Creative Church

The Inspired Collective
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Arts
  • Updated Biweekly

Creative Church is a podcast inside The Inspired Collective, where artists gather to talk honestly about the creative life. Each episode features a conversation with a member of the Collective about their creative practice, conversations explore the real experience of being an artist: doubt, devotion, creative breakthroughs and the strange and beautiful process of making something from nothing. Creative Church exists to remind artists that they are not alone and that creative community matters. Our Host is our very own, singer-songwriter, artist: Anne van Damme.

  1. 5d ago

    Let this be a playground - with Jana Lynn Rivers

    Creative Church is a podcast inside The Inspired Collective, where artists gather to talk honestly about the creative life. Each episode features a conversation with a member of the Collective about their creative practice. Conversations explore the real experience of being an artist: doubt, devotion, creative breakthroughs and the strange and beautiful process of making something from nothing. Creative Church exists to remind artists that they are not alone and that creative community matters. Listen until the end of the episode to hear this weeks advice for a more creative life 3 Find Jana Lynn Rivers: https://www.instagram.com/janalynnrivers/ www.instagram.com/JanaLynnRivers.photographywww.slowandsteadyprojects.de Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠or ⁠anywhere else⁠Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

  2. Sep 23

    Come into relationship with your excuses - with Meaghan Carriere

    Creative Church is a podcast inside The Inspired Collective, where artists gather to talk honestly about the creative life. Each episode features a conversation with a member of the Collective about their creative practice. Conversations explore the real experience of being an artist: doubt, devotion, creative breakthroughs and the strange and beautiful process of making something from nothing. Creative Church exists to remind artists that they are not alone and that creative community matters. Listen until the end of the episode to hear this weeks advice for a more creative life 3 Find Meaghan: www.meaghancarriere.com IG: you_belong_here_recovery_book IG: ir_rota_studio • Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠or ⁠anywhere else⁠Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

  3. Aug 26

    Just start - with Samantha Masog

    In this episode of Creative Church, host Anne van Damme sits down with photographer Samantha Masog. Samantha shares her journey as a self-taught artist, what events led to her picking up her camera for real, and how balancing motherhood with her creative drive has empowered her to start living for herself through art. An honest and inspiring conversation on letting go of comparison, embracing curiosity over perfectionism, and finding your unique creative identity. In this episode: • Embracing your inner "weirdo" and reclaiming expression as an outcast artist. • Art as a Catalyst for Healing: How reconnecting with photography helped Samantha break free from depression, rediscover joy, and reclaim her true self beyond societal expectations. • The Power of Daily Commitment: What "taking photography seriously" looks like in practice—from committing to daily shooting and public posting to openly setting priorities with family. • Building a Creative Community: Samantha’s vision for opening an accessible art cafe to support lost or outcast artists and break down traditional boundaries of what "counts" as art. • Finding Beauty in the Forgotten: The story behind Samantha's favorite photograph—a dilapidated 1950s motel sign—and how seeing beauty in overlooked places inspires her work. • Advice for Aspiring Creators: The ultimate takeaway on overcoming self-doubt: just start, even if it's in secret, and create purely for yourself. Find Samantha Masog: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roselensimagery Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Eclectographer Website: http://roselens.mypixieset.com/new-page/  Tiktok @Roselensimagery    •Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠or ⁠anywhere else⁠•Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

  4. Aug 12

    Let your daydreams speak - with Krystal Alexandria

    In this episode, host Anne van Damme and artist Krystal Alexandria explore the transformative practice of listening to our inner creative rhythms. Moving past strict discipline, perfectionism, and the pressures of modern algorithms, they discuss how redefining consistency—and embracing low-stakes "s****y art"—opens the door to authentic self-discovery. Together, they offer a heartfelt invitation to trade societal expectations for personal devotion and let your quiet daydreams guide your creative path. Key Highlights • The Freedom of "S****y Art": Unpacking perfectionism, low-stakes play, and reclaiming childhood creativity without expectation. • Creating as Counterculture: Choosing softness, slowing down, and disconnecting from digital noise as acts of modern rebellion. • Strength in Vulnerability: Overcoming industry pressure to be louder and embracing softness as a powerful artistic identity. • Balancing Dual Mediums: Anne and Krystal discuss navigating different relationships with their art—from serious professional pursuits to pressure-free side mediums. • Gamifying Consistency: Using creative prompts like bingo cards to find flow without falling into strict, rigid routines. • Proof of the Artist: Reflecting on physical piles of past work as tangible validation of growth and self-devotion. • Let Your Daydreams Speak: Krystal shares actionable advice on using everyday daydreams as clear compasses for what your soul craves. Find Krystal: IG: https://www.instagram.com/krystal.alexandria Website: https://krystalalexandria.com Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soften-up-with-krystal-alexandria/id1876277045 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@krystal.alexandria Substack: https://substack.com/@krystalalexandria •Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠ or ⁠anywhere else⁠•Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

  5. Jul 29

    Expand your creativity - with Carolyn Fallert

    In this conversation, Carolyn Fallert and Anne van Damme discuss breaking free from corporate glasses and the destination mindset to embrace the 3D sphere of creativity in everyday life. Creativity is not a simple equation. It’s a lot more in dept than 1 +1=2. From viewing logo design as "cleaning your brushes" to finding joy in side projects, we explore how stepping away from linear productivity allows us to build our"experimentation muscle, trust the process, and reclaim childlike playfulness. • Cleaning Your Brushes: Administrative tasks aren't just logistical chores to cross off a list; they are an invitation to practice creativity and infuse meaning into every step. • Overcoming the Destination Mindset: Fixating solely on getting published or finished means walking past the "gardens" on your left and right • Building the Experimentation Muscle: Unrelated side projects—like building a physical garden wall out of cement or sewing clothes—train you to try new things without fear and help you become a whole person. • Creativity as a Pot of Soup: Moving away from the rigid corporate formula (Energy In = Output Out), art is like making soup from scratch—an intuitive, multi-sensory process of intermixing ingredients from a seemingly empty pantry. • Playfulness through Hermit Crab Essays: Borrowing existing shells—like writing a fine-dining review from a dog's perspective or a restraining order against a bikini wax—taps back into the uninhibited joy of a five-year-old. • Stopping to Smell the Flowers: Pausing to appreciate small details, like bees and blooms in a newly planted garden, nourishes the creator and feeds back into the main artistic work. Find Carolyn: Substack: https://yourpowers.substack.com/ Instagram: @in.our.powers-  https://www.instagram.com/in.our.powers/ Podcast: In Our Powers (launching August17, 2026) YouTube: @inourpowers - https://www.youtube.com/@inourpowers •Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠or ⁠anywhere else⁠•Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

  6. Jul 15

    Regulate and release - with Gala Gomez

    What happens when your nervous system isn't ready for your dreams? In this episode we sit down with Spanish singer-songwriter and poet Gala Gomez to dismantle the toxic hustle culture surrounding the arts.If you have ever felt like pure sabotage took over right as your creative dreams were within reach, you aren't lazy, undisciplined, or lacking grit—your nervous system might just be trying to keep you safe. Gala opens up about the painful, confusing reality of freezing at the height of her musical career—choosing to walk away from two promising EPs, a major indie label connection, and eventually, a highly successful Substack. Together, Anne and Gala explore why our bodies sometimes hit the emergency brakes on our ambitions, and how true healing requires moving out of our heads and back into our bodies. In this episode, we explore: • The Creative Freeze: Gala’s raw story of walking away from a major music breakthrough and a thriving poetry platform, and why society's diagnosis of "lack of discipline" is dead wrong. • The "Middle-Class Artist" & Reimagining Success: Why we don't all want to be Taylor Swift—and normalizing the desire to simply make a decent living through art without the pressure of fame. • When Talk Therapy Isn't Enough: Why intellectualizing our trauma doesn't heal a dysregulated nervous system, and the power of somatic, body-focused therapy. • The Survival Modes of the Past: How fight, flight, freeze, and fawn served as childhood coping mechanisms, and why those same survival instincts eventually drain us as adults. • Learning to "Notice" and Receive: Anne shares her beautiful breakthrough of finally playing guitar in her garden after a decade of hyper-vigilance, and the micro-practice of telling yourself, "I see you." Whether you are an artist, a recovering perfectionist, or someone who feels perpetually stuck in survival mode, this episode is a gentle invitation to stop fighting your body and finally allow yourself to simply be. Find Gala Gomez  on Substack: https://substack.com/@poemsat23 •Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠or ⁠anywhere else⁠•Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

  7. Jul 1

    Do the thing - with Gina Parker

    In this episode, host Anne van Damme sits down with mixed media artist Gina Parker (Gina Marie Art) to explore the profound connection between creativity, healing, and sobriety. After hitting rock bottom and choosing sobriety in late 2021, Gina experienced an unmistakable call to return to painting. Through her vibrant work with acrylics and spray paint, she discovered that leaning into the process—rather than obsessing over the outcome or trying to force a specific niche—was the key to defeating perfectionism and reconnecting with her inner child. Together, Anne and Gina unpack the realities of living month to month as a creative, the power of allowing yourself to "play," and why simply showing up for yourself with whatever energy you have is the ultimate act of artistic freedom. In this episode: Art as Meditation and Medicine: How Gina used painting to anchor herself in the present moment during early sobriety, helping her navigate past the walls of perfectionism. The "Signature" of Presence: Why you don't actually need to "find" your artistic style—it naturally emerges through the unique physical movements and marks you make when you are truly present. Permission to Play: Dismantling the societal guilt of spending time and money on creativity, and choosing your mental and spiritual health over the corporate grind. Redefining Consistency: Moving away from the pressure to create identical outputs every day and learning to accept rest as a vital part of the creative process. The Magic of Budget Creating: Tips on experimenting with low-cost materials, from $3 charcoal to painting on the backs of discarded macaroni boxes and old book pages. The Value of Community and "Body Doubling": How external audio prompts and creative collectives can offer the vital support needed to build an abundant practice when you can't find it in you yet to do it alone. Find Gina Marie Art: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gina_marie_art_ Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/ginamarieart Big Cartel: https://ginamarieart.bigcartel.com/ •Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠or ⁠anywhere else⁠•Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

  8. Jun 17

    Don't niche down - with Anita Zuchtriegl

    In this episode we sit down with Anita Zuchtriegl, a multidisciplinary performing artist, dance teacher, and aspiring DJ, to challenge the conventional advice of "finding your niche." We dive into the beautifully chaotic world of multi-passionate creatives who refuse to choose just one path. Anita shares her journey of embracing multiple artistic pillars—from making videos and painting to her childhood roots in music mixing and her ultimate bucket-list goal of DJing a New Year’s Eve party by the ocean. Anne and Anita also unpack the common psychological hurdles artists face, including the shame surrounding using your voice, the misconception that talent is entirely innate, and the vulnerability of sharing raw, unpolished work with the world. Whether you are a painter who writes songs, a musician who loves to sew, or someone still trying to give yourself permission to create just for the sake of it, this episode is a warm reminder that you don't have to change who you are to be a "successful" artist. Sometimes, just starting to move is enough. Find Anita Zuchtriegl on: Instagram and YouTube. • Find out more about our host Anne van Damme (⁠@annevandammesongwriter⁠)Listen to her music on ⁠Spotify⁠ or ⁠anywhere else⁠•Learn everything about Amie McNee (⁠@inspiredtowrite⁠)And ⁠The Inspired Collective⁠

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Creative Church is a podcast inside The Inspired Collective, where artists gather to talk honestly about the creative life. Each episode features a conversation with a member of the Collective about their creative practice, conversations explore the real experience of being an artist: doubt, devotion, creative breakthroughs and the strange and beautiful process of making something from nothing. Creative Church exists to remind artists that they are not alone and that creative community matters. Our Host is our very own, singer-songwriter, artist: Anne van Damme.

Information

  • Creator
    The Inspired Collective
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Inspired Collective
  • Show Website
    Creative Church

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