Colour Me Happy! - By Brandi Hofer Studios

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.

Be conscious of developing a routine that works for you, because someone else’s schedule doesn’t have to be your schedule.-Brandi 
This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast! This week I’m chatting with Canadian artist Courtney Caroline about her vibrant, colourful still life paintings, getting geeky about our favourite art supplies and my newfound love for R&F Oil Sticks!We also talk about showing up for your art, even when your routine doesn’t look like everyone else’s. Social media can make it feel like everyone is creating more, accomplishing more and somehow finding more hours in the day.
But the truth is, we all have different seasons, schedules and lives. Your creative practice doesn’t need to look like someone else’s to be meaningful.Courtney shares how she’s become more conscious of where she puts her time and energy, while finding boundaries that allow her to stay inspired without getting pulled into comparison. We talk about creating a routine that actually works for you and giving yourself permission to build your creative life at your own pace.And of course, we get wonderfully nerdy about pencils, R&F Drawing Oil Sticks and how changing up your materials can help you loosen up, let go of perfection and play again.
2 Takeaway Tips
1. Show up anyway.
Your schedule might not look like the artist beside you, and that’s okay. Keep showing up in whatever way fits your life right now. Small, consistent steps still count.
2. Build a routine around YOUR life.
Instead of trying to copy someone else’s creative routine, pay attention to when you feel most inspired and what you can realistically sustain. Your art practice should fit into your life, not make you feel like you’re failing at someone else’s.

When things feel overwhelming, just take the next step. Small, manageable things done every day can add up to something really big. -Brandi
This week I’m chatting with Courtney Florence, one of my mural class students who took what she learned in the class and jumped into a summer full of mural projects!
We talk about what mural work is really like behind the scenes, from giant walls and unpredictable weather to uneven surfaces, tight timelines, physical exhaustion and those moments when you’re wondering, “What did I get myself into?” Courtney even shares the story of working on a mural in Coleman until 4 a.m. while battling freezing temperatures and rain!
But underneath all of that is such a good reminder that trying something new doesn’t have to mean figuring everything out at once. You can learn, take one step, solve the next problem and keep going. And before you know it, those little steps have turned into something much bigger than you imagined.
Courtney is such a great example of what can happen when you give yourself permission to try something new, learn as you go and just keep showing up.
And if mural painting is something you’ve been curious about, you can learn more about my Mural Class HERE. Courtney is one of our students and it was so fun to hear how the class helped prepare her for the real-world experience of putting murals on walls!
2 TAKEAWAY TIPS:
Break the big thing into the next small thing. You don’t have to know how you’re going to finish the whole project. Just figure out what needs to happen next.
Trying something new gets easier once you start. You may not feel ready, but learning as you go is part of the process. Small steps, repeated consistently, can turn into something surprisingly big.

Creativity is better when you have someone to share the messy middle with. - Brandi 
This week on Colour Me Happy Podcast!  Creative friendships can be such a gift. In this episode, we talk about finding the people you can lean on, bounce ideas off, and talk to when you’re stuck because chances are, they’ve been through something similar too. Alli shares how moving from working solo to collaborating on team-based murals changed the way she worked, while we chat about the balance between making art for yourself and navigating the demands of client work.
Sometimes the best way out of a creative rut is simple: take yourself on an art date with a creative friend, try a new class, pick up a different medium, or just make something with no expectations attached.
Takeaway Tips:
Find your creative people. Have someone you can talk to about the highs, lows, weird ideas and hard seasons of making art. You don’t have to figure everything out alone.
Make creativity social again. Take a class together, go on an art date, visit a gallery, or spend an afternoon making something just for fun. Sometimes getting out of your own head is exactly what you need. To get inspired: Listen HERE
Come Home to Your Creativity! And speaking of making art together, I’m hosting a cozy Collage & Art Sale at my house! We’ll have warm apple cider, lots of creative goodness, and a chance to sit around and make something together. It’s the perfect excuse to bring a creative friend, get out of your own head and spend a little time making art just for the fun of it.Come get creative with us: $20 a Ticket