Welcome back to Totally Abstracted, the podcast for artists who want to make expressive, intuitive abstract landscape art that feels deeply personal and unapologetically true to them. I’m Michelle, and in this episode, I'm exploring something that touches all of us at one point or another — confidence. Or more accurately, the slow building of it.

✨ I’ll share how returning to cold wax medium has stirred up thoughts about trusting ourselves, silencing our inner critics, and allowing our voice to evolve over time.

I talk about:- Why confidence rarely arrives before we start creating- How a cold wax medium piece helped me let go of “getting it right”- A personal story about winning an art competition I almost didn’t enter- Why comparing ourselves to others only sabotages our growth

🖼️ Mentioned in the episode:

- The cold wax painting that helped me feel free & the one that won the competition

- This week’s YouTube video- My free artist community, Abstract Horizons

💡 The creative prompt from this episode:

Think back to a medium or method that once made you feel free — even just a little.

What would happen if you revisited it now, with everything you’ve learned since?

And what would you create if no one else would ever see it?

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode…

Please consider leaving a review, sharing with a fellow artist, or tagging me on Instagram @michellesleeart. Your support means the world and helps more artists find their way here.

Until next time — trust the process, trust yourself, and stay Totally Abstracted.