Bench Talk
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13/04/2026
Available now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
In this week’s episode of Bench Talk, sits down with Sydney-based artist Elliott Rutledge for an incredibly honest conversation about
artistic evolution, creative experimentation and navigating the transition from street art to the gallery world.
Elliott is one of those artists who refuses to be put in a box. Abstract paintings, text-based works, murals, sculptures - he does it all. But what’s really fascinating is how intentional he is about his evolution, quietly developing bodies of work for years before revealing them to the world. “I can’t help myself. I don’t like to sit
on one thing - I’ll try anything.”
If you’re an artist who:
⚡️Feels pressure to “pick a lane” but thrives on experimentation
⚡️Struggles with imposter syndrome when entering new spaces
⚡️Creates work you love but worries it won’t sell
⚡️Wants to transition into galleries but doesn’t know how
⚡️Feels like an outsider in the art world
Then this conversation will resonate deeply.
Elliott shares how he kept his now-signature text-based works on the back burner for years, thinking no one would buy them - until an interior designer walked into his studio and proved him wrong.
He talks about working with curator Amber Creswell Bell, being featured in the Australian Abstract book, and how fatherhood has shaped his creative practice.
This is about the courage to evolve without abandoning yourself.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube
Link in the bio!
Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcast or watch on YouTube.
Episode #215. The unsolicited advice era is real. And it’s costing artists their voice.
You’re clear on where you’re headed. Then someone whether it’s a friend, your great auntie June or a gallerist — tells you everything that’s wrong with your work.
You didn’t ask.
But now you can’t stop thinking about it.
In this week’s episode of BenchTalk, Claire and get really honest about unsolicited art advice - where it comes from, why it hits so hard, and how to stop letting it derail you.
Because here’s the truth: the artists who make their mark are the ones who trust their own vision — even when it makes some people uncomfortable.
Picasso didn’t change his style because someone didn’t get the two eyes on one side of the face. Matisse didn’t stop doing his cutouts when people said he’d lost his mind.
And you don’t have to dim your light because of someone else’s opinion either.
🎧 New episode out now — link in bio.
18/02/2026
Available now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Art Career Academy GOING PRO now open for enrolment
A listener question inspired this episode — and it highlights something many artists and collectors experience:
This week and from discuss how to create a commissioned artwork that truly feels right for everyone involved?
In this episode of Bench Talk, we explore how commissions can become rewarding creative collaborations when expectations are clear and
communication is open.
Because when alignment is there, the process feels energising — and the artwork becomes something truly special.
In this episode:
• Why commissions are an opportunity for meaningful collaboration
• How collectors can communicate what they love with clarity
• How artists can guide the process with confidence and professionalism
• Why alignment matters more than perfection
• How great commissions strengthen artist–collector relationships
🎧 Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube
WANT MORE?
👉 Join the Going Pro LIVE cohort 2026 — our signature
program for visual artists.
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