In this podcast, Klee and I will discuss working in different mediums. We will talk about how to balance, promote, and label your art when putting yourself out there. We will also discuss how to confront the perception that certain mediums are considered a craft and not art. Find out more about us at http://www.rafiandklee.com
In this podcast, Klee and I (Rafi) discuss (among other topics) our thoughts on seasonal art and how creative work shifts with the rhythms of the year.
We dive into the main mindset shifts, challenges, and realities that come with making art tied to seasons, holidays, or changing creative energy throughout the year. Bottom line? Understanding the natural seasons of your creative process can help you work with your flow instead of fighting it.
Episode Title: Our Thoughts On Seasonal Art
If this resonated with you, hit that Like button, Subscribe, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
WHO ARE RAFI AND KLEE STUDIOS
Curious about who we are? Visit our website and get to know us and all we do. https://rafiandklee.com/
WANT TO JOIN US IN THE CHAT FOR THE LIVE PODCAST ON PATREON?
https://rafiandklee.com/patreon/
Thank you for supporting the Artist Life Podcast with Rafi and Klee! You rock!
In this podcast, Klee and I are going to discuss growing an audience and getting people interested in what you’re doing. We will also discuss how to meet your peeps. Find out more about us at http://www.rafiandklee.com
In this podcast, Klee and I (Rafi) discuss (among other topics) our thoughts on seasonal art and how creative work shifts with the rhythms of the year.
We dive into the main mindset shifts, challenges, and realities that come with making art tied to seasons, holidays, or changing creative energy throughout the year. Bottom line? Understanding the natural seasons of your creative process can help you work with your flow instead of fighting it.
Episode Title: Our Thoughts On Seasonal Art
If this resonated with you, hit that Like button, Subscribe, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
WHO ARE RAFI AND KLEE STUDIOS
Curious about who we are? Visit our website and get to know us and all we do. https://rafiandklee.com/
WANT TO JOIN US IN THE CHAT FOR THE LIVE PODCAST ON PATREON?
https://rafiandklee.com/patreon/
Thank you for supporting the Artist Life Podcast with Rafi and Klee! You rock!
In this podcast, Klee and I discuss feeling tired and how we approach our creative projects when we are. Find out more about us at http://www.rafiandklee.com
In this podcast, Klee and I (Rafi) discuss (among other topics) our thoughts on seasonal art and how creative work shifts with the rhythms of the year.
We dive into the main mindset shifts, challenges, and realities that come with making art tied to seasons, holidays, or changing creative energy throughout the year. Bottom line? Understanding the natural seasons of your creative process can help you work with your flow instead of fighting it.
Episode Title: Our Thoughts On Seasonal Art
If this resonated with you, hit that Like button, Subscribe, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
WHO ARE RAFI AND KLEE STUDIOS
Curious about who we are? Visit our website and get to know us and all we do. https://rafiandklee.com/
WANT TO JOIN US IN THE CHAT FOR THE LIVE PODCAST ON PATREON?
https://rafiandklee.com/patreon/
Thank you for supporting the Artist Life Podcast with Rafi and Klee! You rock!
In this Podcast, Klee and I are going to discuss how we got started in our art career and what we recommend to any awesome creative that wants to get their art career off the ground. Find out more about Rafi and Klee at http://www.rafiandklee.com
In this podcast, Klee and I (Rafi) discuss (among other topics) our thoughts on seasonal art and how creative work shifts with the rhythms of the year.
We dive into the main mindset shifts, challenges, and realities that come with making art tied to seasons, holidays, or changing creative energy throughout the year. Bottom line? Understanding the natural seasons of your creative process can help you work with your flow instead of fighting it.
Episode Title: Our Thoughts On Seasonal Art
If this resonated with you, hit that Like button, Subscribe, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
WHO ARE RAFI AND KLEE STUDIOS
Curious about who we are? Visit our website and get to know us and all we do. https://rafiandklee.com/
WANT TO JOIN US IN THE CHAT FOR THE LIVE PODCAST ON PATREON?
https://rafiandklee.com/patreon/
Thank you for supporting the Artist Life Podcast with Rafi and Klee! You rock!
In this Podcast, Klee and I will be discussing the importance of artists and what they bring to the grand scheme of things in the world. You can find out more about us at https://rafiandklee.com/
In this podcast, Klee and I (Rafi) discuss (among other topics) our thoughts on seasonal art and how creative work shifts with the rhythms of the year.
We dive into the main mindset shifts, challenges, and realities that come with making art tied to seasons, holidays, or changing creative energy throughout the year. Bottom line? Understanding the natural seasons of your creative process can help you work with your flow instead of fighting it.
Episode Title: Our Thoughts On Seasonal Art
If this resonated with you, hit that Like button, Subscribe, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
WHO ARE RAFI AND KLEE STUDIOS
Curious about who we are? Visit our website and get to know us and all we do. https://rafiandklee.com/
WANT TO JOIN US IN THE CHAT FOR THE LIVE PODCAST ON PATREON?
https://rafiandklee.com/patreon/
Thank you for supporting the Artist Life Podcast with Rafi and Klee! You rock!
Sometimes, things suck. Sometimes we feel like what we have to share doesn’t matter. However, the world may need exactly what you have to share. More love, more support, more creativity, more awesomeness!
Buying an old house can be quite demanding. It’s been about four months since we signed on the dotted line and moved in. The plan originally was to have our art studio up and running, explore all the art happenings in town, and get the pre- order books out to all the amazing people who ordered them. Oh yeah, and we would be filming and editing the entire process and sharing it with the world.
However, electrical, plumbing, structural, buying furnishings, and other issues decided that our overly ambitious plans would have to take a backseat to life. Life… It’s always there, lurking pleasantly in the hopes that you’ll remember that you are human and you are alive.
Honestly, it’s been awesome. The good, the bad, the stressful, and the overwhelming. The fact of the matter is that we are quite lucky to be having first world problems like “plumbing issues” because it could be much more serious.
As we reach the end of the plumbing saga, and prepare to sit down and finish the books that were originally supposed to go out over a year ago, I am reminded of the love and patience displayed by all the people out there who support us.
As you know we have had an adventurous year with many many changes. At the beginning of the Indiegogo book campaign of writing on rogue marketing, I never expected the challenges and changes that have taken place. A global pandemic, struggles with close friends, political drama, a hurricane, power outages, an infestation of fungus gnats, a large solo art exhibition, winning awards, an epic adventure, a devastating leak, and buying our dream home with it’s own challenges. During last year, we have had some really dark times, and some sunshine… and through it all, you were there… patiently supporting this book. Supporting us, and that means the world to me.
So, thank you. We will be quiet for a couple weeks as we go into hermit book mode and get our books polished and ready for release. We will also be building the studio back up (finally) for our opening on April 1st.
If this adventure has shown me anything, it is this… It’s easy to want to get wrapped up in all of the crap that happens in life and the world. It’s easy to isolate and believe that what you do doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s easy to believe that everything is so much bigger than you and you are but an insignificant spec.
However, people I have never met in my life have brought sunshine and light to some moments that were difficult. Simply by showing support, joy, and giving in their own unique way. We all have that gift, we all have something to give, we all have something to share… and it matters… it ALL matters.
So, as I get ready to release a book full of my thoughts and words out into the world, I am reminded of a special quote that keeps me going when things may seem dark. When asked why he performed at a free concert just two days after getting shot, Bob Marley responded, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?”
So share more love, more support, more creativity, and more awesomeness! The world can ALWAYS use more of that… We can ALL use more of that. Thank you in advance for being the awesomeness that is you. See you soon.
In This podcast, Klee and I are going to answer a question about changing habits in order to change how you face the art world. We face many challenges, but most of them are overcome by how you choose to face them. Let’s build a better stick man or woman. Find Out More About Us At https://rafiandklee.com/
In this podcast, Klee and I (Rafi) discuss (among other topics) our thoughts on seasonal art and how creative work shifts with the rhythms of the year.
We dive into the main mindset shifts, challenges, and realities that come with making art tied to seasons, holidays, or changing creative energy throughout the year. Bottom line? Understanding the natural seasons of your creative process can help you work with your flow instead of fighting it.
Episode Title: Our Thoughts On Seasonal Art
If this resonated with you, hit that Like button, Subscribe, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
WHO ARE RAFI AND KLEE STUDIOS
Curious about who we are? Visit our website and get to know us and all we do. https://rafiandklee.com/
WANT TO JOIN US IN THE CHAT FOR THE LIVE PODCAST ON PATREON?
https://rafiandklee.com/patreon/
Thank you for supporting the Artist Life Podcast with Rafi and Klee! You rock!
I’ve been a creative human for as long as I can remember, and a full time creative for about a decade now. Recently, and many times throughout the years, Rafi and I have talked about impostor syndrome. You know it? The feeling like, even though you’re passionate, authentic, dedicated to your creative endeavors, and growing and evolving each day… that somehow you’re just not enough. That secretly you suck, and that it’s only a matter of time before everyone else discovers your suckage. I suspect most everyone has felt this at one time or another.
If left unchecked, that feeling can really thwart your efforts to share who you are and what you do with the world. I’m guilty of overthinking what I share and say on here, for fear of judgement … analysis paralysis. I’m guilty of the same when working on my art, and especially where music is concerned.
Real-time example, ready?: I second-guessed myself immediately upon embarking on sharing these thoughts with you… and then spellcheck informed me that my spelling of the word “judgement” in the paragraph above was incorrect… so being the human I am, I googled it, and found that both “judgment” and “judgement” are acceptable spellings, but “judgment” is more widely accepted these days. I’ve always spelled it “judgement” so I’ve left it that way, but secretly feared your judgement not only for my chosen spelling, but for my humble human opinions on the topic of impostor syndrome. Who am I to talk about this? I’m just a person with my own thoughts on my own experiences, who, by the way… also misspelled “Impostor” at the beginning of this blog and had to go back and correct it. I think you see what I’m getting at here, all of that happened just trying to share this with you.
The thing is, there’s no rule book for creative and entrepreneurial humans. We’re all just trying stuff and doing the best we can, whatever the best is for us right now. This is one of the reasons I try to share all kinds of things with you guys, my creative family. Not just my creations that I’m proud of, but my failed experiments, challenges, life stuff, thoughts from my brain jar, small victories, and everything in between.
Wear TV Interview
So I wanted to take this time to say this to myself and to you, beautiful human who is reading this. If you are doing something, anything, that you’re passionate about, and making any effort to share it with the world, to put it out there, and to grow as a human and a creative, THAT makes YOU a badass.
You may not be at the level you aspire to yet, I know I’m not, but I’ve realized it’s a lifelong work in progress. You aren’t doing it wrong, and you don’t suck. You don’t have to get it perfect out the gate, just play and try to remember why you love what you do. Try to remember why you love who you are. You are unique, you are beautiful, you are contributing to the whole in your own special way, and you are most definitely enough.
I think ultimately, this is a long-winded high five from me to you, and from me to me. Let’s keep going and bring our awesomeness into full view for 2021 and beyond. Say it with me: “I’m real, and I’m spectacular.”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we are bouncing around the art studio like crazy elves who have lost their minds.
Every year, I say “Next year I’m going to take it easy and not put too much on my plate.” By the time June arrives, my Jekyll and Hyde shambles out of hibernation and forgets what the plan was. That’s usually when I get REALLY excited about doing some project that I’ve wanted to do, which then leads to another and another. By the time the holiday season comes around, I’m writing two books and a workbook, recording audiobooks, designing a new series of paintings, revamping the website, designing playing and tarot cards, finalizing art calendars, expanding on video and music creations, and planning for art encased in resin for jewelry. Not to mention all the ongoing projects, commissions, orders, and normal business running type things. Then you get into the multitude of projects Klee is working on and it looks like a metal confetti bomb went off in the studio.
Rafi in a messy art studio
The thing is, I honestly don’t know that I would have it any other way. I remember the first three years that Klee and I really went for this creative lifestyle that we are living, and the studio was a snooze fest. I mean, we had music, fun, and the occasional projects going on, but I think I was a little timider back then when it came to time. I would hear myself say things like “I’ll work on that when I have time.”
The problem was that I never had enough time to do anything… so I never got started on things and they went in a journal.
The one thing you have to do as an artist is create. If you are not creating and you are always just thinking of creating, then I’m not sure you can call yourself an artist. I mean, you can call yourself whatever you want, but you won’t FEEL like an artist, which is what matters most in my line of work.
The irony is I am working on WAY more projects now and seem to have more time. A few years ago, I realized that it wasn’t the number of things I was doing, it was how I felt doing them. More importantly, what narrative was I repeating to myself about what I was doing?
Time seems to follow a universal, tick tock rhythm… but it doesn’t. In the Special Theory of Relativity, That guy with the crazy hair determined that time is relative. In other words, the rate at which time passes depends on your frame of reference.
Let me blow your mind with some strange and most likely incorrect “Rafi logic”. We know that the faster a clock moves, the slower time passes according to someone in a different frame of reference. That’s why GPS clocks on satellites have to adjust depending on their speed because the faster they move, the slower our clocks run down here on earth. Yeah, that shit is cray. The clocks on the satellite tick slightly faster, by about 45 microseconds per day.
To me, that means that if you are in movement, time slows down around you. So when you are just sitting there telling yourself you don’t have enough time or hemming and hawing about how to start, chances are, you’ll feel like there is not enough time. In my experience, whenever I get stuck in an indecisive rut, the day just flies by and next thing you know, I haven’t done anything.
On the other hand, when I just fa-chunk it and get started, I usually get more done than I anticipated. Klee likes to call it warping space and time.
That is the most wonderful time. The time I make for the things I love. This year as you run around trying to get all the things done, keep this in mind… Just do it.
Get started on that project. Give that hug. Say I love you. Take that walk. Take that phone call. Take a moment to appreciate the little things. Do that thing that scares you. Change that habit you don’t like. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Take time to relax. Read that book. All of those things that you have put off… Just do it.
No one said you have to get them done in a day, or do them ALL now, but if you don’t get at least one started, it will never happen.
Try not to repeat the words “I don’t have enough time.” and replace them with the words “I make time for the things that matter to me.”
So enjoy this Holiday and make time for ALL those special little things that you love.
Some of you may not know that we have a semi successful YouTube channel where we post artist tips videos. We also have a vlog channel where we post random videos about stuff, and a podcast where we talk about even more artist tips.
Some of you do, and you have asked me how I do it, so in this blog I am going to list the programs and equipment I use to make videos. To be clear, any of you that have watched our videos know that we do not record the highest quality artistic stuff. In fact we spend most of our time talking into the camera, answering questions from artists all over the world.
So Let’s get into it… Just a warning, if you are not interested in doing videos, this post may be a snooze fest for you. I will add some inspiring tidbits here and there so don’t get discouraged, I got you. By the way, we have collected this stuff over the last ten years, but as I said, we started with the camera phone and a discontinued app for editing that sucked.
1. Program I Use To Edit Is – Vegas Pro. (not sponsored)
The program I use and have used for years is Vegas Pro, which used to be made by Sony back in the day when I started making fun horror films with my kids. It is an EXPENSIVE program, but I have always found good deals online. The outdated version of Vegas Pro that I use now and refuse to get rid of I got for $60 from HumbleBundle.com The regular price is more like $600… look for deals.
Now, I am sure that there is other editing software out there that is way cheaper, but Vegas is so easy to use that it is worth the investment to me. Obviously, everything has a learning curve where you dick around with a program and create crap, but it is so easy to use that I tend to always come back to Vegas. Keep in mind, I do not have a Mac, or I would probably be using Final Cut Pro… I feel like Vegas is the Final Cut for windows.
Someone I know was trying to use Adobe… Adobe is great for special effects, but a pain in the ass for simple video editing, it’s just less drag and drop… So I recommend Vegas. BTW, I am not sponsored or making any money from them, I just really dig the program.
2. Cameras I Use Are Sony, Canon, And GoPro (also not sponsored)
Rafi and Klee On YouTube
Before I get started here I just want to make it clear that the first 6 years of filming YouTube videos, I used our iPhone. I think anything you want to do with video, you can probably do with a camera phone. That being said, transferring files was a giant pain in my ass. So, I got cameras with SD cards to make my life easier. Just to be clear, I don’t know jack about cameras, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Camera
I got this camera with a vlogging kit that came with a microphone. By the time I decided to get a camera, the idea of having a microphone input was super important. The video quality on this camera is amazing and it has a touch screen LED which makes focusing on my face super easy. I still don’t really know how to use it, but this is the camera that we use around the studio when Klee and I talk about whatever silly things we are talking about.
This camera is about $649 so it’s not cheap, but it is not as expensive as most cameras of this quality.
Sony Alpha A6100 Mirrorless Camera
Years later we got this camera because the LED screen is on top of the camera so we can look at ourselves while talking and not look awkwardly away to check how we look. This camera also connects to the microphone. This is a more expensive camera and I’ll be honest, I’m still getting the hang of learning the settings. We look weirdly yellow whenever I film us with this one, but chances are it’s my fault.
This camera is about $796, which is not terrible, but it is not cheap.
GOPRO Hero 8
So I had this little cheap “made in china” camera that was supposed to be like a GOPRO that I spent $70 on. I’ll be honest, just get the GOPRO. Although the sound and video quality are not as good as the cameras listed above, they’re not meant to be. It is an action camera that is really easy to use. I use this camera for time lapse and for out and about filming where I can just throw the camera around. Honestly, I would probably be fine with just this camera if I could figure out better sound. It’s also small and easy to take around with you and control from your phone.
This camera is about $295, but SO worth it for easy use.
3. Microphone I Use For In Studio Cameras (again, not sponsored)
So for the longest time our sound was so shitty that no one even noticed all that much how shitty it was… probably because it was fine, but for some reason we decided we needed microphones which we still are not sure how to use.
Rode VideoMic GO Light Weight On-Camera Microphone
This shotgun condenser mic is so awesome because all you do is plug it into the camera and it works beautifully. The only issue is that if you have ALL the wireless things like laptops, printers, and phones, it might pick up the signal and do this weird vibrating sound while you are talking. When we use this mic, we have a sweet spot in the studio where it doesn’t make weird sound. That being said, this mic is awesome for recording directional, which means it records in the direction it is facing so you don’t get too much of the other sounds in the area… which is great.
This mic isn’t too bad at $97.
There are some different Rode mics out there and we own a few, but they are all different and do different things, so I’m not going to list the other ones that we own. I will say the more expensive ones do not pick up interference.
4. Sound Editing (and finally, not sponsored)
I use Audacity, which is an open source and free download for sound editing. It has noise reduction and all the bells and whistles. Even though Klee owns a bunch of expensive software for music editing, I find that audacity is pretty awesome… and I know how to use it. (Secretly, Klee uses Audacity the most too.) There is a learning curve, but once you get it you can play around and learn pretty easily.
Rafi and Klee On YouTube
So that’s it, as far as what I use for video production. There are other things like cheap diffuser socks that you can put on your lights and stuff and obviously our podcast microphones. We have all the equipment we use in the studio for our music, video and art listed on our Affiliates page (CLICK HERE) where we can make that mulla (more like chulla-change) if you purchase it from amazon.
To be honest with you, a camera phone, some free app that you know how to use for editing video, and a wifi connection is all you need to post to YouTube and make it look awesome, but eventually you may want to get the stuffs.
Hope my list helps as far as what we use. Let me know what you use, or what you know of that is way easier than the crap I’m doing.
Upcoming Public & Virtual Events:
Artist Group Hangout - Q and A With Rafi and Klee October 18, 2026 at 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Visit Our Calendar Page For More Details.
Pumpkin Painting Create & Sip Party With Rafi And Klee October 21, 2026 at 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Go To Events Page To Find Out More.
When Things Get Spooky - PATREON Live Podcast Recording October 25, 2026 at 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Visit Our Calendar Page For More Details.
Opening Reception: Neon Nostalgia Art Exhibition November 4, 2026 at 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Visit Our Calendar Page For More Details.
