My Favorite Podcasts to Listen to While Painting
When I'm settling in for a good paint sesh, I love to pop in my headphones and either jam out to some inspiring music or put on a good podcast. While the shows I listen to change from time to time, there are some that I have loyally listened to for years! I’m sure that this list will continue to change and grow as I do, but these are the shows I’ve listened to for a long time and have found really valuable or intriguing. I love lots of different genres when it comes to podcasts, so I’ll break these down by category.
Art & Creativity
First, we have to start with podcasts about Art and Creativity! My absolute favorite creative podcast is Creative Pep Talk. The show serves as a weekly check in to boost your creative inspiration. I love that the guests on the show bring a diverse range of perspectives to creativity, and I always learn something new when I listen. Plus, this is a great one to listen to as you’re painting to get the creative juices flowing. I’ve been listening to Andy’s show for years and I was absolutely thrilled when I was asked to be on the show! You can tune into my episode here! It was truly a dream to be a guest on Creative Pep Talk, and I loved the conversation that Andy and I had about creative growth!
News
I used to listen to a lot of political podcasts and consume a lot of news, but for the sake of my sanity I have since given myself permission to take a little step back from all that. I think it’s important to stay informed without getting stuck in the never-ending news cycle, so I now listen to The Daily from The New York Times which gives me a nice, unbiased mix of everything. The episodes are fairly bite-sized so you can get your news without consuming hours of content. What I love about this show is that you get a daily story from someone who is actually experiencing the event or topic that’s being covered.
Living Abroad
I absolutely love the podcast Flourish in the Foreign which shares the stories of Black women living and thriving abroad. I had the pleasure of being featured on this podcast back in 2020. You can check out my episode here! It's so interesting to see that even though many different countries are featured on the podcast, we all have similar shared experiences of what it’s like to be a Black woman living abroad. Listen to my episode for a peek into what life in France is like , but I’d encourage you to listen to the other amazing stories as well!
Business
I love the Success Stories Podcast which shares the stories of women in business who are making an impact in the world. I’m so impressed by all of the incredible stories on this show, and I was honored to be featured as a guest myself! Click here to tune into the episode!
Pop Culture
Though I live in France, most of my work is produced for a U.S. audience. I listen to pop culture podcasts so that I can stay up-to-date on U.S. pop-culture! Both of these shows (though explicit) make me laugh while keeping me in the loop!
True Crime
I've always been a sucker for true crime stories. I think it's so important for victims' stories to be told. Plus, it’s a good reminder to listen to your intuition! There are so many true crime podcasts that I love, but here are some of my favorites!
Limited Series
These two podcasts were limited series true crime shows that I found fascinating. They focus on a particular story for the whole series instead of sharing a new story each episode.
Storytelling Docuseries
I love a good storytelling podcast. I’m so impressed by how captivating these types of podcasts can be and how well they’re produced. These keep me on the edge of my seat, and it really makes me feel like I’m actually sitting down to watch a documentary, even though it’s all audio-based. If you're looking for a binge-listen, these will have you hooked. Here are a few of my favorite docuseries-style podcasts.
This podcast tells eerie true stories set in a fictional world. It’s so captivating and has a cinematic vibe. Definitely very entertaining to listen to!
This podcast is super interesting. It helps people try to resolve a moment from their past that they wish they could change.
This podcast aims to validate abuse victims and educate the public on important topics such as emotional, physical and sexual abuse, coercive control and gaslighting. This show is so important since it gives visibility to topics that we often don’t talk about.
I hope that these podcasts bring a little extra inspiration, entertainment, or intrigue to your next painting session. Hopefully there is a wide enough mix that you’ll find one new show you click with and can bring into your studio! I also love to listen to music while I paint. It really just depends on the day and how I’m feeling.
With podcasts I follow what I need at the moment. For example, if I’m feeling like I need some inspiration, I’ll listen to an art podcast. If I want to just zone out creatively, I’ll listen to a more storytelling based podcast. I’d love to hear what you listen to when you create your art! Share your favorite podcasts or playlists in the comments below because you know I’m always looking for a new show to tune into!
xo, Jessi
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