The Calm Creative podcast

It’s time for my first monthly Q&A! Sorry if the audio’s a little shaky in some places, still getting used to my new wireless mic. 🙄Here are the questions I’m answering in this one:00:58 - “If you’re just getting started with Substack as an artist, and have no current following, where would you start?”03:02 - “Why did you stop the podcast?”07:55 - "I know you have been back and forth between using Substack, or a blog on your own website and a newsletter and would love to have your insights."13:32 - "Could you share if you have a spiritual practice, like meditation? Or how have you developed and strengthen your calm attitude to life?"17:42 - "Do you mostly create your art at home in the studio or also sometimes outdoors? Since you mainly paint birds and other wildlife, I was wondering if you ever draw or paint outside in nature itself and how that differs for you from creating in the studio (differences in mindset, approach, techniques, etc)."20:58 - "How do you mentally re-engage in creative process when noise and chaos of life/world feels like too much too muchness?"23:49 - "I've seen how you practice by sketching but how long in a typical day do you sketch for? Also do you complete an artwork in one day or keep coming back to it?"Things mentioned:My podcastDarren Woodhead on YouTubeBeyond Anxiety by Martha BeckMy real-time sketching videos on YouTubeThank you to everyone who left me questions! 🙏🏻 And if you didn’t get the opportunity this month, stay tuned for next month’s Q&A invitation. Everyone will be able to send in questions, but paying subscribers will get priority focus if I can’t respond to all of them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit louisestigell.substack.com

What does a slower, calmer, deeper creative practice look like? It's something I've thought about since reading Cal Newport's latest book Slow Productivity. So in this episode, I dive into the key points of the book, my thoughts on them, and how they pertain to creatives, today. What does it means to create work you're proud of? And how can we create our best work amidst the hustle culture we're all forced to operate in?Also, some thoughts on fiction writing and my decision to start work on a novel...Links:NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)Cal Newport - Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without BurnoutCal Newport interviewed on Tim Ferriss’s podcastCal Newport interviewed on Rich Roll’s podcastCal Newport interviewed on Andrew Huberman’s podcastWant to leave me questions for the upcoming Q&A episode?Email me at louise@louisestigell.com, leave a comment on this episode on YouTube, or if you're a premium subscriber on Substack, leave me a comment there. You can ask me anything you're curious about, on-topic or off-topic!About the podcast:The Calm Creative is a podcast about making a living on your art, without burning out or going insane. With your host Louise Stigell. To get shownotes and other content via email, and join my community of creatives, subscribe at louisestigell.substack.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit louisestigell.substack.com

In this episode, I discuss the pros and cons of building a business around a creative craft or skill. I challenge the notion of “follow your passion” and “cash in on your creativity” that’s been advertised by entrepreneurs and self-help gurus since I was in my early twenties. I talk about the internalized capitalism that drives us to monetize all of our creative skills with wild abandon, and the toll that can take if we’re not careful. What we should think about before starting a creative business, and how to evaluate our business idea beforehand to determine if it’s worth pursuing. And finally, I make a case for creative hobbies in general - the kind that are shamelessly unprofitable and just for our own enjoyment. 😊Want to leave me a message for the show?Email me your thoughts or questions at louise@louisestigell.com or better yet, leave a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/thecalmcreative. I would love to hear from you!About the podcast:The Calm Creative is a podcast about making a living on your art, without burning out or going insane. With your host Louise Stigell. To get shownotes and other content via email, and join my community of creatives, subscribe at louisestigell.substack.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit louisestigell.substack.com

In this first episode of the podcast, I tell you more about me, my background, and what my goals and hopes are for this podcast.Mentioned:My YouTube channelCal Newport - Deep WorkCal Newport - Digital MinimalismJohann Hari - Stolen FocusWant to leave me a message for the show?Email me your thoughts or questions at louise@louisestigell.com or leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/thecalmcreative.About the podcast:The Calm Creative is a podcast about making a living on your art, without burning out or going insane. With your host Louise Stigell. To get shownotes and other content via email, and join my community of creatives, subscribe at louisestigell.substack.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit louisestigell.substack.com