The Creative Couch with Sam Marshall

Эпизоды

• Episode 16 : Creative chat with my Mum 02.06.2026 31мин

  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 ...
• Episode 15: Artistic Ethics, Mailing Lists & Creative Identity 26.05.2026 33мин

  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 in...
• Episode 14: Framing Anxiety, Comparison & Blank Sketchbooks 19.05.2026 40мин

  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....
• Episode 13: A Creative Conversation with Laura Smith 12.05.2026 1ч 2мин

  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. Laur...
• Episode 12: Instagram Burnout, Pricing and Creative Pressure 05.05.2026 44мин

  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,...
• Episode 11: Accuracy, Creative Pressure and Overthinking 28.04.2026 35мин

  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 click...
• Episode 10: Presentations, Too Many Directions and Shipping Artwork 21.04.2026 35мин

  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 man...
• Episode 9: Starting to Sell, Losing Interest and Studio Block 14.04.2026 29мин

  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 find...
• Episode 8: Copyright, Creative Travel and Going Viral 07.04.2026 37мин

  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 ...
• Episode 7: Too Many Ideas, Letting Go of Old Work and Finding Time to Draw 02.04.2026 34мин

  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...
• Episode 6: Drawing in Public, Getting Started and Taking Yourself Seriously 24.03.2026 26мин

  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 st...
• Episode 5: Multiple Jobs, Creative Loneliness and Changing Direction 17.03.2026 33мин

  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 teachi...
• Episode 4: Creative Blocks, Too Many Ideas and the Fear of Peaking 09.03.2026 34мин

  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 w...
• Episode 3: Creative Identity, Overwhelm & Open Calls 03.03.2026 33мин

  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 start...
• Episode 2 : Staying Creative, Selling Work & Curating With Confidence 23.02.2026 28мин

  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 fee...
• Creative Couch Podcast Trailer | Start Here 16.02.2026 2мин

  Welcome to Creative Couch. New episodes are released weekly. (In this trailer I accidentally say daily — this is a weekly podcast.) 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 ...
• Episode 1: Overwhelm, Creative Doubt & Finding Your Artistic Voice 16.02.2026 33мин

  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 • Returning to art after a break and managing a busy, “popcorn brain” • Finding your artistic voice and making work that genuinely feels like yours This podcast is a space for honest conversations about creativity, confidence and building a sustainable creative ...