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Art & Cocktails

Ekaterina Popovaartandcocktails.substack.com
Art & Cocktails is a weekly podcast where contemporary art meets creativity, business, and real talk. Hosted by artist, Create! Magazine founder, and master coach Ekaterina Popova, each episode delivers honest, no-nonsense conversations that blend passion and vulnerability with real-world strategies for thriving as a creative entrepreneur. Created for artists, creatives, and artpreneurs, the show features inspiring stories and candid discussions with artists, curators, writers, and thought leaders in the arts and beyond. From navigating the art world to building a sustainable creative practice, each episode offers actionable tips, mindset shifts, and behind-the-scenes insights—served with your favorite drink in hand. Whether you're in the studio, on a walk, or unwinding after a long day, Art & Cocktails is your go-to space for fresh perspectives and practical tools to support your artistic journey. Tune in weekly and be part of the conversation—because your creative life deserves it. Find us at www.createmagazine.co/podcast — where the conversation about art and business starts.

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Episodes

Build a Booming Etsy Business with Shelby McFadden

Alicia was thrilled to guest host a new episode bringing back a previous guest, Shelby McFadden. She was the original graphic designer on the Create! Magazine team, who also did the layouts for both versions of our Smartist Guide books . In the years since we first interviewed her on The Create Podcast, she’s since gone on to launch a new art & lifestyle publication called CandyFloss Magazine and an immensely successful wearable art and home goods Etsy shop called Fugly Barbie . This intervi...

Jun 18, 202138 min

Next Level Paper Cutting and Showing up for Yourself in Bigger Ways with Rosa Leff

Join host Ekaterina Popova and paper cut artist Rosa Leff on this motivating episode. Rosa shares how she started using paper as her medium, why she chose this subject matter, and offers tips on how to show up for yourself and find the best opportunities for your art. Between painting alongside her grandmother and watching her father build reproduction antique furniture, Rosa Leff grew up seeing no distinction between fine art and craft. What mattered was that things were made by hand and done w...

Jun 11, 202123 min

Creating Without Expectations: Interview with Seth Remsnyder

Alicia guest hosts an interview with painter Seth Remsnyder. “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake.” Kurt Vonnegut Seth Remsnyder began seriously painting in 1996 at the behest of his high school art teacher, Mr. Charles Acri. “Ack” as the kids sometimes called him would put Seth in the hallway with two talkative classmates for models, have him stretch a canvas and paint for the entirety of his art classes and study halls. The good te...

Jun 04, 202136 min

Fearless Creativity, Finding Your Identity and Boundaries With Julia Hacker

Join host Kat and Canadian artist Julia Hacker on an empowering episode about finding your identity, discovering the freedom to whatever you choose, and committing to personal boundaries to protect time in the studio. Julia Hacker shares her story about moving from Russia to Canada, finding her identity as an artist, and chasing after her dreams. Julia Hacker is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist working in a variety of contemporary mixed media, paint, collage, and illustration. Julia also...

May 24, 202153 min

Fluid Art & Viral Videos with Jamie Pomeranz

Jamie Pomeranz, aka Devils May Care, is a Hoboken-based artist and maker who started her journey into fluid arts when a friend brought over her set of alcohol inks for a little “wine and whine” session. Overwhelmed by the calm that the fluid inks created within her, Jamie was an instant addict. Prior to focusing on liquid art, Jamie owned and operated her own tee shirt brand under the same name, Devils May Care. Apparel featured Jamie’s original photography transformed into graphic designs and w...

May 17, 202129 min

Make Your Art No Matter What With Beth Pickens

Join Kat and consultant Beth Pickens on an inspiring episode during which you will hear about Beth's journey, how she found her path, what motivates her about working with artists, and her incredible new book Make Your Art No Matter What. Beth shares: Common misconceptions about finances in the art community and mindset shift to help you succeed. Why it's so important to continue making art no matter what. Tips for overcoming self-judgment. Way to create more balance and harmony in your life and...

May 10, 202133 min

Tap Into Your Creativity with Sandra Felemovicious

Alicia hosts an interview with Sandra Felemovicious, artist and the host of "Tap Into Your Creativity" interview series on Instagram live. Sandra pulls from her Mexican culture and the outer tangible world to create her abstractions. She can be inspired by a fragment of a rock or a wall that catches her eye, and incorporates simple forms, shapes, and lines into her complex work. Her process of creating a painting is rooted in who she is, a Jewish Mexican Artist, integrating her past with the pre...

May 07, 202125 min

Following Your Gut and Trusting Your Journey with Gita Joshi

In this episode, get to know Gita Joshi's story and how she became a curator, coach for artists, and artpreneur with an inspiring platform for artists. We talk about how to find your calling, trusting your dharma, and developing your own destiny. Gita shares her curatorial process and talks about the show she recently curated for Create! Magazine, "Springing Forward." This episode also features inspiring tips for artists to help you show up for yourself, become your own best advocate, and even s...

May 03, 202125 min

Befriending The Instagram Algorithm with Dina Brodsky

Tune in with artist Dina Brodsky and Ekaterina Popova on an inspiring episode in which Dina shares how she became an artist. We discuss the moment during which she figured out how to make the Instagram algorithm work for her. She shares best practices, advice, and why she started teaching a course on this topic to help other artists. Learn with Dina: https://www.insightsforartists.com Dina Brodsky is a contemporary realist miniaturist, painter, and curator. She was educated at University of Mass...

Apr 26, 202130 min

Behind The Scenes of a Small Arts Business with Kat and Alicia

Join Kat and Alicia on a candid episode where we take you behind the scenes of running a gallery, magazine, and other small art organizations. We talk about common misconceptions, challenges, and the good parts. Kat is an artist, founder of Create! Magazine and coach. Alicia is a curator, writer, and CEO of PxP Contemporary. www.createmagazine.com/podcast Get full access to Art & Cocktails by Ekaterina Popova at artandcocktails.substack.com/subscribe...

Apr 23, 202128 min

Unleash Your Creativity and Quiet the Inner Critic with Volta, Founder of Color Snack

Join Kat and Volta on an empowering episode to help you unleash creativity, release self-doubt and start creating the art you've always dreamed of! Originally from Moldova, Volta is the founder of Color Snack and her mission to watercolor the world can be seen in the various projects such as brand activations, custom illustrations and animated GIFs that she creates for national and international brands (like Dallas Mavericks and Michaels Stores). She has taught thousands of students in her onlin...

Apr 19, 202123 min

Painting the Feminine Spectacle: Interview with Ingrid V. Wells

Ingrid V. Wells earned her MFA from San Francisco Art Institute and her BFA from Arizona State University. Her work fancies the fantastic and humorous in theme and the charming, the kitschy, and the celebrity in subject. Wells's paintings investigate the world of gendered consumerism and the ethics of fascination. Her work has been shown in the Bay Area at Voss Gallery, New York at the Untitled Space, PULSE Miami with Treat Gallery, and internationally in South Korea at the CICA Museum. Her work...

Apr 16, 202133 min

A Fresh Vision For The Arts, With Jenée-Daria Strand, Brooklyn Museum

Join Kat and Jenée-Daria Strand and learn about the ambitious young curator's story and vision for a more inclusive art world. Discover her role at the Brooklyn Museum and get behind the scenes of her daily life in New York! Jenée-Daria Strand is the Curatorial Assistant for the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum where she supports in the research and organization of numerous exhibitions. She has worked on projects examining Black subjectivity through historical ...

Apr 12, 202118 min

Celebrating Creativity and Motherhood With Mona Lerch

Get to know Czech artist and founder of Art Mums United, Mona Lerch! Mona shares her story, motherhood, why it's so essential to create a safe space and celebrate art mums. This episode will inspire you to build your own community and go after your big dreams! Mona Lerch is a self-taught contemporary artist currently residing in Brno, Czech Republic. After having completed her studies in Australia and the UK, she returned to the Czech Republic to pursue her career as an internal security special...

Apr 05, 202121 min

Inner Expression and Creating From Joy With Halie Torris

Join painter Halie Torris and Kat on a candid episode in which we discuss art, spirituality, the courage to share your story, and more. Halie Torris is a contemporary artist working in oils. Halie experienced a spiritual awakening that shifted her ideas and concepts towards the subconscious mind and inner stillness. In 2020, she openly accepted her sexuality and publicly posted about the influence that being a part of the LGBTQ community has had on her self-acceptance. createmagazine.com/podcast...

Mar 30, 202126 min

Art Cures All: Interview with Heather Polk

In this episode, Alicia returns as a guest host to interview Heather Polk. Heather is a sales and marketing professional with an active art practice that fills her nights and weekends. She resides in Chicago where she relocated from Atlanta almost ten years ago. She is working toward establishing a small art studio that will deliver programming for sufferers of chronic disease so that they, and their caretakers, may utilize the empowerment of artistic creativity as a vital part of their disease ...

Mar 25, 202140 min

Healing to Express: Wellness for Artists with Samantha Otero

Join Kat and Samantha on an empowering episode and learn how nutrition can fuel your art and creativity. We chat about healing on a cellular level, feeling amazing, and creating our life's work from a place of love and wellness. Get a free smoothie recipe from Samantha here: https://createmagazine.lpages.co/art-queen-smoothie/ Samantha Otero is a Plant-Based Nutritionist and Holistic Coach whose passion is found in guiding artists, entrepreneurs, and mothers on their healing journeys toward opti...

Mar 21, 202126 min

Keep The Magic Alive: Interview with Mari Andrew

In this episode, Alicia returns as a guest host to interview writer, author, and speaker, Mari Andrew! Mari grew up in Seattle, went to college in Chicago, taught English in Chile, and spent a few years working in Baltimore and DC before eventually deciding to move to New York, which is where she currently lives and works. Her first book, Am I there yet?, is a collection of observations from being in her 20s and navigating the murky waters of dating, heartbreak, grief, moving, finding community,...

Mar 10, 202123 min

Tips For Embodying Your Next Level With Kat

Tune in and get powerful tips from Kat on how to embody your next level of success in your art career and beyond. Work with Kat: https://artqueens.co/navigation-course Membership: https://artqueens.co/art-queens-membership Recommended Reading: Millionaire Success Habits: The Gateway to Wealth and Prosperity by Dean Graziosi Get full access to Art & Cocktails by Ekaterina Popova at artandcocktails.substack.com/subscribe...

Mar 01, 202121 min

Reframing Productivity & How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon

In this episode, Alicia returns as a guest host to interview Austin Kleon about his new audiobook trilogy. Kleon is the New York Times bestselling author of a trilogy of illustrated books about creativity in the digital age: Steal Like An Artist , Show Your Work! , and Keep Going . He’s also the author of Newspaper Blackout , a collection of poems made by redacting the newspaper with a permanent marker. His books have been translated into dozens of languages and have sold over a million copies w...

Feb 27, 202150 min

Creating a Space for Artists and Educators With Artist and Founder of Visionary Art Collective, Victoria Fry

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you combined your passions and created a community that serves other like-minded creatives? Hint: it's so worth it! Join Kat and Victoria Fry on a new podcast episode. We talk all about being an artist, educator, and fusing the two fields. Victoria is an artist and educator with a passion for lifting contemporary artists and educators. Being committed to a rigorous studio practice and serving the art community is not an easy path. Still, this artist is...

Feb 24, 202129 min

Heart to Heart with Erika Lee Sears

Join Kat (Ekaterina Popova) and painter Erika Lee Sears on a special episode. The artist shares the struggles and triumphs of being an artist during Covid, an exciting project for Lana Del Rey, and a recent collaboration with Guy Hepner/Tax Collection, and much more. Tune in to get inspired and see how much is possible for you as an artist! www.createmagazine.com/podcast Erika Lee Sears is an oil painter from Portland, OR who specializes in contemporary still life scenes. Known for her intimate ...

Feb 17, 202138 min

Inspired Vs. Fearful Action, Behind The Scenes of Creating a Course From the Heart

Kat shares her mindset shift from being driven by fear to taking mindful, inspired action from the heart. She continues the topic of overcoming "survival mode" and take you behind the scenes of creating her first signature course and what it was like! To get updates about the course or other coaching programs, join the mailing list at www.theartqueens.com www.createmagazine.com/podcast Get full access to Art & Cocktails by Ekaterina Popova at artandcocktails.substack.com/subscribe...

Feb 01, 202121 min

How to Organize Your Own Exhibition: Interview with Bree Smith

In this episode, Alicia chats with Dallas-based artist Bree Smith to dive into her background, career, and all of the steps she took to organize her own solo show in 2020. Bree Smith is a Dallas-based painter and mixed media artist and has also recently begun working in murals and installation. Bree received her Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2007. Her current body of work focuses on futuristic themes inspired by her late father’s love of science fiction, and o...

Jan 29, 202146 min

The Present of Presence: Kat's Journey

In today's episode, I'm sharing something very personal, my sobriety journey. I dive into why and how I finally let go of drinking alcohol and some of the positive side-effects of spending most of 2020 sober. Thanks for being here today! Click here to sign up for my Art Queens mailing list and stay in touch! www.theartqueens.com P.S. If you need support, please reach out to someone you trust or call a professional. There is no shame in getting the help you need. Get full access to Art & Cock...

Jan 26, 202123 min

Adapting & Ambition: Interview with Brooklyn-based Artist Jenna Morello

In this episode, Alicia hosts an interview with Jenna Morello to discuss building up her reputation as a muralist, the process behind the small resin sculptures she's become known for, and how she's made her art practice financially stable. Jenna Morello is a multi-disciplinary artist from Brooklyn, New York. She is equally at home creating large-scale bold, expressive walls as well as meticulously crafted sculptures. She mixes and matches multiple mediums to create nature-based, sometimes anato...

Jan 21, 202131 min

Wonder, Whimsy, and Imagination with Shawna Gilmore

Alicia hosts an episode interviewing painter Shawna Gilmore. Born and raised in the Upper Midwest, Shawna Gilmore draws deep from the winter-forged well of her overactive imagination. Her narrative, vintage-infused paintings explore many topics such as wonder, childhood, nature, patterns, and humor. Shawna graduated in 2000 from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a BFA in Studio Art and an emphasis on Drawing and Printmaking. She has exhibited both locally and nationally. Her work is part o...

Dec 30, 202040 min

Step Out of Survival Mode and Into Thriving

Join Kat on this uplifting episode in which she shares a personal mindset shift that helped her go from survival mode and finally step into thriving. Kat shares the patterns that kept her stuck for years and opens up about what mental shifts and healing helped her move on and overcome. Recommended Reading: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma www.createmagazine.com/podcast Get full access to Art & Cocktails by Ekaterina Popova at artandcocktails.substack.c...

Dec 15, 202019 min

Life & Loss: Exploring the Art of Motherhood with Brandi Hofer

Life & Loss: Exploring the Art of Motherhood with Brandi Hofer Brandi Hofer is a Canadian artist who earned her BFA in 2008 from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design in Halifax and has since exhibited widely both nationally and internationally. Her main focus is figurative and portrait painting, where she explores themes of empowerment, the female psyche, and our emotional selves. Since she became a mother in 2014, Hofer has been involving her children in her painting process, creatin...

Dec 11, 202034 min

Find Your Ideal Audience and Collectors!

Find Your Ideal Audience and Collectors Kat and Alicia share the best tips for finding collectors for your art and read a free chapter from their new book The Complete Smartist Guide. Get the book: https://createmagazine.com/book Freebie download: https://www.theartqueens.com Get full access to Art & Cocktails by Ekaterina Popova at artandcocktails.substack.com/subscribe...

Nov 27, 202018 min
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