Meet Cherri Ledbetter and Devin Joyner, inspiring artists who traveled to Ghana, West Africa with me on the Empowered Creatives Retreat! They both have confidence doing the work they love. Cherri is an interdisciplinary creative who makes beautiful sculptures and paintings, and believes you should never stop experimenting. Devin is a creative director, choreographer and certified yogi. She’s also the founder of Many Colors Beauty Box, and advocates for forward movement in the entertainment and b...
Nov 04, 2021•46 min•Ep. 41
So by now if you’ve been listening to this 4-episode retreat series, you know that I’m committed to helping you be the bomb artist you already are and create a beautiful life centered around your creative genius. You probably are excited about the retreat, but still have some lingering questions if this trip is right for you. You might even be talking yourself out of going. In this episode I’m answering all your Q’s! Today I give you a deep look inside the Empowered Creatives Retreat in Ghana. I...
Oct 28, 2021•43 min•Ep. 40
In this week’s episode I'll show you what the Empowered Creatives framework looks like in real life. And how my support can help you make this process so much easier. You’ll see how my framework will work at the Ghana Art Retreat, and how to apply the framework to your every day lives. This episode is all about how to implement and put the pieces together. To illustrate how the framework looks in real life let me share a story. I remember when things first shifted for me in Ghana. I was working ...
Oct 21, 2021•23 min•Ep. 39
In this week’s episode I share with you my Empowered Creatives Framework. It's the process I use to reflect on my practice, commit to my vision, and leave a legacy. The framework is a 3-Phase Process that helps artists to have clarity on their creative calling, feel connected, and confident to do the work they love. When I was designing the Empowered Creatives Retreat, I broke down the steps I took when I had my first breakthrough. I sat down and thought about why I had clarity, confidence, and ...
Oct 14, 2021•24 min•Ep. 38
It’s Not Just A Dream Vacation In this special retreat series, we’ll go behind-the-scenes of the Empowered Creatives Retreat experience, insight to why I created this retreat package, why you need to have this experience NOW, and how this retreat will change the game for your art practice. The goal is for you to get a deep look at the Empowered Creatives Retreat. By the end of this four episode series you will know what happens on the retreat, if the retreat is right for you, and the support you...
Oct 07, 2021•18 min•Ep. 37
Meet Lande Yoosuf, a Nigerian-American writer, director and producer who lives in Brooklyn, NY. Lande has over 12 years of production development and casting experience, and has worked with several networks including MTV, NBC, Wetv, and Bravo. She loves telling stories that explore sociology, gender and race themes. Her first critically acclaimed short film, Privilege Unhinged, screened at the Martha’s Vineyards African American Film Festival. Lande is a boss who runs the production company One ...
Sep 02, 2021•36 min•Ep. 36
Creatives Making Moves Podcast Hosted by Victoria Timpo Meet Kalinda Williams, a business savvy interior designer who believes in holistic wellness. In 2017, Kalinda began selling restored furniture at a local retail store in Michigan. She quickly became one of the top sellers, and soon after decided to take a leap of faith to establish her brand as Mint Leaves, LLC. Today, Kalinda is the Founder & Creative Director of Mint Leaves where she provides event management, furniture restoration, a...
Aug 25, 2021•31 min•Ep. 35
Creatives Making Moves Podcast Hosted by Victoria Timpo Meet Chicago-based artist Abena Motaboli, whose creativity spans performance, painting, installations, and cultural work. Influenced by her South African and Ghanaian cultures, she uses materials from the earth like dirt, flowers, and tea to comment on displacement and past memories. She believes in using what you have to do whatever you want with your artwork. Abena has worked as an art facilitator with the Chicago Park District, Marwen Ar...
Aug 19, 2021•35 min•Ep. 34
Meet Youveline Joseph, a Haitian mixed media artist who uses cowrie shells, crystals, and glitter in her paintings. In 2018, Youveline made moves to focus on her art more professionally and has not looked back. Get the tea on her creative journey discovering her signature art style, and why it's so important to love what you do. Youveline is testament that it's ok to mess up, experiment, and try new things - because eventually people will find you and your work. In this episode, we talk about wh...
Aug 12, 2021•38 min•Ep. 32
When I first started my journey to achieve a purpose-driven life, it was ANYTHING but simple. It took a whole lot of discomfort too, because I had to learn new approaches that were totally different from my “usual” way of thinking and doing things. Changing habits, mindset, and lifestyle isn’t easy but I think you know by now that it’s the only way to get a life you love where you can make an impact. This episode is all about how to build a purpose-driven life as an artist. In this episode learn...
Apr 15, 2021•25 min•Ep. 31
Meet Nsenga Knight, an interdisciplinary artist based in Egypt whose work includes geometric drawings, text paintings, and photographs. Nsenga’s upbringing as a first-generation Black American Muslim informs her work as she makes critical contributions to conversations on Black America, politics, culture, and Islam in the 21st century. Nsenga has received numerous grants including Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant and exhibited work at the Drawing Center New York, Project Rowhouses, Museum of Con...
Apr 08, 2021•51 min•Ep. 30
This week, I decided to go rogue to share my 4 tips for traveling to Ghana. This episode is raw and vulnerable, and just me. As I prepare to host my first Ghana Art Retreat in July, I’ve been reflecting about my past experiences in Ghana. I believe there’s nothing better than being immersed in the culture, food, and people of Ghana. It’s magical. But, when I first started taking solo trips to Ghana it definitely was overwhelming. Over time I learned how to make the experience less stressful and ...
Apr 01, 2021•24 min•Ep. 29
Meet painter, entrepreneur and scholar, Tiffany LaTrice. In 2016 she opened TILA Studios, an art studio and community space for black women artists based in Atlanta. TILA mission is to create space where black women can gather and support each other in order to disrupt the art industry. Tiffany and her team have exhibited over 93 artists, held 11 exhibitions and sold 30% of the artwork. Today her studio also trains women on their professional development, from everything to how to write a strong...
Mar 25, 2021•39 min•Ep. 28
Meet Amber Snearl, is a visionary who lives a holistic life. She's dedicated to living a life that is rooted in letting your best side shine. Amber started her journey painting on traditional canvas & doing pop up shows designing custom made hand bags for fun. Demand for her designs quickly turned her hobby into a full fledged art business. Today, she's the founder and artist behind Sub|Urban, where she makes custom hand-painted and original designs on vegan and cruelty-free handbags, clothi...
Mar 18, 2021•27 min•Ep. 27
Meet Mahogany Rich, an abstract painter with a strong love for murals based in Baltimore. Her bold and unique style represents her individuality that comes alive through her canvas. Mahogany began painting again 2 years ago when she decided to dedicate her life to doing what gave her purpose. Since then, she has pushed herself out of her comfort zone to build a business centered around her art. Her practice has helped her through her darkest moments, and continues to motivate her to be true to s...
Mar 11, 2021•22 min•Ep. 26
“The journey toward healing begins with our own willingness to be vulnerable with ourselves, embrace our mistakes, and remind ourselves that life is a process. “ - Naimah Meet Naimah Thomas, a Black Femme born and raised in Chicago. She is a licensed professional counselor, art therapist, and artist. Utilizing art to shift narratives around healing, mental health, and creating spaces where exploration and re-imagination are valued. She has worked with a range of people in community, correctional...
Mar 04, 2021•29 min•Ep. 25
Meet Destiney Powell, a self proclaimed visual storyteller who is thriving as a full-time artist and the founder of Poetically Illustrated. Her paintings are a visual representation of the beauty and multifacetedness of black women. Through her work, she hopes to inspire artists to follow their dreams, regardless of what the world says. Destiney has mastered systems in her business to help balance her job as a mom homeschooling three kids and her work as a creative entrepreneur. She recently cha...
Feb 25, 2021•38 min•Ep. 24
Meet Simone Agoussoye, a driven DC based artist. She’s best known for her striking paintings of icons in music, pop culture, and history. She blends mixed media materials like broken crushed glass to create contemporary portraits. Simone’s art has been featured in public exhibitions across the DMV area including Artist Evolutions at the National Harbor’s Art Avenue Gallery, Broken Beauty at the ArtReach GW, and Beautiful People at ARC3409 Art Studios and Space. As a savvy online marketer, Simone...
Feb 18, 2021•35 min•Ep. 23
Meet Tonya Cross, a talented accessory designer and digital marketing coach. She's a creative entrepreneur who runs her group Digital Marketing on a Budget where she coaches Gen-X women in business. Tonya's journey developed organically when she couldn’t find hair accessories that were natural hair friendly and catered to black women. She did what any visionary would do, she started a business making hair accessories. Tonya is testament that your gifts will make room for you. In this episode, le...
Feb 11, 2021•34 min•Ep. 22
Meet Chelsea Stevenson, a full-time celebrated henna artist and business strategist! She started her business Cardamom & Clove Henna in her living room, and ten years later owns a popular Henna boutique in Baltimore. Chelsea mentors creative business owners in her sister business Hennapreneur, an online course and community. She believes that with the right resources, every artist is capable of designing the reality she desires. Chelsea has been a featured speaker at top Henna conferences, a...
Feb 04, 2021•36 min•Ep. 21
Meet La Keisha Leek, a self proclaimed storyteller. Originally from Tampa, Florida, she is an artists advocate, writer, and arts administrator based in Chicago. She also works at the MacArthur Foundation in Grant Management. La Keisha is known for her wildly popular publication with Candor Arts, How to Make A Hood, a meditation on the misconceptions of Black bodies. Her years of curatorial experience as the Executive Administrator to Theaster Gates, and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New Y...
Nov 12, 2020•44 min•Ep. 20
Meet Vanessa Stokes, a photographer and community organizer based in Chicago. She is also the founder of VS Creative Consulting, LLC, an artist representative firm where her main client is Dorrell Creightney, Vanessa’s late Father who opened the first black-owned photography studio in Chicago in 1969. Vanessa has hosted a series of art pop-ups, workshops, classes, performances, and artist residencies in public places underutilized in the Austin community. She created the Art & Culture Commit...
Nov 05, 2020•58 min•Ep. 19
Dionne Victoria is an educator and Chicago painter whose artwork is a meditative tool to heal and express her soul. As her love of science grew, she began developing a science-arts integration curriculum while teaching at SkyArt. Dionne Victoria also runs her own arts studio, Dionne Victoria Studios, where she focuses on change through the three E’s: education, exhibitions and entrepreneurship. Join us as we discuss Dionne’s entrepreneurial journey and how she uses art as therapy to heal from tr...
Oct 13, 2020•33 min•Ep. 18
Meet Cherlnell Lane, a roaring fire, under a cool demeanor, with a kind soul, that she shares authentically in hopes of healing the world. As a speaker, advocate, facilitator, and poetic-storyteller Cherlnell birthed Cherlnell Lane, LLC where she helps to relate, advocate, and uplift Black women. Cherlnell is the creator of Writing Through It Workshops and Healing Through It Summits where she facilitates women to reveal, deal, and heal from trauma while recognizing strengths and positive experie...
Sep 22, 2020•38 min•Ep. 17
Meet Lauren Jackson, an illustrator, mentor, and creative entrepreneur based in Chicago. She’s the founder of Lo Creates, a space for healing, creativity, and growth. Her love for lush colors, representation, and happiness can be seen in her children books, commissions, and illustrative prints. Lauren’s mission is to help women creatives of color develop a strategy for working towards their purpose. In this episode we discuss Lauren’s journey building a business, and how she’s creating a sustain...
Sep 15, 2020•29 min•Ep. 16
There’s this amazing strategy I learned that every creative entrepreneur needs to do. It's called the Buffett Method, and it gave me so much clarity in my business. The strategy, coined by Warren Buffett, is used to help you to prioritize and focus. If you're feeling overwhelmed and disorganized right now this is perfect for you. In order to get organized you need to be very clear on the projects you're working on right now that drives you. This might sound basic, but let's pull back the layers....
Sep 08, 2020•25 min•Ep. 15
Meet Ama Asantewa, a Ghanaian storyteller, performer, writer, and the founder and creative director of Yobbings, a greeting card online store. Her creative practice is rooted in a desire to tell her own story, in her own language, mannerisms, and culture. For two years Ama sat with an idea to start a greeting card company, but fear of failure stopped her from moving forward. She thought “how can I possibly compete with Hallmark?” One day she had enough, pushed down her excuses and fears, and too...
Sep 01, 2020•29 min•Ep. 14
This episode is for you if you’re feeling stuck, unworthy, or judging yourself for being lazy. You’re not alone if fear, doubt, and procrastination has stopped you from achieving your dreams. Fear, in its many forms, can stop us from achieving our highest potential. It most commonly shows up as a fear of failure, fear of success, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, or fear of disappointment. We all have fears. How can you use fear to your advantage? Take a moment to think about how fear play...
Aug 25, 2020•29 min•Ep. 13
Meet Wisdom Baty, an artist, parent, curator, and educator based in Chicago. She’s interested in exploring events about how black artists think about the world we want to construct. She’s also on the Arts Advisory Board at Experimental Station and the COLAB 7100 Director of Development and Community Relations where she curates a community based co-working space and small business incubator. When Wisdom discovered that there were limited resources for mothers who wanted to explore artist residenc...
Aug 18, 2020•50 min•Ep. 12
Self growth is a journey. Meet Brette Sims and Stephanie Sparks, two creative entrepreneurs based in Los Angeles. They run Stuk Designs, a 501C3 nonprofit art organization and collective for creative career women that provides art and self love education to girls in underserved communities globally. Brette is the President and Creative Director, and Steph is the Vice President and Program Director of Stuk Designs. Once they became conscious of what a powerful antidote art and self-love were to a...
Aug 11, 2020•42 min•Ep. 11
