The Create! Podcast

Ekaterina Popova
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The Create! Podcast (formerly Art & Cocktails) is your space for inspiration, encouragement, and practical insight at the intersection of contemporary art, creative business, and mindset. Hosted by artist, coach, and Create! Magazine founder Ekaterina Popova, the show is designed to help you grow your art career, expand your creative vision, and build a sustainable, joyful life. Through candid conversations with artists, entrepreneurs, writers, curators, and thought leaders—as well as empowering solo episodes—you'll find tools, ideas, and stories that remind you that life itself is your canvas, and you have the power to create a career and future that truly supports you. Find us at www.createmagazine.co/podcast — where the conversation about art and business starts.

  1. 5 HR AGO

    The Timeless Principles of Getting Paid for Your Art (Still Relevant in 2026)

    So much of what we hear right now is about what is changing, what is closing, what is shifting. In this solo episode, Ekaterina Popova cuts through the noise to focus on what has remained true across every platform, every trend cycle, and every era of the art world: the core principles of getting paid for doing what you love. Kat takes us back to her teenage years, painting prom backdrops and dance team sets for a hundred dollars at a time, with no connections, no following, and a kind of blissful confidence that the work would find its people. That early experience shaped a belief system that carried her through years of building a creative business, and she traces exactly where that belief started to crack, what planted it back, and what she wishes she had known sooner. In this episode, Kat shares how her earliest art sales happened long before social media existed, why the doubt she absorbed in art school was some of the most expensive she ever entertained, what the relationship with your own work has to do with whether it ever sells, and how she hired a coach this week with nothing more than an Instagram DM and a clear sense of what she needed. This one is for the artist who keeps waiting for the right moment, the bigger audience, or the better strategy. The strategy, it turns out, has been the same all along. Connect with Kat at info@createmagazine.com and follow along at @createmagazine on Instagram. Submit to our current call for art: https://www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art

    14 min
  2. You Might Also Like: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    5 HR AGO ·  BONUS

    You Might Also Like: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    Introducing How to Communicate So People Actually Listen from On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Follow the show: On Purpose with Jay Shetty How many times have you said something, and it didn’t come across the way you meant it to? Today, Jay unpacks why so many of us feel unheard at work, at home, and even in our closest relationships. He shares a powerful insight: communication isn’t defined by what you say, but by how it’s received. Most of us overestimate how clearly we express ourselves, creating a hidden gap between intention and impact. Jay reframes communication as a shared responsibility, reminding us that real connection isn’t about winning arguments, but about being clear, compassionate, and protecting the relationship while speaking your truth. Jay then explores the core principles that help people actually listen, beginning with the ability to regulate your nervous system before you speak. When emotions take over, we react rather than respond, often escalating conflict instead of easing it. He highlights why clarity is more powerful than intensity, and how simple, intentional language fosters trust and cooperation, while emotional overload creates distance. In this episode, you'll learn: How to Communicate So People Actually Listen How to Regulate Your Emotions Before Speaking How to Speak Without Triggering Defensiveness How to Ask Questions That Build Understanding How to De-escalate Difficult Conversations When you focus on being understood instead of being right, conversations become safer, relationships grow stronger, and conflict loses its power. With intention, patience, and compassion, your words can become a bridge, not a barrier, to the life and relationships you truly want. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here.  Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast SpringFest is happening now, and our best lineup is here at http://www.lowes.com What We Discuss: 00:47 Are You a Good Communicator? 02:31 How Effective Communicators Make an Impact 03:24 #1: Regulate Before You Communicate 06:24 #2: Clarity Over Intensity 08:40 #3: People Argue with Threat NOT Facts 11:11 #4: Ask More Questions, Make Fewer Statements 12:51 #5: Tone Carries More Than Words 15:27 #6: End Conversations with Alignment 21:13 The Goal of Proper Communication See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. 5 DAYS AGO

    The Secret Financial Lives of History's Most Famous Artists (Yes, Including the Illegal Stuff), with Mason Currey

    What does it actually take to make art and make a living at the same time? This week, Ekaterina Popova sits down with Mason Currey, author of the beloved Daily Rituals series and his brand new book, Making Art and Making a Living (Celadon Books), a rich, research-driven look at how artists across centuries have funded their creative lives. From day jobs and patrons to inheritances, government grants, and a few schemes that fall into grayer territory, Mason has compiled the stories so many of us have needed to hear. In this conversation, he and Kat explore why community matters more than most creatives realize, how constraints can actually be an artist's greatest asset, and the practical power of reverse engineering the career you actually want. If you have ever asked yourself whether you are doing this whole creative life thing right, this episode is your answer. Spoiler: you are in very good company. In this episode: Why community and creative scenes have always mattered more than solo genius How Mason's entire career grew from a blog post he wrote while procrastinating The surprising truth about artists who got everything they wanted, and still couldn't work Baudelaire, Whistler, and what history's most dramatic artistic money struggles can teach us about our own How to reverse engineer the career you want by studying the people who have it Why constraints, including financial ones, are often where the best work comes from The power of doing something, even a small, imperfect, DIY version of your vision Links and resources mentioned: Making Art and Making a Living by Mason Currey: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250824523/makingartandmakingaliving/ Mason Currey's website and newsletter (Subtle Maneuvers): masonwcurrey.com Best American Essays series (mentioned by Mason as a career research tool) Work with Kat + explore Create! Magazine: Create! Magazine celebrates working artists through features, interviews, and juried open calls. Submit your work, explore available articles, and join the community at createmagazine.co. Ready to grow your art career with step-by-step guidance? Explore micro courses on marketing, sales, visibility, and more at www.createu.co Visit www.createmagazine.co and click Programs to learn more. Private mentorship and coaching with certified master coach, Ekaterina Popova https://espopova.com

    26 min

  4. 1 APR

    How to Climb Out of a Funk and Get Your Passion Back

    If you have been going through a funk, whether it is burnout, a creative slump, seasonal blues, or just feeling stuck, this episode is for you. Kat gets real about the challenges she faced this past winter, including some big personal changes, and shares the honest unglamorous things that helped her climb back out: taking care of her body, dropping what was not serving her, shifting her mindset around showing up, and finding people who cheer her on too. No toxic positivity here, just real talk and practical perspective for anyone ready to get back on track. Ready to stop navigating this alone? Kat works with working artists and creative entrepreneurs through private coaching at espopova.com. If you are ready to get back on track with someone genuinely in your corner, learn more and book a session at www.espopova.com.

    11 min

  5. 29 MAR

    You Don't Have to Choose Between Making Art and Building a Career. James Miille Proves It.

    You Don't Have to Choose Between Making Art and Building a Career. James Miille Proves It. Photographic artist James Miille has shown work in New York, Paris, Miami, and Mexico City, built two companies, and never stopped making the art that started it all. In this episode he pulls back the curtain on how he actually does it. James creates surreal composite photographs entirely from scratch, every element shot by him, every image sparked by a song. He breaks down his creative process, why documenting your work is now more important than ever, and how he thinks about the business of being an artist without letting it kill the passion. This one is packed with real, actionable insight for artists at any stage. Episode Highlights How a song becomes a surreal photograph and what James is building right now Why showing your process is your biggest competitive advantage in the age of AI The through line running through all his work: men having feelings and why that still feels radical His upcoming coffee table book mapping emotions through surreal portraiture The video game based on his art universe currently in the concepting phase How co-founding Superfine Art Fair led to launching Studio Chamiilleon The mindset shift that makes the business side of art feel less like a chore His plan to take entire exhibitions on the road in a single suitcase Connect with James jamesmiille.com studiochamiilleon.com Join the Create! Community Read artist features, discover new voices, and get resources built for working creatives at createmagazine.co

    26 min

  6. 24 MAR

    The Gap Between Where You Are and Where You Want to Be Is Not a Problem with Kat

    You invest in a mentor, a course, or a new skill, and instead of feeling excited, you feel exposed. You see the artist you admire and wonder if you will ever get there. Your ego wants you to quit before you even start. Sound familiar? This week Ekaterina gets honest about her own experience of evolving, trying new things in the studio, shifting her art, and the vulnerability, self-doubt, and resistance that showed up right alongside it. She turns that moment into the most important conversation you can have as a creative or entrepreneur: what to do with the gap between where you are today and where you want to go. This episode will shift how you see your progress, your timeline, and your worth as an artist right now, before you have it all figured out. In this episode: Why your brain treats learning a new skill like a threat, and how to push through anyway The one question that separates artists who grow from artists who stay stuck What the research says about how fast you can build real confidence in a new skill (it is faster than you think) How to stop comparing your Chapter 1 to someone else's Chapter 20 Why sharing your work before you feel ready is one of the highest-leverage moves you can make What taking responsibility for your own success actually looks like on a Tuesday night If you are an artist or creative entrepreneur who is learning something new, building something from scratch, or feeling behind, this episode is for you. You are not behind. You are not untalented. You are not too late. Ready to stop figuring it out alone? Kat has 3 spots open this season for one on one coaching. If you are an artist building a sustainable career, transitioning to full time, or growing a creative platform or mentorship practice, apply now at espopova.com. Applications are open and she is currently scheduling free discovery calls. Resources: One on one coaching: espopova.com Create Magazine: www.createmagazine.co Instagram: @createmagazine Substack: createmagazine.substack.com

    13 min

  7. 21 MAR

    The Art Business Advice Nobody Tells You About Commissions, Burnout, and Actually Making It Work with Emily Jeffords

    Emily Jeffords is back on The Create! Podcast and this one is for every artist who is quietly wondering if there is a better way to do this. Emily is a painter, educator, and founder of the Making Art Work program - and she brings a level of honesty to this conversation that is genuinely rare. We talk about what it looks like to be in an "incubation year," the bravery it takes to begin again after you've already mastered something, and why the sale starts long before anyone opens their wallet - it starts when you fall back in love with your own work. She shares the real story behind her commission journey, from charging 5% of what she charges now to intentionally opening just three spots for large-scale work and selling them all. We get into how she structures commissions entirely on her own terms, the nervous system collapse that was her 2021 burnout, and why she chose to scale her business down from seven figures - and has never looked back. This episode is honest, practical, and genuinely grounding. I hope it gives you the permission slip you didn't know you needed. In this episode: What an "incubation year" actually looks like in your creative business The bravery of beginning again after you've already mastered something How Emily structures commissions so she stays creatively in charge Selling older work - three tips for falling back in love with your inventory Why she walked away from a seven-figure business and what she built instead Burnout as a nervous system issue, not a productivity problem The 1% a day mantra inside Making Art Work What profitability really means for artists beyond money Links mentioned: Emily's free 4-day Share Your Work Challenge - starts March 24   Emily's Making Art Work 9-week program  Submit to Create! Magazine: - createmagazine.co/call-for-art

    37 min

  8. 16 MAR

    Daniel Arsham: How to Break Into the Art World and Build a Career Nobody Can Ignore

    Most artists wait for the art world to invite them in. Daniel Arsham stopped waiting - and built his own gallery at 21 instead. In this episode, Kat sits down with Daniel Arsham, one of the most sought-after artists of his generation, to talk about his brand new book Future Relic - a brutally honest handbook written for his 17-year-old self who dreamed of being an artist but had no roadmap to get there. Daniel's iconic "eroded" aesthetic has made him a singular force in contemporary art, but behind that vision is decades of showing up, collecting failures, and building a career on his own terms - from gutting a Miami house to create a gallery space, to collaborating with Dior, Adidas, Pharrell Williams, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In this conversation, we get into: Why art school teaches you to make the work but not build a career How Daniel got gallery representation with Perrotin after four years of showing up The mindset shift that makes walking into intimidating rooms possible Why nobody remembers your failures - and why you should collect them anyway How brand collaborations funded his practice without compromising his vision The power of writing down ultra-specific goals Why restraint is one of the most underrated tools in an artist's career Whether you're just starting out or wondering how to take your practice to the next level, this conversation will inspire you and give you real, actionable perspective on what building a sustainable art career actually looks like. Get the book: Future Relic by Daniel Arsham Daniel Arsham's exhibition "Just Various Thoughts" opens March 5th at Perrotin New York. Enjoying the show? Leave us a review on iTunes and share this episode with a fellow artist - it means the world. Explore Create! Magazine, open calls, exhibitions, and free resources: createmagazine.com Follow us on Instagram: @createmagazine Read new articles on our Substack: createmagazine.substack.com

    23 min
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About

The Create! Podcast (formerly Art & Cocktails) is your space for inspiration, encouragement, and practical insight at the intersection of contemporary art, creative business, and mindset. Hosted by artist, coach, and Create! Magazine founder Ekaterina Popova, the show is designed to help you grow your art career, expand your creative vision, and build a sustainable, joyful life. Through candid conversations with artists, entrepreneurs, writers, curators, and thought leaders—as well as empowering solo episodes—you'll find tools, ideas, and stories that remind you that life itself is your canvas, and you have the power to create a career and future that truly supports you. Find us at www.createmagazine.co/podcast — where the conversation about art and business starts.

Information

  • Creator
    Ekaterina Popova
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    438
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Create! Magazine LLC
  • Show Website
    The Create! Podcast

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