Have you ever had an amazing opportunity and just watched it pass you by? Have your once-beloved creative projects suffered a demise at your very own hand? Why do artists self-sabotage? Merideth shares a story about a time she sabotaged herself, she’ll answer a listener question about post-pandemic performance anxiety, and give us something to consider this week.
Episode 40: Worry
After the popularity of the anxiety episode, a follow up—this time anxiety’s legitimate, responsible, older cousin: worry. How are worry and anxiety different? What does the science say about worrying? Can it be helpful/useful? Merideth will share the results of a recent social media poll about artists’ worries, plus some things that are helping her cope with it lately.
Frederick Buechner’s book “Beyond Words”
Episode 38: Mindset
How does the spirit with which we approach things change our experience? How can we learn to cultivate a mindset of growth and gentleness in our creative work, especially as we are trying new things? Merideth shares the story of how she learned the answer to these questions from a certain toddler this week. She also shares insights of Psychologist Carol S. Dweck, specifically how mindset can contribute to success. Watercolor art used this week by MB Whitaker. Find her work on instagram @mbwhitakerrr.
Episode 37: Friendship
What stops us from cultivating deep friendships, especially with other artists? This week on the show, Merideth explores how friendship can be a powerful tool in the creative process, offering us not only companionship, but also self-knowledge, inspiration, perspective and healing.
Episode 31: Talent + Hardwork = ?
This week on the podcast Merideth examines the popular mantra: talent + hard work= success. How much do our unique and innate gifts contribute to our success as an artist? Are those two parts of the equation all there is to a satisfactory life as a creative person? Merideth shares a story of how a complete stranger once called out an unexpected talent that would became a calling. She’ll explore a not so commonly considered third element to that equation which she believes could help all artists along their journey to joy.
Episode 30: Repeat the Sounding Joy
What *is* joy, how is it different from regular old happiness, why is choosing joy an important practice to cultivate as an artist, anyway? This week, Merideth shares some ideas on what to do in between joyful memories on stage, plus more on what is behind the podcast’s name.
Episode 8: Body Image
This week Merideth takes on the topic of body image and how hatred for our bodies stops us from finding joy in the artist life. She shares a bit about her personal struggles with self acceptance and offers an idea that helps her find self-compassion on the darkest days.
Check out the gallery of visual art submissions mentioned in the episode here.
Have you been or are you currently creatively blocked? Wanna talk about it? Click here.
Episode 5: Perseverance
How are you persevering right now? What is all the uncertainty, isolation, and concern of the future doing to your creative impulse, your sense of joy? In this episode of Artists for Joy, Merideth shares stories of artists facing criticism, pandemic panic, and other difficulties… and how Vincent Van Gogh offers some wisdom for how we might choose joy in the face of them.
Learn more about Delaware Blue Rock
It’s the final week to sign-up for "The Artist's Way” Creative Cluster!
Episode 4: The Inner Critic
Madonna, Tom Hanks, Maya Angelou...what do all these artists have in common? They struggle with their inner critic. In this episode, Merideth Hite Estevez shares an approach to managing these voices and cultivating a knack for creating from a place of joy instead of insecurity, fear of failure, or a need for approval.
Episode 3: Identity
Playwright George Bernard Shaw famously said, "Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself." A quote that might seem at odds with writer and Trappist monk Thomas Merton's adage: "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." So which is it?
Can the act of creation help you live into or find your identity? Does identifying as an artist have to mean a life of turmoil and hardship? Join us for this week's episode to find out.
This episode includes music of Claude Debussy, J.S. Bach, Georges Bizet, and Angela Sheik, including performances by Jani Parsons (piano), Gabriel Benton (piano), Merideth Hite Estevez (oboe) and the Carolina Youth Symphony.
Read more about the whale study Merideth mentions in the episode here.
There are still a few spots in the new, recently added section--now on Wednesday evenings-- of the Artist's Way Creative Cluster! Learn more and register here.