Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Creative Couch with Sam Marshall
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 30: An Honest Q&A About Art, Life, Choosing to Be Child-Free & Single, and the Story Behind My Positivity | 15 Sep 2026 | 01:02:06 | |
In this week’s episode of The Creative Couch, I’m doing something a little different. While I waited for some new creative dilemmas to come in, I asked you to send me your questions instead, and you certainly did. Questions came in through Instagram DMs and the Creative Couch email, and there were far more than I could possibly answer in one episode, so apologies if I didn’t get to yours. I’ll definitely do another Q&A in the future. This is probably one of the most open and personal episodes I’ve recorded. I talk about my early life, the jobs I had before becoming an artist, studying at the Slade and the Royal Drawing School, and my years working in the advertising industry. I also answer some much more personal questions, including my relationship with food and being overweight as a child, my decision not to have children, why I’m happy being single, and some of the experiences that have shaped the person I am now. Quite a few of you asked about my positivity and how I manage to stay so joyful and optimistic. I talk honestly about where that comes from too, because my life certainly hasn’t always felt positive or easy, and that outlook has been something I’ve developed over time. There are questions about art, life, work, confidence, relationships, choices, ageing and all sorts of things in between. It’s a very candid, slightly sprawling Q&A, and probably a chance to get to know me a little better beyond the usual creative dilemmas. And thank you, because the dilemmas have started arriving again! Normal Creative Couch service will resume next week. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to answer on the podcast, please send it to thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com. | |||
| Episode 29: Imposter Syndrome, Pushing Your Work Further & Selling Your Art | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:43:17 | |
⭐ I’m desperate for more dilemmas! ⭐ I’ve now reached the end of the dilemmas currently sitting in my inbox, so if there is something you are struggling with in your creative life, however big, small, specific or strange it might seem, please send it in to: While I wait for some new dilemmas to arrive, next week’s episode will be a Q&A. So if there is anything you would like to ask me about my own creative practice, running an art business, teaching, printmaking, sketching, travel, creativity, or anything else you are curious about, please send your questions to the same email address. In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Donna, Anna and Jill, exploring imposter syndrome, how to push a body of work further and the pressure to monetise creativity. Donna is 52 and has spent much of her adult life raising four children, fitting her art around school runs, holidays and family life. Over the last couple of years she has been building her practice back up and has already run workshops, exhibited her work and tutored people one-to-one. Despite all of that, she constantly feels as though she is behind and worries that she is an imposter who will eventually be caught out. We explore the imaginary timelines we create for ourselves, the difference between being behind and simply having taken a different route, and what Donna might actually be waiting for before she allows herself to feel like a legitimate artist. Anna returned to a creative practice after retirement, having originally trained in textiles, and has since become increasingly interested in printmaking. Over the past year she has been developing a body of work called Fragments, based on decaying wreaths, and has now completed eight pieces ready for exhibition. But unlike previous projects, she does not feel ready to move on. She senses that the subject still has more to give and wants to know how to push the work further without simply repeating herself. We explore how to identify what is really underneath a subject, why staying with an idea for longer can lead to richer work, and how changing scale, process, materials and constraints can open up new directions. Jill has recently returned to painting after many years of raising children and working and is loving the experience of making art purely as a hobby. But whenever people see her work, they immediately tell her she should sell it or turn it into a business. She wonders why visual art attracts this reaction when nobody would necessarily ask someone learning a language, playing guitar or taking dance classes how they planned to monetise it. We discuss why people often use money as a shorthand for artistic value, how selling can introduce a very different set of pressures into a creative practice, and why you are allowed to be very good at something without needing to turn it into a business. Also in this episode, I share this week’s Loving Lately recommendation: Marks & Spencer croissants, which were absolutely delicious and have been a very simple but very welcome highlight of my week. In this episode, we explore: • Why feeling behind is often tied to an imaginary creative timeline Each dilemma is explored through both its emotional and practical layers, with ideas and exercises you can apply to your own creative practice. If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 28: Finding Coherence, Making Art Responsibly & Fear of Criticism | 01 Sep 2026 | 00:42:40 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Amandine, Jen and Michelle, exploring artistic identity, environmental responsibility, creative guilt and the lasting impact of criticism. Amandine lives in France with her husband and four-year-old daughter and works full-time, so her creative practice has to fit into the small pockets of time she can find. She sketches in the evenings, draws alongside her daughter and keeps a bag of materials ready in the living room, but she worries that her practice feels fragmented and lacks a coherent artistic identity. Longer term, she would love to share her work with a community and perhaps sell some prints. We explore why style is not something you need to manufacture in advance, how coherence often emerges through repeated interests and ways of working, and why stepping away from the pressure to sell can create space for a more authentic body of work to develop. Jen is increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of making art, particularly while living somewhere where the effects of climate change feel very immediate. She tries to use what she already has, avoid unnecessary waste and steer away from toxic materials where possible, but still feels uneasy about the resources involved in making art. We discuss the difference between environmental awareness and environmental guilt, why trying to make art with no impact at all is probably an impossible standard, and how small, thoughtful choices can make a meaningful difference. I also reflect on how becoming clearer about my own artistic practice has made me much more selective about the materials I buy and use. Michelle returned to oil painting after many years away from art and built up a serious practice alongside a full-time job and family life. She rented a studio, entered competitions, sold work and completed a series of fifteen paintings she was incredibly proud of. Then a relative made a passing comment suggesting that all those paintings were a waste of materials. The remark affected Michelle far more deeply than she expected and led her to stop sharing her work, give up her studio, change mediums, work under a pseudonym and even try to give up art altogether. We explore why one seemingly small comment can become so powerful when it connects with an existing belief about ourselves, the difference between being an artist and earning your living from art, and why creative work does not have to justify its existence through sales or usefulness. Also in this episode, I share a recent Loving Lately recommendation: the novelist Mary Lawson, and in particular her novel Crow Lake. Her writing is quiet, thoughtful and beautifully observed, with a wonderful sense of place and complicated family relationships. I’ve only recently discovered her work and absolutely loved this one. In this episode, we explore: • Why artistic identity often emerges through making rather than being decided in advance Each dilemma is explored through both its emotional and practical layers, with ideas and exercises you can apply to your own creative practice. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore in a future episode, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 27: Retiring as an Artist, Marketing Your Work & Finding Time to Create | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:49:33 | |
A little podcast note: there won’t be an episode of The Creative Couch next week as I’m away for ten days and taking a short break. I’ll be back the following week with another three creative dilemmas. In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas exploring what it means to retire as an artist, how to market your work when you really don’t enjoy marketing, and what happens when a demanding working life leaves very little energy for your own creative practice. The first dilemma asks a question we perhaps don’t talk about enough: can you retire from being an artist? When making art has been such a significant part of your identity, what happens if you no longer feel the same drive to keep producing, exhibiting or pursuing opportunities? We explore the difference between retiring from the professional machinery around being an artist and actually stopping being creative, why our relationship with our work is allowed to change as we get older, and whether stepping away might sometimes be an evolution rather than an ending. Sophie wants to get her artwork out into the world, but there’s one fairly significant problem: she really doesn’t want to spend her time marketing herself. Like so many artists, she would much rather be making the work than continually thinking about Instagram, promotion and selling. We explore whether being a working artist really does mean becoming a full-time marketer, how to find forms of promotion that feel sustainable and natural, and why marketing doesn’t necessarily have to mean constantly shouting about yourself online. Anne-Maree works full-time as a teacher and desperately wants to make more of her own artwork, but by the time she has finished giving her energy to her job, she often feels she has very little left for herself. She is questioning whether she is genuinely too tired to make work or whether, somewhere along the way, she has started getting in her own way. We look at the reality of creative exhaustion, the danger of waiting for the perfect conditions to make art, and how small, protected pockets of creative time can help rebuild a practice without turning it into yet another obligation. Also in this episode, I share this week’s Loving Lately: The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett, which I listened to on Audible and absolutely loved. It’s funny, heartfelt and quite dark, full of wonderfully flawed and complicated people, and I found it completely absorbing. In this episode, we explore: • What it might actually mean to retire as an artist Each dilemma is explored through both its emotional and practical layers, with ideas you can apply to your own creative practice. A little podcast note: there won’t be an episode of The Creative Couch next week as I’m away for ten days and taking a short break. I’ll be back the following week with another three creative dilemmas. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore in a future episode, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 26: Rejection, Finding Your Style & Protecting Studio Time | 11 Aug 2026 | 00:44:27 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Kate, Anabelle and Ruth, exploring rejection, artistic identity, finding your style, rebuilding confidence and learning to protect your creative time. Kate has spent the last six months trying to turn her lino printing into something more professional. She has created an Etsy shop and website, approached stockists and applied to craft and print fairs, but so far has had very little response. At the same time, she has accepted a well-paid corporate job, despite knowing that what she really wants is to become a full-time artist. The lack of sales and opportunities has begun to feel like evidence that perhaps nobody wants her work, while visiting galleries and exhibitions leaves her longing to be part of an art world that can feel frustratingly exclusive. We explore the difference between rejection and information, why six months is such a short period in the life of an artistic practice, and why sometimes the next step after making work is not selling it, but simply making more work. Anabelle studied art when she was younger but walked away from it twenty years ago after a difficult experience at university left her questioning her creativity. More recently, she has begun drawing again and challenging the story she has told herself for years that she is simply not a creative person. But after one drawing failed to live up to her expectations, she stopped working in her sketchbook altogether and is now questioning what she should draw, whether she should pursue realism or something looser, and how she is supposed to develop her own artistic style. We discuss why style is something that emerges through practice rather than something we choose in advance, how one disappointing drawing can reactivate very old beliefs, and why having a structure to follow can help us stop overthinking and simply keep turning up. Ruth has spent years teaching and supporting other people creatively and is now consciously trying to create more space for her own artistic practice. She wants to protect regular studio time, but struggles with how to describe that time to family and to herself. Calling it “work” feels uncomfortable when she is not currently exhibiting or selling, yet calling it anything softer seems to make it feel negotiable. We explore imposter syndrome, why unpaid studio practice is still work, the importance of treating creative time with the same seriousness as any other professional commitment, and how the boundaries we create around our practice teach other people how to respect it too. Also in this episode, I share this week’s Loving Lately: Finland Airport. After travelling through Helsinki recently, I was struck by how calm, considered and genuinely enjoyable the whole experience felt. It was one of those places that made travelling feel surprisingly easy, and I absolutely loved it. In this episode, we explore: • What rejection can and cannot tell us about our artwork Each dilemma is explored through both its emotional and practical layers, with ideas and exercises you can apply to your own creative practice. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore in a future episode, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 25: Creative Chat with Sarah Jane Moon | Portraiture, Teaching & Creativity | 04 Aug 2026 | 01:04:40 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I sit down with the wonderful artist and portrait painter Sarah Jane Moon for a relaxed and thoughtful conversation about creativity, portraiture and building a life as an artist. Originally from Wellington, New Zealand, Sarah Jane shares the story of how she moved to the UK, found her way into painting without a traditional Fine Art degree, and gradually established herself as one of today's leading contemporary portrait painters. Along the way, we talk about the realities of balancing a professional painting practice with teaching, the importance of finding your creative community, and how a creative career is often built through curiosity, persistence and a willingness to keep learning. We also discuss what portraiture can reveal about the people we paint, how teaching can both support and challenge your own creative practice, and why there is no single route into becoming a successful artist. In this episode, we explore: • Sarah Jane's journey from New Zealand to London Whether you're just beginning your creative journey or have been making work for years, this conversation is full of thoughtful reflections on creativity, artistic growth and what it really means to build a life around making art. You can find Sarah Jane on Instagram at: @sarah_jane_moon You can also find her work at: If you'd like to submit a creative dilemma for a future episode, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at: @sammarshallart | |||
| Episode 24: Success, Grief & Creative Overwhelm | 28 Jul 2026 | 00:48:08 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Kate, Susan and Coralie, exploring creative success, grief, burnout, overwhelm and how to protect the joy of making when life and work begin placing too many demands upon it. Kate returned to painting during lockdown after a twenty-year break from creativity. What began as a joyful, private practice gradually became a successful full-time career, with books, products, licensing opportunities and a large online audience. From the outside, she appears to be living the dream, but success has started to feel more like pressure than pleasure. We explore what happens when the artist and the brand become almost indistinguishable, why every launch can begin to feel like a verdict on your entire career, and how to create space for experimentation when creativity has become responsible for your income, identity and public success. Susan has spent approximately seven years caring for her parents while holding onto plans to develop her art practice and create a small business. Following the sudden death of her mother in May, she now has more time but feels lost, guilty and unable to enter her studio. At 64, she is telling herself there is no time to waste, but the urgency is leaving her frozen. We discuss why caring responsibilities were never an excuse, how grief can make new freedom feel more like absence, and why returning to creativity may need to happen gently, through the back door rather than the front. Coralie works digitally in animation, is developing a personal game project with her husband and is also caring for a very young baby. After revisiting The Artist’s Way, she has rediscovered her love of charcoal, coloured pencil, graphite, plein-air painting and paper miniatures. The excitement feels wonderful, but it quickly becomes overwhelming as she tries to turn every interest into a project or connect it to her professional work. We explore the difference between enthusiasm and capacity, why renewed creative energy after burnout needs to be protected, and how traditional materials might become a small place for play rather than another demanding part of her working life. Also in this episode, I share a recent Loving Lately recommendation: Languages of Loss by Sasha Bates. The book follows Bates as she navigates the sudden death of her husband, drawing on both her personal experience of grief and her work as a psychotherapist. I’ve been reading it partly to educate myself about grief, but it has also been helping me process the recent death of my friend Frances and think about how I can best support her wife Carly, who is one of my closest friends. In this episode, we explore: • Why success can begin to feel like pressure rather than pleasure Each dilemma is explored through both its emotional and practical layers, with ideas and exercises you can apply to your own creative practice. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore in a future episode, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at: If you’re feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 23: Solo Exhibitions, Returning to Art & Creative Uncertainty | 21 Jul 2026 | 00:36:42 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Craig, Anouk and Linda, exploring artistic permission, returning to creativity after a long absence and building a creative life alongside chronic illness. Craig is a collage artist from Philadelphia who has completed an ambitious series of fifty bird collages. Although collectors are eager to buy the work, he's holding back because he dreams of exhibiting the entire collection in a solo exhibition. After approaching galleries without success, he's wondering whether organising his own exhibition would somehow make it less legitimate. We explore who gets to decide when an artist is ready, the difference between external validation and creative agency, and why sometimes the opportunities we wait for are the ones we're capable of creating ourselves. Anouk studied Fine Art after discovering a love of printmaking during her foundation course. But after feeling pressure at university to move away from work that seemed too illustrative, she gradually lost confidence and drifted away from making art altogether. Twenty years later she's rediscovering drawing and feels torn between returning to drypoint or embracing linocut. We discuss learning to trust your creative instincts again, why creativity rarely disappears completely, and whether becoming an artist is less about finding the perfect medium and more about consistently returning to the work. Linda has been living with chronic illness for more than a decade. Art has become a source of purpose, friendship and identity after having to step away from her previous career, but an uncertain benefits reassessment means she's unsure how to move her creative practice forwards without risking the financial support she relies upon. We explore what it means to build a creative life during seasons of uncertainty, how to balance security with ambition, and why laying creative foundations is never the same as standing still. Also in this episode, I share a recent Loving Lately recommendation: Clearabee. With all the building work and studio renovations happening here recently, they've made clearing bulky waste remarkably easy. I also really appreciate their commitment to recycling and diverting as much waste as possible from landfill. In this episode, we explore: • Why waiting for permission can hold us back creatively Each dilemma is explored through both its emotional and practical layers, with ideas and exercises you can apply to your own creative practice. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore in a future episode, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 22: Talking About Your Art, Saying No & Finding Your Style | 14 Jul 2026 | 00:43:40 | |
Editor's note: During Della's dilemma I accidentally referred to her as "Bella" several times. My sincere apologies, Della. It was a genuine slip during recording, and I'm very grateful to you for sending in such a thoughtful question. In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Penny, Helen and Della, exploring talking about your artwork, setting creative boundaries and finding your artistic style. Penny is preparing for her very first open studio after years of creating mixed media work. She's not worried about whether her artwork is good enough or how to price it. Instead, she's anxious about something many artists quietly dread: talking about it. We explore the difference between talking about your work and explaining it, why viewers don't always need definitive answers, and how conversations about art can become much richer when we invite other people to bring their own experiences to the work. Helen is a professional artist whose realistic drawings have helped her build a successful creative career. Alongside creating and selling her work, she also teaches, but she's realised she's developed a habit of saying yes to almost every opportunity that comes her way. We discuss why the habits that help us build a creative career don't always help us sustain one, how to become more intentional about saying yes, and why protecting time for your own creative practice is every bit as important as creating new opportunities. Della is a self-taught linocut artist who has spent the last six or seven years developing her printmaking practice. Recently she's found herself worrying about whether she has a recognisable artistic style, while at the same time becoming increasingly frustrated that her more ambitious prints don't always match the images she has in her imagination. We explore why style is often something that finds us rather than something we consciously create, the gap between our eye and our ability, and why spending more time drawing may be one of the best ways to become a stronger printmaker. Also in this episode, I share a recent Loving Lately recommendation: the Paul Noble language courses. As I continue learning Japanese, I reflect on why his calm, encouraging approach has made language learning feel so enjoyable and why his courses might be worth exploring if you've ever wanted to learn a language yourself. In this episode, we explore: • Why talking about your artwork doesn't mean explaining it Each dilemma is explored through both its emotional and practical layers, with ideas and exercises you can apply to your own creative practice. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore in a future episode, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 21: Exhibiting, Printing & Opting Out | 07 Jul 2026 | 00:47:12 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to four thoughtful creative dilemmas from Jen, Laura, Sheena and Nikky, exploring art appreciation, printmaking, selling artwork, creative identity and the complicated relationship between creativity and success. Jen is preparing for an exhibition in her own studio later this year and has been reflecting on the difference between how artists are taught to critique and discuss artwork and how the wider public often experiences it. Beyond "I like it" or "It's not really my thing", many visitors seem unsure how to respond at all. We explore whether artists can create opportunities for richer conversations around their work, why so many people feel intimidated by art, and whether perhaps nobody ever really taught us how to look. Laura is a printmaker and collage artist who is considering opening an Etsy shop or online store and is wondering whether to invest in printing her own reproductions or work with a professional printer instead. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches, the questions worth asking when choosing a printer, and why you don't necessarily need to build tomorrow's business before you've made today's sales. Sheena joined one of my drypoint workshops last year and has since been happily printing editions from traditional lino. Her dilemma is one that many printmakers quietly wonder about: how do you know when it's time to stop, clean the block and start again? We talk about trusting what the print itself is telling you, the myth of the secret printmaking rulebook, and why experience often matters more than formulas. Nikky spent several years building a successful creative practice alongside a demanding full-time career, taking commissions, selling work and exhibiting regularly. But somewhere along the way, the joy disappeared and the thing that had once been a refuge became another source of pressure and expectation. After stepping away from selling her work, she found herself rediscovering the pleasure of making art simply for herself. We explore the pressure to monetise our creativity, the assumption that every artist should aspire to work full time, and whether success might sometimes mean protecting our relationship with creativity rather than growing it. Also in this episode, I share a recent Loving Lately recommendation: the Paul Noble language courses. As I prepare for a week of intensive Japanese study in London, I reflect on the role his gentle and encouraging approach has played in my own language learning journey and why they might be worth exploring if you've ever wanted to learn a language yourself. In this episode, I explore: • Why so many people feel intimidated by art and unsure how to respond to it Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore, please email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 20: Creativity After Crisis, New Studio & Interrupted Practice | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:42:15 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Grace, Mary Lou and Kelly, exploring creativity after crisis, returning to the studio after major life changes, chronic illness, momentum, artistic identity and the spaces we create around our work. Grace wrote in after her seven-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes earlier this year. After months of hospital appointments, sleepless nights and constant vigilance, she has found herself returning to the studio feeling like a different person. A large woodcut she began before the diagnosis no longer feels as though it belongs to her, and she finds herself questioning her instincts and worrying more about what other people think of her work. We explore what happens when the mindset of monitoring and control follows us into the studio, the difference between play and curiosity, and whether creativity sometimes needs shelter before it needs an audience. Mary Lou is preparing to move back to Canada after several years living and making work in Belgium. Alongside shipping containers, boxes and studio equipment, she'll also be reunited with years of older work and materials waiting in storage. She's wondering how to approach setting up a new studio and creative routine without becoming overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff surrounding her. We discuss how old work can act as research rather than clutter, why some work quietly finishes its role in our lives, and how to create a studio that supports the artist you've become rather than the artist you used to be. Kelly lives with a chronic pain condition affecting her hand, meaning periods of painting and making are often interrupted by flare-ups and surgery. She finds herself repeatedly losing momentum and struggling to find her way back into projects after time away from the studio. We talk about the difference between a creative practice built around consistency and one built to survive interruption, the idea of grieving momentum, and how to leave a breadcrumb trail back into your work for future versions of yourself. Also in this episode, I share a recent Loving Lately recommendation: The Daffodil Years by Helen Bain, a beautifully written fictional account of Sylvia Plath's later life in rural Devon that explores the woman behind the mythology and offers a quieter, more human portrait of one of literature's most iconic figures. In this episode, I explore: • What happens when a period of crisis or vigilance follows us into the studio Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore, please email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 19 : Burnout, Selling Art & Finding Your Direction | 23 Jun 2026 | 00:43:01 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Claudia, Sophie and Caroline, exploring burnout, artistic identity, selling artwork, creative validation and the challenge of moving beyond your comfort zone. Claudia is recovering from severe burnout after a lifetime of pursuing challenge, achievement and new experiences. Recently diagnosed with autism and ADHD, she finally has the time, space and resources to dedicate herself to art. Yet instead of feeling liberated, she feels paralysed. Torn between botanical illustration, oil painting, printmaking and mokuhanga, she worries that choosing one path means abandoning all the others. We explore the difference between curiosity and achievement, why art doesn't have a finish line, and whether her real challenge might not be choosing a medium but learning how to stay with something after the novelty has worn off. Sophie is a mixed-media artist and teacher from New York who dreams of making larger, more ambitious textile and mixed-media work. She has built a website and online shop but struggles to generate sales, dislikes markets and has consciously chosen not to use social media. As a result, she finds herself questioning whether she can justify investing more time, space and energy into her creative practice. We talk about the difference between an art practice and an art business, why sales aren't the same thing as validation, and how artists can build visibility without relying on social media. Caroline has been steadily drawing flowers for several months and feels ready to move beyond simple studies. She'd love to create richer, more complex compositions, but every time she tries she feels overwhelmed and doesn't know where to begin. We discuss how to create a simple still-life setup that can act as a stage for her drawings, allowing confidence and complexity to grow naturally over time. Also in this episode, I answer a quick listener question from Katharina about painting churches, landmarks and tourist attractions, and whether artists are allowed to sell postcards and artwork based on those locations. In this episode, I explore: • The difference between achievement and curiosity in a creative practice Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore, please email me at: If you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 18: Digital Art, Creative Time & Leaving Teaching | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:42:53 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Mimi, Louise and Cally – exploring digital art, creative time, financial security and the realities of building a creative life. Mimi is a retired nurse, educator and psychotherapist from the Pacific Northwest who returned to her first love of making art later in life. She creates digital artwork using Procreate and produces giclée prints, but has repeatedly been told by local exhibitions that they "don't do digital work". We talk about misconceptions around digital art in the age of AI, why some art spaces may still be catching up with newer mediums, and how artists can find their audience even when traditional institutions don't yet understand their work. Louise is a hand embroidery artist from South Africa who left teaching to pursue her creative practice full time. While she feels incredibly grateful to be making a living through commissions, she finds herself with little time left for her own ideas, series and creative exploration. We discuss the tension between earning from creativity and protecting it, why your own work deserves a place in the diary alongside paid work, and the importance of creating boundaries around creative time. Cally is a printmaker and secondary school teacher who has spent more than twenty-five years balancing teaching with her artistic practice. Now in her fifties and feeling burnt out, she wonders whether she should take a sabbatical, retire early or continue teaching for a little longer. We talk about grief for the creative life we imagined we'd have, financial fears rooted in childhood experiences, and why building a runway towards change can sometimes be kinder and wiser than taking a leap into the unknown. In this episode, I explore: • Why rejection isn't always about quality, but sometimes about category and understanding Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you'd like me to explore, please email me at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart. | |||
| Episode 17: Pricing Artwork, Creative Flip-Flopping & Hobby Businesses | 09 Jun 2026 | 00:34:43 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Caroline, Alison and Laurel – exploring the emotional complexity of pricing artwork, the overwhelm of constantly changing creative direction, and the question of whether a calming creative hobby should become a business at all. Caroline is a printmaker who has started selling her linoprints at fairs and markets, but pricing her work leaves her constantly second guessing herself. If a print doesn’t sell, she feels tempted to lower the price immediately, yet afterwards worries she has undervalued the work entirely. We talk about the emotional side of pricing creative work, the pressure of standing beside your work at fairs, why artists often struggle to separate value from self-worth, and how to develop a pricing framework that feels sustainable without losing accessibility and generosity. Alison started drawing and painting three years ago and has become completely obsessed with creativity, but finds herself constantly flip-flopping between watercolour, acrylic, mixed media and different artistic influences online. Every new artist she discovers sparks excitement, but also leaves her feeling creatively unanchored and unsure what direction to pursue. We talk about overstimulation in the internet age, the difference between curiosity and creative fragmentation, why style usually emerges slowly through repetition, and the importance of staying with something long enough to move beyond the initial excitement. After retiring two years ago, Laurel discovered crocheting and now describes it as “yoga for my hands.” She’s been making beautiful ponchos for friends and family and is wondering whether she should start selling them online through somewhere like Etsy. But with each piece taking weeks to make, she feels unsure whether she wants a business at all, or simply a gentler way of sharing her work. We talk about the pressure to monetise hobbies, the emotional shift that happens when creativity becomes commercial, and how to share handmade work without losing the joy that made you fall in love with it in the first place. In this episode, I explore: • Why pricing artwork is often far more emotional than practical Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart | |||
| Episode 16 : Creative chat with my Mum | 02 Jun 2026 | 00:31:24 | |
In this special episode of The Creative Couch, I’m joined by a very special guest… my mum. Before we headed off together to Italy for my recent drawing and printmaking retreat, I asked listeners to send in their questions for her — and this episode became such a lovely, funny and genuinely heartfelt conversation. We talk about all the things people are always asking me about her: her creativity, her sense of style, how she manages to look so glamorous at 80, and whether she secretly has some kind of fitness regime (spoiler: she absolutely does not). We also talk about motherhood, independence, confidence, ageing, supporting creativity in your children, and what it’s been like having a daughter who has always lived such a creative life. It was recorded just before we left for Italy together, so now that we’re back home again, it feels like a really lovely little snapshot of that moment in time. We didn’t manage to answer every question that was sent in, but thank you so much to everybody who contributed — there were so many thoughtful and brilliant questions. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore in a future episode, you’re always welcome to send it to thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart | |||
| Episode 15: Artistic Ethics, Mailing Lists & Creative Identity | 26 May 2026 | 00:33:15 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Sarah, Lyn and Helen – exploring artistic ethics, building a mailing list from scratch, and the vulnerable question of whether to create under your own name or hide behind a brand. Sarah recently spotted a print in an exhibition that looked strikingly similar to another artist’s well-known work. The similarities immediately left her feeling uncomfortable and questioning where the line exists between inspiration and imitation. She found herself wondering whether she was overreacting, whether the gallery or artist would already know, and whether she had any responsibility to say something at all. How do we navigate those ethically blurred creative situations without becoming “the art police”, and what responsibility do artists have when something simply doesn’t sit right? Lyn is an abstract painter from Virginia who is trying to build a mailing list completely from scratch. Without a website, newsletter or strategy already in place, the whole process feels overwhelming and difficult to begin. We talk about the emotional resistance artists often have around self-promotion, how to start building an audience slowly and organically, and the practical realities of creating a newsletter through exhibitions, markets, workshops and genuine connection rather than aggressive marketing tactics. Helen lives in Mallorca and is preparing to start selling her prints, but finds herself stuck on the surprisingly emotional question of whether to use her own name or work under a brand identity instead. Her surname feels difficult, foreign and disconnected from the place where she now lives and makes work, and part of her wonders whether hiding behind a more carefully constructed brand would feel safer. We talk about visibility, identity, authenticity, belonging, and why people often connect more deeply to a real person than a polished brand. In this episode, I explore: • The emotional difference between inspiration and imitation Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com You can also find me on Instagram at @sammarshallart | |||
| Episode 14: Framing Anxiety, Comparison & Blank Sketchbooks | 19 May 2026 | 00:40:55 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Barbara, Mimi and Juilette – exploring framing and exhibitions, comparison and creative growth, and the pressure we place on ourselves through sketchbooks. Barbara has started selling her paintings and is now thinking more seriously about exhibitions and presenting her work professionally. But framing has suddenly become a confusing world full of hidden rules and standards she doesn’t fully understand. From hanging systems and ready-made frames to worries about whether her work looks “professional enough”, she finds herself second-guessing every decision. How do you know what’s good enough when it comes to framing, and how do you stop presentation anxiety from undermining your confidence as an artist? Mimi has been painting watercolours for more than 35 years and has built a successful practice creating detailed miniature works that have sold well and received awards. But after immersing herself in classes, webinars, podcasts and online inspiration, she’s finding herself overwhelmed by comparison and increasingly disconnected from her own voice. At the same time, she’s trying to work larger and looser, but feels clumsy and discouraged every time she attempts it. Should she stay with the style she already excels at, or keep pushing herself into unfamiliar territory in the hope that something new might emerge? Juilette loves the idea of keeping travel sketchbooks and carefully packs beautiful drawing materials every time she goes away. But when she actually arrives, she freezes. Between perfectionism, pressure to make “good” drawings, and struggling to claim time for herself while travelling with her husband, she often comes home with a blank sketchbook and a heavy sense of disappointment. How do you build a genuine sketchbook habit without turning drawing into another thing to get right? In this episode, I explore: • Why comparison often increases when we consume too much creative input Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: | |||
| Episode 13: A Creative Conversation with Laura Smith | 12 May 2026 | 01:02:23 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I’m joined by painter Laura Smith for the first in a new series of creative conversations with artists, friends and fellow creatives about their practice and creative lives. Although the podcast began with me responding to creative dilemmas sent in by listeners, it was always my intention to intersperse those episodes with longer, more open-ended conversations with other creatives, and I’m so happy to be starting that part of the podcast with Laura. Laura and I have known each other for years. We both studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and later at the Royal Drawing School, and in this conversation we settle in for a thoughtful, wide-ranging chat about painting, creativity, teaching and the realities of sustaining a creative life over time. We talk about studio life, living and working in London, balancing creative practice with other commitments, and our experiences of social media and Instagram as working artists. We also discuss painters we admire, including Giorgio Morandi, the importance of looking slowly, and the artists and exhibitions that have been inspiring us lately. Along the way, we share recommendations, reflections on teaching, thoughts on creative pressure, and some honest conversation about the quieter, less visible parts of maintaining an artistic practice. You can find Laura on Instagram at @Laurajrsmith. We’ll be returning to creative dilemmas next week, so if you’ve got a dilemma you’d like me to respond to, you can send it to thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com. | |||
| Episode 12: Instagram Burnout, Pricing and Creative Pressure | 05 May 2026 | 00:44:45 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Dana, Lou and Alan – exploring the frustration of Instagram, the fear around raising prices, and the pressure of making the most of a creative opportunity. Dana runs a small creative business making lino prints inspired by coastal architecture and tide lines, and once found Instagram a really supportive place to share her work. But as the platform has changed, her reach has dropped, growth has stalled, and the pressure to keep up with reels, trends and constant posting has started to take over. What once felt like connection now feels like performance, leaving her questioning both her work and her place on the platform. How do you continue using Instagram without letting it drain your energy or define your sense of progress? Lou has been running creative workshops that are gaining momentum, with returning participants and fuller classes, but financially things aren’t adding up. After factoring in travel, materials and venue commissions, she’s barely paying herself, yet feels nervous about raising her prices in case it puts people off or disrupts the growth she’s seeing. When is the right time to increase your prices, and how do you do it without losing the people who already support you? Alan has rebuilt his creative practice later in life and is now developing his work through printmaking, selling at markets and running workshops. He’s recently been accepted onto an artist residency, giving him two weeks of dedicated time and space to make work. But instead of feeling free, he feels torn between planning too rigidly and risking failure, or going in unprepared and wasting the opportunity. How do you approach something like this without turning it into a test, and how do you balance structure with spontaneity? In this episode, I explore: • Why your relationship with Instagram matters more than the algorithm Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 11: Accuracy, Creative Pressure and Overthinking | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:35:48 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Marilyn, Rachel and Jill – exploring the pressure to draw accurately, the weight of creative expectations after a big life change, and the paralysis that comes from overthinking and too many ideas. Marilyn has loved art her whole life but still feels held back by a voice that tells her her drawings must look exactly like what she sees. After discovering a more expressive way of working, something clicked, but she’s struggling to move away from accuracy and trust her own choices. How do you draw with confidence when you’ve spent years believing there’s a “right” way to do it, and how do you begin to work more freely with colour and mark-making? Rachel recently stepped away from a long and intense career to create more space for printmaking, but an upcoming exhibition has left her feeling overwhelmed rather than inspired. With her confidence shaken and pressure building, she’s questioning whether she’s ready at all, and feels she needs to create an entirely new body of work to prove herself. How do you approach opportunities like this without turning them into a test, and how do you move forward when everything suddenly feels like it matters too much? Jill has reached a stage in life where she finally has time to focus on her creativity, but instead of making, she finds herself stuck in overthinking. With multiple mediums, endless ideas, and questions around time, purpose and choosing the “right” project, she hasn’t started anything at all. How do you begin when everything feels important, and how do you stop thinking and start making without needing everything to make sense first? In this episode, I explore: • Why accuracy can become a limitation rather than a guide in drawing Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 10: Presentations, Too Many Directions and Shipping Artwork | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:35:07 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Magdalena, Carrie and Jennifer – exploring public speaking nerves, feeling pulled in too many creative directions, and the practical realities of shipping artwork. Magdalena reached out after hearing me talk about that moment of self-awareness when you suddenly realise you’re the one leading the room. With a presentation coming up, she’s feeling anxious about being the focus of attention and how to manage the pressure that comes with it. How do you stay steady when all eyes are on you, and how do you work with nerves rather than against them? Kari is preparing for a group exhibition and finds herself developing three different bodies of work at once. The direction that excites her most also feels the most uncertain, leaving her torn between playing it safe with work she knows will resolve, or taking a risk on something more personal. Alongside this, she’s struggling with comparison, as others around her seem to produce finished, saleable work with ease. How do you commit to a direction when time is limited, and how do you protect the work that matters most? Jennifer feels ready to begin selling her artwork, but is held back by the practical challenge of shipping. She’s unsure how to safely package different types of work, whether it’s safe to roll pieces, and how to approach charging for postage. How do you confidently send your work out into the world, knowing it will arrive safely? In this episode, I explore: • Why self-awareness can suddenly turn into nerves when you’re being seen, and how to reframe that moment Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 9: Starting to Sell, Losing Interest and Studio Block | 14 Apr 2026 | 00:29:01 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Becky, Emeline and Addy – exploring how to start selling your work, what to do when interest fades after success, and how to navigate creative block in a studio space that no longer feels supportive. Becky is ready to start selling her hand printed cards and watercolour sketches, but feels overwhelmed by the number of decisions involved. From choosing what to sell to setting up an online shop, she finds herself stuck in the thinking stage and unsure how to begin. How do you move from intention into action without getting paralysed by trying to do everything “properly” from the start? Emeline describes a pattern in her work where she becomes deeply engaged in the early stages of an idea, experimenting and discovering something new, only to lose interest once the work becomes successful and repeatable. As she moves between different ideas and mediums, she’s left feeling as though she’s not fully invested in any one direction. How do you stay with your work without losing the sense of energy and discovery that made it exciting in the first place? Addy has recently rented a studio so she can create away from her small flat, but instead of feeling motivated, she finds herself avoiding the space altogether. Without the structure she’s used to from courses, and with the added pressure of the cost, the studio has started to feel more like a burden than a support. How do you begin again when a space meant to help you feels intimidating, and how do you know if it’s actually the right setup for you? In this episode, I explore: • Why overwhelm often appears at the point of starting something new, and how to move through it Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 8: Copyright, Creative Travel and Going Viral | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:37:04 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Liz, Ziva and Lucy – exploring ownership and boundaries online, creativity through travel, and what happens when success starts to feel like a trap. Liz has been sharing her embroidery and stitch work online and has recently discovered her images being shared on Pinterest without permission or credit. While part of her feels flattered that her work is resonating, she’s also uncomfortable with how it’s being used. How do you navigate the tension between visibility and ownership, and decide whether to ignore it, address it, or take action? Ziva is a landscape architect who discovered ceramics through an unstructured journey in Japan. Now she’s questioning whether future creative trips should be planned with intention or left open to unfold naturally. How do you balance structure and spontaneity, and create the right conditions for creativity to emerge while travelling? Lucy is a mixed media artist whose account grew rapidly after one piece of work went viral. What once felt like a small, connected community now feels overwhelming, and the work that brought her success no longer feels aligned with her practice. How do you move on from the thing that “worked”, especially when it might mean losing followers, engagement, or a sense of security? In this episode, I explore: • The tension between being seen and having control over your work online Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 7: Too Many Ideas, Letting Go of Old Work and Finding Time to Draw | 02 Apr 2026 | 00:34:04 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Lucille, Siobhan and Sam. exploring creative paralysis, letting go of old work, and how to build a meaningful practice in very limited time. Lucille has a rich and varied creative life, working across drawing, printmaking, basket weaving and decorative painting. But instead of feeling energised by her ideas, she often feels paralysed by them. She finds herself starting work and abandoning it when it doesn’t match what she imagined, and questioning the point of making anything if it isn’t going to be sold or gifted. How do you move forward when creativity starts to feel tied to purpose, pressure and past experiences? Siobhan’s dilemma is about what happens after the work is made. After decades of keeping sketchbooks, studies and prints, she now feels surrounded by accumulated work and unsure what to keep, what to let go of, and whether photographing everything is the answer. How do you balance memory, sentimentality and space without becoming overwhelmed by your own archive? Sam is balancing a creative practice alongside work and raising two young children, often drawing in short windows of time. While she’s consistent, she feels stuck with repetitive subject matter and struggles to move her sketchbook work into something more developed. How do you find engaging subject matter, move beyond safe motifs, and build depth when time and energy are limited? In this episode, I explore: • Why creativity can become tied to outcome, and how to reclaim making for its own sake Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 6: Drawing in Public, Getting Started and Taking Yourself Seriously | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:26:27 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Julie, Caroline and Kerry – exploring how to handle being watched while drawing in public, how to get started when you suddenly have all the equipment, and how to stop postponing taking yourself seriously as an artist. Julie has recently started drawing outside and quickly discovered something many sketchers experience. As soon as you sit down with a sketchbook in public, people become curious. They stop, they look, and they ask what you’re drawing. She noticed that in those moments she instinctively starts apologising for her work, even though she thought she felt quite confident. Why does drawing in public feel so vulnerable, and how do you handle those interactions without undermining yourself? Caroline has been given a Hawthorn printing press. She’s done lino workshops in the past and has plenty of ideas saved, but now that the press is sitting in her studio she feels overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. How do you move past that feeling of “all the gear and no idea” and actually start enjoying the process of making again? Kerry describes something many creatives quietly carry. From the outside, it looks as though she already has a creative practice. She makes work regularly, she thinks about it constantly, and it matters deeply to her. But internally she feels as though she hasn’t quite arrived yet, telling herself she’ll take her work seriously once she’s more organised, more skilled, more consistent. How do you stop postponing your creative life and begin inhabiting it now? In this episode, I explore: • Why drawing in public can feel vulnerable, and how to handle being watched Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 5: Multiple Jobs, Creative Loneliness and Changing Direction | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:33:47 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Helen, Sue and Liz – exploring how to organise a creative life when you have multiple roles, how to navigate a shift in your artistic direction, and how to find creative community when making work alone starts to feel lonely. Helen wrote in after listening to the first episodes and asked a question many creatives will recognise. Like many artists, she doesn’t just have one job. Her week includes teaching, administration, communication and making her own work. How do you structure your days so that creative work doesn’t constantly get pushed aside by everything else that needs doing? Liz’s dilemma touches on something many artists feel but rarely say out loud: loneliness in the studio. She used to attend a wonderful weekly textile course where students learned alongside each other and were even working towards a shared exhibition. When Covid arrived the group dissolved and never quite reassembled. Since then she has taken online courses, but they never quite replace the feeling of being in a room with other creatives. How do you rebuild real creative community in a world that increasingly feels online? Sue has built a strong practice around one particular medium. Over the years she has become known for this way of working, and importantly the work sells. She has collectors who buy it and a gallery that regularly takes pieces from her. But recently she has felt a strong pull towards something completely different. How do you know whether a new direction is a genuine evolution in your practice, or simply a distraction that could destabilise something you’ve spent years building? In this episode, I explore: • How to structure your time when you have multiple creative roles Each dilemma is explored with both emotional insight and practical steps you can try in your own creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 4: Creative Blocks, Too Many Ideas and the Fear of Peaking | 09 Mar 2026 | 00:34:09 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Chinju, Catherine (with a nod to Siobhan, who sent in a very similar question) and Jane – each exploring creative block, creative overwhelm and the fear that your best work may already be behind you. Chinju is a busy mum who hasn’t drawn regularly for many years. She feels a deep pull to return to drawing, but when she opens her sketchbook she freezes. The blank page feels intimidating and comparison with other artists creeps in. How do you begin again when creativity feels important but life is already full? Catherine loves exploring different creative processes – from watercolour sketching and lino printing to quilting and other making. Siobhan wrote in with a very similar dilemma. With so many ideas and interests pulling in different directions, how do you focus your energy and actually finish the work you start? Jane has made a body of work over the past couple of years that she feels really proud of. But alongside that pride has come an uncomfortable question: what if I’ve already peaked? How do you move forward when you’re worried you might never make work as strong again? In this episode, I explore: • Returning to creativity after a long pause Each dilemma is unpacked gently, with both emotional insight and clear, practical homework you can try in your own practice. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 3: Creative Identity, Overwhelm & Open Calls | 03 Mar 2026 | 00:33:08 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Jenny, Becky and Liza – each exploring identity, overwhelm and how we move forward with courage in our creative lives. Jenny did an art degree but hasn’t made work for years. When someone close to her questioned whether she should still call herself creative, it struck a nerve. Can you claim a creative identity if you’re not actively producing work? What actually defines a creative life? Becky is starting again after years of not prioritising her practice. She’s full of ideas and ambition, but paralysed by wanting to do everything at once. How do you begin when the possibilities feel endless and overwhelming? Liza is navigating open calls and submissions. How do you put yourself forward without tying your self-worth to the outcome? And what’s really happening behind the scenes on judging panels? In this episode, I explore: • Creativity beyond visible output Each dilemma is unpacked gently, with both emotional insight and clear, practical homework you can try in your own practice. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, please email me at thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com | |||
| Episode 2 : Staying Creative, Selling Work & Curating With Confidence | 23 Feb 2026 | 00:28:37 | |
In this episode of The Creative Couch, I respond to three thoughtful creative dilemmas from Mary Ann, Liza and Melissa - each touching on confidence, stability and how we navigate uncertainty in our creative lives. Mary Ann is struggling to stay creative when the wider world feels chaotic and overwhelming. How do you protect your practice when the news cycle, instability and external noise start to seep into your studio? Liza is considering holding a sale of past work that no longer feels like her. Does selling past work diminish the value or direction of the new work she's making? Melissa is preparing for an exhibition and feeling out of her depth. Should her work be tightly themed? Does everything need to match? How do you curate your work without losing your voice? In this episode, I explore: • How to create stability when the world feels unsteady Each dilemma is unpacked gently, with both emotional insight and clear, practical homework you can try in your own practice. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, email me thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com You can listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch the full episode on YouTube via Sam Marshall Art. | |||
| Creative Couch Podcast Trailer | Start Here | 16 Feb 2026 | 00:02:25 | |
Welcome to Creative Couch. New episodes are released weekly. I’m Sam Marshall — artist, printmaker, creative coach and author based in rural Northamptonshire. In this podcast, I answer real creative dilemmas and explore how to build a braver, more sustainable artistic practice. Each episode explores confidence, creative block, finding your visual language, burnout, comparison, and building a sustainable creative life. If you have a creative dilemma you’d like me to explore, you can send it in to: thecreativecouchpod@gmail.com Start with Episode 1 and let’s begin. | |||
| Episode 1: Overwhelm, Creative Doubt & Finding Your Artistic Voice | 16 Feb 2026 | 00:33:24 | |
In this first episode of The Creative Couch, I’m answering three creative dilemmas from artists at different stages of their journey. We explore: • The gap between expectation and reality, and the overwhelm that can follow This podcast is a space for honest conversations about creativity, confidence and building a sustainable creative practice. If you’d like to send in your own creative dilemma, you can email me at thecreativepod@gmail.com | |||