Monica Marlatt is a Toronto-based puzzle influencer who rediscovered her love for jigsaw puzzles while navigating the challenges of the empty-nest stage.

In this episode Monica shares how she transformed a solo, traditional hobby into a vibrant creative practice by mastering stop-motion animation, hosting location shoots across her city, and even launching puzzle-themed cruises with Royal Caribbean.

The conversation explores the importance of lifelong learning, the global speed puzzling phenomenon, and practical advice for adults looking to fill the void after their children leave home.

• Preparing for Life Transitions: Monica discusses the unexpected emotional toll of the empty-nest stage and the importance of proactively finding new interests to fill the space left by growing children.
• Innovating a Traditional Hobby: By embracing technology, Monica uses stop-motion reels and location shoots across Toronto to present jigsaw puzzles in creative, artistic ways, building a following of over 17,000 people.
• Lifelong Learning and Social Connection: The episode highlights how engaging in creative pursuits in adulthood provides essential mental stimulation and social interaction, whether through global speed-puzzling competitions or online communities.
• The 'Boutique' Puzzle Movement: Discover the shift from mass-produced puzzles to high-quality, artist-led boutique brands that offer diverse textures and materials like wood, cork, and acrylic.
• Advice for Finding Your Passion: Monica encourages listeners to experiment with different hobbies without the pressure of perfection or perseverance. Trying something new provides valuable life experiences and conversational starting points, even if it doesn't become a long-term commitment.

I would love some financial support to help me to keep making this podcast. Visit buymeacoffee.com/creativityfound

Support the show

Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram

Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here

Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout

How coloured pencils changed Bonny's life.

World-renowned artist and teacher Bonny Snowdon shares how a stressful period in her life and a gift of coloured pencils from her daughter led to a profound creative awakening that helped her manage anxiety and navigate personal challenges.

We explore Bonny’s horse-mad childhood in North Yorkshire, her early experiences in the advertising and graphic design industries, a challenging '360' management review and her transition into executive coaching. Bonny discusses the 'leap of faith' required to turn her artistic passion into a thriving business, including the launch of the Bonny Snowdon Academy.

We discuss the importance of self-belief, Bonny offers insight into her restorative daily rituals involving journalling and sketching, and provides encouraging advice for anyone looking to start their own creative journey.

In this episode:

• The role of creativity in Bonny’s childhood and her early love of horses.
• Navigating the shift from traditional graphic design to managerial roles.
• How coloured pencils provided a meditative escape during difficult times.
• The transition from executive coach to full-time professional artist.
• Building a successful creative membership and online academy.
• The importance of daily journalling and sketching for mental wellbeing.
• Practical advice for beginners: starting small and embracing the learning curve – don't be afraid to produce 'rubbish' work while you learn.

You might also like:

Blossoming in Art with Bianca Giarola

Medicine to Masterpieces with Dr Vasu Tolia

The Listening Eye with Ashton Rodenhiser

Click here to buy Samantha EJ Button's poetry collection Not Wholesome Content

I would love some financial support to help me to keep making this podcast. Visit buymeacoffee.com/creativityfound

Support the show

Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram

Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here

Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout

Finding a balance between career and creativity.

Have you ever built a "successful" career only to realize it was draining the very creativity you intended to nurture?

Artist Emily-Jane Sarroff spent a decade navigating the worlds of architecture and high-level business consulting before realizing that her most important work was the art she made for herself.

Emily-Jane shares her journey of deconstructing the "societal programming" that linked her worth to her career and explains why she recently pivoted to real estate to provide her nervous system the safety it needed to create again.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The "Disappointment" Narrative: How the internal pressure to succeed led Emily-Jane away from her creative roots after high school.
• The Architecture Trap: Why a "creative" degree can sometimes feel more technical than expressive, and the brave decision to "leap" away from a career that wasn't fuelling her soul.
• Choosing Self over Scale: Why Emily-Jane closed a successful, six-figure business to stop "proving herself" and start living from a heart space.
• “Weird and Woo Woo” Art: A look into Emily-Jane’s spiritual, abstract style and why she prioritizes creating for her own healing and expression rather than for commissions.
• Practical Creativity: How to set up a permanent art space (even in a garage corner!) and the importance of scheduling “buffer zones” to transition your brain from logical work to creative flow.

You might also like:

Rediscovering the Inner Artist with Kerry Lyons

Peonies, Paint and Personal Growth with Sally Jean Fox

Society, Stereotypes and Sparkle with Jessie Elliott

I would love some financial support to help me to keep making this podcast. Visit buymeacoffee.com/creativityfound

Support the show

Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram

Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here

Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout