The Creative Kind

In this episode, I’m joined by landscape painter Debbie Mackenzie, who lives and works on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Debbie shares how her paintings grow out of the places she spends time in, and how her ideas evolve naturally as she works toward a solo exhibition.
We talk about what it means to build a body of work rather than individual paintings, and how each piece can influence the next. Debbie explains her unusual process of photographing inspiration and then never looking at the images again, relying instead on memory and feeling to guide her compositions.
We also get into the realities behind the scenes; logistics, deadlines, long studio days, balancing family life, financial gaps between shows, and the emotional comedown that can happen after finishing a major series. Debbie also reflects on consistency, why she rarely changes her palette, and how small shifts like music or brushes can spark experimentation without disrupting cohesion.

You can find Debbie on instagram here, her website here: www.debbiemackenzieart.com
She is represented by
SYDNEY - Michael Reid Gallery - Southern Highlands & Michael Reid Northern Beaches
MELBOURNE - Kelli Lundberg Gallery

You can find the podcast here on Instagram & here on substack

Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to rate, review & share if you enjoyed it, this helps other people find the show

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In this episode, I’m joined by Sydney based curator, writer, and artist mentor Amber Creswell Bell to talk about what it really means to be an artist right now, particularly in a slower market.

Amber brings a broad perspective from working closely with emerging artists, running a national art prize, curating exhibitions, and spending years inside the commercial gallery system. We discuss what artists can focus on when sales slow, how to think more strategically about your practice, and why relying on luck alone rarely leads to sustainable outcomes.

We talk about treating your art practice as a small business, understanding your audience, and using social media with intention rather than comparison. Amber shares her thoughts on what artists often spend too much energy on, how to research galleries and opportunities more effectively, and why being visible doesn’t have to mean chasing every trend. We also discuss the role of networking and community, the importance of finding a distinct visual language, and how art prizes can help artists build confidence, credibility, and new connections.

Find Amber here on her website or here on instagram
You can find the booking link here

Upcoming Masterclasses:
MELBOURNE 13th March
SYDNEY 28th March
POMONA (Sunshine Coast) 29th April
BYRON BAY 30th April
BRISBANE 20th June
CANBERRA: to be announced soon

You can find the podcast here on Instagram & here on substack

Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to rate, review & share if you enjoyed it, this helps other people find the show

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

n this episode of The Creative Kind, I sit down with artists Fleur Woods and Hannah Jensen Fox to talk about the impact and significance of art workshops. Fleur, a fiber artist and paint carver Hannah, share their experiences teaching workshops and how these sessions have benefited their practices and personal growth.
We explore the dynamics of workshops, the invaluable connections and community that form, and the surprising ways teaching has strengthened their own skills and confidence. We also touch on the logistical and financial challenges of running workshops, and the rewarding ripple effects of teaching. Our conversation highlights their shared belief in the transformative power of creativity and the joy of fostering a safe, encouraging, and collaborative environment for artists.

Find Fleur Woods here on her website or here on instagram
You can find more information about Fleur’s courses here

Find Hannah Jensen Fox here on her website or here on instagram
You can find more information about Hannah’s courses here

You can find the podcast here on Instagram & here on substack
Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to rate, review & share if you enjoyed it, this helps other people find the show

Recommendations from this episode:
Fleur Recommended:
Song Sung Blue - The Movie
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Hannah Recommended:
Trent Dalton Audiobooks; Lola in the mirror and Love Stories

Julie Recommended:
The Get Seen Artist Workbook by Carrie Scott
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To mark the end of the year, I asked past guests of The Creative Kind to share one artwork that stayed with them in 2025. Something that made them pause, something that lingered. What came back were personal reflections on paintings, sculptures, installations, exhibitions, and moments of seeing art that surprised, unsettled, comforted, or quietly shifted something. Some guests spoke about a single work they couldn’t stop thinking about. Others reflected on whole exhibitions, artists they keep returning to, or practices that have reshaped how they work in their own studios.

Across the episode, guests talk about scale and intimacy, about seeing work in person versus online, and about how materials, process, and repetition can carry meaning. Several guests speak about light and shadow, hope and heaviness, and the way an artwork can articulate something you didn’t yet have words for. There are also stories about risk, artists trying something unfamiliar, pushing their own boundaries, or committing to daily practice. A number of guests reflect on how these encounters with art have filtered back into their own practices, changing how they paint, build, repeat, simplify, or let go. Being moved by art doesn’t follow a single pattern, and sometimes the works that stay with us do so because they meet us differently each time we return to them.

This episode lands in a heavy moment following the events in Bondi. My sincerest sympathies to the victims, their families, and community.

All of the artists mentioned in this episode, along with recommendations from our guests, are linked in the Substack here.
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In this episode, we explore the theme of experimenting and how it shows up across different art practices and life stages. Featuring returning guests Laura Brinin, Robyn Rich, Jenni Stringleman, Kate Owen, Ashley Longshore, and Salma Price-Nell, we look at the many ways artists approach play, curiosity, and taking creative risks.

Across these conversations, we discuss what experimentation looks like in practical terms, from changing mediums and revisiting older works, to navigating the tension between intuition, commercial pressures, and personal capacity. The artists share how factors such as parenting, time limitations, and energy levels affect their willingness to take risks, and how small acts of play can keep a long or complex project moving.

We also cover the importance of staying connected to a sense of discovery, even in established practices. Whether it’s exploring film, returning to ceramics, testing new colour palettes, or seeking moments of flow, each guest offers insight into how experimentation supports growth, confidence, and momentum.

Find Laura Brinin at Side Gallery, website here and their instagram here:
Find Robyn Rich's website here and on instagram here
Find Jenni Stringleman's website here and her newsletter here
Find Kate Owen's website here and on instagram here
Find Ashley Lonshore's website here and on instagram here
Find Salma Price-Nell's website here and on instagram here

You can find the podcast on instagram here
Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to rate, review & share if you enjoyed it, this helps other people find the show
If you've got a question you'd like me to explore- you can ask it here

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