Episode 118: From Brain Injury to Artistic Breakthrough: Cheri Carandanis' Story

After two traumatic brain injuries, everything changed for Cheri Carandanis. She was forced to give up a distinguished 25-year career as a critical care flight nurse in the U.S. military, where her identity was deeply intertwined with her profession.  Cheri faced unimaginable challenges, but when prescribed creativity to heal damaged brain pathways, her rehabilitation became a lifeline. Art became her new calling, and it led to a profound path to self-discovery and healing.  When I heard Cheri’s story inside Studio Elite, I knew I had to share it with the world. And trust me, my conversation with her is not one you want to miss! Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_. Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected]! Resources mentioned: Learn more about Cheri’s art: https://www.carandanisfineart.com/ Stay in touch with Cheri on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carandanisfineart/  Stay in touch with Cheri on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carandanisfineart  Learn more about Studio Elite: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Join me at my Santa Fe workshop in July: https://www.santafeartistgetaway.com/service-page/honest-art-2?referral=service_list_widget  Join me at my Austin workshop in October: https://jodieking.com/honest-art-workshop-austin-october-2025   Worthy: How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life by Jamie Kern Lima: https://amzn.to/44PplTL  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast    

I’m going to let you in on a secret…my art career took off not by adding more tasks, but by intentionally letting go of a few bad habits. 6 to be precise. It was a surprising shift from the typical "do more" mindset, and once I committed to stopping these patterns, I finally saw real momentum. Listen to this episode to get the behind-the-curtain look at how simple shifts changed everything…and how they can change your art career, too. Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_. Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected]! Resources mentioned: Learn more about Studio Elite: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  EDGE canvases 2.5in thick: https://www.jerrysartarama.com/the-edge-all-media-cotton-canvas-2-1-2-inch-boxes-of-three  Rolled Canvas: https://www.jerrysartarama.com/paramount-universal-primed-cotton-canvas-roll-84inx6yd-11oz-75363?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22276619958&gbraid=0AAAAAD_sa4aN1Hg6rqdRweSRZmLb8SKIX&gclid=CjwKCAjw4K3DBhBqEiwAYtG_9PasIhoWndt9W2I-vBTorcQVJymFPiUxCP1jED95T70mOEpsAOQk6hoCL_IQAvD_BwE  Art Biz Mini Course: Email Marketing: https://www.jodiekingart.com/offers/9U3kVbz5/checkout  Episode 67: Fight Me! Yes, An Artist Needs An Email List With Yasmine Kashefi: https://jodieking.com/episode-67-fight-me-yes-an-artist-needs-an-email-list-with-yasmine-kashefi/  Join Jodie’s email list here:https://www.jodiekingart.com/jointhelist  Grab the Art Biz Mini Course: An Artist’s Guide to Instagram: https://www.jodiekingart.com/offers/9xFEJ2E3/checkout  Join me at my Santa Fe workshop in July: https://www.santafeartistgetaway.com/service-page/honest-art-2?referral=service_list_widget  Join me at my Austin workshop in October: https://jodieking.com/honest-art-workshop-austin-october-2025   Grab the Art Biz Mini Course: An Artist’s Guide to Instagram: https://www.jodiekingart.com/offers/9xFEJ2E3/checkout  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast  

Are you censoring your art to please others, or shrinking your voice because you think you're “not enough”? In this episode of the Honest Art Podcast, I’m calling B.S. and challenging artists to stop watering down their authentic identity — those messy, “too much” parts. Why? Because that raw, unedited truth is a magnet for collectors, the fuel for unshakeable confidence, and the defiant middle finger to the "starving artist" myth. Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_. Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected]! Resources mentioned: Learn more about Studio Elite: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Join me at my Santa Fe workshop this month: https://www.santafeartistgetaway.com/service-page/honest-art-2?referral=service_list_widget  Join me at my Austin workshop in October: https://jodieking.com/honest-art-workshop-austin-october-2025   Episode 108: An Inside Look At Art Consulting With Amy Sawtelle: https://jodieking.com/episode-108-an-inside-look-at-art-consulting-with-amy-sawtelle/  Episode 110: Benny Bing Talks Artistic Process, Representation, and Finding His Voice in the Art World: https://jodieking.com/episode-110-benny-bing-talks-artistic-process-representation-and-finding-his-voice-in-the-art-world/  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  Join Jodie’s email list here: https://www.jodiekingart.com/jointhelist  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast  

It’s time to ditch the “it’s too late” mindset. My guest on this episode of the Honest Art Podcast, former Studio Elite member Brenda Sulmonetti, proves that you can become an artist at any age.  Tune in to hear her story about going from hobbyist to pro (with gallery representation!) in just a few years. She reveals exactly how she made it happen — the mindset shifts, the communities that changed everything, and the one program that became her "absolute game changer." Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_. Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected]! Resources mentioned: Check out Brenda’s website and join her email list here: SulmonettiStudio.com  Stay in touch with Brenda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sulmonettistudio/?hl=en  Learn more about Brenda’s art and upcoming exhibitions: https://linktr.ee/sulmonettistudio  Join Brenda’s email list: https://sulmonettistudio.com/  Cashiers’ Designer Showhouse: https://www.cashiershistory.org/cashiersdesignershowhouse  DK Contemporary Gallery Marietta, GA: https://dkgallery.us/  Learn more about Studio Elite: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite   Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Want to paint together? Check out upcoming workshops here: https://jodieking.com/workshop  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast 

What makes a gallery want to go all in when it comes to representing your art? Listen to this episode to learn the not-so-secrets every emerging artist needs to know. We’ll talk about how to stop positioning yourself as a hobbyist and start showing up professionally, how to improve visibility, and how to maintain your unique, artistic voice in the process! Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_. Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected]! Resources mentioned: Get started with Artwork Archive and use my link to get 20% off your first year: https://www.artworkarchive.com/jk    Episode 91: Gallery Standards for Wiring & Hanging Your Art: https://jodieking.com/episode-91-gallery-standards-for-wiring-hanging-your-art/  Check out my free guide on how to hang and wire a painting: https://www.jodiekingart.com/how-to-hang-a-painting  Grab the Art Biz Mini Course: An Artist's Guide to Instagram: https://www.jodiekingart.com/offers/9xFEJ2E3/checkout  Check out Jodie’s paintings at Anne Neilson Fine Art Gallery: https://anneneilsonfineart.com/artist/jodie-king  Episode 29: Art Critiques: It’s More Than Just Being Told You Suck: https://jodieking.com/episode-29-art-critiques-its-more-than-just-being-told-you-suck/  Episode 14: How to Price Your Art (So It Sells): https://jodieking.com/episode-14-how-to-price-your-art-so-it-sells/  Episode 108: An Inside Look at Art Consulting with Amy Sawtelle: https://jodieking.com/episode-108-an-inside-look-at-art-consulting-with-amy-sawtelle/  Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Join my email list here:https://www.jodiekingart.com/jointhelist  Interested in my mentorship program, Studio Elite? Apply here!: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast  

Waiting for the moment when you can turn your art hobby into an art career? This episode of the Honest Art Podcast is all about how to know when it’s time, and what to do once you make that leap. You’ll find that becoming a pro is less about waiting for a permission slip and more about showing up consistently, embracing discomfort, standing in your values, and ultimately…acting like a pro before you even feel like one! Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_ Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected]! Resources mentioned: Episode 110: Benny Bing Talks Artistic Process, Representation, and Finding His Voice in the Art World: https://jodieking.com/episode-110-benny-bing-talks-artistic-process-representation-and-finding-his-voice-in-the-art-world/  Episode 06: How to Use Social Media to Sell Your Art: https://jodieking.com/episode-06-how-to-use-social-media-to-sell-your-art/  Episode 67: Fight Me! Yes, An Artist Needs An Email List With Yasmine Kashefi: https://jodieking.com/episode-67-fight-me-yes-an-artist-needs-an-email-list-with-yasmine-kashefi/  Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/  Chatgpt: https://chatgpt.com/  Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Join me at my Santa Fe workshop in July: https://www.santafeartistgetaway.com/service-page/honest-art-2?referral=service_list_widget  Join me at my Austin workshop in October: https://jodieking.com/honest-art-workshop-austin-october-2025  Interested in my mentorship program, Studio Elite? Apply here!: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Join my email list here: https://www.jodiekingart.com/jointhelist  Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast  

I'm so excited to introduce you to Stacy Solodkin, an abstract artist who embodies authenticity and the power of saying "YES!" to what you love.  Tune in as she shares her inspiring journey of letting go, trusting impulse, and putting her incredible work out into the world. You'll be inspired to prioritize your creative needs, get clear about what you want, and be inspired to take the next step, even if it means starting small. You’re in for a treat with this episode! Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_. Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected]! Resources mentioned: Connect with Stacy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacysolodkin/?hl=en  Learn more about Stacy’s art: https://www.stacysolodkin.com/  Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Join me at my Santa Fe workshop in July: https://www.santafeartistgetaway.com/service-page/honest-art-2?referral=service_list_widget  Join me at my Austin workshop in October: https://jodieking.com/honest-art-workshop-austin-october-2025  Episode 108: An Inside Look At Art Consulting with Amy Sawtelle: https://jodieking.com/episode-108-an-inside-look-at-art-consulting-with-amy-sawtelle/  Join my email list here: https://www.jodiekingart.com/jointhelist  Interested in my mentorship program, Studio Elite? Apply here!: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast  

Is your creativity losing the battle against life's demands? In this episode, I talk about the uncomfortable truth about why consistency, not talent or inspiration, is the real secret to showing up. I'll break down practical time-blocking strategies that protect your creative sessions, techniques that build resilience, and studio habits that generate consistent flow.  If you want to maintain your creative practice, consistency is the way to do it.  Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_ Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected] Resources mentioned: Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Join my email list here:https://www.jodiekingart.com/jointhelist  Episode 110: Benny Bing Talks Artistic Process, Representation, and Finding His Voice in the Art World: https://jodieking.com/episode-110-benny-bing-talks-artistic-process-representation-and-finding-his-voice-in-the-art-world/  Check out my Mini-Course: An Artist’s Guide to Instagram: https://www.jodiekingart.com/offers/9xFEJ2E3/checkout  Worthy: How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life by Jamie Kern Lima: https://amzn.to/438JrsB  Interested in my mentorship program, Studio Elite? Apply here!: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite  Painter’s drop cloth: https://amzn.to/43rAkC2  Palo Santo: https://amzn.to/3SOz0UU  Listen to my guided meditation here: https://www.jodiekingart.com/guided-meditation  Screws and anchors: https://amzn.to/3H12mgt   Painter’s easel: https://amzn.to/4kxWEkE  4mil roll of plastic to mix paint on: https://amzn.to/4kuo8aG  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast    

This guest interview is everything I’ve been waiting to share since 2020. I’ve been a fan of this artist’s work since first glance, and today, I finally get to welcome him to the show. In this episode, the highly talented, highly sought-after Benny Bing — whose work has been collected by celebrities like Alicia Keys, Dave Chappelle, and The Weeknd  — and I dive into what raw, authentic creativity looks like. We’ll talk about: Benny's art serving as a profound exploration of black identity, gender, and human complexity The importance of finding your unique artistic voice through consistent practice and personal reflection Why passion and professional success can absolutely go hand in hand Don't miss the episode that will inspire, challenge, and reignite your creative spirit.  Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_ Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected] Resources mentioned: Stay in touch with Benny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bennybing/?hl=en  See more of Benny’s work: https://www.bennybing.com/ Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has  Interested in my mentorship program, Studio Elite? Apply here!: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know! Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast  

"Why do you create art?" is a question that stumps many artists, but it’s one everyone should know the answer to. Why? Because your WHY is your most powerful business tool, and getting clear on it may be the thing you need to sell more art in 2025. But here’s the thing — it’s already something you have inside you. It just needs to be uncovered. In this episode, I’ll show you how to do it, and you’ll walk away with practical exercises you can use to get introspective, regardless of where you find yourself in your art career.  Make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to come hang with me on Instagram @jodie_king_ Interested in being a guest on a future episode of Honest Art? Email me at [email protected] Resources mentioned: Learn more about the Honest Art Society: https://www.jodiekingart.com/has Episode 107: Art Buying Trends in 2025: https://jodieking.com/episode-107-art-buying-trends-in-2025/  Episode 105: How to Craft An Artist Statement That Drives Sales: https://jodieking.com/episode-105-how-to-craft-an-artist-statement-that-drives-sales/  Let’s paint together at one of my workshops!: https://jodieking.com/workshop  Interested in my mentorship program, Studio Elite? Apply here!: https://www.jodiekingart.com/studioelite The Honest Art Mixed Media Journal: https://shop.jodieking.com/products/the-honest-art-mixed-media-journal?_pos=1&_sid=31d1beb07&_ss=r  Have a question for Jodie? Ask it here: https://forms.gle/hxrVu4oL4PVCKwZm6  How are you liking the Honest Art Podcast? Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and let us know!     Watch this full episode on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64Vn6NF5BfiwLNTSb_VnDA  For a full list of show notes and links, check out my blog: www.jodieking.com/podcast