Creative Pep Talk

How do you create something both accessible and innovative? What do you draw inspiration from to make authentic and meaningful work? In this episode- animator, illustrator and author Sanjay Patel tells us about his life-changing journey back to his upbringing, we discuss his deep-dive into the well of inspiration he found and how it all came together into a playful preschool show. ------- SHOW NOTES: Writing / Host: Andy J. Pizza Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com   Sanjay Patel https://www.gheehappy.com https://www.instagram.com/gheehappy/ https://www.youtube.com/@gheehappystudio SPONSORS: Immaterial: 5,000 Years of Art, One Material at a Time a podcast by The Met - Each episode examines a material of art, like clay... stone... trash... and what they can reveal about history and humanity. You’ll get a sense of the meaningfulness of these materials, and

Do you have a box of treasured momentos, a drawer of unfinished artwork or a notebook of ideas you never quite started and definitely didn't finish? Author and illustrator Carson Ellis tells us how she uncovered a forgotten journal from her 20s and how it informed an entire series of work, with a little help along the way from some other past projects. This interview is creative inspiration for how to tell stories using pictures, capture nostalgia and perhaps even create art today as a time capsule for the future. ------- SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com https://www.carsonellis.com/ https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/one-week-in-january Picture book mentions: What is Love, Du is Tak and Wildwood TV show mentions: Mad Men Band: https://www.decemberists.com/ Author Kazoo Ishiguro https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/14137/kazuo-ishi

It’s difficult to know where to focus your creative energy. If you don’t know whether you should be learning a new skill, diving deep into a new project or marketing something you’ve already done, this episode is for you! -------- SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com Dan Harmon, Story Circle https://boords.com/blog/storytelling-101-the-dan-harmon-story-circle The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carrier https://gailcarriger.com/books/hj/ Also mentioned the Maureen Murdock book by the same name SPONSORS: Immaterial: 5,000 Years of Art, One Material at a Time a podcast by The Met - Each episode examines a material of art, like clay... stone... trash... and what they can reveal about history and humanity. You’ll get a sense of the meaningfulness of these materials, and see them in a whole new way. Check out Immaterial here: https://bio.to/ImmaterialPodca

This episode is for you if: -You keep giving up -You violently swing your focus from money-making, to never mixing money and creativity ever again -You need a method for staying true to your creative core and not getting swept away by all the shiny objects  SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com  Lisa Miller PhD - The Awakened Brain https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608347/the-awakened-brain-by-lisa-miller-phd/ Jill Bolte Taylor PhD - Whole Brain Living https://www.drjilltaylor.com/whole-brain-living/ Joseph Campbell - The Hero with a Thousand Faces https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/314324/the-hero-with-a-thousand-faces-by-joseph-campbell/ Carl Jung - The Tension of Opposites https://www.amazon.com/Man-His-Symbols-Carl-Jung/dp/0440351839 Christopher Nolan - Inception https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/ The Matrix https://www.imdb

EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Everything changes. Platforms. The Economy. Seasons of Life.  What do you do when these changes block your path in such a way, that no matter how you look at it, you can’t seem to find a path forward? You need to get distance to find perspective, but you can’t always press pause and escape to a two week vacation anytime you get stuck. In this episode we talk about the research backed power of the journey mentality and how to access its perspective shifting magic. This is episode 1 of our ongoing Creative Journey Series. SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com   Lisa Miller Phd "The Awakened Brain" https://www.lisamillerphd.com/ Joseph Campbell "A Hero with A Thousand Faces" https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-hero-with-a-thousand-faces-joseph-campbell/6894600?ean=9781577315933 Donald Miller "A Million Miles in A Thousand Years" https:

A chat with Yoni Wolf of the band WHY? - I have been a massive fan for YEARS and you've heard their music every week on the show! You may also have heard more of the the band in our Right Side Out Series. This episode is for you if you are sick and tired of waiting for someone to let you do the creative work you want to be making, if you need inspiration for how to put more of yourself into your work or if you need a fresh helping of that feeling of why we do creative work at all - and stick until the end for a CTIA called NO MITT FOR THESE PITCHES on the mindset shift that helped me go from a place of fruitlessly pitching tons unsuccessful book ideas to publishers and into a place where I’ve been consistently making books for the past four years! Riverside - The easiest way for you and your team to record, edit and share professional grade Videos and Podcasts, from anywhere in the world.  https://creators.riverside.fm/creativepeptalk SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Ed

The creative brain is amazing at coming up with infinite options and connections, but sorting through and choosing which options are best and should be focused on is a totally different skill. In this episode we talk to incredible Illustrator and Youtuber Cheyenne Barton, right in the midst of working this stuff out for herself. At the time we talked, Cheyenne was feeling overwhelmed in her practice and I found the vulnerability of this chat to be a real gift. If you’re burnt out or feeling overwhelmed, this snapshot will help you feel less alone in it and may just give you some tools to overcome it! Episode art by Cheyenne Barton and Andy J. Pizza __________ SHOW NOTES Cheyenne Barton’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chey.barton/ Cheyenne Barton’s Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/cheyennebarton “The life of an artist.” Iceberg Illustration by Megan Herbert https://www.instagram.com/p/CU6THjkpuqd/

This episode is for you if you are: 1 - Tired of tracking the meaningless stats of likes and follows and want to find ways of tracking more meaningful progress 2 - Struggling to remember why you love making creative work and want to feel that spark again 3 - You need a more human way of being online as a creative person Riverside - The easiest way for you and your team to record, edit and share professional grade Videos and Podcasts, from anywhere in the world.  https://creators.riverside.fm/creativepeptalk Show Notes: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com   This episode is a conversation with Anna-Laura Sullivan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annalaura_art/ Website: https://annalauraart.com/

This episode is for you if: Your schedule is too full Your stress is too high You don't know how to change anything You've overwhelmed but don't know what to cut --------- Riverside - The easiest way for you and your team to record, edit and share professional grade Videos and Podcasts, from anywhere in the world. Use code PEPTALK 15% Off  https://creators.riverside.fm/creativepeptalk  --------- SHOW NOTES Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com  Mentioned: Dave Ramsey and the 80/20 rule Susan David's book 'Emotional Agility' https://www.susandavid.com/book/ Angus Fletcher's book 'Wonderworks' https://www.angusfletcher.co/ Adam Grant https://adamgrant.net/

This episode is for you if: You find yourself trying on hats as you try to figure out what you want to be and what you should be doing  You’re someone who loves the creative process, the behind the scenes, the supporting roles You’re in a creative career that has intense and exciting projects with weird down time between them This episode is a conversation with Mark Eshleman @reelbearmedia the creative and content director for the band Twenty One Pilots. -------------- Riverside - The easiest way for you and your team to record, edit and share professional grade Videos and Podcasts, from anywhere in the world. Use code PEPTALK 15% Off  https://creators.riverside.fm/creativepeptalk  ------------- SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com   Reel Bear Media: www.reelbearmedia.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelbearmedia/ Twenty One Pilots htt

This episode’s for you if: You’re tired of trying to do it all You feel like giving up You’re wondering how to pep talk yourself or a friend or loved one who’s struggling on the creative journey.  Stick to the end for some time travel and something new that I’m calling a CTIA ---------- Riverside - The easiest way for you and your team to record, edit and share professional grade Videos and Podcasts, from anywhere in the world. Use code PEPTALK 15% Off  https://creators.riverside.fm/creativepeptalk  ----------- SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com   Old episode clip from Episode 5- The Obvious Thing You're Missing https://www.creativepeptalk.com/005-the-obvious-thing-youre-missing/ Movie referenced for the anti-pep talk is School of Rock with Jack Black https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37oJqWp4rJM Book: The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carrier

We all want to make work that’s authentic and has our creative fingerprints on it. But it’s easier said than done. There’s lots to learn from folks who literally put themselves into the work. In this episode we chat with Ronald Young Jr. about his award winning audio memoir series “Weight for It” and glean what all of us can learn about injecting your DNA into your work. So whether you’re literally making a self portrait / memoir project or not, this episode is chocked full of takeaways on how to make your work more you! -------- SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com   Ron Young Jr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohitsbigron Weight For It Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weight-for-it/id1686599391 Leaving The Theater Podcast: https://www.ohitsbigron.com/leaving-the-theater On Air Fest: https://www.onairfest.com Angus Fletcher:  htt

This episode is for you if: -You are exploring your voice and how you can insert it into your work in a more genuine way -You are exploring being seen, heard and understood through your creative work -You are considering or working on a collaboration  -You want to strengthen the connection between yourself and your audience SHOW NOTES: Co-Writing / Editing: Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co Audio Editing / Sound Design: Conner Jones pendingbeautiful.co  Soundtrack / Theme Song: Yoni Wolf / WHY? whywithaquestionmark.com   Book ‘Super Communicators’ https://www.charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators ‘The Power of Habit’ book https://www.charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit Artist Kara Walker http://www.karawalkerstudio.com Ai Weiwei https://www.aiweiwei.com Lynda Barry https://drawnandquarterly.com/author/lynda-barry/ Abstract artists mentioned: Mark Rothko Frank Philip Stella SPONSORS:  Riverside - The easiest way for you and your team to record, edit and share professional grade Videos and Podcasts, from a

This episode is for you if: You’re stuck in the middle of a never ending project and you need a fresh perspective  You feel distracted by so many ideas You have felt discouraged by the response to your work/projects after putting so much time and effort in you’re interested in picture book making or storytelling  SHOW NOTES A Sundae with Everything On It https://smarturl.it/SundaewithEverythingOnIt A Pizza with Everything On It https://www.etsy.com/listing/1341177986/hardback-book-a-pizza-with-everything-on?click_key=5e66d965c915b93862cf7c4786572f45e020a8c0%3A1341177986&click_sum=5bf1f093&crt=1&ref=shop_home_recs_6 Cal Newport https://calnewport.com Childish Gambino - Atavista https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atavista John Cleese - Creativity https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Short-Cheerful-John-Cleese/dp/0385348274 Eliza Kinkz https://www.elizakinkz.com https://bookshop.org/p/books/papa-s-magical-water-jug-clock-jesus-trejo/18822245?ean=9781662651045 SPONSORS Riverside - The easiest way for you and

This episode is for you if: You’re overwhelmed by the demands of social media You feel pressure to MAKE IT BIG or give up trying You’re burnt out from trying to DO IT ALL You need an example and and an action plan on how to stay focused and get results -------- SHOW NOTES Rosalie Haizlett https://rosaliehaizlett.com/ instagram.com/rosaliehaizlett Books: Watercolor in Nature (2021) https://rosaliehaizlett.com/collections/books/products/watercolor-in-nature-book-by-rosalie-haizlett Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains (Preorder 2024) https://rosaliehaizlett.com/pages/tiny-worlds-bookhttps://rosaliehaizlett.com/pages/tiny-worlds-book Naturalist/illustrator Roger Tory Peterson https://rtpi.org/ -------- SPONSORS Riverside - The easiest way for you and your team to record, edit and share professional grade Videos and Podcasts, from anywhere in the world.  https://creators.riverside.fm/creativepeptalk

This episode is for you if: Hustle culture and social media are destroying your creativity You’ve lost hope of ever being able to do enough You intuitively know the pace of the world and industry isn’t conducive to creative productivity but need language to understand why You need a map to more satisfying work life balance that improves both ------------- SHOW NOTES Cal Newport https://calnewport.com/ Slow Productivity https://calnewport.com/slow/ Jenny Blake - Free Time https://itsfreetime.com/book

This episode is for you if: You need a boost of encouragement from someone who has also felt the burden to conform to expectations of others You need examples and ideas on how to creatively adapt your lifestyle to be more conducive to your nature You want to learn about leaning into your strengths and tips on following curiosity and how to work with who you are and not against it! SHOW NOTES Jessica McCabe https://howtoadhd.com/ How to ADHD Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/710890/how-to-adhd-by-jessica-mccabe/ How to ADHD YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/howtoadhd

This episode is for you if you get in your head and struggle to share your story and your work with the world, if you worry that it’s just not relevant or interesting or maybe that it’s too weird… and just a heads up - we’ve been doing a series called Right Side Out - this is episode 6 and the last episode of the series - it really won’t make sense without working through the episodes - go back to episode 449 of this show to start back at episode one. Episode 1 of Right Side Out SHOW NOTES ---------------- Sophie Miller sophiemiller.co https://www.sophiemiller.co/ Yoni Wolf / WHY? https://whywithaquestionmark.com/ AOKOHIO https://yoniwolf.substack.com/ Angus Fletcher https://www.angusfletcher.co/ Wonderworks https://swiftpress.com/book/wonderworks/ Connor Jones / Pending Beautiful https://www.pendingbeautiful.co/ CreativeMornings https://creativemornings.com/

All the parts come together and I share the conversation with my mom. Part 5 of Right Side Out SHOW NOTES Lulu Miller https://www.instagram.com/lutimestwoo/?hl=en CreativeMornings https://creativemornings.com/ SWISSMISS / Tina Roth Eisenberg https://www.instagram.com/swissmiss/?hl=en James Acaster https://www.jamesacaster.com/ A Pizza with Everything On It https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/a-pizza-with-everything-on-it

This episode is for you if: You want to get more personal or deep in your creative work but you don’t know practically where to start You struggle to take a personal interest in yourself and you feel like every one else is more interesting or worthy You are prone to low self and esteem and sometimes feel like why even bother making anything at all STICK TIL THE END of this episode I am going to share a prompt that unlocked the most significant creative breakthrough in finding my own creative voice SHOW NOTES EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/peptalk Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  Stuff by Andrew Neyer: https://andrewneyer.com/ Color Me Collaborative Exhibit: https://andrewneyer.com/projects/color-me Charles Schulz on 60 Minutes in 1997: https://youtu.be/kjTpdUs-pfw Creative Mornings: https://creativemornings.com/ https://creativemornings.com/talks/aaron-james-draplin/1 https://creativemornings.com/talks/kate-bingaman-burt/1 https://creativemornings.com/talks/josep