An Art To It

Freedom of choice and taking up all opportunities are just two of the topics I chat about with visual artist Laura Menzies in episode 52 of An Art to It. 
From a multidisciplinary arts degree and early love of dance to developing a distinctive painting practice in Cornwall, Laura shares her creative business journey; and reveals how studying, teaching and later completing an MA in Fine Art helped her refine her artistic voice. 
We also discuss the reality of building a creative business: learning the business side on the job, approaching and working with galleries, and the inventive collaborations that have helped Laura reach new audiences, including projects with Celtic & Co https://www.celticandco.com/  and Neptune https://www.neptune.com/. 
Laura speaks openly about growing in confidence, learning to market herself in ways that feel aligned, and the value of staying open, flexible and resilient in a creative career.
Topics covered
Laura's early creative life and multidisciplinary arts degree

Why visual art, rather than performance, became her focus

Moving to Cornwall and the draw of the coast and creative community

How her painting practice developed during and after her MA at Falmouth

Landscape, memory, movement and "visual poetry" in her work

Learning the business side of being an artist

Building confidence in promoting and talking about her work

Collaborating with Celtic & Co on a range of clothes using her painting 

Using books, branding and beautifully styled imagery as part of her business

Growing into a more entrepreneurial mindset

Her thoughts on success, freedom and creative choice

Advice on resilience, flexibility and running a successful creative business

 
You can see Laura's work at https://www.lauramenzies.co.uk/ and on instagram she is @lauramenziesart

Exhibiting - and wearing - a maker's work for a decade is definitely something worth celebrating. This week I'm chatting with Cornish jeweller Lucy Spink, a Byre Gallery regular for ten years since I first discovered her work thanks to two clients who were wearing her jewellery; surely the best kind of introduction. Since then I've got a considerable collection of her work myself - as have many of the gallery's clients.
In our lovely chat we talk about how the jewellery world has shifted over the last decade, the eye-watering rise in metal prices, Lucy's love of unusual stones, and the way photography, texture and storytelling all weave through her practice. Lucy also shares the real behind-the-scenes of creative life: fairs, imposter syndrome, the juggle of life, dogs and studio time… and why residencies can be pure creative gold.
We chat about:
How I first discovered Lucy's work a customer-styling recommendation!

How the jewellery market has changed: trends, saturation, and shifting tastes

Why unusual gemstones sparked a new direction

Metal prices rising fast - and what makers may do next

Lucy's photography background and why it helps her in her practice  

The quiet power of "back story" in a creative practice (nothing is wasted)

The reality of fairs: visibility, energy, and "bearing your soul"

The role galleries still play, and how online selling has changed things

The art to running a creative business: persistence, hope, and adapting

 
You can see Lucy's work @lucyspinkjewllery and www. lucyspinkjewellery.co.uk

Word play and the serenity of printing are under discussion in this episode of An Art to It, when I'm joined by artist and maker Megan Fatharly.  An exciting talent, Meg has won a deserved reputation  - and fan base - for her witty and distinctive embossed metal work. 
In a lively and honest chat we talk about Meg's relationship with place (Scottish beginnings, Cornwall now), her diagnosis of ADHD in her late twenties, and how art-making became both a way to process the world and a "capsule of process" she could return to when things felt too much.
Meg shares the behind-the-scenes truth of building a creative business: the push-pull between play and commercial demand, the exhaustion of systems and delegation, the emotional reality of visibility, and why success can feel strangely rigid when your work becomes known for "one thing".
We also discuss taking part in the trade show Top Drawer, the difference between that and a market, how audiences connect with the person behind the work, and a line that Meg wrote in her blog about showing her work at Top Drawer that stood out for me: "paying attention to where the work naturally wants to go, rather than where I think it should go to be more easily understood." I asked how that fits in with being an entrepreneur
We chat about:
The pull of geography and "sense of place" in creative identity

ADHD, hyper-fixation, and the relief of processes that slow the mind down

Meg's love of printmaking

Poetry, collage and using words to anchor ambiguity

When your art becomes a business: contracts, VAT, systems and structure

The tension between exploring new work and "will it sell?" mentality

Visibility and boundaries: when people want to meet the maker

 
You can see Meg's work at https://meganfatharly.com/ and @printcessmeg
 
Meg very much admires: The Fabled Thread
Website: https://www.thefabledthread.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefabledthread
 
Meg worked alongside the Institute of Imagination facilitating workshops. 
Website: https://www.instituteofimagination.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instituteofimagination
 
Meg took part in Top Drawer with Cornwall Shop Small and Creative Kernow Associates
Website: https://www.cornwallshopsmall.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornwallshopsmall
 
Website: https://associates.creativekernow.org.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativekernowassociates
 
John was one of Meg's tutors during foundation and degree, and his open-access print studio remains an invaluable creative space in Cornwall.
Website: https://www.johnhowardprintstudios.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnhowardprint

Celebrating 20 years as a beacon of creative excellence in jewellery, I'm delighted to be joined this week by Vicky Sewart, founder of Victoria Sewart Contemporary Jewellery Gallery in Plymouth, Devon. 
In a lovely chat with Vicky we talk about what's changed in the jewellery world, and why, with a very clear vision of what she wanted her gallery to be, she "stuck to her guns" through recessions and retail shifts. 
Vicky also shares how teaching has become a huge part of her creative life, the reality of navigating breast cancer just two years into opening the gallery, and why she's now embracing a fresh "next chapter" with mentoring and renewed energy.
What we cover:
How the contemporary jewellery landscape has changed over 20 years

Why Vicky chose "gallery" over "shop" -  and what that means in practice

Sticking to a clear vision (even when the market pushes you mainstream)

The joy of teaching design-led jewellery

Whether you need university to become a jeweller today

The role galleries still play in a world of Instagram selling

What Vicky wants next: lifestyle business, career business… or something she can eventually sell?

You can see the gallery at https://victoriasewart.com/ and on instagram @victoria_sewart_gallery 
Vicky talked about the work of one of her gallery team, Rachel Darbourne whose work you can see @racheldarbourne, also part of the amazing team at the Gallery is @valmuddymanjewellery @kathleen.ashcroft.jewellery and @donna.burns.jewellery 
If you enjoy An Art to It podcasts, please, please do follow us on Apple and help more people find us.  It's really easy, open the Apple podcast app, go to An Art to It; the top three little dots on the upper right hand corner, touch that and it will offer you 'Go to Show' select that, you're on the home page, and then back to the three dots, select that and tap FOLLOW. Thank you v much!

In this episode of An Art to It, I'm joined by ceramic artist Carolyn Tripp for a very enterianting and thoughtful conversation about finding your voice, building confidence, and taking the long view in a creative career.
 
Carolyn shares her journey from advertising to ceramics, how loss shaped a deeply personal body of work, and why success in the art world often comes slowly - through consistency, clarity, and community rather than quick wins.
 
In this episode we talk about:
Finding your true creative voice later in life
How personal experience can become universal in your work
Why Carolyn describes her work as a "visual diary" of things she notices
The value of getting help with words, storytelling, and communication
Imposter syndrome - even when showing your work at a prestigious event like Collect
How previous careers can quietly support a creative business
Selling work through galleries and how collectors engage with ceramics
Why evolution in your work needs to be careful and considered
What success looks like when you play the long game
 
 
Carolyn also shared businesses that she loves for their brands and their authenticity: her local bakers @august.bakery_ and skincare specialist @drsambunting
 
You can find Carolyn's work at https://www.carolyntceramics.co.uk/ and on instagram she's @carolyntceramics
 
Carolyn is showing her work with the Cynthia Corbett Gallery https://www.thecynthiacorbettgallery.com/ at the Craft's Council https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/ international event, Collect at London's Somerset House https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/ from 26th Feb
 
If you enjoy An Art to It podcasts, please, please do follow us on Apple and help more people find us. It's really easy, open the Apple podcast app, go to An Art to It; the top three little dots on the upper right hand corner, touch that and it will offer you 'Go to Show' select that, your on the home page, and then back to the three dots, select that and tap FOLLOW. Thank you v much!