Level Up Artist Podcast

If someone handed you $100 today, how would you use it to spark joy or support your creative practice?

In this episode, Jackie and Adriana share their own answers to a favorite Level Up question—what would you spend $100 on as an artist? From studio tools and mural gear to community connections, health, and creativity, they each share five ways to invest that money with purpose. So whether you’re eyeing a thoughtful splurge, planning a wish list, or just looking for inspiration, this conversation might give you a few new ideas for how to invest in your art—and yourself.

Whether you’re painting murals, exploring digital illustration, or creating on a small canvas, there’s something undeniably powerful about storytelling in art. This is because, often the pieces that stick with people are the ones that carry a story, even when it’s not spoken out loud.

In this episode, Jackie and Adriana share how to build storytelling into your creative practice, stay authentic to your vision, and connect with your audience on a deeper level. From trusting your intuition to making intentional design choices, they explore how visual narratives can transform your work from beautiful to unforgettable.

Moving out doesn’t just mean packing boxes—it’s about redefining your creative flow, your marketing strategy, and your mindset.  In this episode, Jackie and Adriana dive into the realities of planning for downsizing—a transition every artist will face at some point in their creative journey.

Whether you’re reacting to a major life shift or intentionally creating space for new growth, this conversation explores the practical, emotional, and strategic sides of letting go. With both hosts preparing to leave their studios at Artspace after six years, this discussion offers firsthand insight into what it means to close one chapter while setting the stage for the next

Confidence doesn’t just appear overnight—it’s built through action, reflection, and plenty of imperfect work. In this episode, Jackie and Adriana share seven honest, experience-tested ways they’ve grown their creative confidence—from showing up when the work felt “meh” to saying yes before feeling ready. So whether you’re just starting out or rebuilding momentum, this conversation will help you see how far you’ve come and remind you that confidence grows one small step at a time.

We’re excited to share our last studio update of the year, highlighting wins and challenges in our artistic practices. We discuss several topics including gathering inspiration for new artwork, getting ready for the holidays, taking workshops and traveling, focusing on work-life “harmony” instead of balance and acknowledging the cyclical nature of creativity.

To some, side projects may feel like a distraction but in our experience, productive creative procrastination can actually fuel your creative energy while “taking a break” from your normal art making practice. In this episode we share some side creative projects that we’ve been getting into, the benefits of stepping outside of the studio, and how these projects are energizing our inspiration.

In this episode we interview multidisciplinary artist and founder of Serendib Creative LLC, Mayanthi Jayawardena. We talk about recognizing burnout, pivoting healing into a source of income, staying grounded in authenticity, the power of showing up, the benefit of engaging others with a project, and the launch of her new community art consulting services.

Sketchbooks are more than just a place to draw—they’re a pressure-free space to explore ideas, document growth, and keep your creativity flowing. In this episode, we revisit sketchbook practice with fresh insights, new tools, and updated workflows—plus how incorporating tablets has transformed our creative process.

We talk about how to make sketchbooking work for your lifestyle, the benefits of mixing physical and digital formats, and how tablets have become indispensable for our mural design process. Whether you’re brand new to sketchbooking or looking to reignite your practice, you’ll walk away inspired to create a space—digital or physical—that supports your art and sparks new ideas.

Saying “no” isn’t selfish—it’s one of the most powerful tools you have as a creative. In this episode, we talk about why setting boundaries can transform your business, how to spot red flags with clients, and the key factors to consider before turning down work. We’ll share real-life stories of walking away from misaligned projects, the “Yes, but…” strategy for balancing income with alignment, and four actionable tips to help you say no with clarity—so you can make space for the kind of work and life you truly want.

On this episode we interview CEO and Co-Founder of We Are Limitless Studios, Brandon Bell. We talk about the importance of “just showing up”, utilizing storytelling in your art and creative process, using art as an anchorpoint solution for local businesses, understanding community impact, embracing delegation, setting your own goal posts for success, and working with local schools to launch a kids mentorship program.

Whether you’ve dealt with a difficult client before or the thought of it makes you anxious, this episode is for you! In this episode, we talk about some of the most common situations artists face when working with challenging clients, the red flags to look out for in the beginning, and how to set your future self up for success to avoid repeat trouble.

[Flashback] Today we have a bit of a “gut punch” episode as we focus on the career minded artist mindset shift of making collectors, not just digital content. How you define success as an artist is different for everyone, however, if sales are your focus – today’s episode is for you! Making scalable and tangible progress in your business is not always done by what others see, rather it is often based on what goes on behind the scenes!

On this episode we interview traveling muralist Natalie Robinson. We talk about embracing a vibrant and playful art style, leveraging non-paid gigs for future work, connecting with our inner child, leaning into learning as you grow, and the logistics of balancing the needs of your client with your own voice. So if you are an emerging artist or curious about how to get started, this episode is for you!

On this episode we interview photographer Matt Ramey. We talk about the importance of observing the world with curiosity, balancing a professional portfolio with a studio practice, developing resilience in the creative war of attrition, and capturing the true essence, emotion and energy of a subject.

On today’s episode we slow it down for a studio update, giving you all a glimpse behind the scenes of our personal studio practices! We talk about our recent experience on the Squirrel Brain, Chickadee Soul retreat, advice for artists who are considering going to an artist retreat, behind the scenes details about the mural workshop Adriana hosted earlier this year, and advice for how to find value in every experience!

On this episode we interview artist Lauren Cooper. We talk about the impact of motherhood on your creative practice, launching ghost designing services for fellow artists, using murals to bring joy in schools, utilizing chat GPT to organize time and projects, unpacking the investment value of a murals for businesses, putting yourself first, and aligning your business with your core values as a person.

[Flashback] On today’s flashback episode we interview North Carolina Art Collectors, Brian Holland and Dianna Wynn. We talk about the responsibilities of being an art collector, the power of artists talking directly to their audience, leaning into your other passions in order to find momentum with your art, and the magic of the artist-collector relationship.

In this episode, we jump on the social media trend “Coffee with Our Younger Selves” and tackle the question we ask all our guests: “What advice do you wish you had heard before starting your creative journey?” This question stirs up a lot of emotions as we reflect on where we were five years ago. So whether you're an emerging artist seeking advice or a seasoned pro feeling nostalgic for your younger self, this episode is for you!

On this episode we interview Raleigh based potter Liz Kelly. We talk about developing a creative style built on contrast, embracing human’s ritualistic tendencies, leaning into process, being disciplined with your creative flow, avoiding regret, remaining human, and being in charge of your self validation.

On this episode we interview artist, educator, and founder of Drum for Change, Greg Whitt. We talk about pivoting a side hustle into a full time income, the power of rhythm in building community and teamwork, utilizing our senses to better understand the world around us, how to create engaging lessons for multi-generational audiences, and the importance of mentorship when launching a creative business.

In this episode we interview woodworker Ryan Lutz. We talk about embracing professional flexibility during covid to build creative momentum, using broken skate boards to inspire the creation of his first art products, using corporate skills to push your art business forward, leaning into process exploration, strategically balancing multiple wood working income streams, and finding community through art residencies.

On this episode we interview Melbourne-based artist, Danielle Weber, and her assistant Alessandra Di Deo. We talk about balancing muraling and canvas painting, overcoming the "starving artist" mentality, sharing it forward with the creation of The D Collective, the power of delegation, and the importance of focusing on the business side of a creative business. So if you are looking to level up your mural business, facing self doubt or seeking community, this episode is for you!

Today we celebrate 200 episodes of sharing it forward, demystifying the creative processes and exchanging ideas with career minded artists! Join us as we reflect on the past 200 episodes and share one of our earliest episodes, “Create Before You Consume” where we share strategies that many years later still support our creative process.

Thank you to everyone who has joined us along this journey so far! We are excited for many more episodes to come! 

In today’s episode we are pulling back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes work that fuels our art practices as we jump into 2025! We cover highlights from the Rooted Muralist Conference and how our takeaways are shaping our goals for the year ahead, Strategies for scaling mural work and balancing multiple creative income streams, why owning your audience matters, especially in the face of social media uncertainties, tips for creating processes that simplify your creative business, and actionable challenges to help you level up your practice in 2025

So whether you’re planning your next big project or navigating the ebbs and flows of creative work, this episode offers a mix of reflection and practical advice to inspire your year ahead.

[Flashback] On this episode we interview Australian visual artist, Anna Price. We talk about balancing multiple art styles, generating new income streams with art products, navigating commissions, having a studio outside of the home, and cultivating an audience on social media.

“Getting lucky” can be a common phrase or mindset when opportunities “come out of nowhere”. But is this really the case? In today’s episode we unpack what “lucky” actually is, strategies for escaping the comparison trap, acknowledging the privileges and choices we each possessed, transforming FOMO into action as well as ways to be your own champion when times get tough.

PDF RESOURCE AVAILABLE! Do you need help building a social media plan for the new year? We’ve got you covered! As part of this episode we’ve created a PDF course module, available at levelupartists.com that makes creating a social media strategy that is customized to you and your work SUPER easy! Today, we talk about the importance of having a simple and sustainable social media content plan as part of your creative business and we share our intentions for sharing content in the new year. 

Setting art and art business goals can be tough. Where do you begin? In this episode we share our 2025 goals in regard to marketing, exposure, our art making practices, income stream shifts, personal goals, as well as our overall “word” for 2025! So whether you are a creative reevaluating your goals or you are lost on where to start, this episode is for you! And if you want to follow along with our planning, visit LevelUpArtists.com and check out the “Level Up Your Year” PDF and module available now.

Goal setting in the new year is great but it is better to look back first and celebrate the wins of what you have accomplished already! In this episode we celebrate our 2024 wins in regard to marketing, exposure, our art making practices, income stream shifts, personal goals, as well as our overall “word” from 2024!

Happy Holidays everyone! Today’s episode is light and fun as we talk about some of our favorite things. From books, podcasts and tv shows, to art supplies and wishlist items we just can’t wait to get our hands on, today’s episode may give you a few ideas on how to spend your holiday money or content to download for your travel plans ahead.