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Windowsill Chats

Windowsill Chats

By: Margo Tantau
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About this listen

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.© 2023 Art Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Rhinestones, Reinvention & the Art of Embracing Your Multi-Passionate Mind with Kim Bloomberg of Studio Art Beat (Replay)
    Apr 29 2026

    In this replay episode, Margo is joined by multi-passionate creative Kim Bloomberg, the joyful force behind Studio Art Beat. A fine artist, educator, and self-proclaimed art supply nerd, Kim brings a refreshing perspective to the creative journey—one that's less about staying in your lane and more about following curiosity wherever it leads. With a background in both fine art and education, over two decades of teaching experience, and years running her own jewelry business, Kim shares how she ultimately found fulfillment by embracing her ADHD-fueled love for switching mediums and diving headfirst into new materials.

    After leaving behind the New York hustle for the artistic charm of Chicago's North Shore, Kim launched Studio Art Beat as an inclusive space to demystify art and make creativity accessible to all ages. She now leads workshops, partners with brands like Gelli Arts, and teaches online courses—including one that brings rhinestone bedazzling to the masses. Through her story, Kim reminds us that freedom, play, and experimentation are not distractions—they're the path.

    Margo and Kim discuss:

    • Growing up in an art-loving family and the creative influence of her parents and grandfather.
    • Letting go of a long-term jewelry business and the guilt that came with that decision.
    • How embracing her neurodivergent brain led to business clarity and personal joy.
    • Turning her natural desire to switch mediums into a strength rather than a struggle.
    • Building an online art education platform that's welcoming, inclusive, and non-intimidating.
    • Why sharing her process openly (rather than gatekeeping) has helped her business grow.
    • Collaborating with brands while maintaining authenticity and community connection.
    • The value of playful creativity for both kids and adults—and why it's never too late to start.
    • How she's made rhinestones cool again with her Cricut-powered online course.
    • The beauty in allowing your creative identity to evolve—and giving others permission to do the same.

    Connect with Kim:
    www.studioartbeat.com

    www.instagram.com/studioartbeat

    Connect with Margo:
    https://www.windowsillchats.com

    https://www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

    https://www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

    https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 7 mins
  • More Play, Less Perfection: Embracing Experimentation and Finding Your Creative Rhythm with Lisa Solomon
    Apr 22 2026

    Margo is joined by artist, author, and educator Lisa Solomon to discuss her newest book, Art, Craft, Color—a thoughtfully curated collection of essays, reflections, and creative projects designed to inspire a more playful, hands-on approach to making. Lisa's work explores the intersection of art, craft, and personal history, often blending unexpected materials and techniques to challenge traditional boundaries. Alongside her studio practice, she teaches at the college level and has authored several books on color and creativity.

    In this conversation, Lisa offers a behind-the-scenes look at her process while reflecting on experimentation, perfectionism, and the power of community.

    Margo and Lisa discuss:

    • The origin story behind Art, Craft, Color and how the project came to life
    • The collaborative process of curating artists, materials, and color palettes
    • Blurring the lines between art and craft, and why that distinction matters less than we think
    • Embracing experimentation and stepping outside your creative comfort zone
    • Letting go of perfectionism and focusing on process over outcome
    • The impact of social media on creativity—both the inspiration and the pressure
    • Why working with your hands is more important than ever in today's world
    • Building community and connection through shared creative practices

    Connect with Lisa:
    Website: www.lisasolomon.com
    Instagram: www.instagram.com/lisasolomon

    Connect with Margo:
    www.windowsillchats.com
    www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
    www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Paint Brushes to Balance Sheets: Financial Literacy, Tax Knowledge and How to Break the Starving Artist Stereotype With Hannah Cole (Replay)
    Apr 15 2026

    In this replay episode, Margo is joined by tax expert Hannah Cole who specializes in working with creative businesses and mission-driven solopreneurs. A long-time working artist herself, she's helped tens of thousands of self-employed people skill up with accessible tax and money education, through her Money Bootcamp program, speaking engagements from Florida to Alaska, and on the Sunlight podcast. She is the founder of Sunlight Tax. As artists carve their paths through various industries, they encounter a myriad of challenges, yet financial literacy is rarely addressed, leading to feelings of failure and shame. Today's conversation with Hannah sheds light on this systemic failure and turns it into a journey of empowerment and self-compassion (something all creatives should have)!

    Margo and Hannah discuss:

    • The responsibilities that come with being a small business owner in the US
    • Navigating self-employment taxes and optimizing deductions
    • Personal struggles that Hannah faced within her own creative career and financial literacy
    • What propelled her towards accounting education
    • How she acts as a translator between the creative and tax worlds
    • Simple advice artists can implement today when it comes to money management
    • Her Money Bootcamp program and podcast
    • How to save more money
    • And more!

    Connect with Hannah:

    www.instagram.com/sunlighttax

    www.sunlighttax.com

    www.sunlighttax.com/podcast

    Connect with Margo:

    www.windowsillchats.com

    www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

    www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
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