Introducing: Joy Sessions. Each week I'll feature excerpts from real sessions with artists of all disciplines, pulling back the curtain on creative coaching as we focus on overcoming creative challenges and finding joy in the artistic process.
This week, Merideth chats with Ericka, a writer who longs to set herself free from the shame cycle of past and current criticism.
This week on the podcast, the first installment of a new series started earlier this week over on Substack called “Art’s Open Door,” where we’ll explore the profound ways creativity and spirituality intersect and how viewing art through a spiritual lens is a powerful tool for well-being, connection, and joy.
Usually, these essays will only exist in blog form at artistsforjoy.substack.com, but this week, I am giving you a sneak peek into this new content.
If you enjoy these more spiritual writings, subscribe to Substack here.
This week on the podcast: a musical meditation for making sense of life.
In this guided reflection, explore the following:
Consider your life’s puzzle. Hold a couple of pieces in your hand, and consider now the growth that each piece represents. What do you see?
Look for the piece(s) that don’t seem to fit. What experiences or areas of growth or interest, disparate parts of your journey of life–good or hard—have you yet to accept as your own? Even though you may not yet be able to make sense of certain pieces, ask: what might they be teaching me?
Find the jagged edge of the puzzle, and consider the ways you are growing, the piece you are filling in now. How can you love yourself as you are becoming? What do you want yourself to remember now, in this season?
This week on the podcast, I've got a new metaphor to cultivate more resilience, perspective, and joy while we work to make sense of our lives.
Links from the show notes:
This week on the podcast, Merideth offers a pep talk for artists and creatives who feel overwhelmed or unmotivated, particularly during transitional periods like the month of August.
Grab your worksheet, so you can:
Name your season
Decide if you need a new routine or rhythm (or both!)
Discover the small step you'd like to take toward your goal
Join the next Creative Cluster
Watch the replay of the Procrastination Workshop by becoming a paid supporter on Patreon
This week, Merideth offers some strategies to overcome procrastination to embrace a more joyful and fulfilling creative life. She offers three common lies we tell ourselves when we are having a hard time getting things done:
I'm lazy.
I just need the right routine.
I'll wait for inspiration to feel motivated.
She then translates these less-than-helpful thought patterns into questions to unlock what we really need to keep moving.
Buy Merideth's book The Artist's Joy
Check out K.C. Davis' book "How to Keep House While Drowning"
Join the next Creative Cluster
Back from the first leg of her book tour, Merideth shares a little about how she’s still learning how to celebrate in this throwback from October 2022.
Original show notes:
Why is it so much easier to celebrate the accomplishments of others than it is our own? Merideth shares two things she is forcing herself to celebrate these days and why she believes celebration should be a core value for every artist.
Catherine Ricketts is my guest today. She is an essayist, songwriter, writing instructor, and author of The Mother Artist: Portraits of Ambition, Limitation, and Creativity.
We talk about:
The historical underrepresentation of mothers in the art world and the societal factors contributing to this.
The tension between caring for children and dedicating time to creative work.
The importance of support systems, self-belief, and a sense of purpose for mothers
The value of art created by mothers and how we can all support all caregivers in their creative pursuits.
In the final installment of this inspiring series, Robin White, Joshua Long, Lorrie Fredette, and Merideth Hite Estevez read their Artist's Oath.
The culmination of my book, "The Artist's Joy," the Artist's Oath is a powerful coaching exercise that helps artists name how they want to show up in the world and what they believe. When we stay connected to our values, we are able to move through creative challenges and tough decisions with confidence and grace for ourselves and others.
In this episode:
This episode features Artist's Oaths, written and read by Elmer Perry, David Westerlund, Sara McMahon, and Sila Wolf.
The culmination of Merideth's book, "The Artist's Joy," the Artist's Oath is a powerful coaching exercise that helps artists name how they want to show up in the world and what they believe. When we stay connected to our values, we are able to move through creative challenges and tough decisions with confidence and grace for ourselves and others.
In this episode:
This episode features Artist's Oath, written and read by Kelsey Bogan, David James, and Karen Rege.
The culmination of Merideth's book, "The Artist's Joy," the Artist's Oath, is a powerful coaching exercise that helps artists name how they want to show up in the world and what they believe. When we stay connected to our values, we are able to move through creative challenges and tough decisions with confidence and grace for ourselves and others.
About the artists in this episode:
Kelsey Bogan:
David James:
The Moonlit Wild (David James, bass)
Karen Rege:
Connect with Karen on Facebook
In today's episode, Merideth chats with artist, composer, and songwriter Angela Sheik. Angela (whose name you may recognize from every episode's credits as our resident theme songwriter here at Artists for Joy) composed a full-length anthemic jam for Merideth's new book "The Artist's Joy." In this episode, you'll hear the complete track for the first time!
They also discuss how central community is in finding sustainable creative practice and what to do when you feel like quitting.
"The Artist's Joy" theme song, "Oath to Joy," will be available to stream and download in August, but for now, enjoy this world premiere here on the podcast.
Buy Merideth's book (a best-seller new release in the creativity category on Amazon!)
This week on the podcast, Merideth gives the mic to Kenneth Moton, a TV news journalist and childhood friend. Together, they dive deep into her new book, The Artist's Joy.
Kenneth and "Meri" explore the book's relevance to a broad audience, Meri's motivation for writing the book, her journey of creative recovery, and the concept of using creativity as a means of self-discovery. They explore themes of vulnerability, the healing power of music, and the spiritual dimension of creativity.
Get your FREE printable journal
This week, I am reading an excerpt from The Artist's Joy-- this time from the Prelude (that's what I call the Introduction) of the book. I explore why I believe seeking joy is a worthwhile pursuit for all people, but especially artists, as well as more about my “why” behind the book and who exactly it is for. (Hint: its for you!)
Give it a listen and if you can, would you mind sharing this episode with a friend who might enjoy it? I'd really appreciate it.
Links:
Merideth's book: The Artist's Joy
Do you ever worry they will figure out you actually have no idea what you are doing?
Studies show that imposter syndrome, the feeling of being a fraud despite evidence of success, affects everyone.
It reared its ugly (and soul-sucking) head in my life this week during one of the busiest times of my career, maybe ever. And so here's what I did: I sat down and wrote a podcast that we could all hopefully learn from.
This week’s episode—
The 5 C's of Inner Strength:
Confide in someone
Cultivate consistent practice
Offer Compassion to others and yourself
Consider the "spotlight effect"
Craft your worthiness words.
My hope for us is that we'll remember our value and embrace the joy and hope in the creative journey.
Links:
Merideth's book: The Artist's Joy
This week, Merideth chats with two fellow writers, Sarah E. Westfall and Jenai Auman. They explore ways to foster joy for the long haul as they discuss their experiences writing and publishing their first traditionally published books together. (They come out within weeks of each other!) Merideth, Sarah, and Jenai emphasize the importance of community, celebrating milestones, and managing vulnerability, and offer encouragement for finding joy in the creative process itself and staying true to oneself despite challenges.
Merideth's book: The Artist's Joy
Jenai Auman, author and artist
Jenai's book: Othered
Sarah E. Westfall, author and speaker
Sarah's book: The Way of Belonging
This week, Merideth reads an excerpt from Chapter 3, "Ode to Creative Devotion," from her forthcoming book, The Artist's Joy.
THE most important tool for creative joy (after taking care of yourself) is the creative devotion routine. Are you in a practice rut? Too busy to create in this season of life? Do you have a time management challenge? Maybe you’re good at getting things done, but you feel like you’re going through the motions—joyless and blocked? Let's craft a sustainable creative practice that sparks joy with creative devotion.
Download your printable workbook for The Artist's Joy and flip to Chapter 3 (pages 8-9) to read the self-coaching questions and the exercise for crafting your routine with joy.
The Artist's Joy Printable Journal (Flip to Chapter 3 (pages 8 and 9) for the creative devotion questions!)
In today’s episode, I give you a sneak peek into the overarching structure of my new book, The Artist’s Joy, and share a bit about the meaning behind its central metaphor. I also chat with Rebe Huntman, author and multi-passionate artist, who shares her Artist’s Oath.
Links:
The original Artist's Oath podcast
Pre-order Merideth’s book “The Artist’s Joy”
Pre-order Rebe’s book, “My Mother in Havana”
Join “The Artist’s Joy” Launch Team
Rebe quoted the following artists in her Artist’s Oath: Elizabeth Gilbert, Emily Dickinson, Rumi, Buckminster Fuller, Maira Kalman, Ocean Vuong, & Rachel Held Evans.
Today’s episode encourages us all to “mind the gap” between our dreams and reality, between the current state of a creative project and where we long for it to be.
Listen for encouragement to keep going despite all the gap's perils!
See the first Call for Art submission created by Elmer Perry
Join “The Artist’s Joy” Launch Team
Season 5 premiere!
What if inside every creative block is an invitation?
Today on the show: a story about what a chance traffic encounter taught me about responding to creative block.
Links: