle or (optional) incense (safely, of course). Open the windows and let fresh air move through your studio. This simple act of cleansing the space signals to your subconscious that you’re ready for a new chapter. You’re resetting the energetic frequency of your creative environment.

Practical Abundance Rituals for Artists

After you’ve done this foundational clearing work, these daily practices help maintain that abundant frequency.

Morning visualization ritual: Before checking your phone or email, spend 3-5 minutes visualizing your desired reality with all five senses. What does your abundant creative life look like? What gallery are you showing in? What does your bank balance say? Feel the emotions of already having it: gratitude, peace, excitement. You’re literally training your RAS to recognize opportunities that match this frequency while sending a coherent signal to the quantum field.

The two-cup method (Quantum Jumping): This technique, popularized by Burt Goldman, uses water as a carrier of intention. Write your current financial situation on one cup, your desired situation on another. Pour water from the current into the desired cup while visualizing the energetic shift happening at a quantum level, then drink the water. This physical ritual helps your subconscious mind accept the new reality as possible while symbolically “jumping” to a parallel reality where that outcome already exists.

Gratitude accounting: Instead of just tracking expenses, keep a “money received” journal. Every dollar that comes in gets celebrated and recorded, from a $5 sticker sale to a $5,000 commission. This retrains your RAS to notice abundance flowing toward you while generating the elevated emotion that Dispenza’s research shows is essential for quantum manifestation.

The abundance walk: Take a 20-minute walk and actively look for evidence of abundance. Notice flowers blooming in winter, architecture that required massive resources, expensive cars, well-dressed people, thriving businesses. Your RAS will find what you tell it to look for. Train it to spot abundance, and it will start finding opportunities. This is Zeland’s “slide” technique in action. You’re deliberately choosing the reality track where abundance is everywhere.

Neville Goddard’s SATS technique (State Akin To Sleep): As you’re falling asleep, when your brainwaves shift from beta to alpha and theta, your subconscious is most receptive. Imagine a scene that implies your desire is already fulfilled. Maybe you’re depositing a large check, or hanging work in a prestigious gallery, or teaching a packed workshop. Feel it as real. Your subconscious doesn’t distinguish between imagined and actual experience, and in the quantum field, you’re collapsing possibility into reality.

Artists and Entrepreneurs Who Manifested Success From Difficult Circumstances

Anastasia Soare (Anastasia Beverly Hills founder) arrived in Los Angeles from Romania with $600 and no English. While working as an aesthetician in a salon, she visualized building a beauty empire. She would imagine herself teaching her eyebrow technique to celebrities, seeing her products in major retailers. She started with a small kiosk at Nordstrom. Today, Anastasia Beverly Hills is valued at over $3 billion. She’s said that she “always knew” it would happen. She lived in the feeling of success before the material reality matched.

Jim Carrey famously wrote himself a check for $10 million for “acting services rendered” when he was a broke, struggling comedian living in a van. He dated it for Thanksgiving 1995 and kept it in his wallet. He would drive to Mulholland Drive and visualize directors valuing his work. Just before Thanksgiving 1995, he was offered $10 million for Dumb and Dumber. Carrey has been vocal about the power of visualization and consciously creating your reality.

Oprah Winfrey grew up in rural poverty, wearing dresses made of potato sacks, experiencing abuse and instability. But she’s spoken extensively about how she always “knew” she was destined for something greater. She used visualization and prayer, never accepting her circumstances as her final reality. She says she would see herself as a teacher and a voice for others, feeling into that future self daily. Today she’s worth $2.5 billion and has impacted millions.

Jean-Michel Basquiat was homeless at 17, sleeping in Washington Square Park and crashing with friends while creating art. He sold hand-painted postcards and T-shirts on the street. But he held a vision of himself as an important artist, creating prolifically despite having no studio. He would visualize his work in galleries, his name recognized. Within a few years, he went from sleeping in parks to showing alongside Warhol, selling paintings for hundreds of thousands. His unwavering belief in his artistic importance, despite material poverty, literally manifested the reality.

Faith Ringgold created her groundbreaking story quilts while teaching full-time in New York public schools to survive financially. She visualized her work in major museums decades before it happened, creating as if that future was already real. In her 80s, she finally got her MoMA retrospective. She never let material struggle stop her from creating at the highest level of her vision.

The Pattern: Feeling Is the Secret

What all these artists and entrepreneurs share isn’t just hard work or talent. They mastered the art of living in the feeling of their desired reality before it manifested. They didn’t wait to feel successful until they had money. They felt successful while broke, and the money followed the feeling.

This isn’t bypassing reality or ignoring real struggle. It’s understanding that your dominant emotional state is a creative force. When you’re stuck in fear and lack, you create more experiences that generate fear and lack. When you shift into the feeling of abundance, even if just for minutes a day, you become a magnet for opportunities, ideas, and resources that match that frequency.

Your Move

This coming season, your most powerful tool isn’t a new marketing strategy or another course (though those can help). It’s your ability to regulate your nervous system, feel safe in the present moment, and consciously choose the reality you’re vibrating at.

The universe doesn’t respond just to your words or only your thoughts. It responds to your state of being.

So let’s get out of the dark cave, friends. Let’s choose abundance, not as a distant dream, but as a present-moment practice. We only got one life after all, let’s make it a beautiful one.

What reality are you choosing in the coming season?

Recommended Reading on Manifestation and Quantum Reality:

• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza

• Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza

• Reality Transurfing: Steps I-V by Vadim Zeland

• The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe by Lynne McTaggart

• The Intention Experiment by Lynne McTaggart

• You Are the Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza

• The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy

• Feeling is the Secret by Neville Goddard

• The Power of Awareness by Neville Goddard

About Ekaterina Popova

Ekaterina Popova is a contemporary painter and creative entrepreneur who has been advocating for sustainable artist careers for nearly a decade. As the founder and publisher of Create! Magazine, she’s built a multi-platform business serving hundreds of thousands of artists worldwide through her Instagram community (277K followers), podcast (over 1 million downloads), and Create! Collective membership.

Join the Conversation:

Want more support building a sustainable, abundant creative practice? Join us in the Create! Collective where we’re done with scarcity mindset and building businesses that actually serve our lives.

Listen to more conversations about the creative life on the Create! Magazine Podcast.

Sources & Further Reading:

Wheeler, J.A. & Zurek, W.H., Quantum Theory and Measurement
https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691083162/quantum-theory-and-measurement

Dr. Joe Dispenza’s Research on Heart-Brain Coherence

https://drjoedispenza.com/

Vadim Zeland, Reality Transurfing

https://www.o-books.com/

Reticular Activating System Research
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.271.5248.512

Lynne McTaggart, The Field

https://lynnemctaggart.com/

Neville Goddard, Feeling is the Secret

https://www.nevillegoddardbooks.com/

Anastasia Soare Story

https://www.forbes.com/

Jim Carrey Visualization Interview

https://www.oprah.com/

Oprah Winfrey, What I Know For Sure

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/

Phoebe Hoban, Basquiat: A Quick Killing in Art

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/

Faith Ringgold, We Flew Over the Bridge

https://www.dukeupress.edu/

By Ekaterina Popova, Artist and Founder of Create! Magazine

I roll over and reach for my phone before properly starting my day, a habit I know better than to indulge. The notifications glow on my screen: “Don’t quit your day job.” “This is garbage.” 💩.

Each one a painful reminder of the price tag that comes with showing up online.

I remind myself that I signed up for this. It’s worth it. Sometimes.

While I’m fortunate that hateful comments about my paintings are relatively rare, they still happen. Over the past decade of building a platform to support other artists through Create! Magazine, I’ve experienced every flavor of vile commentary imaginable. Insults about my appearance. Accusations of scamming artists, usually arriving on days when I’m hunched over my laptop for twelve hours straight (the irony), or when I’m pouring personal funds into keeping the operation running during a business slump.

I know I chose this visibility. I know my intentions are good.

But man, does it still sting.

This isn’t meant to scare you away from showing up online. It’s an honest account of what visibility actually costs and why, despite everything, it remains worth the price.

The Vulnerability Paradox

You might wonder: why bother? Why not hide behind the canvas, protected from millions of strangers who may disagree with what I’ve created or have to say?

Here’s what I’ve learned from working with artists professionally and through countless private conversations: we all want to be seen and celebrated. The entire purpose of our work is to connect with people. Connection requires vulnerability and visibility. Two twin sisters who travel together, always.

Research backs this up. Dr. Brené Brown’s extensive studies on vulnerability reveal a fundamental truth: “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.” Her research with over 30,000 participants found that those who fully embrace vulnerability and authenticity experience stronger connections, greater creativity, and deeper fulfillment, despite the risks.

The bolder or more vulnerable my shares become, the higher the risk of encountering cruelty. Even though words can’t physically hurt me, they sting. They keep me up at night. They speak directly to my deepest shadows and fears. That I’m actually bad at this. An imposter. A con artist. Despite having logged tens of thousands of hours on my craft and business. Make that make sense.

But here’s what I’ve come to understand: people who feel compelled to tear others down find it easier to throw stones than to share their own work. The books, music, paintings, and businesses they ruthlessly critique? Those represent hidden desires they wish they had the strength and confidence to produce themselves.

It’s not my job to encourage them. Especially after they’ve hurled insults at me first thing in the morning, casting a cloud over my entire day. But I do sympathize. Before I showed up as boldly as I do now through my art, articles, and podcasts, it was much easier to tell someone else what they were doing wrong than to do it myself.

The Man in the Arena

The world is full of critics. Creating something, even if flawed, is the gift.

Theodore Roosevelt captured this truth perfectly in his 1910 speech “Citizenship in a Republic”:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Why We Risk the Arena

So why put ourselves through this agony?

Connection.

On the other side of vulnerability lies the chance that someone will see our heart and soul. That they’ll connect with our art in a meaningful way. That they’ll be encouraged to explore their own creativity more deeply. We give them permission to do the same.

No artist, musician, or writer enjoys the deafening silence that follows releasing a new creation. We risk the trolls in exchange for a kind word or genuine feedback. I know this because I hear from those people every time, and they make it worth it.

The science here is compelling. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication found that authentic self-disclosure online increases both the quality and depth of social connections, despite also increasing vulnerability to negative feedback. The same research showed that creators who maintained authenticity in the face of criticism built more loyal, engaged communities over time than those who retreated or became defensive.

But here’s the cost: when we choose to share our work and story, we embark on an epic voyage into the wilderness, risking storms, enemies, and predators. The shadow side of visibility is exposing our sensitive creative hearts to these risks.

Learning to Live With the Trolls

I wish I could tell you it gets easier to read something nasty about how I’ve fallen short. About my messaging or work. About how a simple quote I shared is taken out of context.

.

It doesn’t.

It’s equally hurtful and infuriating every time. I admire friends online who publicly expose their trolls, but I still feel I must protect mine. Perhaps that’s my own boundary.

The first time one of my paintings went viral, I was thrilled. Galleries, curators, and even celebrities I’d been following for years began posting it. More people discovered my world. I was grateful.

Until the dark side of the internet found it too.

“Don’t quit your day job.” “This is garbage.” “I can’t even tell what it is.”

Comments that completely dismissed the point of the work. But they’re entitled to their opinion.

Here’s what I’ve learned over the past decade: trying to silence critics or argue with them is completely wasted energy. They feed on resistance. Ironically, they also boost your visibility. So we must be grateful for their efforts and comments, as unpleasant as they may be.

The viral formula includes discourse. As a creative who wants to be seen, I have to learn to have the courage to be disliked. There’s even a great Japanese book about this: The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga.

Research on online behavior supports this counterintuitive wisdom. A 2019 Stanford study on digital discourse found that engaging with hostile commenters actually amplifies their reach and emboldens their behavior, while ignoring them typically leads to their eventual disengagement. Proving that once again, even the haters want to be visible! The study also found that creators who maintain consistency in their authentic voice—regardless of negative feedback—attract higher-quality community members over time.

The Freedom on the Other Side

Another important factor: these miserable people are allowed to speak their minds. The internet is technically a public playground we all choose to participate in. Where I live in the US, freedom of speech exists. Humans still have free will. Trying to stop people from exercising their rights will only harm our own ability to do the same.

So let them.

On the other side of the nasty comment or disagreement is freedom. Neutrality. After all, what they’re sharing is technically right. Right for them. It’s their opinion, just as your belief is right for you. No one wins and no one loses here. Neutral territory.

But on the other side of choosing to share our hearts while avoiding fights on the internet is something more valuable: connection. Finding people who are like-minded, respectful, and supportive of our work.

As Brené Brown writes: “Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. The power that connection holds in our lives was confirmed when the main concern about connection emerged as the fear of disconnection; the fear that something we have done or failed to do, something about who we are or where we come from, has made us unlovable and unworthy of connection.”

Moving Forward

Will I grow thicker skin?

Probably not anytime soon.

I’ll let myself sulk, get frustrated, or feel enraged by a comment online. Then I’ll practice walking away. Allowing people to have their opinions. Continuing to focus on my art, my heart, and sharing it with those who want to see it.

The cure for the fear of what’s on the other side of visibility is to focus on who we’re trying to reach. Don’t get sidetracked by the naysayers. Friendship, career growth, and genuine support are right there on the other side of courage.

Keep looking. Keep sharing. Keep showing up for those who want to see your work.

Don’t think so much about the ones who don’t.

Ekaterina Popova is a contemporary painter and the founder of Create! Magazine, an independent platform celebrating contemporary artists globally. Over the past decade, she has built a community of 277K Instagram followers and over 1 million podcast downloads while maintaining her own art practice and career.

Connect with Ekaterina:

• Listen to the Create! Magazine podcast wherever you get your podcasts

• Visit createmagazine.co and create.co

• Follow on Instagram: @createmagazine | @katerinaspopova

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References & Further Reading

Research Cited:

• Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Gotham Books.

• Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Hazelden Publishing.

• Bazarova, N. N., & Choi, Y. H. (2021). “Self-Disclosure in Social Media: Extending the Functional Approach to Context Collapse in Computer-Mediated Communication.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 26(1), 55-71.

• Levy, R. (2019). “Social Media, News Consumption, and Polarization: Evidence from a Field Experiment.” American Economic Review, 109(8), 2795-2817. [Stanford study on digital discourse patterns]

• Kishimi, I., & Koga, F. (2013). The Courage to Be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness. Atria Books.

• Roosevelt, T. (1910). “Citizenship in a Republic” [Speech delivered at the Sorbonne, Paris, France]

Additional Resources on Online Visibility & Vulnerability:

• Abidin, C. (2016). “Visibility labour: Engaging with Influencers’ fashion brands and #OOTD advertorial campaigns on Instagram.” Media International Australia, 161(1), 86-100.

• Marwick, A. E., & boyd, d. (2011). “I tweet honestly, I tweet passionately: Twitter users, context collapse, and the imagined audience.” New Media & Society, 13(1), 114-133.

• Turkle, S. (2015). Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. Penguin Press.

If you’re anything like me (an introvert recovering from the whirlwind of December holidays) you might be craving something right now: space for your own art practice.

Not the art you make for commissions. Not the work for upcoming shows. Not the content for Instagram.

I’m talking about the art that’s just for you.

In this week’s solo podcast episode, I’m diving into something I hear from so many of you (and honestly, something I navigate myself): that feeling of needing to “come home” to our art. Because here’s the thing—none of the career strategy, business tips, or contemporary art world navigation works if our engine, our creative practice, is stalled or causing us anxiety.

Listen Here

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The Science Is Clear: Your Brain Actually Needs This

There’s fascinating research from Drexel University that measured cortisol levels (your body’s primary stress hormone) in participants before and after making art. The result? 45 minutes of art-making resulted in a significant drop in cortisol levels for 75% of participants.

And here’s the most important part: It didn’t matter if they were good at it.

Whether you’re a master painter or someone holding a pencil for the first time, your brain gets the same chemical reward. Your nervous system doesn’t care about the final product—it cares about the process, the meditative act of making.

When you engage in creative work, you tap into what neuroscientists call the “flow state”—that beautiful collapse of time and space where your inner critic finally gets quiet.

Why Is It So Hard to Show Up?

We know art is good for us. We’ve always known. So why does everything else come first? Why does posting content, doing chores, saying yes to everyone but ourselves come so much easier than sitting down for 15 minutes to make something?

Because we set the bar too high. We assume our practice needs to be eight hours of uninterrupted time. But if you have a family, a day job, or you’re simply a human with a busy life (all of us), this isn’t always possible.

Even as a self-employed artist, I struggle with this. You’d think I’d have all day to paint, but there are meetings, shipping, logistics, social media—all the things that make it challenging to get to the work we actually, deep down, want to do most.

A Simple Challenge for the New Year

In this episode, I’m issuing a challenge: Set up a low-stakes situation for your practice.

• Commit to 10-30 minutes for the next seven days

• No pressure to finish anything

• No pressure to post it

• Just show up

It could be at your kitchen counter, a small place in your bedroom, or in your studio if you have one. There are no rules.

Pay attention to how you feel afterwards. Do you feel lighter? Is your mind clearer? That’s neuroplasticity at work—your brain actually decompressing and entering a whole other state of being.

Listen Now

At its core, art is a survival mechanism for sensitive people. It’s how we process life. It’s a nonverbal language. But most of all, it’s coming home to ourselves—a gift we can give ourselves every day.

Listen to the full episode on The Create! Podcast →

I hope this episode gives you permission to get back to the work that lights you up, without the pressure or heavy backpack of expectations.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to see your daily work—tag me on Instagram @katarinapopova or @createmagazine.

Now go create something. Be messy, imperfect, and enjoy the process above anything else.

Want to Go Deeper?

I’m so excited to launch the second cohort of my 100 Day Painting Challenge. I paint in oil using alla prima techniques (direct painting), finishing one small painting each day. Last year’s challenge was life-changing for my practice, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

The course includes:

• Over 27 painting demos

• Monthly Q&As to keep you going

• Community area to share your work

• Tips on materials, accountability, and setup

Join the 100 Day Painting Challenge →

Love,
Kat

P.S. Have questions or suggestions for future episodes? Email me at info@createmagazine.com

Links:

• 100 Day Painting Challenge

• Listen to The Create! Podcast

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Spinning in my spring green $50 Ikea office chair, I anxiously waited for the FaceTime with my soon-to-be gallery. I was nervous and excited. I had a few local exhibitions before but never with a capital G Gallery. I looked out the window of our apartment complex and heard the ring. The conversation went great and I was so excited to participate in my first art fair. A few months prior my work finally got traction and I received a few blog posts online, skyrocketing my Instagram. Bloggers, galleries and online platforms were sharing my interior paintings and I was selling work from my online shop consistently for the first time. I was so excited and things were about to get even better.

That was 2016. I’d just quit my job to become a professional artist.

In the following years, I embarked on an artist journey that was both thrilling, crushing, and disillusioning. But I’m a Sagittarius and an eternal optimist so this isn’t an article about the downfall of the art world or what’s wrong with it. I’ve written about some of this before (here’s one about art school education) but these are the lessons that fundamentally changed how I think about my career—and might change how you think about yours too.

These are personal lessons that may seem familiar if you’re an artist. And if you’re a supporter of the arts and a collector, they might shift how you approach buying from institutions—in hope of building a more supportive ecosystem for everyone.

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Lesson 1: I Wanted to Be a Capital A Artist, Exhibiting My Work Internationally—And I Made It Happen. But It Wasn’t What I Thought.

Nothing thrilled me more than getting an email from one of my galleries letting me know a piece found a new home. I would feel so proud and validated, full of hope and glee. The only issue was that when I later discovered where my work went and how long it often took to get paid, it would lead to more questioning of the entire art world system.

Like many artists, my first few sales (and even today) went to friends, family and collectors who were already on my list that I spent years building and nurturing. I was grateful for the validation, but it made me question the math: Why was I shipping work internationally and giving 50% commission when these collectors could have easily purchased directly from my studio?

The other strange thing is that my galleries wouldn’t acknowledge that the sale came from my leads and often would take the credit. I like to give them some credit and assume they didn’t know, but knowing my friends they would acknowledge our relationship, especially in an in-person sale.

Lesson 2: The Gallery Payment Structure Nearly Wrecked My Finances—And Taught Me Everything I Know About Business.

Though without representation my prices were much lower, ultimately I ended up struggling financially. This was a blessing in the end because I had to figure things out and work on my finance and business skills, thus growing this platform (Create Magazine) over the past decade. But the truth is, if I didn’t have an entrepreneurial curiosity, this model would have sent me right back to a day job within months.

The first time I sold work I was so excited, until I didn’t receive the payment within the first month. After 30 days I reached out to be met with some pushback and an assumption that I should be grateful and that payments take way longer to process. If a gallery offered a collector a payment plan, why should the artist suffer? Now tools like Klarna exist where businesses get paid immediately while customers enjoy payment plans. But back then—and still today in many galleries—artists were the ones extending the credit.

Then, later on after my biggest exhibition sale in my personal history I was distressed by a 6-month waiting window until I finally saw any sign of payment. My taxes and bills were due each month on the dot, but my payments took months to arrive. I let it slide for many years because I believed that if I were to reach my big Artist dreams, and be invited to leading fairs, publications and earn prestige I had to put up with this.

But years later I met galleries who paid within 30 days—or the minute the collector’s payment cleared. That’s when I realized: this wasn’t “just how it works.” This was a choice. And I’d been choosing to accept it.

I recognized that a gallery relationship is a partnership and it’s not a torturous corporate career ladder. If I wanted to “suffer my way to the top” I could have stayed working at Capital One and at least had benefits and a recurring paycheck for doing so. And to add insult to injury, I would see other artists rise to meteoric fame without suffering years of late payments and high shipping fees in the name of art.

Looking back, I see vanity in some of these relationships—not in the people, but in the system. Artists make the work, pay for shipping, wait months for payment, and often borrow money to bridge the gap. We accept this without questioning why. I’m not calling anyone out—I’m asking why we’ve normalized this.

I’ve watched mid-career artists deal with the same issues. If this is what “making it” looks like, I want to build a different definition of success.

Lesson 3: International Glamour Isn’t Always What It Seems

One of my manifestations on my goals and dream list early on was to have shows in Paris, London and New York and in many ways I have achieved that. Though I am so grateful I was able to have these experiences, I will admit that financially it was another vanity experience.

After spending $6,000 on shipping a body of work overseas, plus 50% commission, flights, hotel, meals, and time away from my studio, I did the math. I came out in the red. Not a little red—significantly. I’d achieved a dream, checked Paris/London/New York off my list, but financially? It was a luxury vacation disguised as a career move.

Yes, I can revisit my pricing, but ultimately from a strictly business perspective it wasn’t worth it. I would liken this to a luxury bucket list vacation rather than a career move.

Three Things That Worked (And Why I’m Not Regretting These Experiences)

Here’s the thing: even though these experiences caused real financial stress and debt, they taught me everything I needed to build something sustainable. I became a guinea pig so you don’t have to. Here’s what actually worked:

1. I Learned to Market My Work With and Without the Gallery

I learned that my collector email list and social media presence work for me whether I’m selling through galleries or directly from my studio. The magic is this: if every gallery left me tomorrow, I’d still have my audience. I’d still be able to sell my work.

There are tons of artists who ditched the gallery model in pursuit of an indie practice. Ashley Longshore is the most prominent example and Emily Jeffords another. There isn’t one way to be an artist—and most successful artists don’t rely on gallery sales alone. Brand collaborations, commissions, teaching, grants—these are what sustain careers with longevity. Even in the blue chip gallery world, we see artists like Chloe Wise appearing in Chanel ads. Though I’m sure her painting sales support her well enough (assuming), she is still not limiting herself to one stream of income.

In April of 2025 I tested this theory by offering some more investment pieces in my online shop aside from more affordable small work as I’ve been doing and to my pleasant surprise I sold most of it directly. The only cost I had was my $26 Squarespace monthly subscription and a few hundred for shipping. No six-month wait for payment. No 50% commission. Just me, my collectors, and work that sold because I’d spent years building those relationships.

Not everything we do as artists is for profit—I get that. But I have bills to pay. I’m an equal contributor to my household. I need to bring in reliable income, or I need to go back to a job. Those are the stakes. That’s the reality we don’t talk about enough.

2. Joy and Community

My creativity spills over into my business. In the early days, I worried about being “cool” or “art world friendly.” But you know what’s actually cool? Bringing people together. Pulling back the curtain. Sharing what works instead of gatekeeping.

I do this through Create! Magazine, my podcast, and my courses—and I’m so glad I didn’t listen to the people who said online education wasn’t “real art world work.” Those same people are online now.

3. Freedom Is My Highest Value

There is a quote I come back to both in my personal life, business and art practice that really speaks to my Sagittarius heart:

“An artist must never be a prisoner. Prisoner? An artist should never be a prisoner of himself, prisoner of style, prisoner of reputation, prisoner of success, etc.” —Henri Matisse

That is why I learned that freedom is my highest value and when an old system is not working for me I must free myself and create a new one.

What’s Out and What’s In

I don’t have a solution for exactly how we can move forward in a way that honors the hard work and risks galleries take AND honors my creative heart and business bank account. I think there is so much value in galleries when they are a good partner, and I am grateful to have support and people who champion my work. I’m not ready to be completely indie just yet. But I do know what’s in and what’s out.

What’s Out for Me:

• Spending thousands of dollars on shipping to exhibitions and “inventory” when a sale isn’t guaranteed or the gallery doesn’t pay on time

• Waiting for permission to have a quality of life that suits my nervous system and creative spirit over art world optics

• Chasing the CV line or career move that feels like people pleasing or hoping for an upgrade

• Sending work to galleries that I easily sell on my own without any other benefit once they take their cut

What’s In for Me:

• Partnerships that respect my time, energy, and financial reality

• Galleries that communicate clearly and pay promptly

• Direct sales that let me build relationships with collectors

• Projects that bring joy AND profit

• Building multiple income streams without apology

• Teaching and sharing what I’ve learned

• Creating the large-scale paintings I dream about—on my timeline

• Being honest about what works and what doesn’t

• Building a career that serves my life, not the other way around

Building Something Better

I am so grateful to my relationships in the art world, but as I get closer to 40, I don’t want to be an example of someone who “puts up with it.” I want to be solution-oriented and someone who is co-curating better systems, honesty and solutions.

I’m still building this. I don’t have all the answers. But I know that the art world I want to participate in has room for honesty, sustainability, and artists who refuse to choose between their dreams and their dignity.

If you’ve felt any of this—the financial whiplash, the multi-thousand dollar vanity projects disguised as opportunities, the quiet resentment of systems that don’t serve you—you’re not alone. And you’re not ungrateful for wanting better.

Let’s start by being honest about what we’re letting go of. And then let’s build something better together.

What are you letting go of in your creative career? What are you choosing instead? I’d love to hear in the comments. If you want to share a thought privately, let’s chat! Email me at info@createmagazine.com about your experience and ideas how we can build a better art world together.

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One of the most common questions I get from artists is, “Where do you find artists to feature and how do I get published?”

Whether you are looking to land a podcast interview, a magazine spread, or an Instagram post, we asked our team to share exactly how we discover artists to help you land more media features.

There is often a misconception that curators and editors are conspiring to exclude artists from being seen. That could not be further from the truth. As an artist-led independent platform, we love discovering new talent, supporting you, and celebrating your work.

The reality of how we find artists is much more dynamic than people think. Discovery is a mix of digital hunting, physical exploration, travel, networking, word of mouth, community, and of course, the formal submission processes.

To give you a full picture of how we curated Create! Magazine, the podcast, and our social media this year, I asked our team to share their specific sources. Here is a breakdown of where we found the artists who defined our year, and how you can position yourself to be found in 2026.

Ekaterina Popova: The Hybrid Approach

For me, discovery is everywhere. Looking back at the last 12 months, my sources have been incredibly varied. It’s not just one channel; it’s an ecosystem. Here is exactly where I found artists this year:

• The Art of the Scroll: When I’m relaxing, I genuinely enjoy seeing what artists are creating. I love process videos, exhibition walkthroughs, and paintings on the grid. I save everything I love to my private “Art” folder on Instagram.

• Juried Shows & Guest Curating: This is huge. I discover so much talent when reviewing submissions for Create! Magazine’s juried exhibitions and print issues. Since Create! Magazine is half submission-based, this is the main way we find new artists for the print magazine. However, I also get invited to be a guest curator for other galleries and organizations, which introduces me to entirely new pools of artists I might not have seen otherwise. (Note: We also work with guest curators with diverse tastes, which helps us find new artists we normally wouldn’t be exposed to!) Learn more about our open calls here.

• Media & Content: I am an avid consumer of art content. I find new work by reading other art magazines and The Art Newspaper, and by watching YouTube channels dedicated to art. I love following other art accounts, galleries, and curators on Instagram and Substack, and I save tons of content there.

• Word of Mouth: sometimes my friends or peers will simply text me: “You have to see this artist.” I trust their taste, so I always look and save what speaks to me. Remember, taste is so personal.

• Social Media & Substack: Instagram is a daily habit (sometimes much to my schedule’s demise), but I’ve also been enjoying the deeper dives and recommendations found on Substack. Substack is slower, richer, and deeper in terms of content, and I find myself feeling less anxious when scrolling there.

• Art Fairs & In-Person: Events like The Superfair were instrumental this year, as well as maintaining relationships with galleries and visiting exhibitions in person. I even purchased two paintings in the March San Francisco Edition!

• Direct Pitches: Yes, cold emails work! I discovered several artists this year simply because they sent a well-crafted PR pitch or a direct email. Remember to be professional, clear, and always include info and links to your work.

💡 Want to master the art of the pitch? If you aren’t sure how to reach out to editors or galleries, I have a specific course on getting media features at Create! U. It covers exactly what I look for when I open my inbox. Check out the course here

Christina Nafziger: The Power of In-Person Connection

Christina, our writer and editor based in Chicago, emphasizes the irreplaceable value of physical presence and community.

“I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but there’s truly no replacement for seeing art in person. My preferred way of learning about new artists is going to a group show with a wide range of artists, attending an open studio day here in Chicago, or just popping in to my favorite gallery. Talking to the curator, the gallery manager, or the artist themself is such an amazing experience that just isn’t the same online. (Although I have made some great connections with artists on Instagram!)

There’s something so rich and magical about an organic, spontaneous chat that happens in person, and those type of conversations always lead me down a path to digging deeper and learning more. Whenever authentic connection happens, I try to follow it.

This year, I learned about a lot of artists I didn’t know about through word of mouth. A friend told me about an artist they thought I’d like, someone on Instagram sent me a post, an artist told me about another artist that inspired them, or a curator mentioned an artist they thought I would find interesting. I’m a big believer in the importance of following the breadcrumbs, and this year I made an effort to follow my instincts and go with the flow instead of pushing against what is naturally flowing. This has led me to so many meaningful relationships with artists and arts workers alike, and I’m truly looking forward to leaning into this more in 2026!”

What this means for you: Christina’s year proves that you cannot isolate yourself.

1. Show Up: If you are physically able, go to the openings. Go to the open studios. Not with the intent to “sell” yourself, but to be part of the ecosystem and meet new people in the art community.

2. Be a Breadcrumb: Notice how she mentioned artists telling her about other artists? Be that person. When you lift up your peers, you become a trusted node in the network. Word-of-mouth is the strongest currency in the art world.

Alicia Puig: The Strategic Save & The Perfect Pitch

Alicia, our Director of Business Operations based in Costa Rica, shares how she organizes digital discoveries and what makes a cold email stand out.

“Despite its shortcomings, I still find the majority of artists that I end up featuring in Create! Magazine via Instagram. I have made it a habit to save a post of an artwork from any new artist I discover that I like. This way, when I’m planning for a new issue, I can look back in my saved posts to see which artists might be a fit for that particular edition’s theme.

Beyond social media, I also find new artists through art fairs like The Superfair and Affordable Art Fair. Sometimes artists are recommended to me by friends and colleagues. Lastly, on a few occasions, I’ve had artists email me with their portfolio or a pitch that matched what I was looking for at the time. These few that have stood out always have a clear creative voice, include a bio and selection of images, and provide evidence as to why they believe their work is aligned with the Create! Magazine audience (bonus points if they’ve already come up with a few potential story angles).”

What this means for you: Alicia’s process highlights two major actionable steps for artists:

1. Optimize for the “Save”: Editors often don’t have a spot for you today, but they might in three months. Ensure your Instagram posts are clear and high-quality so they can be “archived” in a curator’s Saved folder for later.

2. Do Your Homework: Alicia noted that the best pitches provide evidence of alignment. Don’t just send a link; tell the editor why your work fits their specific audience. And if you can suggest a story angle (e.g., “My work explores sustainable materials, which fits your upcoming Earth Day issue”), you are doing the editor’s job for them—which makes saying “yes” much easier.

The Takeaway

There is no single path to getting featured. It is a combination of having your digital house in order (for the Instagram researchers), showing up in your local scene (for the in-person connectors), and sending professional materials (for the pitch readers).

We are excited to see what you create—and how we discover you—in the coming year.

Ready to get your work out there? Don’t forget to check out our resources at Create!U to help you refine your pitch and get media-ready.

Happy Creating! — Team Create! Magazine

Nine years ago, Create! Magazine did not begin as a publication with a long-term strategy or industry roadmap. I didn’t have any background as a designer, nor did I know anything about publishing. I was actually dreaming of working at a gallery or hoping to start my own, but the budget I had at the time wasn’t even covering my own living expenses. So, my first magazine (called Fresh Paint Magazine) began as a response to what I needed at the time.

I needed connection. I needed community. I needed visibility.

I desperately wanted to feel like the past four years of art school weren’t wasted and that I belonged in the art world (newsflash: if you’re an artist, you belong in the art world), but it took me years to realize this.

In 2013, after facing repeated art job rejections and feeling increasingly disconnected from the art world I wanted to be part of, I stopped waiting to be chosen. Though I was volunteering at local museums and writing for a free art blog, it wasn’t enough. I was working at Macy’s, trying to stay creative while feeling stalled professionally. I was still making art on the floor of my studio apartment. Instead of continuing to knock on closed doors, I decided to build something of my own.

That decision led to my first publication, Fresh Paint Magazine, and eventually, in 2016, to what is now Create! Magazine. What started as a personal necessity grew into a shared space for artists around the world. Looking back, one of the most important lessons has been this: When you create what you need, you often end up creating what others are quietly searching for too.

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On Community and Visibility Create! was never about fast recognition or viral success. Sometimes that happens as a byproduct, but I know for me, lasting success is built on genuine relationships and mutual support with other artists, curators, galleries, and writers. It was and still is about building a place where artists could be seen with care and context. Not just images, but voices. Not just “exposure”, but presence. We understand can’t feature everyone, but I believe in doing what we can.

Over the years, I have learned that visibility is not a single moment or one opportunity. It is a web of connections that grows slowly. Artist to curator. Curator to gallery. Gallery to collector. Artist to artist. Each relationship reinforces the next. This is especially true when it comes to juried opportunities.

On Juried Opportunities and Fairness Juried calls are not perfect. Do I wish we could include more artists? Do I feel sad and regretful sending rejection emails when the curator sends out the final list? Of course. I know what it’s like to hear “no” over and over again. They are not always fair. Taste, timing, access, and subjectivity all play a role. But the truth is, rejection isn’t really a rejection; sometimes the work doesn’t fit the greater context of a theme or the curator’s vision. It doesn’t mean you’re not going to get yeses. I have seen this from every side: as an artist myself, as a publisher, and as someone working closely with curators and institutions. Just this week, I got a rejection from a grant for the 10th year in a row. I’m okay with it, and I will keep trying.

But I have also seen something else. Juried opportunities create bridges.

They connect artists to curators who may not have found them otherwise. They introduce galleries to new voices. They help collectors discover work outside of their usual circles. They place artists in conversations they may never have entered on their own. Even when an artist is not selected, their work is still seen. Their name still enters a system. Their practice still reaches someone new. This does not make the process flawless, but it makes it meaningful.

What Nine Years Has Taught Me Independent publishing is slow, expensive, and time-intensive. It requires trust, consistency, and a willingness to keep showing up when the outcome is uncertain. It asks you to care deeply while staying grounded. It requires constant pivoting with industry changes, AI, algorithms, technology, and people’s waning attention spans. But I believe in it. The format evolves, but the mission of connection and celebration stays the same.

Create! has taught me that building something lasting is about love, commitment, and the fortitude to keep going when no one seems to care. It is about creating alignment: between artists and opportunities, stories and readers, effort and integrity.

Issue 54 feels like a reflection of everything I hoped to build from the beginning. A platform rooted in connection, community, and thoughtful visibility. And we’re just getting started!

If you have been part of Create! at any point—as an artist, reader, curator, or supporter—thank you. This publication exists because of shared belief and collective participation. Nine years in, I am still creating what I once needed. And I am grateful that it continues to serve so many others too. Issue 54 is now available as the final print issue of 2025, and we can’t wait to do it all over again next year. Thank you for being here!

Learn more and order issue #54

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Today we are diving into the archives to revisit a conversation with Philadelphia-based painter Aubrey Levinthal. Since we first featured Aubrey in 2019, her work has continued to captivate audiences with its quiet intensity and distinct atmospheric perspective.

Below, we spotlight her paintings and revisit the interview where she shared her early journey, her “stubborn” dedication to painting, and her process of capturing the intimacy of daily life.

About the Artist

In layered, atmospheric paintings, Aubrey Levinthal (b. 1986; Philadelphia, PA) chronicles the quotidian and commonplace with an emotional and psychological intensity drawn from a host of art historical references. Mining her own life for subject material for her portraits and still lifes, Levinthal captures moments of quiet domesticity and the subtle, seasonal textures of her native Philadelphia.

The women in Levinthal’s paintings—many of whom resemble the artist, with their dark hair tied in the artist’s signature topknot—go about the activities of their day: they work, eat, tend to children, read, commute, run errands. A formal preoccupation with shape and color drives Levinthal’s compositional experimentation. Working primarily on panel, she builds her paintings slowly over time, laying down thin washes of oil paint, before scraping and rubbing them away to reveal the layers beneath.

Throughout her work, Levinthal channels a host of art historical source material—from the atmospheric perspective of Early Renaissance masters like Giotto to the captivating light of Pierre Bonnard. Drawing on these histories, Levinthal imbues her work with a sense of stillness and solitude, allowing her figures to contend with an unease or ambivalence about their lives and identities.

(Biography via Marianne Boesky Gallery)

From the Archives: In Conversation with Aubrey Levinthal

Originally published in Create! Magazine Issue #13 (2019)

Ekaterina Popova: Tell me about yourself. Were you always interested in becoming an artist? What has your creative journey been like so far?

Aubrey Levinthal: I think I have a typical, boring story, which is that I loved to draw and felt it was the thing I was good at. But a lot of people love to draw as kids; I was fortunate enough and stubborn enough to keep working it out. I get a deep satisfaction making something tangible. I thought graphic design would be a much harder job.

I found my hands in cooking, rehabbing furniture, stuff like that. I went to Penn State for my undergrad program and had a seminal experience on a semester abroad in Florence. I made a really committed decision to get my MFA at PAFA (Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts) in Philly. It is an affordable place to live, so I stayed for a few years in a shared studio space in a quiet building.

EP: Can you tell us about the themes in your work?

AL: I work from memory, but mostly carry the resonance of what happens. I am influenced by intimacy and autobiography—Bonnard, Porter, Hockney. I try to capture a multifaceted anxious, lonely feel, perhaps by being pregnant, nursing, or through the perspective of a husband or child, to add depth if I can. I am also interested in relationships and complexity.

Meaning, my approach is mindful, careful, and purposeful. Marks are decisions that reveal the initial impulse that speaks to my content. “A Tender Accounting of a Visual Life” is the most flattering of all titles.

EP: How has your work evolved over time?

AL: Looking back, it seems fair to say I was obsessed with anatomy and life photos. But it didn’t feel right at that point. Now, permission to learn helps. It emerges as I give rise to my voice... to sit with ideas, rack my brain for an idea or reason, then adjust them later.

Selected Collections & Recent Exhibitions

Since this interview, Aubrey Levinthal’s work has been featured in numerous prestigious collections and exhibitions. Her work was the subject of a solo exhibition at the Flag Art Foundation in New York in 2023. She is also included in collections such as:

• Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston

• The Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia

• Ballinglen Museum of Art, County Mayo, Ireland

• The Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection

• The X Museum, Beijing

Images courtesy of Haverkampf Leistenschneider, Marianne Boesky Gallery, and the artist.

This interview originally appeared in Create! Magazine Issue 41

by Christina Nafziger

Cindy Bernhard’s paintings are filled with mystery, darkness, intrigue, and a dash of humor. She describes her paintings as dreamlike with transcendent-like qualities. Each scene appears to be on the cusp of something mystical, with dramatic magenta lighting and indigo shadows as if on the edge of dusk, on the brink of something supernatural. The artist beautifully and skillfully creates haunting interior scenes with an air of the gothic, with candles burning and smoke sifting through the night air. And in the air, it feels like anything is possible, like that moment just after midnight where suddenly the mood shifts to the unexpected and almost magical.

Bernhard’s stunning interiors often showcase wide-eyed cats (or dogs)—what she explains are stand-ins for people. Each object and animal is carefully placed, pulling the viewer into another world. In this interview, the artist tells us about the inspiration behind her imagery, her routine in her studio, and the existential questions that inform her gorgeous work.

www.cindybernhardart.com

You have such a distinct style—was this formed during your time studying art? How did that experience affect your approach to art making?

During grad school, I did a lot of experimenting to find what suited me best; I even tried becoming a non-objective painter for a little bit! My style didn’t really develop until 2020. I remember making my first cat painting and things really clicked; it was the first painting I made that felt truly ‘me’. Once I made that piece, I started to get a lot of eyes on my work, and I remember my core group of painting friends saying, ‘Wow this new body of work is so YOU’. But this took years of consistent painting and trying lots of different things. I think to find one’s own voice it takes years of painting and dedication

.

What about domestic interiors inspires you as a subject?

I use domestic interiors as a setting for the dramas of human existence. I spend a lot of time at home, and minimally decorated interiors have been a way for me to contemplate and explore the idea of ritual space and meditation

.

There are a few objects that tend to show up repeatedly in your paintings, such as cats, candles, and smoke. Can you talk about these elements and what continues to draw you to them?

Cats (and recently dogs) are a stand-in for humans in my work. I used to paint the human figure, but I found that when I switched to animals, it became easier for myself and viewers to empathize and relate to the subject matter. Painting animals also adds an element of humor and creates a stage for comedic relief. The candles and smoke are important imagery from my childhood. As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the Catholic church with my family, and I have always been mesmerized by the abundance of candles, smoke, and incense that surrounded me as a kid. I think this imagery has been ingrained in my mind and has found its way into my work. It is also a formal play between solid shapes and transparency

.

The hues and lighting in your painting create such a specific atmosphere and vibe. How would you describe the mood of your paintings?

The moods that I try to convey in my work are dreamlike, otherworldly, mystical, and possibly transcendence. I have always been interested in mystics and I often dwell on questions regarding existence. What happens after this life? Is there a way to find peace and transcendence in this world? What is the purpose of human existence? The big questions!

Do you have a routine in your studio? What do you do to get you in the mood and mindset to create your art?

I keep a disciplined studio schedule. Most days I wake up at 5 am and try to get in the studio by 7 am. I work Monday - Friday, 7 am to at least 5 pm. I don’t believe in waiting to get in the mood to create work; I think one must be creating consistently in order to see results and further their practice. Like Jerry Saltz always says, “Get to work!!!”

Who or what are some of your biggest influences?

I am influenced by everything: films, poetry, and my day-to-day life. My two favorite painters are Morandi and Lisa Yuskavage. Two filmmakers that inspire my work most are Andrei Tarkovsky and Terrence Malick.

I first saw your paintings in person at an incredible show in Chicago at the Ukrainian Museum of Modern Art. Are you from Chicago originally? If not, what brought you here and what keeps you here?

I grew up on a pig farm an hour south of Chicago. I moved to California in my 20s to go to graduate school, but I am close with my family and knew I would always come back to Illinois. If I were to move anywhere else it would be New York, but right now I am content in Chicago. I am a midwest girl at heart

I have to ask—is the cat in your paintings your own cat?

Haha! I am actually very allergic to cats! I find them to be mysterious and sneaky... and because of this, they were the perfect vehicle for my work. I am currently doing a series with dogs, and I am excited to share them when the time comes

About Create! Magazine Create! Magazine is a publication dedicated to providing a platform for contemporary artists. Through print issues, online features, and curated exhibitions, Create! Magazine highlights the work of emerging and established creatives, connecting them with a global community of art lovers, collectors, and professionals.

Website: www.createmagazine.com

You probably remember playing “Hot and Cold” as a kid. For us, this activity was a staple in both verbal and physical games. We would hide an object and direct friends by shouting “Colder!” when they drifted away, and “Warmer!” as they closed in on the prize.

As silly as this seems, I have been thinking about this game lately as we wrap up the year. It is exactly the game we play with the universe, and ourselves, when getting clear on our desires.

Like me, you are probably reflecting on the activities, projects, successes, and failures of this past season. It is easy to spiral into anxiety when deciding the next steps for your art business or career. So, instead of overcomplicating it, let’s play the game.

The Intuitive Signal: Somatic Markers

Let’s start with the emotional and intuitive portion.

Colder. Personally, my intuition signals my body physically when I am getting further away from my true desire. I typically experience crankiness, anxiety, pressure, and frustration.

As someone who dabbles with Human Design, I know my type is a Manifesting Generator. In that system, the “Not-Self” theme is the sign that I am out of alignment. It is defined specifically as frustration. This manifests in pushing certain projects, saying “yes” when I really want to say “no,” and taking on too many things that distract me from what I really want to do (aka painting and writing).

While this feels spiritual, there is science to back it up. Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio formulated the Somatic Marker Hypothesis, suggesting that emotional processes guide behavior, particularly decision-making. Our “gut feelings” are actually visceral signals, or somatic markers, that the body sends to the brain based on past experiences and rewards. When we feel that physical “coldness” or dread, it is our biology trying to save us from an inefficient path.

Warmer. When I am on the right track, I feel lit up. I feel relaxed and peaceful, even in the midst of challenges.

This state is what positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi famously defined as Flow. In his research, he describes this state as being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away, and time flies.

For me, this occurs when I am painting, writing, or attending events that motivate me with people who push me to be my best self. When it comes to art-making, “Warmer” means I want to make multiples of a subject or theme. It means rushing home after running errands because a new podcast idea just hit me. “Warmer” is light, fast, inspired, and does not involve the word should.

The Logic: Data as a Compass

Now that we have done the obvious emotional side, let’s figure out how math and statistics can guide us toward “Warmer” rather than “Colder.”

We often resist looking at the numbers as artists, but in business, they can be our most honest guide. However, we must interpret them carefully. Just because a sector is profitable does not mean it is your path. I could perhaps make a great living in investment banking, but I have no desire to do so. That would be a profitable “Cold.”

However, data provides clues and is a literal part of the equation.

• Engagement: If a specific work of art receives high engagement, analyze the variables. Was it the color? The subject? The process? You don’t have to become a robot and replicate it mindlessly, but use the data to understand what drew people in.

• Financials: Are specific prints, courses, or merch designs selling better than others? Sales patterns like these give us objective clues to help us focus.

This brings us to the Pareto Principle, commonly known as the 80/20 Rule. Originally observed by economist Vilfredo Pareto, this principle suggests that roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes.

In your art business, it is likely that 80% of your revenue, or joy, comes from 20% of your activities. The “Hot and Cold” game is about identifying that 20% and doing more of it. If you’re new to the game, it may take a few years to figure it out. Conduct a seasonal audit that examines both your emotional alignment and your financial reality.

Pruning and The Science of Signs

Sometimes, the game reveals itself through signs. My business now has so many moving parts accumulated over 10 years, including podcasts, articles, and magazines. Each season, it is my job to do an audit and see if some of this needs to be pruned (check out my article on pruning.

Some projects may be profitable, but if they feel draining, it is time to revisit if they should retire.

Other times, I will get a pitch from a podcast on a topic that is exactly what I have been thinking about. I believe the universe gives us signs on how to move in a specific direction if we listen.

While I view this spiritually, there is also a neurological explanation: the Reticular Activating System (RAS). The RAS is a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that filters out unnecessary information so the important stuff gets through. Because our subconscious mind filters information, we will notice what is on our heart first.

An obvious example is if I tell you to look for the color red. You will suddenly notice more red than ever before. Similarly, we will pay attention when something in our life points to what we are already thinking or dreaming about.

Your Turn to Play

As we head into the new year, I invite you to play the Hot and Cold game.

Journal Prompts:

• Warmer: What brings me joy? If anything was possible and I was honest with myself, how would I earn my living?

• Colder: What is draining me? What am I afraid to let go of that is distracting me from my actual dream?

• Alignment: Where do my “good numbers” (profit/engagement) overlap with my “good feelings” (flow)?

No judgment. See what comes up and let me know in the comments if you enjoy the hot/cold game too.

is an artist and the founder of Create! Magazine. She also hosts the The Create! Podcast. If you believe in the importance of independent art publishing, please consider subscribing to support our platform and keep these resources thriving.

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