Artists for Joy
Arts
About
More than a hobby or a hustle, creativity can be a deeply resonant spiritual practice that connects us to ourselves, to each other, and to the sacred. If you're stuck or uninspired or if you're curious about how the creative life might bring you deep satisfaction, healing, and even joy, pull up a chair.Juilliard-trained oboist, author, and coach Merideth Hite Estevez helps the self-proclaimed artist and the creatively curious discover (or recover) the joy of making. New episodes go live every Friday!
Episodes
- 266: Throwback: Write a new story
This week on the podcast, I'm sharing a story about a "no" that truly leveled me. As I head into the studio this Monday to record the audiobook for my new book, Art Is How God Loves Us , I couldn't help but think back to the moment I found…
- 265: 7 Types of Rest
In the middle of a busy season—like, say, launching a new book—it is so easy to view time as a resource to be earned rather than an experience to be felt. In this episode, I explore the "Workaholic Quiz" from Week 10 of The Artist's Way an…
- 264: How Beauty Saves Us with Winfield Bevins
Today on the podcast, Merideth chats with Winfield Bevins—author, artist, and founder of Creo Arts—to talk about his latest book, How Beauty Will Save the World . In a world that feels loud, fast, and fractured, Winfield invites us back to…
- Holding hope in a heavy world with Shannan Martin
This week, I'm joined by Shannan Martin to talk about her new book, Counterweights and how we can hold hope when life feels unbearably heavy. Counterweights aren't about denying pain or replacing grief with surface-level happiness. It's a…
- 262: Big Toe Ego
We all grapple with that hyper-sensitive, judgmental part of ourselves, the ego, which is an integral—yet often painful—aspect of being an artist. This week on the podcast, I've found a new, surprisingly visceral metaphor and a spiritual p…
- 261: Maker vs. Manager
Have you ever felt like your creative self (your inner Maker) and your get-it-done, logistical self (your inner Manager) are constantly battling it out? We all need both of these energies to create a sustainable, joyful life—but getting th…
- 260: What's bringing me joy this winter
This week we are diving into my quarterly practice of naming what's bringing me joy this season. It's a fun, unscripted (!) episode full of big and small things that are truly "saving my life right now." Links: A question that's helping me…
- 259: Why art matters in tough times
Are you struggling to focus and create when the world feels chaotic? This week: a much-needed pep talk. Four vital reasons why making art is not a luxury, but an essential act of perseverance, resilience, and hope. Links: Beauty will save…
- 258: A Litany for Trying
We're back with our first new episode of 2026! I'm sharing a pep talk for anyone (including myself!) who is stepping into the new year with trepidation. This episode is especially for you if you're in the process of submitting your work to…
- 257: Throwback: Harmony vs. Hustle
Links: Join our Word-of-the-year Art Party (or watch the replay!) Join the next Artist's Way Creative Cluster Pre-order Art Is How God Loves Us Original show notes: Any other artists out there tired of thinking/talking/obsessing about mark…
- 256: Breath Prayer with Christine Valters Paintner
In this deep and delightful conversation, Merideth and Christine Paintner explore the ancient practice of breath prayer and how it can be a transformative tool for contemplation, creativity, and navigating moments of transition. Listen to…
- 255: "Give me a word" with Christine Valters Paintner
This week, I speak with Christine Valter Paintner about the contemplative practice of "receiving a word" for the year, an alternative to traditional New Year's resolutions and goal setting. The Ancient Practice: The "Give Me a Word" practi…
- 254: Christmas Bloopers
Today's podcast is the penultimate installment of our Advent Songbook series, and I've decided to keep it real. 🫠 For your listening pleasure-- three creative mishaps: Christmas edition. Not only the bloopers themselves, but the three epi…
- What child was this?
Today on the show, we dive into the unreliable nature of memory—inspired by my daughter's new favorite show, Brainchild —and how our identity is not something we make, but something revealed and cultivated. Against the backdrop of a return…
- 252: Major Prophets and Minor Chords
This week, Merideth records live from New York City (!) and continues the new Advent Songbook series. The series, which goes live on Mondays on Substack and Fridays on the podcast through the rest of the year, pairs rich examples of Christ…
- 251: Holy Indifference with Sara Billups
Today on the podcast, Merideth chats with Seattle-based writer Sara Billups, who explores faith and culture in her new book, Nervous Systems . They discuss the connection between anxiety and creative drive, and Sara shares a powerful spiri…
- 250: Holiday Survival Guide
Happy 250th episode of Artists for Joy! This week, just in time for your Thanksgiving commute, I have a brand-new Holiday Survival Guide —one of our most popular episodes every year. I even made up a holiday-appropriate acronym to help us…
- 249: Joy Session: Self-Judgment (Alicia)
In today's Joy Session, I chat with Alicia, an academic writer with a deep-seated block when writing fiction. Alicia's dream novel—one that speaks to the hearts of those who have felt "caged"—is so personal that the pressure and self-judgm…
- 248: When words sting
This week, I share three powerful shifts for navigating the sting of hurtful words. Drawing on my experience with negative feedback, I've gained insights into recognizing the impact of our words, distinguishing between facts and opinions,…
- 247: Creative Cauldron: Finding Freedom from the Unfinished
In this episode of Artists for Joy, we explore how to find freedom in unfinished projects (and just in time for Halloween!) to prevent them from "haunting" us. I've got some encouraging words from Brian Eno on keeping projects simmering, a…
- 246: What's bringing joy this fall
This week on the podcast, one of our most popular episode types, I'm sharing what's bringing me joy this fall, including how I'm embracing "turtle mode" to recharge, some helpful tools, reflections on my creative journey, and one very comf…
- 245: Finding your flow when motivation dips
As a creative coach, I have more than enough tools (too many probably!) to lean on when I lack motivation. But what turned the creative tables this week surprised me…so, of course, I wrote an episode about it! ;) What helps you when you fe…
- 244: The Art of Technique (5 things for when you're discouraged)
This week on the podcast, I've got 5 essential principles that help when you're feeling discouraged about technique. I name a powerful mantra I will repeat to myself and my coaching clients until I'm blue in the face. Plus, we'll explore w…
- 243: Joy Session: Finding Your Voice When Life Changes (Rachel)
This week's episode is a Joy Session, a recorded coaching call with Rachel, a writer and creative, awaiting the arrival of her first child. She shares her fears about losing her creative voice amidst new responsibilities and her desire to…
- 242: The power of "what if"
This week we explore the power of "iffirmations" – positive statements prefaced with "what if" – as a way to navigate anxiety and foster hope, especially when traditional affirmations feel inauthentic. Through the lens of Ruth Duckworth's…
- 241: Find a way in
This week on the podcast, we explore how to overcome creative blocks at the start and find your unique entry point into a project. This metaphor of "finding another way in" is useful when the traditional "front door" is locked. Listen for…
- 240: Micro Joys for Macro Grief
Today's episode was inspired by Glo Atanmo's quote, "Micro joys are how we survive macro grief." Listen for an invitation to shift your posture and practice joy as an act of resistance when life feels uncertain and full of grief. Links: Jo…
- 239: What's bringing me joy this summer
Season 6 debut! New season, new podcast cover art, new intro! Listen for six things bringing me joy this season. Links: Slippers Become a JOYSTER Subscribe to Artists for Joy Substack (new posts every-ish Wednesday) Register for the next A…
- 238: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 9s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 237: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 8s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 236: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 7s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 235: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 6s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 234: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 5s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 233: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 4s
Episode 233 of Artists for Joy is a throwback episode focusing on Enneagram Type 4, featuring discussions with Lee Fields, Kristin Vanderlip, Mara Eller, and Jennifer Hintz Eggers. The episode explores how artists can use the Enneagram for…
- 232: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 3s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 231: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 2s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 230: Summer Enneagram Throwback: 1s
This summer, while I continue to heal from surgery and dream up Season 6, I am re-airing our most popular series: Creative Archetypes! If you are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, you can listen to the intro episode from the original 2023 ser…
- 229: Throwback: Rest
This week, I'm recovering from an unexpected surgery! I will have more to say about this soon, but for now, enjoy these words I wrote about rest back in 2020, the first year of this podcast. What are your favorite ways to creatively rest?…
- 228: What's bringing me joy this spring
This week: a rare unscripted episode! Merideth chats candidly about what's bringing her joy this spring. From shoes to hair accessories to writing playlists and everything in between, give it a listen and let us know what brings you joy in…
- 227: Joy Session: Being a Beginner Again (Rene)
In today's Joy Session, Merideth coaches Rene, a musical theater writer and composer. Rene opens up about navigating a creative block that feels a bit like living in the show Severance. Despite a lifelong connection to the piano, she finds…
- 226: Joy Session: Why not me? (Lexy)
In today's Joy Session, Merideth sits down with Lexy, a writer and illustrator on the verge of releasing her first poetry collection. Though she had hoped to include her own artwork, Lexy found herself creatively blocked. As the conversati…
- 225: Joy in Long Form
This week on the podcast, author Maria Bowler ( Making Time ) returns to talk with Merideth about the creative process behind long-term projects. They dive into the emotional highs and lows—from starting something big, navigating the messy…
- 224: Art's Open Door: Let go let go let go
This week on the podcast, I have another installment of our Art's Open Door series. Through the lens of Arvo Pärt's "Spiegel im Spiegel," for piano and violin, we explore the profound act of letting go: in parenting, in art, and in our rel…
- #223: Throwback: Creative Archetypes
A throwback episode to remind you to join us live on Patreon for our Enneagram & Motivation workshop on April 11th at 3 PM EST! Register or check out the replay when it becomes available here. Check out the Spotify playlis t with all the e…
- 222: Joy Session: Courage + Chronic Illness (Amber)
In today's Joy Session, Merideth coaches Amber, a seminary graduate who desires to have the courage to try launching a business in spiritual direction in the midst of chronic illness. She has already done the brave work of dreaming what's…
- 221: Joy Session: Abundance + Impact (Margie)
In today's Joy Session, Merideth chats with Margie, an author and speaker, who struggles with financial abundance despite having plenty of work. She reveals a complex relationship with money stemming from her upbringing and shares her desi…
- 220: Throwback: Creating in the Cracks
Today's episode is a throwback from Season 3 and was originally titled "Creative Lies: All or Nothing." Original show notes: Merideth debunks a common creative conundrum this week: "It's all or nothing." She shares what she is learning, cr…
- 219: Shadow Careers and Simple Gifts
Another installment of Merideth's "Art's Open Door," this week on the podcast, Merideth reads a personal essay about finding her true path as an artist, moving away from "shadow careers" and discovering the joy of "Simple Gifts" in her mus…
- 218: What's bringing me joy this winter
In today's episode, Merideth shares six things that are bringing her joy this winter. From bathrobes to new mindsets to female medieval theologians, you're gonna love this one. Tell her what is bringing you joy in the comments on IG or Sub…
- 217: The Artist's Oath with Christina, Jennifer, and Janet
In today's podcast episode, you'll hear inspiring artist oaths from Christina Mathis, Jennifer Gatz, and Janet Parker, members of the inaugural Artist's Joy Creative Cluster last year. These inspiring artists crafted a powerful manifesto a…