Colour Me Happy! - By Brandi Hofer Studios

Art is the place where you can hold everything. The pain, the healing, the strength. When you move through hard currents, creativity reminds you that there are still glimmers of light through the darkness. - Brandi

I had the pleasure of meeting Rose at an Art Workshop that we held on the Island last summer, so here she is with her full story on the podcast: In this powerful episode, I chat with Canadian artist Rose Currie from Vancouver Island about how creativity can be a lifeline through life’s hardest battles. Rose shares her journey of surviving cancer twice while raising three sons as a single mother and returning to art as a form of healing. Her figurative paintings of a woman with “flowering bruises” explore strength, vulnerability, and the body’s reawakening.
Rose turned her personal struggles into a deeply moving exhibition, sharing her story of resilience through her work. Her art reminds us that even in the darkest currents, creative expression can help us process pain, find footing, and connect with others in meaningful ways.
Two Takeaway Tips
1. Let your art hold what life feels too heavy to carry alone.
Creativity can be a powerful place to process pain, healing, and growth. When you allow your work to be honest, it often resonates deeply with others.
2. It is never too late to claim your creative path.
Rose began university at 29 and finished in her early 30s. Sometimes life experience gives you the perspective to appreciate your creative journey even more.

Art isn’t just something you make. It’s how you survive, how you release, and how you spread joy. – Brandi
In this uplifting episode, Brandi Hofer chats with artist Lori Siebert about embracing your weirdness, finding humour in life, and sharing happiness through art.
They talk about why supporting children in their creative pursuits is so important and how art can be a source of therapy during hard times.
Lori shares her journey from being recognized for her talent as a child to spreading color and joy all over the world, reminding us that creativity is a gift meant to be shared.
2 Takeaway Tips:
Celebrate your weirdness. Your quirks and unique perspective are what make your art and life truly memorable.

Use art as therapy. Turning to creativity in moments of stress or sadness can lift your mood and the spirits of those around you.

“Every artist has a story where they didn't charge enough, the question is whether you let it break you or build you.” - Brandi
Who knew we were practically neighbours? In this episode, I sit down with Canadian artist Joshua Harnack (Some of you might know him as the guy who got a storage locker with 6000 paintings in it) from Edmonton, and we get real about what it actually looks like to start an art career.
We talk about the scrappy early days — Craigslist jobs, frat houses, popcorn ceilings, and charging $300 for a mural that probably should’ve cost ten times that. Josh shares how his very first mural in Vancouver (yes… in a University of British Columbia frat house) ended up costing him nearly all the profit in supplies and mistakes — but also opened the door to his next, better-paying commission.
We dive into managing commissions wisely (hello boundaries), using inquiry forms instead of chasing every opportunity, and embracing the “feast and famine” rhythm that so many creatives quietly navigate. I also share how I’ve been bringing art into the hockey rink, because in Alberta, if you can’t beat the hockey culture… you pack your art bag and join it.
This one is about resilience, humility, learning the hard way, and trusting that even the messy jobs are building something bigger.

Two Takeaway Tips
1. Build a commission system that protects your creativity.
Use inquiry forms. Only take projects when your schedule allows. Not every opportunity deserves a “yes.” Sustainable creativity requires structure.

2. Your early mistakes are tuition — not failure.
Undercharging, wrong materials, awkward jobs — they’re part of the path. The key is to learn fast, adjust, and keep going.

We Came for the Art, We Stayed for the Sisterhood

We came for the art… and left with community, connection, and conversations we didn’t even know we needed.

In this episode, Rachael Ashe and I talk about the power of routine and how tiny daily habits build a sustainable creative practice — especially when life is already full. We dive into discipline over inspiration, internal deadlines, and why tidying your studio still counts as showing up.

We also talk about strength training, perimenopause, bone density, and how women are finally having honest conversations about what’s happening in our bodies. What started as art night turned into real talk — about ocular migraines, muscle mass, motivation, and why gathering as women matters more than ever.
Because sometimes you think you’re just going to make art…
And you leave feeling seen.

Two Takeaway Tips
1. A “Stroll” Still Counts.
You don’t need a perfect two-hour studio session. Ten minutes. Cleaning brushes. Sketching badly. Lifting light weights. Showing up consistently builds identity. Discipline creates freedom.
2. Build Your Creative Circle.
Host an art night. Join a group. Start small. Being around other creatives, especially women in similar life seasons, creates support, accountability, and those healing “me too” moments that remind you you’re not alone.

You don’t retire from being an artist. It’s not a job title , it’s the way you move through the world.

What if your creativity could take you across the world, and then back home to yourself? In this beautiful and grounding conversation, I sit down with art therapist Emily Sharp to talk about what it really looks like to build a creative life that supports your nervous system instead of burning it out.

Emily shares her journey from running two fast-paced art therapy offices in New York, filled with back-to-back sessions, home visits, and constant hustle, to creating an online practice that aligns with her move to Copenhagen and her new season of family life.
We talk about making art anywhere in the world, how creativity is something you never age out of, and why being an artist isn’t something you clock in and out of , it’s a way of living.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your creativity could carry you somewhere new… this episode is your permission slip.

Two Takeaway Tips:
1. Design Your Creative Life Around Your Energy — Not the Hustle.
Burnout isn’t a badge of honour. If your creativity is draining you instead of fuelling you, it might be time to reshape how you work. Online offerings, retreats, community spaces — there are more ways than ever to build a life that supports your art and your wellbeing.
2. Make Art Wherever You Are.
You don’t need the perfect studio or the perfect season of life. Creativity travels with you. Whether you’re in New York, Copenhagen, your kitchen table, or Greece — you are still an artist. It’s not something you retire from. It’s who you are.