When the Hustle Falls Away: A Conversation with Felicia Forte

Podcast
Written By Create! Magazine

In this episode of the Create! Podcast, we speak with internationally recognized painter and mentor Felicia Forte about rebuilding creative trust, moving through burnout, and finding a studio practice rooted in intuition rather than pressure. Felicia’s reflections offer a generous and honest look at what it means to slow down, listen closely, and allow your work to evolve from a deeper internal place.

Felicia is known for her striking use of color, sensitivity to atmosphere, and an approach to painting that is both rigorous and deeply attuned to emotion. Based in San Francisco, she continues to develop a body of work that has been exhibited internationally, including the BP Portrait Award where she received second prize. Alongside her studio practice, she teaches and supports artists through creative coaching and technique programs that integrate both skill and mindset.

In our conversation, Felicia speaks about the years following a major creative block and how releasing the constant pressure to produce led her toward a more meaningful rhythm in the studio. She shares how intuitive decision making, taking risks, and allowing imperfect work to exist have shaped her current practice. We also discuss the experience of navigating ambition as an artist, how to work with seasons of life that limit studio time, and what it means to build a career without sacrificing authenticity.

This episode offers valuable insight for artists who feel pulled between ambition and exhaustion, productivity and rest, or external expectations and their own creative truth. Felicia’s wisdom is a reminder that a sustainable practice grows from presence, curiosity, and the willingness to follow the quiet impulses that guide us toward new territory.

Explore Felicia’s Work and Offerings

Submit Your Work to Create! Magazine

Create! Magazine is pleased to announce the open call for our 2026 Women’s International Edition. This annual print and digital issue celebrates artists whose work contributes meaningfully to today’s contemporary art landscape.

This year’s edition is curated by Sonia Borrell, an internationally respected art collector, curator, and advisor whose thoughtful global perspective brings a discerning vision to the selection process. The issue highlights artistic excellence, clarity of vision, and the dynamic practices shaping the field today.

Submit your work:
https://www.createmagazine.co/call-for-art

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