Show Up or Shut Up with Wendy Solganik

Wendy Solganik
  • 4.7 (91)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast about making art for you, because you love the way you feel when you are creating and you just want more of that feeling.

  1. 8h ago

    Connie Fong: From Fodder School Superfan to Teacher—Playful Paper Dolls, Collage Calendars, and Finding Your Style

    Wendy Solganik introduces season six, episode six of theShow Up or Shut Up podcast with guest Connie Fong, a longtime Fodder School member now teaching in Fodder School six. Connie, a Bay Area native and retired computer science professional who worked at IBM and in e-commerce at WilliamsSonoma, shares her lifelong crafting journey through knitting, scrapbooking, bookmaking, and mixed media, plus her love of bold black-and-white contrast, typography, and grungy pops of color influenced by artists like Robin Marie Smith. They discuss how Fodder School’s variety, pacing, and supportive community helped Connie develop her distinctive style, and her surprise atbecoming a teacher. Connie previews her Fodder Challenge whimsical paper dolls (inspired by Mindy Lacefield) and her Fodder School project: a collage-style monthly calendar using ransom letters. She also talks about learning to film online classes with help from her daughter’s former YouTube setup, selling journals on Etsy (Artful Play), daily pickleball, and her shyness about posting publicly on Instagram (@myartfulplay).   00:00 Meet Connie Fong 02:01 Podcast Premise 03:23 Bay Area Roots 06:03 Early Crafting Life 07:39 Supplies And Shopping 10:25 Tech Career Path 13:57 From Crafts To Mixed Media 18:31 Finding Her Style 25:03 Becoming A Teacher 27:41 Why Fodder School Works 33:00 Her Fodder Challenge Dolls 35:07 Finding Your Own Style 36:03 Paper Dolls Project 36:30 Calendar Collage Plan 37:21 Ransom Letters Method 39:38 Why Make Art Calendars 43:54 Storing Cutout Letters 45:51 How Style Evolves 50:44 Teaching Online Leap 51:52 Daughter’s YouTube Journey 55:15 Etsy Shop and Instagram 58:49 Pickleball and Family Life 01:00:17 Confidence and Closing

    Connie Fong: From Fodder School Superfan to Teacher—Playful Paper Dolls, Collage Calendars, and Finding Your Style

  2. 3d ago

    Stefanie Hunsaker: Mixed-Media Portraits, Self-Love, and the Long Game of Style

    Host Wendy Solganik introduces season six, episode five ofthe Show Up or Shut Up podcast featuring Stefanie Hunsaker, a mixed media collage artist in northeastern Washington whose vibrant, layered portraits combine acrylic paint, fabric, scrapbook paper, and occasional embroidery and beading to explore self-love, trust, and empowerment. Stefanie shares herupbringing in eastern Washington near the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, early creative influences including stained glass and sewing, and shift from high-school photography and marketing interests to a University of Washington visual arts degree spanning photography, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry. After years running a natural-light portrait photography business, she phased it out as her kids grew and, after moving to Spokane, found a new creative outlet through online classes that led her into portrait painting and collage. She discusses developing her portrait style over seven years, sellingoriginals and some prints via her website, challenges with marketing, preferred surfaces (mostly canvas), local art markets, and interest in more gallery opportunities.   00:00 Podcast Intro and Guest 03:19 Growing Up in Washington 05:02 Hanford and Stained Glass 12:01 Early Crafty Roots 15:40 School to Art Degree 25:45 Motherhood and Scrapbooking 30:16 Photography Business Era 37:54 From Photos to Fine Art 41:21 Starting Art Instagram 42:00 Curating the Feed 43:25 Finding Her Genre 46:30 Seven Years of Style 48:21 Chuck Close Advice 51:00 ADHD and Hyperfocus 52:53 Selling Originals and Prints 57:25 Materials and Embroidery 59:46 Kids and Art School 01:04:26 Sewing Machine Renaissance 01:07:07 Galleries and Local Shows 01:09:38 Art Markets and Booth Setup 01:11:20 Wrap Up and Thanks

    Stefanie Hunsaker: Mixed-Media Portraits, Self-Love, and the Long Game of Style

  3. Aug 10

    Lisa Goddard on Art Journaling as a Lifeline, Mixed Media Layers, and Building a Sustainable Creative Life

    Host Wendy Solganik introduces UK mixed media artist, artjournaler, bookmaker, and new Fodder School Six teacher Lisa Goddard, who lives in Sheffield near the Peak District. Lisa describes studying fine art with a focus on textiles and sculpture, feeling lost after graduating in 2006, anddiscovering art journaling through artist Jen Worden, which became a daily practice for processing emotions, experimenting, and storytelling. While working for 18 years in University of Sheffield admin (including cybersecurity),raising two daughters, and teaching aerial hoops, she kept making art, built a social-media audience, taught in-person (and later online), and left her job just after COVID to focus on art. She discusses her studio setup, favorite techniques (collage, gesso, inky marks, stamping, textiles), thoughts on shifting social media, and previews her Fodder School projects: mixed mediamessage-in-a-bottle challenge and textile scroll books on vintage wooden spools.   00:00 Meet Lisa Goddard 02:06 Podcast Premise 03:28 Life in Sheffield 07:55 From Fine Art to Mixed Media 11:41 Art Kid Origins 13:45 Day Job and Family Balance 15:54 Aerial Hoop Surprise 18:45 Discovering Art Journaling 22:01 Finding Community Online 23:43 Daily Journaling Ritual 24:47 Go To Techniques 27:35 Sharing on Social Media 29:55 Teaching Beyond Journals 31:44 Process Versus Product 33:23 Life After Instagram 39:59 Fixing Your Instagram Feed 41:58 Teaching History and Family 43:13 Kids and Creative Talents 45:16 Fodder School Projects 47:28 Thrifting and Car Boot Sales 50:40 Scroll Books on Spools 53:15 Live Zoom Class Community 59:05 Retreat Dreams in Nature 01:02:26 Course Creation and Admin 01:04:35 Boundaries and Customer Support 01:10:13 DIY Course Platform Tech 01:12:50 Wrap Up and Thanks

    Lisa Goddard on Art Journaling as a Lifeline, Mixed Media Layers, and Building a Sustainable Creative Life

  4. Aug 7

    Gloria Gelo: From Corporate Life to Painting With Paper

    Host Wendy Solganik introduces season 6, episode 3 guestGloria Gelo, a Cleveland-raised contemporary abstract mixed media artist now based in Calgary and a new Fodder School 6 teacher. Gloria shares her Croatian immigrant family background, early love of art and typography, and how adiscouraging community college instructor derailed her confidence and pushed her into business school and corporate roles, including foreign currency trading at Citibank in New York and a creative resume-led job at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. After moving to Calgary, raising three sons, and laterdivorcing and remarrying, she received a 2018 corporate payout that enabled her to return to art full time, experiment across media, and develop a layered, minimalist collage practice using self-made papers and asemic writing. She now teaches in person and online, is gallery-represented, and previews her Fodder School “Line to Layer” challenge and a concertina book project focused on creating personal collage papers blending analog and digital methods.   00:00 Meet Gloria Gelo 02:06 Podcast Intro and Format 03:44 Nerves and Zoom Setup 04:34 Life in Calgary 06:13 Cleveland Roots and Canada 10:17 Fodder School Connection 11:36 Immigrant Family Story 15:08 Croatian Traditions and Food 20:27 Early Art Spark 23:28 Art School Confidence Crash 28:13 Business Pivot and Corporate Life 32:13 Wall Street to LA Move 34:56 Universal Studios Creativity Win 36:59 LA Life and Cabinet Business 38:43 Life in the Valley 39:52 Business Sold Suddenly 40:33 Move Back to Calgary 42:16 Divorce and Remarriage 43:05 Layoff Sparks Art 45:00 Finding Mixed Media 49:36 From Process to Selling 52:33 Gallery Representation 55:50 Teaching Goes Online 01:00:19 Art as Communication 01:08:07 Typography Origins 01:13:58 Asemic Writing Tips 01:16:48 Fodder School Projects 01:20:49 Final Wrap and Goodbye

    Gloria Gelo: From Corporate Life to Painting With Paper

  5. Aug 3

    Francine Dunigan on Bold Collage, Gel Printing, and Advocating for Your Health

    Host Wendy Solganik introduces Francine Dunigan as a newFodder School 6 teacher and mixed media artist known for vibrant, graphic collage using found papers, painted papers, and gel prints. Francine, based in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, shares her BFA background in communication design from Kutztown University, her shift toward fine art and fiber studies during a semester abroad in England, and how design principles shaped her visual style. She describes discovering gel printing through artists like Elizabeth St. Hilaire, creating marketable wall art and selling at local art shows, and designing stencils for Joggles. Francine discusses the complexity of resin finishing, her goals to teach more classes, and her experience navigatingendometrial cancer treatment, emphasizing self-advocacy and how art and journaling supported her during recovery. She previews teaching fussy-cut pear collage in Fodder School.   00:00 Meet Francine Dunigan 02:05 Podcast Premise 03:27 Joining Fodder School 06:51 From Gel Prints to Collage 08:33 Roots and Art School 10:56 Design Skills and Marketing 14:49 High School Art Foundations 19:52 Making Time as a Mom 21:42 Discovering Gel Printing 24:03 Selling at Art Fairs 31:56 Pricing and Originals 37:07 Health Scare and Advocacy 47:54 Art as Healing 48:49 Art Through Chemo 49:44 Hope After Clear Scans 50:20 Tennis During Treatment 51:48 Mindfulness Art Journals 52:42 New Stencil Line 55:48 Fodder School Pears 59:00 Using Tissue Layers 01:00:03 Resin Reality Check 01:06:00 Bigger Work Experiments 01:07:52 Color Inspiration Stories 01:10:39 Teaching Goals Ahead 01:17:23 Fodder School Live Event 01:19:34 Quilts From Your Designs 01:22:01 Closing Thanks

    Francine Dunigan on Bold Collage, Gel Printing, and Advocating for Your Health

  6. Aug 3

    Lori Siebert on Reinvention, Art Licensing, and Teaching Creative Retreats

    Season 6, Episode 1 of the Show Up or Shut Up podcastfeatures host Wendy Solganik interviewing mixed-media artist and designer Lori Siebert, a new Fodder School teacher. Lori shares early art training from age seven, her Cincinnati roots, and studying graphic design at UC’s DAAP with its co-op program. She describes founding her design firm in 1987, growing it to about 12 employees, and creating branding and illustration-based work for clients including Target, Bath & Body Works, Nickelodeon, and Universal Studios. Lori explains moving into art licensing over 20 years ago via SURTEX, how licensing works, and balancing client-driven themes with more personal work shown on Instagram. She discusses mentorship and community, building travel-teaching “street cred,” and upcoming retreats (Mexico City, Ireland, Provence, Waco, Vermont, Chautauqua, France, Connecticut). Lori previews her Fodder Challenge birds and a Fodder School fodder-flower bouquet project.   00:00 Meet Lori Siebert 02:36 Podcast Premise and Intro 04:50 Early Art Roots 05:59 Cincinnati and Staying Put 07:52 DAAP and Design Training 11:45 Family Influence and High School Art 16:06 From Design Firm to Big Clients 21:05 Burnout and Finding Licensing 22:24 How SURTEX Works 25:48 Licensing Reality vs Heart Art 28:24 Products in Stores and Samples 32:15 Turning 60 and Choosing Fun 33:08 Building Travel Teaching Retreats 37:21 Mexico City and Frida House Dreams 41:25 Mexico City Museums 42:32 Travel Health Tips 43:25 Language Barrier Hacks 44:39 Street Art Vibes 46:04 Starting the Design Firm 48:03 DAAP Fine Art Electives 49:45 Adapting the Business 52:49 Handmade to Digital Workflow 55:22 Ceramics Detour and Return 01:00:08 Clay Practice and Selling 01:01:44 Retreat Community Magic 01:03:01 Upcoming Trips and Chautauqua 01:05:11 Fodder Projects Birds Flowers 01:08:30 Wrap Up and Next Meet

    Lori Siebert on Reinvention, Art Licensing, and Teaching Creative Retreats

  7. Mar 25 ·  Bonus

    Heather Kojan on Quilting, Fearless Hustle, and Bringing Textiles to Willa Workshops

    Host Wendy Solganik interviews quilting instructor Heather Kojan, a modern quilter with traditional roots, founder of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild, and Willa Workshops instructor behind Threaded and Sewn, The Modern Improv Pillow, and the upcoming in-person retreat Fodder School Live (sold out; August 2026). Heather recounts growing up crafty (crochet, sewing), studying business, working in radio, restaurants, and a small catering business, then making her first quilt in late-80s colors and quilting casually while raising kids. She describes discovering modern quilting through blogs/Flickr, starting a guild to build community in Baltimore, and “faking it till you make it” into lecturing and national teaching, patterns, publications, and retreats (including a large Lancaster retreat). Heather explains her income streams, extensive travel, and plans to reduce travel while creating more Willa Workshops content that merges mixed media and textiles, including future collaborations and a planned co-taught Fodder School 7 lesson.    00:00 Meet Heather Kojan  02:05 Podcast Premise and Intro  03:39 Why Heather Now  04:44 From New York to Virginia  10:02 Early Craft Obsessions  12:46 College and Career Detours  16:26 Radio Restaurants and Catering  19:48 First Quilt and Family Life  23:03 Modern Quilting Awakening  25:06 Starting a Quilt Guild  28:23 First Lectures to Full Time  30:56 Income Streams and Recognition  33:35 How She Booked Teaching Gigs  34:32 Cold Email Breakthrough  35:53 Applying and Getting Noticed  37:04 Taking Over the Retreat  38:55 What Happens at Retreats  41:14 Finding Fodder School  46:13 From Student to Collaborator  50:57 Building Online Courses  59:08 Planning the Next Chapter  01:01:38 Travel Burnout and Ego  01:06:15 Slowing Down and New Hybrids  01:11:34 Recruiting Teachers and FS7  01:14:24 Wrap Up and Thanks

    Heather Kojan on Quilting, Fearless Hustle, and Bringing Textiles to Willa Workshops

  8. 09/04/2025

    Exploring Creative Boundaries with Evan Haley

    In this episode of the 'Show Up or Shut Up' podcast, host Wendy Solganik interviews artist, and Executive Producer of Willa Workshops, Evan Haley. Wendy really wanted to bring Evan onto the podcast to highlight an emerging opportunity for book artists within Fodder School: the opportunity to create truly unique artist books from lessons in Fodder School that aren’t specifically designed with a book as the end product in mind! They discuss Evan's unique journey from studying pre-med sciences at Princeton University to becoming a mixed media artist, and delve into the creative processes and challenges that define his art-making experiences. Wendy shares her insights on the evolution of Fodder School and the potential for members to adapt projects to suit their personal creative goals, emphasizing the importance of pushing artistic boundaries and overcoming fears. The episode also introduces a secret project focusing on learning the Procreate app, highlighting the significance of digital technology in modern art creation. (00:00) Introduction to the Podcast and Guest (01:27) Wendy's Artistic Journey and Podcast Overview (02:48) Meet Evan Haley: Background and Early Life (04:12) Evan's College Experience and Shift to Art (10:05) Evan's Artistic Development and College Projects (18:56) Fodder School Projects and Creative Problem Solving (22:32) Exploring Creative Potential and Bookmaking (28:04) Fodder School Community and Off the Beaten Path (28:41) Exploring New Projects in Fodder School (29:24) Pushing Artistic Boundaries (33:16) Overcoming Fear in Art Creation (36:07) Taking Up Space with Your Art (40:09) Letting Go of Unloved Art (47:13) The Secret Project: Procreate Course (52:27) The Challenges of Learning New Tools (56:41) Concluding Thoughts and Gratitude

    Exploring Creative Boundaries with Evan Haley
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Trailer

4.7
out of 5
91 Ratings

About

A podcast about making art for you, because you love the way you feel when you are creating and you just want more of that feeling.

Information

  • Creator
    Wendy Solganik
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Wendy Solganik

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