Art, Parenthood, and Beyond

Art thrives on experimentation.

In this episode, I dive into the joy of playing with materials without expectations—a process that led to a surprising creative breakthrough. Inspired by Rick Rubin’s …

What happens when you finally get to learn from one of your biggest artistic inspirations, and it doesn’t go as planned? In this episode, I reflect on my experience attending Kelogsloops’ workshop in…

In this episode, I share the story of attending Agnes Cecil’s workshop in Munich and how it became a turning point in my art journey. From conquering my fear of sketching portraits to embracing the b…

Inspiration doesn’t always strike all at once—it arrives in fragments, waiting for us to notice. In this episode, I share how a quiet, sacred encounter with a deer in my garden transformed into a wat…

In this episode, I sit down with my artist friend Eli to unpack the challenges of 2024 and the creative struggles they revealed. I realize my fear of her stepping away from painting was shaping our c…

In this vulnerable conversation with my artist friend Eli, we unpack our most challenging moments of 2024: her painful experience with an interior design store exhibition and my social media marketin…

In this episode, I share my journey with Instagram art communities—the highs of creative collaborations and the challenges of navigating engagement. From joining Ali Cavani's Patreon group to paintin…

In this heartfelt episode, I reflect on my emotional journey back to Japan to say my final farewell to my grand aunt. The decision to fly back to Japan or not was a struggle for me since it meant tak…

In this episode, I explore the moments when parents open up their worlds to their children, sharing not just spaces and tasks, but meaningful parts of their identities. Through three stories—an artis…

In this reflective episode, I reflect on 2024, guided by Laura Horn’s approach to setting intentions and asking meaningful questions about what worked, what didn’t, and what to let go. My word for 20…

In this episode, Aine Divine shares how trusting your inner voice can guide you through creative challenges, from embracing pauses during blocks to following sparks of inspiration. She reflects on tr…

Imagine 5 days of JUST PAINTING—learning and rediscovering creativity with Aine Divine. Set in the inspiring Willow Room at Cockenzie House in Edingburgh, this summer school new ways of approaching w…

In this episode, we explore what it means to be an artist and the journey of owning that title. Inspired by my own experiences and the story of a close friend, we dive into questions around identity,…

In this episode, I share my journey of how I first started making money with my art back in April 2023. From my first commissioned work with mothers in a Singapore-based WhatsApp community, to my fir…

Mentioned:
Sky Portrait Artist of the Year

Aine Divine

My youtube video on how to make painting a ritual

My website: ⁠MiwaGardner.com

Find me on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@miwagardnerart

Mentioned:

Eli Miklavcic

Agnes Cecil

A good resources on what defines style: https://massart.edu/app/uploads/legacy-files/Principles%20and%20Elements.pdf

Pablo Picasso not pink period, Rose Period
Landsca…

Mentioned:

Birds: https://www.miwagardner.com/buyart/p/ill-take-my-time

My website: ⁠MiwaGardner.com

Find me on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@miwagardner_art

In this episode, I share my experiences of spending quality time with my three-year-old son, focusing on our recent foray into origami. Through the delicate art of folding paper, I discover valuable …

In this episode, I explore the challenges of transitioning between my artistic pursuits and administrative duties amidst significant life changes. Drawing from my personal experience of moving from M…