Finding Clarity and Magic in a Creative Life
- Amanda Ketterer
- Oct 27
- 6 min read
Between Wonder and Worry
Lately, I’ve felt the urge to write everything down to untangle the thoughts and feelings swirling around in my head. Writing always helps me make sense of things, to find a bit of clarity before diving into the week ahead. So bear with me while I share what’s been on my mind.
I often think I must be a little bit crazy, but maybe everyone feels like that sometimes… do they?
This morning I noticed something I do every Monday without fail: the familiar wave of Monday morning anxiety. That might not sound strange, except that I don’t actually have a Monday-to-Friday job. I work most days of the week in my studio, often forgetting what day it even is.
Still, without fail, every Monday morning I wake up worrying about money. Then I drive to my yoga class and spend the first half of it trying not to think about money. By the end of the class, something usually shifts. I leave feeling lighter, a little more grounded, and ready to get on with things again.
I’ve always been a bit of a money worrier even in times when I didn’t really need to be. I’ve done plenty of work over the years to try to shift my mindset and have shared the books and podcasts that helped me, but somehow, I still find myself back here from time to time.
You might say that being self-employed and creating art in a world that sometimes feels like it’s on fire isn’t exactly the ideal path for someone like me, and you’d be right. Most weeks I think I must be slightly delusional. If I ever wrote a business plan for my art practice, it would probably terrify me. It might go something like this:
Spend months creating paintings no one has asked for, and hope that someone, somewhere, connects with them.
Work seven days a week to finish them in time.
Spend thousands of dollars on materials before earning a cent.
Stay mentally strong enough to pour love and energy into the work, even when things feel uncertain.
Then, when it’s all finished, share these deeply personal pieces with the world not for validation, but still quietly hoping someone will love them enough to make them theirs.
And when that happens, take home about a third of the price after costs, commissions, and tax, and live on that until the next sale.
And I wonder why I worry about money, haha.
But this isn’t a complaint. I love this life, truly. I don’t think many creatives are immune to insecurity or doubt, but for me, it doesn’t really feel like there’s another option. To give this up would mean giving up on magic, and I can’t do that. I believe we’re here to share our magic in whatever form it takes. Maybe my money mindset is inherited, but so is my sense of wonder, so I’ll hold onto that.
One of the unexpected gifts of long hours in the studio is that it leaves plenty of time for thinking and for listening. I listen to a lot of books and podcasts by people who think deeply about life and what it really means to live meaningfully. It’s made me realise how much of what we believe is shaped by the conditioning we grew up with.
My old money stories run deep, rooted in culture and survival. But if we spend all our time worrying about how to make a living, when do we actually start living? Surely we weren’t put here just to survive. There has to be room for thriving too. I don’t have the answers, far from it, but asking the questions feels like a good place to start.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on what really matters, what my values are, both in life and in art. I’ve realised that I want to make art that makes people feel something real. Something that holds both strength and softness, beauty and honesty. I want to create pieces that bring lightness, comfort, or recognition. Something that makes someone feel less alone.
I’ve also felt a quiet shift in how I want to run my art business. I want it to be soul-led, guided by love rather than fear. I don’t want to rely on scarcity or pressure. I want each offering to feel like an open invitation, something that finds the person it’s meant for.
I’ll still be showing my work through galleries, but my focus is expanding. I’ve always loved how art can transform a space, how it brings warmth, calm, or a spark of joy into a room. Going forward, I want to create and share from that place, where art, home, and feeling all come together.
My newest collection, showing at SOHO Galleries next month, holds so much of me. Creating three solo shows in the past eighteen months has been a beautiful challenge, but I’m ready to slow down a little. To make more room for play and exploration. Alongside my original paintings, I’ll be releasing more limited edition prints, open edition posters, and maybe a few new offerings that feel right.
Books & Podcasts That Have Been Keeping Me Company
As I’ve been leaning more into a soul-led way of creating and running my art business, I’ve found myself drawn to voices that speak about creativity, intuition, and the courage to live in alignment. Whether in the studio or out walking, I’m always listening—these books and podcasts have offered inspiration, comfort, and a few gentle nudges in the right direction.
Books I’ve Been Listening To
Night People by Mark Ronson
Several of the paintings in this latest collection were created while listening to Night People by DJ and music producer Mark Ronson. Music is a constant companion and source of inspiration while I paint, and I’ve always admired Ronson’s bravery in exploring his own creative voice and talent. If, like me, you were a young adult in the 80s or 90s, you might love this book for the nostalgia alone. Its stories of the music industry and club culture of that time bring it all rushing back. I was never a big ‘clubber,’ though growing up in London I did find my way to a few ‘cool’ places. Still, it’s the dance, funk, and soul music from that era that continues to lift my spirits. My favourite playlist, Mix Tape, never fails to energise my studio days.
All the Way to the River: Love, Loss & Liberation by Elizabeth Gilbert
Liz Gilbert has long been one of my favourite writers, and I follow her Substack, Letters from Love. I wasn’t quite prepared for how deeply her latest book would move me, or how it would change the way I think about love and relationships. It’s a tender and honest exploration of how we sometimes lose ourselves in others, and how finding peace can mean letting go. If you’ve ever wondered whether you lean towards codependency or people-pleasing, this one might speak to you too.
Sacred Business - Nine principles to transform yourself, redesign business & impact the world by Nikki Trott
I discovered this book after hearing Nikki interviewed by Holly Tucker on one of my favourite podcasts, Conversations of Inspiration. Sacred Business explores nine principles for transforming yourself, redesigning business, and making an impact in the world. It arrived in my life at the perfect time, as I was rethinking the values and purpose behind my art practice. Nikki’s story, of walking away from a successful but unfulfilling career in luxury branding to follow her intuition and build a soul-led business, is a powerful reminder that success can be both strategic and sacred.
Podcast Episodes I’ve Loved and Shared
Conversations of Inspiration – Holly TuckerTrusting your gut: why following intuition is better than a business plan (with Nikki Trott)
This conversation between Holly and Nikki beautifully echoes the themes in Sacred Business. It’s a grounded yet inspiring reminder that sometimes the best business decisions come from listening inward, not outward. Listen here
On Purpose – Jay Shetty with Novak Djokovic“I Never Felt I Was Enough”: The Secret to Turning Self-Doubt into Success.
I didn’t know much about Djokovic before listening, but his honesty really struck me. We often assume successful people had an easy path, yet it’s often the opposite, their strength comes from struggle. Listen here
Healing Irishness – Conor Creighton
Being Irish, or of Irish descent, comes with a wonderful mix of humour, creativity and mysticism, but also, as Conor says, a load of ancestral “junk.” I came across his Instagram and immediately connected with what he was sharing. My parents were both from Dublin and moved to London before I was born, and through this podcast I realised how much of that Irish “baggage” had quietly shaped me too.The episode Can We Have Our Snakes Back Please? is one I especially loved. It’s about dreams and imagination, how we’re all born with a bit of magic, and how culture can make us forget it. Listen here
Nitty Gritty – Kate Florence
For my fellow artists, this one’s a gem. Kate goes deep into the raw, unfiltered realities of being a creative, chatting with artists about their struggles, failures, and how these moments become the making of them. It’s refreshingly honest, and always leaves me feeling seen and inspired. Listen here
Each of these books and podcasts has reminded me, in its own way, to keep creating from a place of love rather than fear, to trust intuition, embrace curiosity, and allow the magic in life and art to guide the way.
Comments