artchatter with Gaynor Leverett-Jaques & Karen George

Episode 120 - what makes you an artist?

Holy heck, this is a BIG topic… we have lots to say and would love to hear what you think.

Here’s a quick dictionary definition: ‘Ultimately, being an artist is a personal journey and identity, defined by the act of creating and expressing, making it a fundamental way of living for many, not just a job title’ Well that sounds great, but what does it even mean? Actually sooo many things spring to mind. Let’s chat.

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us your thoughts, there’s lots more to chat about.

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last four and a half years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar!

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Svitlanka Dlinnaya on Unsplash

Sarah Targett
Polly Gough
Kathy Hutton

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart
@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up
Women’s Business Awards 2025

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠
@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠
@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 
Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

We all wear many hats, class ourselves as this or that. But who are we and which label do we claim first? Which title are we most proud of? 

Clumsy, funny, shy, outgoing, mother, father, child or friend? 

Here’s the big question for today though…
How do you label yourself - which labels limit you, which enable you, and which labels make you glow with happiness? 

Do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar! 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last four and a half years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

This week’s links and mentions:

Photo by Angèle Kamp on Unsplash

Rae Melody @raemelodyart 

Tracey Emin 
Basquiat 
Jackson Pollock
Venn diagram

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 
@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up
Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠
@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠
@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 
Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right" Henry Ford 
Karen and Gaynor are delving in to how we much inner strength, self belief and hope we all need as artists. How do we brave social media, public opinion or our own self doubt? How do we get brave enough to put our souls (not dramatic at all!) out on display. Obviously, we have thoughts… 

So do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar! 

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us how you feel about putting yourself out there, there’s lots more to chat about. 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last nearly five years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Katja Anokhina on Unsplash

Royal West of England Academy - Cosmos
James Clear Atomic Habits 
Louise Fletcher
Brené Brown
Rae Melody

Women’s Business Club 

@karengeorgeart 
@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast
Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up
Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠
@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠
@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 
Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

Oh heck we’re a bit rusty.
Where’s Gaynor’s microphone? Has Karen got her podcast cough back?
We’re having a bit of a jiggle up, here; diving deeper into things… slightly more structured schedule, making time for little breaks throughout the year. 

So do hit the subscribe button on whichever platform you listen to Artchatter on, it’s easier than marking your calendar! 

January for Karen and Gaynor has been about gently unfolding a little, doing some clearing, editing, considering. We’re not rushing into decisions, doing or making. However, we’ve both chosen a word for the year and are stepping gently into our hopes and dreams, beginning by letting go of the stuff we no longer need. 
Oh and did we mention… second place in pod of the year? *still giddy*

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us how your January has been, there’s lots more to chat about. 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last four and a half years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by Jo Hounsome Photography

Jo McCarthy https://jomccarthy.com

Jen Mick

Day Count App

Women’s Business Club https://womensbusiness.club/awards

@karengeorgeart 
@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast

Artchatter: Podcast of the Year Award Runner Up
Women’s Business Awards 2025 

https://womensbusiness.club/awards

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing lessons and experiences of the ups and downs of living their best artist lives.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠
@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠
@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 
Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree

We made it through another year together! How wonderful. Now to consider our dreams, create a wish list and send everyone love for a beautiful and peaceful 2026 

Now, as always, we invite you to tell us what your plan for finding your way is, there’s lots more to chat about. 

Thank you, too, to all who listen, DM, send messages and have made the last four years so much fun with #artchatterpodcast

Sign up to receive Karen’s Studio News  https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/ and Gaynor’s emails https://gaynorljart.com/pages/contact

Links and mentions:

Photo by ⁠Svitlanka Dlinnaya⁠ on ⁠Unsplash⁠

Carolina Ximena 
Opal fruits 
Sue Bulmer
Harry Baker 
Barbara Reade 
Tamara Grande 

@karengeorgeart 
@gaynorljart

@artchatterpodcast

About the podcast
⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ and ⁠Karen George⁠ are both full time artists, living and working in South West of the UK, sharing experiences and the ups and downs of living the painting life.

You can find more about them and their work on their websites or by following them on instagram where they share their work and practice on a regular basis. 

⁠Karen George Art⁠ ⁠https://www.karengeorgeart.co.uk/⁠
@karengeorgeart on instagram

⁠Gaynor Leverett-Jaques⁠ ⁠https://www.gaynorljart.com/⁠
@gaynorljart on instagram

Thanks always to our wonderful sound editor, Ben Leverett-Jaques, who also wrote and performs the opening song 'Strangler Fig'

Ben's IMBD page: ⁠https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7425880/⁠ 
Ben's Music - Low Cinnabar: https://low-cinnabar.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-from-the-tree