Episode 25: Creative Chat with Sarah Jane Moon | Portraiture, Teaching & Creativity

In this episode of The Creative Couch, I sit down with the wonderful artist and portrait painter Sarah Jane Moon for a relaxed and thoughtful conversation about creativity, portraiture and building a life as an artist.Originally from Wellington, New Zealand, Sarah Jane shares the story of how she moved to the UK, found her way into painting without a traditional Fine Art degree, and gradually established herself as one of today's leading contemporary portrait painters. Along the way, we talk about the realities of balancing a professional painting practice with teaching, the importance of finding your creative community, and how a creative career is often built through curiosity, persistence and a willingness to keep learning.We also discuss what portraiture can reveal about the people we paint, how teaching can both support and challenge your own creative practice, and why there is no single route into becoming a successful artist.In this episode, we explore:• Sarah Jane's journey from New Zealand to London• Finding your way into painting without a Fine Art degree• Building a creative career one step at a time• Balancing teaching with your own artistic practice• The importance of creative community and surrounding yourself with other artists• Portraiture, observation and painting people with honesty and sensitivity• How an artist's practice naturally evolves over time• The realities of making a sustainable living as a professional artistWhether you're just beginning your creative journey or have been making work for years, this conversation is full of thoughtful reflections on creativity, artistic growth and what it really means to build a life around making art.You can find Sarah Jane on Instagram at:@sarah_jane_moonYou can also find her work at:www.sarahjanemoon.comIf you'd like to submit a creative dilemma for a future episode, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at:[email protected] you're feeling stuck in your own creative practice and would like support, you can find out more about my creative coaching, workshops and artwork at:www.sammarshallart.comYou can also find me on Instagram at:@sammarshallart