Ep 7: Flow

Has technology changed what it means to be an artist? From cameras and photography to smartphones, Photoshop, social media, and now AI, artists have always had to adapt to new tools and ways of creating.In this episode, I explore how technology has shaped the art world, challenged traditional ideas of creativity, and changed the way we make, share, and value art. Is AI really that different from the inventions that came before it? Or are we simply uncomfortable with another change to something we’ve always known?Maybe the bigger question isn’t what technology can create, but what we choose to bring to it as artists.The Imperfect PaletteListen, follow, and join the conversation.🎨 Follow along:
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: @johnnythomasart☕ Support the art and join the community on Patreon. Replay content and more available to members.Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Are you growing into yourself, or slowly becoming a reflection of everyone around you?In Episode 11 of The Imperfect Palette, we’re talking about being yourself, finding your own direction, and growing without losing the things that make you who you are. It’s easy to get caught up in trends, fads, and the endless cycle of what’s popular. But inspiration should be a starting point, not a destination.Build a strong foundation. Learn from others, take inspiration, explore unfamiliar territory, experiment, and eventually find your own way of doing things. Growth doesn’t mean becoming something else. It means discovering more of what you’re capable of while staying grounded in who you are.You don’t have to follow every path to find your own.🎨 Follow along:
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: @johnnythomasart🎧 Listen & subscribe:
The Imperfect Palette is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Amazon Music.❤️ Support the art and join the community:
Join me on Patreon for more art, behind the scenes, and access to livestream replays.A question to leave you with: Are you taking inspiration from the world around you, or letting the world decide who you become?#TheImperfectPalette #BeYourself #PersonalGrowth #CreativeJourney #ArtistMindset #ArtAndPhilosophy #WatercolorArtist #CreativeProcess #FindYourself #StayCurious

If time is our only currency, what are you choosing to spend it on? ⏳In this episode of The Imperfect Palette, we’re looking at the one resource none of us can earn back. We spend our days chasing success, comparing ourselves to others, worrying about the future, and waiting for the right moment to begin. But every choice comes with a cost, and sometimes we don’t realize what we’re spending until it’s already gone.Not every hour needs to be productive, and not every moment needs to lead somewhere. But we should be honest about where our time goes and whether those choices reflect what actually matters to us.You can make more money. You can buy more art supplies. You can start a new painting, change direction, and try again. But you can’t buy back yesterday.So what are you spending your life on?🎨 Support the art and join the community on Patreon. Your support helps keep the art going and brings creative people together.📱 Follow @johnnythomasart on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube for paintings, creative experiments, and more.🎙️ Listen to The Imperfect Palette on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Follow the show and leave a rating or review to help more people find the podcast.💬 Join the conversation: If time is your only currency, where do you want to spend more of it?Keep it real, keep it messy, keep it really messy.#TheImperfectPalette #ArtistLife #CreativeProcess #ArtAndPhilosophy #WatercolorArtist

What are you actually afraid of when you stare at a blank page?In this episode of The Imperfect Palette, I dig into the strange tension behind starting with nothing. A blank sheet holds unlimited possibility, but somehow that freedom can feel more intimidating than having a plan.We talk about perfectionism, the pressure to make the right first move, why we attach so much meaning to mistakes, and what happens when we stop treating every creative decision like it is permanent.Because maybe the goal is not to become fearless.Maybe it is learning that you can make the wrong mark, turn the page, and start again.Because there is always another sheet of paper.🎨 Follow The Imperfect Palette wherever you listen to podcasts and come back next week for another imperfect conversation about making art and figuring out the person making it.📱 Follow me: @johnnythomasart on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.🤝 Want to support the art and be part of the community? Join me on Patreon for community hangouts, painting sessions, replays and more.🎧 Know another artist who needs to hear this? Send them this episode.Question for you: What does a blank page make you feel?#TheImperfectPalette #Watercolor #WatercolorArtist #ArtistLife #CreativeProcess #ArtAndLife #ArtistMindset #Painting

Likes, views, followers, reach, engagement… artists now have an entire scoreboard attached to their creative lives.In this episode of The Imperfect Palette, we dig into the strange relationship between artists, social media, algorithms, and metrics. How much do those numbers actually influence what we create? And when does paying attention to performance start changing the way we see our own work?A conversation about social media, creativity, artistic identity, validation, and the pressure to make work that performs.If you’ve ever checked the numbers after posting your art and wondered why you cared so much, this one’s for you.Follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share this episode with an artist who spends way too much time checking their analytics.🎨 Follow Johnny: @johnnythomasart
🤝 Join the Patreon community and support the work: Patreon.com/johnnythomasartThe Imperfect Palette is also available on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.#TheImperfectPalette #ArtistLife #ArtAndSocialMedia #ArtBusiness #CreativeProcess

Episode: Flow StateHave you ever started painting and suddenly realized three hours disappeared? That’s the magic of getting into a flow state.In this episode, we’re talking about that sweet spot where the noise fades, the overthinking stops, and you’re completely absorbed in the work. Just you, the process, and whatever happens next.🎨 Follow along: @johnnythomasart🤝 Want to hang out, paint together, and support the show? Join the community on Patreon.#TheImperfectPalette #FlowState #Watercolor #ArtistLife #CreativeProcess

Burnout can make you question something you once loved. In this episode, we talk creative burnout, knowing when to scale back, disconnecting from the noise, and that uncomfortable feeling of wanting to quit.If you’ve ever felt disconnected from creating, you’re definitely not alone.Have you experienced creative burnout? Drop a comment and let me know. If you enjoyed the episode, leave a rating and follow the podcast.Follow along on social: @johnnythomasartWant more? Join me on Patreon for bonus content, community, and more behind-the-scenes creative stuff.

Have you ever looked at your own artwork and wondered, “Who the hell let me call myself an artist?”In Episode 5 of The Imperfect Palette, we’re talking about imposter syndrome and that strange battle between insecurity and ego. The feeling that you don’t belong, questioning whether you’re actually good enough, second-guessing compliments, and somehow convincing yourself that one bad painting means you’ve forgotten how to paint.I get personal about my own experience with imposter syndrome, what it feels like when your identity becomes tied to your artwork, and why even years of experience don’t necessarily make that voice disappear.If you’re an artist, creative, or anyone who’s ever questioned whether you really belong where you are, this one’s for you.Follow @johnnythomasart on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook for more art, painting, and behind-the-scenes content.Listen, follow, subscribe, and share the episode with an artist friend who needs to hear it.The Imperfect Palette is a podcast about art, creativity, the artist life, and all the imperfect stuff that comes with making something of your own.

Ego gets a bad reputation, but it isn’t always the loud voice telling you that you’re better than everyone else. Sometimes it’s much quieter. It’s the voice that takes criticism personally, compares your journey to another artist’s, makes you afraid to be a beginner, or convinces you that you have to stay the artist you’ve already become.In this episode of The Imperfect Palette, we’re talking about the ways ego can sneak into our creative lives and how learning to recognize it can help us grow without taking ourselves quite so seriously.If something in this episode resonates with you, share it with another artist who might need to hear it. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, take a second to rate and review it wherever you listen. It helps more artists find the show.And come hang out with me on social media @johnnythomasart🎨 Listen. Follow. Rate. Share.

In Episode 3 of The Imperfect Palette, we’re talking about success.Not the version measured by followers, money, awards, or how many people know your name.The quieter version.What if success is having a creative life you actually want to live? What if the goal isn’t to become more successful, but to figure out what success actually means to you?We’ll talk about comparison, changing definitions of success, the pressure to “make it,” and the messy reality of trying to build a creative life without letting the creative world decide what that life should look like.Because maybe success isn’t a finish line.Maybe it’s knowing you’re headed somewhere worth going.🎙️ Episode 3 — What Is Success?The Imperfect Palette
Available wherever you listen to podcasts.If you enjoy the show, follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode. And send this one to an artist friend who might need to hear it too.