Artist, gallerist, and creative leader Michelle Brandt joins Victoria to share her journey from art educator to gallery director and founder of Pecha Projects, a project space dedicated to counter narratives in contemporary art. Michelle reflects on staying “obedient to her gifts,” navigating a life-threatening illness, and learning to prioritize presence over perfection in both her work and life. She and Victoria discuss alignment, rejection as redirection, and the power of championing artists whose stories and practices feel deeply meaningful and alive.

Here’s what we discuss:

• Discovering her true role as a connector and storyteller between artists and collectors.
• Opening Brandt Gallery, launching Pecha Projects, and building platforms for social narrative and underrepresented voices.
• Reframing rejection as redirection, asking for what you want, and approaching galleries with intention and professionalism.
• Letting go of “perfect balance,” embracing trade-offs, and using meditation, mornings, and self-care to stay grounded and present.

About Michelle –

Michelle Brandt is the owner and director of Brandt Gallery in Columbus, Ohio, and the founder of Pecha Projects, a project space and initiative centered on counter narratives and contemporary art. With a background in art education and years of experience working in galleries, Michelle has built a practice around championing artists, connecting people, and sharing stories that make us think differently. Through her gallery, project space, and mentoring, she supports artists in cultivating meaningful, sustainable careers.

Artist, author, and creative leader Ekaterina Popova joins Victoria to explore the evolution of her creative practice, from her childhood in Russia to building an expansive career as a painter, mentor, and founder of Create! Magazine. Ekaterina reflects on the women who shaped her early artistic identity, the emotional foundations of her work, and the challenges and rewards of leading a growing creative community. She and Victoria discuss intuition, experimentation, and the inner permission artists need to grow, shift, and embrace play throughout their careers.

Here’s what we discuss:

1. Developing an artistic voice shaped by memory, cultural transition, and familial influence.
2. Building Create! Magazine, supporting artists, and navigating the responsibilities of leadership.
3. Embracing “ugly” phases, intuitive sketching, and listening to inner alignment.
4. Balancing discipline and devotion while fostering freedom, curiosity, and authentic creative evolution.

About Kat -

Ekaterina Popova is a Russian-born artist whose contemporary oil paintings explore themes of home, belonging, and identity. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Kutztown University in 2011, she has continued to develop her studio practice and share her work through exhibitions across the U.S. and internationally. Inspired by post-impressionism, fauvism, and magical realism, Popova’s paintings evoke mood and emotion through richly textured interiors and landscapes. Her decade-long exploration of home and place reflects a deep connection to personal narrative and the meaning of belonging. Her work has been featured in galleries including Cohle Gallery in Paris and Menorca, The Painting Center in New York, James Oliver Gallery, Paradigm Gallery, and more.

Popova’s journey and work have been highlighted in publications such as Colossal, Flow Magazine, Beautiful Bizarre, American Art Collector, The Jealous Curator, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She has participated in residencies at Centre Pompadour in France, NES Residency in Iceland, and the Skopelos Foundation for the Arts in Greece, all of which have contributed to her evolving studio practice. Based in Philadelphia at 1241 Carpenter Street Studios, Popova is also the founder of Create! Magazine and Art Queens and the host of the Art & Cocktails podcast. She has co-authored The Complete Smartist Guide and The Creative Business Handbook, helping artists build sustainable art careers.

Website: katerinapopova.com + createmagazine.co + paintwithkat.com

IG: @katerinaspopova @createmagazine

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

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As the year comes to a close, Victoria answers some of the most common questions artists are asking right now—from choosing the right opportunities to growing an online presence with intention. She shares why long-term vision is the anchor for decision-making, how to build meaningful relationships in the art world, and why authenticity (not trends) is the strongest strategy for social media. Victoria also invites artists to pause, reflect, and set the energetic tone for 2026 before diving into goals or planning.

In this episode, she also announces that she’s opening a very limited number of 1:1 Strategy Sessions for new artists, designed to help you gain clarity, direction, and a solid plan for the year ahead.

Victoria also shares details about the debut of her new watercolor series Where Flowers Dream, on view at Warnes Contemporary in Brooklyn on December 13, with a free in-person watercolor workshop on December 14. This episode is for artists who want to enter 2026 feeling grounded, strategic, and empowered—ready to take aligned steps toward the career they truly want.

To book a 1:1 Strategy Session:
visionaryartcollective.com/services/p/11-strategy-session-with-victoria-j-fry-45-min

Learn more about Victoria’s upcoming watercolor debut:
warnescontemporary.com/upcomingevents

Victoria J. Fry is a New York City–based painter, educator, curator, and founder of Visionary Art Collective, New Visionary Magazine, and Warnes Contemporary. She has supported hundreds of artists through exhibitions, publications, and mentorship.

Visit our website: visionaryartcollective.com

Follow us on Instagram: @visionaryartcollective + @newvisionarymag

Join our newsletter: visionaryartcollective.com/newsletter