Your Creative Push

Suzanne is an asexual woman with a great love for writing erotic romance and enjoys spending her time confusing people with that fact. She believes there is a need for heightened diversity in erotic fiction and strives to write enough stories so that everyone can see themselves mirrored in a protagonist. Her new book, Playing Around, is available April 15! Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/suzanneclay In this episode, Suzanne discusses: -Writing erotic romance as a way for her to investigate the wide range of sexualities and sexual behavior. -How she was able to see sexual interest and activity as a form of character motivation. -Why she felt it was important to start writing queer romance. -How and why she began sharing her work. -The experience of working with NineStar Press. -How she lets her characters explore and tell the story (and how that affects the editing process). -Being a “Plantser.” -The initial fear and guilt because of her religious upbringing. -Aphantasia and how that affects her wr

John Wentz is a contemporary painter whose work is an exploration of process and technique. Working within the classical idiom of the human figure, his goal is to reduce and simplify the image to it’s core fundamentals: composition, color, and mark making. John was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has had 3 solo exhibitions in San Francisco and numerous group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. His works have appeared in many publications and have won multiple awards.  Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/johnwentz In this episode, John discusses: -How he landed in fine art after his foray in illustration. -How a Gerhard Richter exhibition changed his life and remapped his brain. -Art being about discovery and experimentation. -The power that comes from disconnecting in order to do some soul-searching. -Cave paintings and how we have always been creating art, and even risking our lives to do so. -How he has struck a balance from his former lifestyle of a donut a day and b

In the ever-evolving landscape of today's music industry, Nashville-based independent artist Ron Pope has plotted his own course. Uncompromising and relentless, Pope has evolved into one of the top grossing independent acts in the business while garnering a legion of devoted fans the world over. Taking the industry-road-less-traveled and holding fiercely to his independence has proven fruitful for Pope; to date, he has sold out shows on three continents and in more than 20 countries, sold over 2 million digital tracks, had over 290 million streams on Spotify, 700 million plays on Pandora, 150 million views on Youtube, and has more generally crushed every metric used to measure what is possible for independent artists. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/bestof13 In this episode, Ron discusses: -His creative origins and how he got to the point he is today as a songwriter and musician. -His involvement at the inception of “The District.” -How he writes such a large quantity of songs because he knows th

Johnny Anomaly is a spoken word poet, author and public speaker who has been entertaining audiences with the emotionally charged storytelling of his life for the past six years. He is also the creator and host of The Creative Coping Podcast, where he and his guests discuss the trauma that has acted as a catalyst for their creativity. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/329 In this episode, Johnny discusses: -How he turned to writing and spoken word poetry after the loss of his son. -How your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt. -The way in which his motive changed from wanting to be a rock star to wanting to help other people realize that they are not alone in their difficult situations. -Getting past the denial phase. -The importance of producing finished work with the tools that you have. -Dealing with procrastination. -His process of creating a spoken word poem. -How he used ten song titles as the basis for his first album, Inspired by Tragedy. -The art of sublimation

Andrew Tischler is an artist from New Zealand who has been a professional artist for the last fifteen years.  He was born in the United States and moved to Australia when he was 10 years old, where he studied his craft for more than twenty years. He also has a popular YouTube channel in which he shares his knowledge of painting with people around the world. In 2019, he and his wife Rachel will be opening their gallary, Tischler & Co Studio Gallery. In this episode, Andrew discusses: -How his father encouraged him to pursue art when he was young. -Growing up in the United States, New Zealand and Australia. -How there is beauty everywhere and it is just about having the eyes to see it. -Dealing with introversion. -How his father had time for only his art and his family. -How his wife has allowed him to accept himself and to also flourish into who he needs to be. -The way in which we distract ourselves from the things we are supposed to focused on. -How we are all here for a purpose or a calling. -T

Vanessa Vakharia is the Founder and CEO of The Math Guru, a boutique math and science tutoring studio in Toronto with a unique approach that works - like actually! She is also the co-founder of Goodnight, Sunrise, an indie-rock-and-roll-superfun-party band based in Toronto, Canada. Vanessa is also the author of Math Hacks, which is designed for kids (and their parents) struggling with math anxiety and looking for a new approach to homework, studying, tests and marks. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/327 In this episode, Vanessa discusses: -How her life started when she failed math twice. -The way in which we define ourselves as “good” or “bad” at something and then live that narrative. -How her tutoring organically grew into The Math Guru. -How the focus should be in doing something new, creative and enjoyable as opposed to profitable. -The power in outsourcing. -Her realization that taking the time to get to one of her pursuits must come from one of her other endeavors. -Taking a Time Inventory.

Canadian emerging Artist, Teresa Coulter lives in Calgary Alberta Canada. She is known for her Abstract Expressionism. Her portrait series called “ Sock Drawer Stories”  forged a new pathway to address the social stigmas associated with Mental Health in the workplace. What started as a small artistic venture to heal herself, as well as Paramedic colleagues, has since grown into a narrative on a national stage. Teresa has been awarded several awards such as: The ATB financial Healing Through the Arts Award in 2017, Hometown Hero Award , and a Public Service Award through TEMA. Teresa’s art raised awareness of Mental Health well beyond her Art studio, and first-responder network. She is honored to have participated in and collaborated with: Calgary Police Services, Legacy Place Society,  The Other Side of the Hero documentary; the #nowimstronger 60 day campaign with Canadian Mental Health; White Coat, Black Art with Dr. Brian Goldman; and Uptalk podcast with Sean Conohan . Articles of her work have published an

Alisa Kennedy Jones is an American memoirist, blogger, novelist, and awkward public speaker. A regular contributor to NPR, her wildly popular blog Gotham Girl has amassed nearly 50K avid followers worldwide. She also writes for television and theater and lives with the absurdly titled "ecstatic epilepsy" which she's less than ecstatic about. In her new book, Gotham Girl Interrupted: My Misadventures in Motherhood, Love and Epilepsy, she shares a collection of comedic essays about life with epilepsy as a single mother in Manhattan. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/gothamgirl In this episode, Alisa discusses: -The story of her first seizure and being diagnosed with epilepsy. -Learning in television and film that “nothing is precious.” -The lesson that can be learned from improv acting: “Yes, and…” -When it is time to move past the denial stage. -How our brain’s function is to tell a story. -The way in which it felt like she had a blank slate after every seizure. -How she wanted to make her narrative

Sada Crawford is an artist and athlete who has always struggled with the question, "Am I an artistic athlete or an athletic artist?" as she strove for balance between passions.   She moved from Pasadena to Teton Valley six years ago, healing from a divorce and personal issues as she buried herself in renovating a small horse farm in the wilderness completely alone, though she had wolves, bear, moose, elk, foxes, and huge barn owls in a standoff for dominance of the property. Sada now lives on the Jackson side of Teton Valley, where she is finally dialed in, thriving, figuring out the best way to market and launch her jewelry design business, and focusing less on racing ultra marathons and running more for fun and inspiration; finding creativity in everything.   Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/sadacrawford In this episode, Sada discusses: -Her history as an ultra-marathoner. -The similarities between ultra-running and creativity. -“Binging” in the studio. -How she first got interested in making j

Jason Polins graduated from Boston University’s Visual Arts Program then attended Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. After graduating, he returned to Boston area to pursue direct studies with notable painters such as Nelson Shanks, Thomas Dunlay and Gary Hoffmann. All of whom Jason remain closely connected to as mentors and friends. Moved by the beauty of nature and our modern world. His genre of expertise include portraiture, figure, still life and landscape/cityscape. Jason works in graphite, charcoal and oil paint. Outside of Polins Atelier, he also teaches art classes in oil painting, drawing at Northeastern University and several local art centers. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/jasonpollins In this episode, Jason discusses: -Studying in Florence using the sight-size method. -The “reset” that he got through working with Nelson Shanks. -The innate search for truth that art allows us to investigate. -His advice for people to stop stewing in their own angst and let go in order to get

Ahmed Aldoori is a digital painter and illustrator who has worked on a range of projects from movies, theme parks and video games. He also has a popular YouTube channel where he shares tutorials, sketchbook tours, critiques and original artwork videos to his 200,000+ subscribers. Ahmed also has a bustling community on his Patreon page, where he not only shares his art, but also assignments for his patrons. In this episode, Ahmed discusses: -How he went to school for Computer Science and quickly realized that art was too big of an obsession. -Wishing that he hadn’t taken the “safe path” and researching the fact that there actually was a path for him to pursue art from the start. -Whether or not you should go to art school. -The moment that made him realize how he needed to structure his Patreon community. -The way that his Patreon supporters and Discord chat mimic the university scenario of going to war with your friends. -The camaraderie that he shares with his community when he lets his guard down and share

Lily Hevesh is a professional Domino Artist who produces weekly videos on her YouTube channel, Hevesh5, while also doing professional projects for companies, ad agencies, brands, schools, and others seeking Domino Art.  She currently has over 600 million total YouTube views and 2 million subscribers, making her the #1 most subscribed Domino Artist on the web. Her videos have been featured on NBC, FOX News, Nickelodeon, CNN, CBS, MSN, the front page of Reddit, the front page of YouTube, and other various sources.  She has also worked with Will Smith for the feature film, Collateral Beauty, as well as Katy Perry for the launch of her new album, Witness. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/lilyhevesh In this episode, Lily discusses: -How she first got interested in domino art. -The video that went completely viral, getting three million views in the first two days. -The business opportunities that came as a result of her channel growing. -How much planning goes into her elaborate projects. -The method b

Marie-Noëlle Wurm is a multidisciplinary French-American-German artist & illustrator who paints, draws, sculpts, creates puppets, lives at night and loves chocolate. Her paintings are often filled with whimsical creatures that seem lost, floating in undefinable worlds that are colorful and strange. She is also a top Skillshare instructor where she shares her skills, tools, tips and tricks. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/320 In this episode, Marie-Noëlle discusses: -Getting her degrees in biology, English literature and film, and puppet theater. -How Sandrine Gaudet’s class broke down all of her walls that had been keeping her from drawing and painting in a serious way. -How literally anything can be a source of inspiration. -The way in which seeing your art simply as information can take some of the pressure off of yourself. -The importance of seeing all creativity as an experiment. -Why she has a particular distaste for the word ‘talent.’ -Why a fixed mindset is so detrimental to human being

John Guydo is a New York City based Illustrator working primarily in the traditional medium of pen and ink. Inspired by master engravers like Gustave Dore and Albrecht Durer, John crafts detailed illustrations through intricate line work. Much of his recent focus has been on creating poster prints licensed by Marvel, DC, and Warner Brothers. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/johnguydo In this episode, John discusses: -How he realized that he missed drawing after doing a lot of work in graphic design and web design. -The importance of taking some breaks from your creative pursuits. -The way in which he started sharing his work on social media. -Why he shares intricate, detailed shots of what he is working on. -The long-term project that he is working on with poet David Herrstrom. -His strategy for sharing his work on Tumblr and other social media websites. -The way that social media not only allows you to put yourself in front of new audiences but also allows you to be the audience to artists that yo

Sandra Busby is a still life artist who paints in a contemporary style using traditional methods.  Inspired by the ordinary, she strives to capture the playful light in glass and other still life with her paints. Tara has been in the Graphic Design industry for over 20 years and is the creator of the hugely popular blog, ‘The Idea Medic’. She also has a design website www.roskelldesign.co.uk where you can see an abundance of her quirky creations. They came together to create Kick in the Creatives, a website, podcast and community where you can find an abundance of existing online creative challenges all under one umbrella and with some brand new ones added to the mix. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/318 In this episode, Sandra & Tara discuss: -What Kick in the Creatives is all about. -What it was like to meet in person for the first time. -Learning some of their resistances such as imposter syndrome. -Finding ways to detach yourself from your work. -How to handle the insecurities that arise fr

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Philip Ruddy is a Los Angeles-based depth psychotherapist, who previously spent fifteen years as a writer, producer and development executive in Hollywood.   He now works with writers, artists and performers, helping them explore and transcend creative blocks, anxiety, depression, and the unique stressors of the film and television industry.  He can be reached via his website ActivelyImagine.com. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/bestof12 In this episode, Philip discusses: -His journey getting to the point he is now as a depth psychotherapist. -His explanation of what depth psychology is. -How he is able to tap into his experience as a development executive, screenwriter, and a short story writer in order to understand what other creative people are going through. -How writer’s block is a personal thing that differs for every person that he works with. -The notion of befriending your creative blocks. -The idea of Active Imagination. -How we imagine the harshest of critics will judge our work, but i

David Kochberg is a musician, a mechanical engineer and the co-founder of Goodnight, Sunrise, an indie-rock-and-roll-superfun-party band based in Toronto, Canada. David started out in engineering, but discovered a love for music and became a mostly self-taught guitarist, drummer, songwriter and producer. Goodnight, Sunrise has played almost 300 shows across Canada and the UK and they have started their own label called Rejection Records for their band business operations. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush/317 In this episode, David discusses: -How he got into music later in life. -Why he left his job in mechanical engineering to travel the world for 14 months. -The perspective that you can achieve by experiencing the rest of the world, especially when you are being intentionally introspective. -Coming home to Toronto and the experience of making music more of a part of his life by joining a band. -What makes a successful and “easy” creative collaboration. -Maintaining a creative relationship despite th

Felix Semper is a Cuban American painter and sculptor.  He gained popularity with his sculpture of the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G. which he crafted from thousands of layers of glued paper. Semper's work has been collected by global corporations and celebrities such as Business Insider, Marriott International, Champs Sports, A$AP Rocky, Wendy Williams, Elvis Duran, Ryan Seacrest, and Kelly Ripa from Live with Kelly and Ryan, as well as numerous private collectors and institutions. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/felixsemper In this episode, Felix discusses: -How he describes his unique sculptures. -Taking a long break from his artistic endeavors. -How cutting paper in a print shop was one of the seeds that had been planted long before he started his sculptures. -His career building properties and what happened during the housing crash in 2008. -Getting back to his creative roots as a means of healing his pain. -The way that he creates his material by gluing pieces of paper together. -How time

Aimée Rolin Hoover is a contemporary animal painter who is originally from Philadelphia, PA but currently lives/works in southern California. Whether her subject is a canine, cow or a black rhino, her hope is that her work offers the viewer—in some small way—what animals have the power to do in person: to inspire us to be exactly where we are in the present moment. A space in which we don’t necessarily have to think or understand, but instead feel and connect. Her paintings hang in collections all over the world, from the U.S. and Canada, to Europe and South America. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/315 In this episode, Aimée discusses: -Her reflections from her Fly Mask series. -Saying “yes” to Between Worlds despite her fear of collaboration, being on camera and putting herself in an unknown scenario. -What it was like to work with Black Light King. -Her earlier lessons on collaboration. -Why she decided to make her fourth year of 30for30 paintings her last. -Her dedication to move toward what s