Colour Me Happy! - By Brandi Hofer Studios

Find your people, make a little mess, and remember why you started creating in the first place.
What happens when we stop taking our art so seriously and start having FUN again?
This week I’m chatting with Jenny Muncaster from The Colour Factory, an incredible creative hub in Winchester, England, that was built around one very important idea: artists need each other!
The Colour Factory was created to combat the isolation that can come with being an artist. Today, it’s a thriving creative community offering workshops, experimentation and a place where beginners and professional artists can learn alongside one another.
We talk about shaking off those negative voices in our heads, letting go of perfection, creating for the process rather than the finished product, and why surrounding yourself with other creative people can completely change your relationship with art.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, uninspired or just need a little creative kick in the pants, this conversation is for you.
And maybe it’s time to throw that creative event, invite some friends and find your people. Trust me, it’s something you won’t regret. 2 Tickets Left for our Local Collage Party
Find your people. Creativity doesn’t have to be a lonely practice. Surrounding yourself with people who encourage you, experiment with you and make you laugh can reignite something you didn’t even realize was missing.
Process over perfection. Let yourself play, experiment, make mistakes and try something new without worrying about what the finished piece will look like. Sometimes the best things happen when we stop trying so hard.
https://www.brandihofer.ca/product/collageparty

We are never stuck. We can always change our minds, reinvent ourselves and emerge in a new direction. We are adaptable. Follow your heart and trust that it will take you where you're meant to go. - Brandi
What if one of the most important things we could remind ourselves as artists is that we are never stuck?
In this conversation with Kara Bullock, we get into creativity, neurodiversity, finding your own path and giving yourself permission to change your mind.
As artists, we are constantly evolving. What makes us tick? What lights us up? What motivates us to create? And why do we sometimes feel like we need to fit into a particular box or follow a certain path?
The truth is, we don't have to have it all figured out. We can change direction, reinvent ourselves, experiment, try something new and discover parts of our creativity we haven't even met yet.
Whether you're navigating a creative rut, exploring a new medium, questioning your artistic direction or simply figuring out your next chapter, this is your reminder that you are not stuck. You have options. You are allowed to evolve. ⁠Get into the New Class 28 artists and 50 lessons! ⁠

Two Takeaways Tips
1. You are allowed to change your mind. You don't have to keep creating the same way, follow the same path or stay somewhere that no longer feels right. Changing direction is part of growing.
2. Figure out what makes you tick as an artist. We all have different motivations, strengths, interests and ways of creating. Stop worrying about fitting into someone else's box and start discovering what genuinely lights you up.

You can work on something piece by piece, no matter what season of life you’re in. You never know what those little pieces might become when you bring them all together. -Brandi
This episode is a special one! I was back live on the West Coast, broadcasting from Samantha Agar’s studio, alongside Samantha and Jennifer Forsyth to chat about their incredible new project, Invents Stories.
For almost a decade, these two have been sending collage pieces back and forth, building on each other’s ideas and creating something truly special, one little piece at a time.
We get into the magic of collage, creative collaboration, vintage art supplies (you really need to watch the video to see all the beautiful goodies!), and what can happen when you give yourself permission to keep creating without needing to know exactly where it’s going.
One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation is that you don’t have to do it all at once. You don’t have to have endless time, the perfect studio or even a clear vision of what you’re making. You can work on something in little pockets of time, through all the different stages of life, and those little pieces can eventually add up to something incredible.
We also chat about our time together at Jessa Dupuis’ amazing Cut Loose workshop with Danielle Krysa, aka The Jealous Curator. What a weekend! I even had the opportunity to bring a limited-edition print and share a little motivational talk about remembering that we are already enough. So much creativity, connection and goodness in one place.
A little something before you go!
I’d love for you to join me for my Collage Party this November! Tickets are selling quickly and there are only a few spots left. It’s going to be a fun, creative day to play, experiment, make a mess and reconnect with your creative side. Come as you are. You don’t need to be an artist or have any experience. Just bring yourself!
Grab your ticket HERE
Two little takeaways to carry with you:
You don’t have to finish something today. Keep adding little pieces, showing up and following your curiosity. You might be surprised by what it becomes.
Creativity doesn’t have an expiration date or a timeline. There is room for it in every season of life, even when life feels full.

Being an artist never has to look one particular way. There is room for all of us, and there is NO one right way to be creative. HUGE episode alert! We are joined by none other than Danielle Krysa, aka The Jealous Curator, for a very special early-release episode of Colour Me Happy!
Danielle and I get into all the things: what it really means to be a working artist, navigating motherhood and a creative career, breaking the stereotypes of the art world, finding your own path, and giving yourself permission to do things differently.
We chat about her newest book, Real Artists Don’t Wear Black (and Other Lies About Being Creative), and how she is continuing to challenge the long-standing stereotypes surrounding what an artist should look like, how they should work, and what a creative life should be. I especially love that we can share her books with our children as little reminders that artists come in all shapes, sizes, personalities and backgrounds. There is no one way to be an artist!
We also talk about motherhood, interrupted studio time, the importance of mentorship, creative community, and finding ways to keep making art in whatever season of life you’re in. Because being a professional artist and being a mom are absolutely not mutually exclusive.
This episode is coming out EARLY because Danielle and I are heading to the West Coast of Canada for Cut Loose, a creative retreat founded by the wonderful artist Jessa Dupuis. We’ll be spending the weekend making art, connecting, laughing and getting into all sorts of creative goodness with an incredible group of women.
Make sure you’re following along over on Instagram at @brandihoferstudios because we are going to have SO much fun, and we can’t wait to bring you along!
Stop trying to fit the artist stereotype. Your creative life can look however you need it to. Motherhood, family, business, colour, chaos and all. You don’t have to fit into someone else’s idea of what being an artist means.
Make room for creativity in the season you’re in. Your studio practice doesn’t have to look the same every day. Sometimes it’s hours in the studio, sometimes it’s ten minutes between interruptions. It all counts, and it all adds up.

Not everything that feels urgent is important, and not everything on your to-do list deserves your energy.
-Brandi 
This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast! Episode DescriptionWe’re talking about the must-dos, should-dos and could-dos with Alison Weaver! It’s so easy to get caught up in the endless list of things that need our attention, the anxieties of everyday life and all the expectations we put on ourselves. But when do we stop and ask what actually fills our cup?
We chat about making space for ourselves, prioritizing what matters, and recognizing that taking care of our own happiness and well-being makes us better in all the other areas of our lives, too. 
Alison also shares a little about her Navigate planner, where you can find it locally in Lloydminster and how it can help bring a little more intention to your everyday. A little reminder that you don’t have to do it all, all the time. 
Takeaway Tips:
1. Learn to separate the must-dos from the should-dos. Not everything on your list is equally important. Take a moment to recognize what genuinely needs your attention and give yourself permission to let some of the other things wait.
2. Make filling your own cup a priority. Don’t wait until everything else is done to take care of yourself. Make room for the things that bring you joy, calm your mind and help you feel like YOU again.
How many people and tables can we squeeze into my home…? Only a few spots left: Reserve your spot at our Collage Party before it's too late! Join us for an evening of creativity and laughter.