Join Roben-Marie and Sandi as we catch up on the past 6 months in our creative lives. Then we discuss the relationship between art and mental health.TOPICS:- Social Sabbaticals- Creating Content vs. Creating Art- #TrashyTuesday- creating without expectation vs. productivity mindset- walking away from the table vs. a finishing mindset- connecting with other creativesMENTIONS:- Colorlogue with Sandi Keene & Rae Missigman - Maker&apos;s Tech U with Roben-Marie Smith- Perfectly Imperfect with Lorna Crane (the class with the handmade brushes) LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

Creatives Get Real

071: Mental Health & Art - Update Episode

 In this episode of the Creatives Get Real podcast, Sandi & Roben-Marie take a look at the ways to impact your community.- First, find your community and be present!- Post! It does not matter where you are in your journey - you are inspiring someone just be posting- Join in conversations- Support and encourage everyone not matter if they have 3 followers or 100K - they need your support- Do scary things - join a challenge, comment, ask for a collaboration, post WIPs- Show up for each other - buy from small businesses, share posts, talk about the class, product, tutorial you saw or purchased that was important to  you.  Help build audiences.- Handle problems with grace- Do not COPY!! Be inspired by and give credit.-  Start a group, mastermind, challenge etc.  Work togetherThank you for listening! We appreciate every comment and our wonderful community! LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker's Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

070: How to Make a Difference in Your Community

In this episode of the Creatives Get Real podcast, Roben-Marie and Sandi are talking about selling products for beginners.You made journals, greeting cards, or art pouch and someone wants to buy it. Hey, I could sell these! Ummm, how?Will you be selling on Instagram? How does that work?Sell on your website - how does that work?Listen to episode 34 - Tips for Pricing Your ProductsKeep great recordsShipping woesStore up all the time or open/close approach?Is that how you want to spend your time?MENTIONED:034: Tips for Pricing Your ProductsLINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

069: The Basics of Selling Your Products for Success

Do you have an email list? In this episode of the Creatives Get Real podcast, Roben-Marie and Sandi share chatting about mailing lists: what are they and why they are vital.- Why are they vital?- How do you get one?- Sign up bonuses that work- How to treat your email list like VIPs- How often should you send out emails?- Should I start today?  Nope, yesterday!Roben-Marie recommends and uses Flodesk for email marketing!LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

068: Mailing Lists and Why They Are VITAL

Thinking about hosting your own podcast?  In this episode of the Creatives Get Real podcast, Roben-Marie and Sandi share things to consider to see if it is right for you.Points-what is your theme/subject?- are you going it alone?- will you be booking guests each week?- do you have the technical skills to create one?- What equipment do you need? - how often will you do it?Sandi & Roben-Marie talk about their own experiences podcasting.  - What did they love?- What did they not like?- What surprised them? We mentioned Garage Band, Audacity, Trello, & Canva.Podcasts Mentioned:009: 24 Hour Rule 010: Box of TransparencyLINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker's Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

067: Podcasting - All the Cool Kids are Doing it So Should You?

Roben-Marie and Sandi talk about the importance of evaluating your current business and schedule to see if it meets your current needs.•List all the things you are doing now•Evaluate how you are feeling about your schedule - are you over-committed? under committed? just right?•Are you happy with the progress you are making? Are your efforts resulting in the progress you desire?•Does anything need to change?•Are you HAPPY with the way you are spending your time?•Have you scheduled in time for yourself and playful exploration? Not doing so is the road to burn-out.•Is there something you would love to do if you had the courage?End with our leaving date.LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

066: Goal Setting: Its importance and the Process

In this episode of the Creatives Get Real podcast, Sandi & Roben-Marie discuss their experience with Mastermind groups.what is a MasterMind group?how does it work?what is the difference between paid and free?how do I know if I should be in one?how do I start one?LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

065: Mastermind Groups Defined and How They Can Help You in Your Creative Journey

In this episode, Roben-Marie and Sandi discuss the studio upgrades that have made the biggest impact on their creative lives.Roben-Marie&apos;s Upgrades:•Using dressers to organize items by type that I don’t want or need to see. •Investing in pretty bowls, mugs, tins, boxes, etc. in which to organize my art supplies.  Being surrounded by my supplies in a “pretty” way inspires me and feels special.•Using white light bulbs for existing ceiling lights and investing in light boxes to brighten the room for not only working but for filming.•Reworking my space from time-to-time so that it works for me.  Changing things up and moving things around so it better fits the way I create as I change.•Two large trash cans (tall basket/metal on wheels), multiple extension cords and a bench instead of a chair.Sandi&apos;s upgrades- Creating the studio that represents the artist that I am today- Creating stations for the mediums/techniques I use most- Making my studio match my creative style (need no clutter? do it!)- Adding more lighting! Make sure I have enough lighting and take full advantage of natural light available.- Find a space. Honor that you are a creative and this is important to you overall happiness.LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

064: Ten Art Studio Upgrades That Have Had the Most Impact

In this episode, Roben-Marie and Sandi discuss the 10 things that would have been helpful to know about the creative life.Roben-Marie&apos;s 5•There will be many times when you dislike creating and feel like quitting.  You’ll get past it so don’t think each time that it is the end!•If you decide to move your hobby toward a business, invest in starting out with the best record keeping system that works for you.•Promoting your work will be hard and you will need to invest time into being diligent and consistent.•When you discover a new art technique or process, don’t run out and buy all the things.  Play around first to make sure it is something you want to do long term before investing your money.•Continuing education is a must.  Things change rapidly and you want to stay fresh with your knowledge whether it is related to art or the business side of creating.Sandi&apos;s 5:•Don&apos;t buy every latest and greatest that is available.  You wont use half that stuff and eventually have to purge it.•You will find people that support you endlessly and people that will leave your life unexpectedly.  You will not always be able to predict which is which.•Making a business of your passion requires you to settle for much less art time.•Expect change.  Expect it to be uncomfortable. As you grow in your creative life you will experience transitions.  Leaving behind the familiar and the safe can be scary.  Walk through the discomfort and keep going.•Finding your community is vital! Put yourself out there and find people that are like-minded to share the adventure.  They need you too!MENTIONED:Creatives Get Real Episode #060 -  060: When You Just Want to Quit!LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

063: Ten things we wish someone had told us about the creative life

An online challenge can be a great boost to building community.  How do  you do it? Roben-Marie and Sandi Keene discuss how to create a challenge effectively and get the most out of it.- Decide if you are going it alone or inviting a collaborator- Determine the type of challenge you want to do - theme, technique- Duration - how long are you willing to commit- Build your prompt list- Invite  your community to participate- Develop hashtag to create community- Post faithfully- Work AHEAD- Comment and visit participants through the hashtag- End with a wrap-up video or grid of your pieces- Decide what you would do differently next timeAre you ready?  Announce your next challenge!MENTIONED: 024 - How Creatives Benefit From Participating in Art ChallengesLINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

062: How to Create an Online Challenge

Branding is an important step that can't be skipped without serious repercussions.- If you don't define your brand, you can't represent it - Without a brand,  you have no clear direction- Your website will seriously suffer the lack of a brand- "Skip the work, skip the reward" - Sandi Keene- Creatives without a brand are unlikely to build the relationships necessary to succeed.  - Branding makes your decisions so much easier.- No branding is like hiking with your ankles tied together.MENTIONED:Creatives Get Real Episode #011 - Branding as StorytellingMaker's Tech ULINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker's Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

061: Branding for the Creative Part 2: The WHY

It happens...regularly.  You decide it would be easier to Just Be DONE. Roben-Marie and Sandi Keene talk about causes & solutions for the I am quitting art syndrome.Causes:- Over-commitment/Exhaustion- Personal life issues- Bad social media experience- Major art disappointment- Frustration at your growth- Doubt about your abilities- ComparisonSolutions:- Stronger boundaries, intensive self care- Take care of the things that need to handled first - then art- Vent to a friend/Shake it off/ DO YOU- Define what you need to get over the hurdle - class? book? New supplies?- Stop judging and give yourself grace- Hush the voices- STOP, it&apos;s not a fair fightBeing prepared for this phase helps shorten it dramatically!LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

060: When You Just Want to Quit!

Roben-Marie and Sandi discuss the big, bad world of social media.  Do you ever feel bruised and discouraged by your insights and comments?  •unfollowing numbers can be discouraging •stop looking at them! •unkind comments can sting and make you doubt yourself •just do you! •unfollowers hones your audience •there is no predicting what is going to be popular •the algorithm is changing and complicated •growth is slow and steady 98% of the time  The roller coaster analogy is perfect.  Strap in and ride!     Mentioned:Instagram Reels: Episode #58The 24 Hour Rule: Episode #09LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

059: Social Media Pressures and How to Handle Them

On this episode of the Creatives Get Real Podcast, Roben-Marie and Sandi chat about Instagram’s newest feature called Instagram Reels. What are Instagram Reels and why you should be using them to help grow your social media following on Instagram.  Instagram reels is a great tool to add to your social media marketing strategy.Roben-Marie takes us through the basics from:-  how to find it (spoiler alert: update your IG app)-  how to use it- features available- why you should be jumping on the bandwagonLINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

058: Instagram Reels - What are They and How to Use Them

From the Archives:  We discuss Sandi&apos;s Box of Transparency Theory regarding sharing on social media. It focuses on deciding what personal information you will share online before you start sharing. Take-Aways:-Make a conscious decision about what is shareable and what&apos;s private.-Don&apos;t confuse your followers with multiple subject streams.-When do you start a secondary account for a different subject.-Evaluate your box contents on an annual basis.LINKSRoben-Marie:WebsiteCoursesMaker&apos;s Tech USandi Keene:WebsitePopup Art ClassesCoaching

057 - From the Archives - The Box of Transparency

Real conversations about the creative life. Join us for mostly weekly episodes about what it’s like to live a creative, handmade, and online art life. We’ll talk frankly about the highs and lows of designing art pieces, product lines, and popular online classes while sharing it with the world. Roben-Marie Smith is a mixed media artist, instructor and creator of Maker’s Tech U membership site teaching tech to artists and hobbyists. Sandi Keene is a watercolor artist, online instructor and collaborative coach to artists and aspiring artists. Together they are friends sharing stories in the art studio.

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Creatives Get Real

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