What does it mean to call yourself an artist - and who gets to decide? In this episode, I sit down with multidisciplinary artist, educator, and author Lisa Solomon for a wide-ranging conversation about the blurry line between art and craft, creative experimentation, and the practical realities of building a sustainable creative life.

Lisa's work spans embroidery, fiber, painting, and installation, and her new book is an absolute feast for the eyes - organized by color, featuring 20 artists working in 20 different mediums, with projects for all skill levels.

We talk about:

• When you can (and should) start calling yourself an artist
• The art vs. craft debate - why it's still happening and whether it even matters
• How Lisa's grandmother's knitting and crocheting shaped her artistic identity
• The pioneers who were excluded from art history because of their mediums - and why that's finally changing
• Creative ADHD: how to balance experimentation with actually completing a body of work
• What to do when you have a vision but not yet the skills to execute it (hint: lean in and trust your gut)
• The Thousand Doily Project - a massive community collaboration 
• How parameters and limitations can actually unlock more creative freedom
• Funding your creative projects, budgeting for big ideas, and why having a day job isn't a compromise - it can be a gift
• Why color is hard (especially purple) and what a Joni Mitchell retrospective taught Lisa about unexpected palettes

Lisa's new book is available at bookstores everywhere - or request it at your local library! You can also find her on Instagram at @lisasolomon and at lisasolomon.com. She's also running a watercolor retreat in California through City College Extension in late May.

Grab Lisa's new book: https://publishing.hardiegrant.com/en-us/books/art-craft-color-by-lisa-solomon/9781964786049

Links mentioned:

• Submit to a Create! Magazine Call for Art: createmagazine.co/call-for-art
• Join Create! Collective: createmagazine.co/collective