Two Cranky Creatives: Real Talk & Practical Advice for Surface Designers and Creative Entrepreneurs

This episode is sponsored by Sunlight Tax, Illustrators for Hire, the Illustration Portfolio Challenge, the Illustration Bootcamp, and Art Licensing Unlocked. 
In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks are joined by artist, educator, and creative powerhouse Lisa Bardot to tackle a universal struggle—how the hell do we find time to make art when life is a never-ending to-do list? Between running a business, managing responsibilities, and trying to remember to eat lunch, carving out time for creative flow can feel impossible.
Together, Lisa, Carrie, and Toni dive into the tug-of-war between the ideas buzzing in our heads and the demands of real life that constantly interrupt them. They talk about embracing imperfect progress, redefining what productivity means for artists, and learning to find a rhythm that honors your creative energy instead of fighting it. If you've ever stared longingly at your sketchbook while your inbox mocks you—this episode is your cranky permission slip to make something anyway.
Lisa Bardot…
Lisa Bardot is an illustration artist, teacher, and creative adventurer based in California. Using the iPad and Procreate as her go-to tools, she creates digital brushes, tutorials, and resources that help artists of all levels find joy in making art. Her tutorials have reached millions worldwide, earning her a reputation for a teaching style that's thorough, concise, and fun.
Lisa is the author of Drawing Digital, a guide to creating art on the iPad, and the founder of Bardot Brush, where she designs Procreate brushes and tools loved by artists across the globe. She also leads Making Art Everyday, a drawing challenge that helps people conquer creative fears and build a consistent art practice, and Art Maker's Club, a joy-filled community and learning hub for digital art-makers.
BardotBrush.com
Instagram: @LisaBardot
YouTube: Bardot Brush
Making Art Everyday
ArtMakersClub.com
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Two Cranky Creatives …
Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell and Toni Federico, two experienced art entrepreneurs who reveal the realities of making a living as a creative. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, victories, and everything in between when navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative entrepreneur deep into the hustle or just curious about the grind, join us every other week for candid conversations packed with practical advice that goes beyond the usual sugar-coated tips.
Thank you to our sponsors!
 
Sunlight Tax
Illustrators for Hire
Art Licensing Unlocked
Illustration Bootcamp

This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code TWOCRANKYCREATIVES  (affiliate link) at https://signup.libsyn.com/

This episode is sponsored by the Art Brand Alliance and True Grit Texture Supply. Listeners also get a a 20% discount with the code CRANKY at checkout
In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sit down with artist and tax pro, Hannah Cole of Sunlight Tax, for a clear-eyed, no-nonsense conversation about taxes and the creative hustle. Together, they unpack the much-talked-about One Big Beautiful Bill, including why its flashy perks feel good in the short term, who actually benefits, and how it will impact us over the long-term. This is the stuff that gets buried under headlines, and it directly impacts how sustainable (or fragile) a creative career can be.
But we never leave you without hope, and Hannah breaks down quarterly taxes in plain language, explains why tax protest mostly hurts individuals rather than systems, and offers smarter ways creatives can use economic power without blowing up their own finances. If you're craving creative career advice that cuts through the noise and gives you practical advice you can actually use, this episode is for you.
Hannah Cole …
Hannah Cole is an artist, tax expert, and the founder of Sunlight Tax. She specializes in educating entrepreneurs and creative professionals in taxes and financial empowerment. A long-time working artist with a high-level exhibition history, Hannah is a frequent speaker on stages and podcasts, a money columnist for the art blog Hyperallergic, and the host of a global top 3% podcast, the Sunlight podcast. Her company, Sunlight Tax, specializes in friendly, informative tax education for self-employed people with a big vision, and engaging, savvy tax education workshops for creative groups.
www.sunlighttax.com
Two Cranky Creatives …
Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell & Toni Federico, two seasoned art entrepreneurs who pull back the curtain on the highs and lows of making a living as a creative. Expect unfiltered, real talk about the challenges, victories, and everything in between that comes with navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative or just curious about the hustle, join us every other week for candid conversations that go beyond the usual sugar-coated advice.
Thank you to our sponsor!

Art Brand Alliance
True Grit Texture Supply

This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code TWOCRANKYCREATIVES  (affiliate link) at https://signup.libsyn.com/

This episode is sponsored by Sunlight Tax, The Etsy Mentor, True Grit Texture Supply, Art Licensing Unlocked, Brooke Mackie Designs, the Illustration Portfolio Challenge, and The Print Life. Listeners also get a a 20% discount at True Grit Texture Supply  with the code CRANKY at checkout
Surface designer Vanessa Stoilova joins the Cranks for a thought-provoking conversation about the rise—and possible plateau—of AI in the surface design industry. They share their perspectives on when it is—or isn't—appropriate to use AI in your creative work, and how designers can adapt to this new era without losing their artistic voice (or their sanity).
As AI tools flood the creative world, artists and creative entrepreneurs are asking hard questions about originality, ethics, and sustainability. Together, they dig into how companies are responding with new restrictions and contract clauses around AI-generated art, and why staying authentically you is still the most powerful business strategy for creative entrepreneurs. Whether you're cautiously curious about AI or ready to unplug entirely, this episode offers a grounded, no-BS look at how to evolve without selling out—a cranky reminder that real art still comes from real humans.
Vanessa Stoilova …
Vanessa Stoilova has been a professional illustrator since 2015, working first in picture books and now as a surface designer. She is represented by Pink Light Studio and has collaborated with companies like American Greetings, Hobby Lobby, TJ-Maxx, Casetify, Design Design, and more. Since 2021, she has also taught art business tips to aspiring illustrators on her YouTube Channel, Art Business with Ness.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtBusinesswithNess
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/vanessa.stoilova/
Web: https://www.vanessastoilova.com/
Want More Cranky?
Join the Cranky Club on Apple Podcasts to get early access to every episode, completely ad-free. You'll also unlock the full archive — all past episodes, right at your fingertips.
Strut Your Cranky Stuff!
Let the world know you're not just creative, you're cranky too! We recently launched a line of merch on ​Bonfire​. Grab yours today!
Two Cranky Creatives …
Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell and Toni Federico, two experienced art entrepreneurs who reveal the realities of making a living as a creative. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, victories, and everything in between when navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative entrepreneur deep into the hustle or just curious about the grind, join us every other week for candid conversations packed with practical advice that goes beyond the usual sugar-coated tips.
Thank you to our sponsors!

Sunlight Tax
The Etsy Mentor
True Grit Texture Supply
Art Licensing Unlocked
The Print Life
Illustration Portfolio Challenge
Brooke Mackie Design

This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code TWOCRANKYCREATIVES  (affiliate link) at https://signup.libsyn.com/

This episode is sponsored by Sunlight Tax, The Etsy Mentor, True Grit Texture Supply, and The Print Life. Listeners also get a a 20% discount at True Grit Texture Supply  with the code CRANKY at checkout
In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks go full spicy about sneaky contract language that's leaving creative entrepreneurs overworked, undervalued, and roped into agreements that quietly say, "also be our unpaid marketing department." From licensing deals that demand multi-year social media commitments, to contests that prioritize clout over craft, they unpack the sneaky ways companies offload marketing costs onto creators—and how this practice eats away at the soul of your creative hustle.
Carrie and Toni take a beat to reflect on the deeper damage these expectations cause to a creative career—shifting time, energy, and emotional bandwidth away from actual artmaking and into unpaid promotional labor. They share practical advice for navigating creative challenges like these: how to evaluate opportunity cost, listen to your gut, and make bold exits from contracts that don't serve your values. This episode is cranky. It's cathartic. And it might just save your sanity.
Notable Resources
The Artist's Rebellion: Breaking Up With The Content Monster
Want More Cranky?
Join the Cranky Club on Apple Podcasts to get early access to every episode, completely ad-free. You'll also unlock the full archive — all past episodes, right at your fingertips.
Strut Your Cranky Stuff!
Let the world know you're not just creative, you're cranky too! We recently launched a line of merch on ​Bonfire​. Grab yours today!
Two Cranky Creatives …
Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell and Toni Federico, two experienced art entrepreneurs who reveal the realities of making a living as a creative. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, victories, and everything in between when navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative entrepreneur deep into the hustle or just curious about the grind, join us every other week for candid conversations packed with practical advice that goes beyond the usual sugar-coated tips.
Thank you to our sponsors!

Sunlight Tax
The Etsy Mentor
True Grit Texture Supply
The Print Life
This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code TWOCRANKYCREATIVES  (affiliate link) at https://signup.libsyn.com/

In this bonus episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks dig into the newly released Surface Design Industry Survey by Shannon McNab. This is the only data set of its kind in our industry, and it matters. Full stop. The Cranks react in real time to what the survey reveals about income, expenses, and more, while naming the creative challenges that so many surface designers quietly carry alone. If you've ever felt like your creative hustle was happening in a vacuum—no benchmarks, no context, just vibes—this episode exchanges real information for that uncertainty. But this conversation isn't about panic or comparison, it's about perseverance, perspective, and permission.
PLEASE SUPPORT SHANNON'S WORK!!
Toni, here … in this episode, we respond to the survey, but that isn't a replacement for downloading it and using the information yourself. This data is crucial to our industry and to each of our careers. Please donate monetarily to Shannon; even $1 will help keep this survey alive. Both Carrie and I donated. Please give what you can.
>>Donate to keep the Surface Design Industry Survey going
Want More Cranky?
Join the Cranky Club on Apple Podcasts to get early access to every episode, completely ad-free. You'll also unlock the full archive — all past episodes, right at your fingertips.
Strut Your Cranky Stuff!
Let the world know you're not just creative, you're cranky too! We recently launched a line of merch on ​Bonfire​. Grab yours today!
Two Cranky Creatives …
Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell and Toni Federico, two experienced art entrepreneurs who reveal the realities of making a living as a creative. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, victories, and everything in between when navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative entrepreneur deep into the hustle or just curious about the grind, join us every other week for candid conversations packed with practical advice that goes beyond the usual sugar-coated tips.
This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code TWOCRANKYCREATIVES  (affiliate link) at https://signup.libsyn.com/