Textile artist Jen Arron shares her transformative journey from established Toronto photographer to full-time artist, revealing the messy, beautiful process of reinventing her creative identity.
In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Jen shares the difference between being good at something and being truly creative, the terror and liberation of change, and the life shift that crystallized her need for work that felt essential.
This episode offers practical wisdom about protecting your creative whispers, redefining success metrics, and the courage required to claim “artist” as your identity when everyone knows you as something else.
Essential listening for anyone feeling the tension between commercial success and the whispers to follow creative authenticity.
Covered In This Episode
Why being “good at something” and being truly creative are two entirely different things—and how to tell which one you’re actually doing
The exact moment Jen realized her 13-year photography business was sucking her artist’s soul dry, despite external success and acclaim
How a random two-week weaving workshop became the catalyst for completely reinventing her creative identity at age 40
The limiting belief that almost stopped her pivot: “If I turn my art into a business again, it will kill my creativity”
Two non-negotiable practices for protecting your emerging creative desires before sharing them with the world
Why Jen refers to art buyers as “collectors” and her work as a “studio” instead of a “business”—and how this shift changed everything
The messy reality of having “one foot in photography, one foot in weaving,” and when to finally make the leap
Practical advice on investing in your creative practice: from renting your first studio space to building your yarn collection
How to navigate the loaded question “What are you up to?” when you’re in the middle of a major identity shift
The power of micro-pivots: why creative evolution never stops, even eight years into a successful art practice
What “living as an artist” actually means—and why it has nothing to do with when or where you make your art
How to redefine success metrics when moving from a business-driven career to a soul-driven creative practice
The practice of “parenting” your creative whispers before letting outside opinions shape (or destroy) them
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Courageous Pivot Podcast
03:23 From Photography to Weaving: A Creative Transformation
05:18 The Struggles and Realizations of an Artist
07:59 Embracing the Artist Within
10:35 Navigating Personal and Professional Shifts
21:26 Rediscovering Passion and Purpose
36:59 Embracing Creative Pivots
39:06 Understanding Creative Rhythms
41:57 Balancing Business and Creativity
43:54 The Joy of Weaving
48:01 Managing Commissions and Exhibits
58:53 Protecting Your Creative Energy
Links and Resources
Jen’s Platforms
Join Jen’s Email List — stay up to date on new works, exhibitions, and workshops
Referenced in This Episode
The Workroom (Toronto) — where Jen first took a weaving workshop
CONTACT Photography Festival — Toronto’s annual citywide photography festival, where Jen first exhibited her woven works
Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) — where both Meghan and Jen studied
Catherine Farquharson — personal transformation coach who guided Jen’s creative pivot
Domestika — online creative learning platform Meghan uses for fiber arts courses
More About Jen Arron
Jen Arron is a studio-based textile artist in Toronto. She works with globally sourced fibers to create works that have scale & presence. Weaving entirely by hand, in a freestyle approach, Jen’s large-scale woven pieces reveal the often entangled invisible parts of our collective experience.
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