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Windowsill Chats: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Margo Tantau
Windowsill Chats is a podcast for artists and creatives who are curious about what it's like to live, work & walk a creative path. You'll find honest stories, refreshing tips, artistic business advice and real conversations with global artists & makers just like you. Host Margo Tantau, a 30+ year Creative Director, Product Designer & maker, is a cheerleader for your success. Come grab a cuppa & join her in her sunny windowsill.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 3 days ago1h 21m
Just Because It's Working Doesn't Mean You Have to Keep Doing It with Lisa Congdon
Longtime friend of Windowsill Chats and beloved artist, author, and creative entrepreneur Lisa Congdon is back for another heartfelt conversation. This time, Lisa is sharing a major shift in her creative career: the decision to step away from her thriving retail business and make more room for the thing that started it all—making art. Margo and Lisa explore what it means to let go of something successful when it no longer aligns with the life you want to live. From the emotional weight of closing a chapter and saying goodbye to a team, to questioning the idea that bigger is always better, Lisa offers an real look at the courage it takes to redefine success on your own terms. They also dive into the joy of returning to daily creative practice, finding inspiration in painting and collage, and embracing new possibilities. Plus, Lisa shares what's on the horizon, including Made to Matter, a new course with Emily McDowell for product-based creatives, and her upcoming book with Bridget Watson Payne, The Art of Finishing Things. Margo and Lisa discuss: The bittersweet process of stepping away from a successful creative business Why growth doesn't always equal fulfillment Giving yourself permission to pivot, even when things look great on paper Reconnecting with the joy of making art through daily practice Creating a business and life that support your well-being What's next for Lisa, from new artwork and exhibitions to courses and books Previous Episodes with Lisa: Episode 100 – July 20, 2022 Episode 186 – What It Really Means to Have Creative Freedom Episode 241 – January 29, 2025 Lisa's 2021 Gravel Racing Episode Mentioned in this episode: The Jaunt – Artist Residency Egg Press Cargo Emporium Connect with Lisa: Website: lisacongdon.com Instagram: @lisacongdon Shop: Lisa Congdon Shop Made to Matter Course: Greater Goods Alliance
- 1 weeks ago1h 33m
The Art of Figuring It Out: Permission to Pivot and Building a Creative Life at Any Age with Jennifer Smelker
Margo is joined by Jennifer Smelker, the engineer-turned-artist, product designer, and founder of Tandem For Two. Since 2013, Jen has been creating colorful, travel-inspired artwork and gifts that celebrate the places we love and the moments that make life special. But her creative journey has been anything but linear. From environmental engineering and graphic design to manufacturing, wholesale, and art licensing, Jen shares the twists, turns, and lessons that have shaped her evolving career. She and Margo explore what it means to embrace your identity as an artist, let go of perfectionism, and find the courage to try something new, even when you don't know exactly where it will lead. They also dig into the realities of running a creative business, from scaling production and navigating industry changes to pitching artwork, building relationships, and discovering the power of community. Jen shares how a painting retreat in Portugal helped transform her creative practice, why she believes in sharing knowledge rather than gatekeeping it, and how curiosity continues to fuel her next chapter. In this episode, we explore: Finding your creative identity and overcoming perfectionism and imposter syndrome The unexpected path from engineering to art and entrepreneurship How community, mentorship, and creative challenges can spark meaningful growth The behind-the-scenes realities of manufacturing, wholesale, and art licensing Why persistence, thoughtful product presentations, and relationships matter when pitching your work Embracing new technology, lifelong learning, and the freedom to reinvent yourself Giving yourself permission to experiment, make imperfect art, and follow your curiosity Mentioned in this episode: Faire Wholesale Marketplace: faire.com Adobe MAX (Miami, November): max.adobe.com Atlanta Market: americasmart.com The 100-day painting project: the100dayproject.org Connect with Jennifer: Website: https://tandemfortwo.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/tandemfortwo Facebook: https://facebook.com/tandemfortwo Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/tandemfortwo LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jensmelks
- 2 weeks ago37 min
Creative Current Events: Dogs, Designer Bags & Digital Detoxes with Abby Campbell
Abby is back on the Windowsill for another round of Creative Current Events! This week, she and Margo are diving into the latest headlines making waves in art, design, branding, and retail—and, as always, there's plenty to unpack. From collectible handbags blurring the line between fashion and art to luxury brands rolling out the red carpet for our four-legged friends, the creative world is full of surprises. They explore Polaroid's cheeky campaign encouraging us to put down our screens, the return of Bed Bath & Beyond in an unexpected form, and why Hermès is doubling down on hand-drawn illustration in an increasingly AI-driven world. Margo and Abby discuss: The intersection of art, fashion, and collectible handbags Polaroid's clever push for analog experiences in a digitally saturated world Why luxury brands are increasingly catering to dogs (and their devoted humans!) Kirkland's transformation into Bed Bath & Beyond Seasonal Living and what it says about retail reinvention Hermès' embrace of hand-drawn illustration and the growing value of human creativity in the age of AI The bigger cultural shifts shaping what we buy, how we create, and what we value Articles: Polaroid's Analog Summer Campaign Pushes Against Digital Overload — PetaPixel Dogs Became Luxury's Fastest Growing Customer — Art of the Brand Kirkland's Stores to Become Bed Bath & Beyond Seasonal Living — NBC Chicago Hermès Goes All-In on Illustration in the Age of AI — Highsnobiety
- 3 weeks ago55 min
What's Done Is Done, Or Is It?: Family Secrets, Bread Baking, and a Life in Books, with Jane Ward
This week on Windowsill Chats, Margo is joined by novelist Jane Ward, author of four books, including her latest, Should Have Told You Sooner. With a lifelong love of storytelling, cooking, baking, and art, Jane has built a creative life rooted in curiosity, observation, and finding inspiration in unexpected places. Jane began writing her first novel, Hunger, nearly thirty years ago while living in Iceland with her Navy husband, finding space for storytelling during the long, dark winters. Since then, she's continued exploring the complexities of human relationships through fiction, often weaving together themes of family secrets, forgiveness, regret, and the things we leave unsaid. Her latest novel was inspired by something as simple as a lawn sign spotted during an early morning dog walk. Margo and Jane discuss: The meaning behind the question on Jane's website, "What's done is done. Or is it?" and why the past has a way of resurfacing Writing about family secrets, forgiveness, and the complicated relationships that make us human How Jane develops fictional characters who begin to feel like real people Finding inspiration in unexpected places, including the lawn sign that sparked her latest novel The creative freedom found in bread baking, photography, travel, and other everyday pursuits Her upcoming sequel and its exploration of motherhood in all its complicated forms The importance of making space for creativity outside of your primary artistic practice Jane's plans for a Gothic novel set in Switzerland, inspired by her childhood love of Daphne du Maurier Connect with Jane Ward: Website: janeaward.com Instagram: @authorjaneward Threads: @authorjaneward Facebook: @janealessandriniward
- Oct 7, 20261h 10m
Stop Being a Good Girl: Maps, Reinvention, and the Case for Texture, with Tania Willis
What does it look like to build a creative career that keeps evolving, without losing the curiosity that got you started? This week, Margo is joined by illustrator, designer, cartographer, educator, and all-around creative powerhouse Tania Willis. With a career spanning editorial illustration, advertising, pictorial maps, heritage interpretation, products, licensing, and education, Tania has spent decades finding new ways to make a living from her creativity. She's also the co-founder of The Good Ship Illustration, where she helps illustrators navigate the business side of a creative career. Tania and Margo talk about the power of creative community, adapting as the industry changes, and why even established artists sometimes need to reinvent their work. They also explore the value of diversifying your income, following your genuine interests instead of trends, and creating supportive spaces where artists can learn without fear or shame. Margo and Tania discuss: Why collaboration and community can accelerate creative growth Adapting your business as social media and the illustration industry change Teaching, mentoring, and sharing what you've learned along the way Reinventing your style when your work starts to feel too predictable Following curiosity instead of what you think you "should" be making Building a resilient career through freelance work, teaching, products, and licensing Why relationships and unexpected opportunities often shape a creative career The enduring value of handmade, imperfect, distinctly human work Creating safe, encouraging spaces for artists to experiment and learn Why sometimes you just have to fly your freak flag Connect with Tania: www.taniawillis.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/tania.willis The Good Ship Illustration: www.thegoodshipillustration.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/thegoodshipillustration
- Sep 30, 202633 min
How Making Art Can Become a Way of Life with Abby Jacobs (Replay)
This week, we're revisiting a favorite conversation from the Windowsill Chats archives with artist and surface designer Abby Jacobs. As far back as she can remember, making art has been Abby's favorite thing to do—and some of the happiest times in her life have been when she's had a consistent creative routine. Her belief in art-making as a way of life led her to pursue a master's degree in transpersonal counseling and art therapy from Naropa University in Boulder after studying art and psychology/human services as an undergraduate. Whenever something doesn't feel quite right in her life, Abby asks herself, "Am I making artwork daily?" If the answer is no, she usually knows where to start. Margo and Abby discuss: Why pattern clashing isn't necessarily a bad thing Abby's art therapy background and how it influences her creative practice The importance of working with clients who feel aligned Having a creative outlet beyond paid work Navigating client expectations and people-pleasing Creating work that feels authentic to you What Abby learned from completing a 100-day project And much more! Connect with Abby: www.abbyjacdesigns.com Instagram: @abbyjacdesigns
- Sep 23, 20261h 26m
Full Circle: Reinventing Your Creative Identity Later in Life, with Nosheen Ahmed
Margo is joined by hand-drawn book cover illustrator Nosheen Ahmed for a conversation nearly a decade in the making. Margo first met Nosheen about nine years ago through portfolio reviews, when Nosheen was working as a dentist, raising her children, making art, and trying to find where she fit creatively. After more than 20 years in dentistry, Nosheen has built a career in illustration—bringing together her love of drawing, books, storytelling, and human connection. She and Margo talk about creative reinvention, letting go of the feeling that you're "behind," and realizing that none of the experiences along the way are wasted. They also explore the pressure to find a signature style, how motherhood and dentistry shaped Nosheen as an artist, and why work made by human hands matters in an increasingly AI-driven world. Margo and Nosheen discuss: Reinventing yourself creatively later in life Why your past experiences aren't wasted Finding your voice without forcing a signature style Creativity as a way of living, not just a career The importance of empathy and human connection in art Why hand-drawn work still matters in an AI-driven world Connect with Nosheen: Website: nosheendesigns.co.uk Instagram + LinkedIn: @nosheendesigns Work 1:1 with Margo: Looking for personalized support in your creative practice or business? Sign up for 1:1 coaching with Margo for focused guidance, clarity, and support tailored to where you are and where you want to go next. https://margotantau.com/coaching-with-margo
- Sep 16, 20261h 19m
You're Not Alone: Melissa Moore and Michele Matrisciani on the Hidden Costs of Loving Someone the World Hates
Margo is joined by Melissa Moore and Michele Matrisciani, co-authors of Killer in the Family: The Hidden Costs of Loving Someone the World Hates. Melissa grew up in Spokane, Washington, and was sixteen when she learned that her father, Keith Jesperson, had been arrested for murder. He was later convicted as the Happy Face Killer. Melissa went on to become a New York Times bestselling author with her memoir Shattered Silence, a domestic abuse prevention advocate, and an Emmy-nominated investigative correspondent for Crime Watch Daily. She hosts the true crime podcast Life After Happy Face and is the real-life inspiration behind the Paramount+ drama series Happy Face, starring Annaleigh Ashford. Michele is a New York Times bestselling coauthor, a Pushcart Prize nominee, and an editor with more than twenty years in publishing, with an MFA from Stony Brook University. She spent fifteen years as an acquisitions and developmental editor at houses including Macmillan, Hyperion, and McGraw-Hill Trade before founding Bookchic LLC, and her collaborations span Hachette, Penguin, Hay House, and HarperCollins, most recently including Gypsy-Rose Blanchard's memoir My Time to Stand. She has collaborated with Melissa across four books. For Killer in the Family, Melissa and Michele spent six years with nine families who share something nobody chooses: someone they loved was responsible for something horrific. The book moves the focus away from the crimes themselves and onto the parents, children, siblings, and spouses left to carry the aftermath. Margo, Melissa, and Michele discuss: What it was like for Melissa's story to become public, and the years of shame that came before that Why so many people reached out to Melissa afterward with the same message: I'm just like you How they chose which families and relationships belonged in the book How Michele earned enough trust with nine families to get material this personal What Michele could see as an outsider that Melissa, so close to her own story, couldn't always see herself How they handled it when two people's memories of the same moment didn't line up The responsibility of sending a finished chapter back to the person who lived it How families hold love and horror about the same person at the same time The role media coverage plays in a family's grief and isolation Knowing when it's time to stop telling your story Killer in the Family is available now in print, ebook, and audiobook wherever books are sold. Connect with Melissa and Michele: https://michelem.net/ melissa.g.moore on TikTok Melissa G. Moore (@melissag.moore)
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About Windowsill Chats
Windowsill Chats is a podcast for artists and creatives who are curious about what it's like to live, work & walk a creative path. You'll find honest stories, refreshing tips, artistic business advice and real conversations with global artists & makers just like you. Host Margo Tantau, a 30+ year Creative Director, Product Designer & maker, is a cheerleader for your success. Come grab a cuppa & join her in her sunny windowsill.
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