Hi, I'm Shannon
Walking the path of the artist’s life can be amazing and fascinating, but also uncertain and scary at times.
As a creative professional - or someone who’s just starting out - you might have a vision of how you want your art and business to look, but you may has some of the very common struggles we all have - you may be paralyzed by your fear of technology or by the dreaded Impostor Syndrome, stalled by inaction in the “How” Trap, or just fearful of doing the wrong thing.
You’re not alone.
You are human, and on top of that,
you’re an artist.
This is exactly why I started The Metaphor Mindset Podcast. To talk about the ideas that matter to artists, writers, makers, and thinkers. So we can create businesses we love - as much as we love making art.
Join me each week as I break down business concepts to connect with the metaphors and ideas of art, so you can:
Think like an artist.
Work like a boss.
Episodes
Sunday Feb 11, 2024
Positive & Negative Space in Art & Business
Sunday Feb 11, 2024
Sunday Feb 11, 2024
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
Negative and Positive Space help to define shapes and focus in art - and life.
The shape of your goals, career and business is created by the decisions you make - The constraints or freedoms you choose, and what you do and don't do.
Mostly we look at Positive Space - the shape we are creating. But … looking at the negative space gives us a new perspective on any situation, from art, to sales, to our vision for the future.
To see the art images from this episode, and learn more about Metaphor Mindset Studio, visit
metaphormindset.com.
Find more about how you can gain more confidence in business through one-on-one coaching in my program, Metaphor Mindset Studio at shannonborg.com
Sunday Jan 21, 2024
The Seeds of Your Creative Business
Sunday Jan 21, 2024
Sunday Jan 21, 2024
Seeds hold profound symbolism and are often associated with concepts of growth, potential, and new beginnings.
Inside every hard shell - including the one on our shoulders - is a world of knowledge that can guide you in your creative entrepreneurship, but sometimes you just need a little guidance.
In this episode, art and business coach Shannon Borg talks about the symbolism of seeds, and about the art of Ai WeiWei, the Chinese activist artist who made an exhibit with 100 million porcelain sunflower seeds.
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
Thoughts are SEEDS that grow into Feelings, Actions, and Results.
What are your thoughts about your art? Do these thoughts help you make more work? Or keep you from creating?
Art Thoughts, Business Thoughts: Any thoughts you can have about your art, you can ALSO have about your business. You can love your business as much as you love your art by making a decision to cultivate thoughts that help you get there.
Read the full show notes and see images at:https://www.shannonborg.com/metaphor-mindset-podcast/24-seeds-of-your-creative-business
Sunday Jul 02, 2023
The Beach & The Desert
Sunday Jul 02, 2023
Sunday Jul 02, 2023
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
Landscapes are the place of personal mythology
Inner to Outer: Sand Play, the Beach, the Desert
The Inner Journey often begins in real places, translated and transformed into art through the artist’s creative process to inner places.
Find complete show notes at shannonborg.com/metaphor-mindset-podcast/23-beach-desert
Sunday May 28, 2023
In the Arena of Sand
Sunday May 28, 2023
Sunday May 28, 2023
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
Brene Brown’s challenge to “Enter the Arena”
The Roman Arena = The Place of Sand
Inner to Outer: Sand Play, The Beach, The Desert
Find full show notes at:
www.shannonborg.com/metaphor-mindset-podcast/22-in-the-arena-of-sand
Sunday May 21, 2023
Studio Tour!
Sunday May 21, 2023
Sunday May 21, 2023
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
History of the Artists’ Studio Tour
The Studio is the Mind
Visit me on the San Juan Island Artists’ Studio Tour
See full show notes, artist studio images, and more at:
https://www.shannonborg.com/metaphor-mindset-podcast/21-studio-tour
Sunday May 14, 2023
Baby Steps & Breakthroughs
Sunday May 14, 2023
Sunday May 14, 2023
On Mother's Day, let's talk about baby steps. And breakthroughs. One usually precedes the other - but sometimes they work back and forth, from baby steps to breakthrough and back, in a continual process of growth.
Find images and show notes at: https://www.shannonborg.com/metaphor-mindset-podcast/20-baby-steps-breakthroughs
Sunday May 07, 2023
Light as a Feather
Sunday May 07, 2023
Sunday May 07, 2023
Show Notes
In this episode I talk about the Feather of Truth from the story and many sculptures and narrative images of the Ancient Egyptian goddess Maat, who wore a beautiful ostrich feather on her head, representing truth, justice and cosmic harmony. Learn how this metaphor helps us think about balancing our thoughts from different parts of our lives, including art and business.
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
What are your thoughts about your art?
What are your thoughts about business?
Any thoughts you can have about your art, you can have about your business.Join me for a Q&A about creating an online art & business community - I'd love your input! https://shannonborg-discovery.as.me/thought-salon-community
Sunday Apr 30, 2023
Horse of a Different Color
Sunday Apr 30, 2023
Sunday Apr 30, 2023
Rosa Bonheur hung out with Wild Bill Cody, and got a special permit to wear trousers. She was truly a horse of a different color.
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
Recap: Plato’s Allegory of the Soul : The “soul” is a chariot driven by a charioteer (Reason), drawn by two horses - let’s call them Yin (dark) and Yang (light).
Rosa Bonheur’s “The Horse Fair” painting is a beautiful example of how the love of a subject can drive a successful career.
The Creative Process may change colors like one of the horses from The Wizard of Oz wearing a mood ring. But you are still the one driving the chariot. and the horse is still doing its best for you. Enjoy the ride and the colorful show and honor it for yourself.See full show notes at: metaphormindset.com
Sunday Apr 23, 2023
White Horsing It
Sunday Apr 23, 2023
Sunday Apr 23, 2023
Are you “White Horsing it” in your art or business? Have you noticed when you are in the state of waiting for that (fill in the blank: prince, princess, cowboy, savior, hero) to come and save you? (‘cuz I have).
This episode returns to Plato's Allegory of the soul, with its charioteer managing two horses - a wild one, and a noble one. We need both horses - both sides of ourselves to get there.
See full show notes at: metaphormindset.com
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Wild Horses
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
The Chariot of our Creative Life is pulled by two horses - according to Plato - a noble horse, and a wild horse.
We have many sides to our interior life that we must manage as artists - emotions, thoughts, ideas, expectations - all are important. Plato’s allegory of the soul as a charioteer driven by two horses - one noble, one wild - gives us some interesting ideas to think about when it comes to creative process and business.
See full Show Notes at metaphormindset.com.
Big 3 Ideas from this episode:
Plato’s Allegory of the Chariot : The “soul” is a chariot driven by a charioteer (Reason), drawn by 2 horses - let’s call them Yin (dark) and Yang (light).
Fun facts about imaginary horses:
Plato’s winged horses fly, fall, lose their wings, then grow new ones, and fly again.
Hold the belief for yourself that you can become the next version of yourselfBook a free consultation to talk about your art and business at https://shannonborg-discovery.as.me/consultation.