After the Fire: Rebuilding After Loss and Making Life a Total Work of Art with Steve & Mary Jo Hoffman
Release Date: 05/07/2025
Starting Before You’re Ready: Evolving a Creative Practice and Building Creative Momentum with Bethany Andrews Nichols
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by artist and founder behind Beenanza Design, Bethany Andrews Nichols. A returning friend of the show, Bethany shares how her creative practice has evolved over the past few years—expanding her Burlington, Vermont studio into a hub for block printing workshops and collaborations with brands like King Arthur Flour and Cabot Cheese, developing her new DIY printing kit Coverall, and launching a block-printed fabric line with Stash Fabrics. Along the way, she opens up about navigating feedback, balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, and the persistence it takes to keep moving...
info_outline
Why Creativity Belongs at the Leadership Table: Cassie McDaniel on Art, Tech, and Building a Well-Rounded Creative Life
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by Cassie McDaniel, Head of Design at Medium, where she leads product design, brand, and research. Cassie has also brought her design expertise to companies like Lattice, Webflow, Glitch, and Mozilla Foundation, and she’s passionate about simplifying complex workflows while creating space for more meaningful design. Beyond her professional roles, Cassie is a painter, writer, DIY renovator, and environmental conservation group member—someone who embodies the importance of building a life rich with creativity both in and outside of work. In this conversation, Cassie and Margo...
info_outline
Creating Out of Necessity, Healing from Burnout, and Finding Joyful Success with Trupti Karjinni (Part 2)
Windowsill Chats
In episode two of this two-part series, Margo continues her conversation with watercolor artist, creative mentor, and founder of Blue Pine Arts, Trupti Karjinni. In part one, Trupti shared her journey from building a thriving art supply and teaching business to experiencing burnout and rebuilding a more aligned, sustainable creative life. Here, the conversation shifts into the how: the mindset, methods, and strategies behind building a soulful teaching business that truly supports artists both creatively and financially. Margo and Trupti discuss: Why “Big Box Mentor” launch advice often...
info_outline
Creating Out of Necessity, Healing from Burnout, and Finding Joyful Success with Trupti Karjinni (Part 1)
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by watercolor artist, creative mentor, and founder of Blue Pine Arts, Trupti Karjinni. Since 2017, Trupti has taught over 45,000 students worldwide, guiding them to fall in love with watercolor while building confidence and creative joy. Today, she paints serene landscapes from the Canadian Rockies, creates handcrafted art supplies, and mentors artists who dream of teaching their art through courses, memberships, and retreats. Together, they unpack Trupti’s journey from burnout to building a soul-aligned creative business that supports both artistic expression and financial...
info_outline
Creative Current Events: HBO Logo Flaws, Perfume by AI, and Why Creatives Shouldn’t Give Up
Windowsill Chats
Margo and Abby are back with another round of Creative Current Events—covering design awards, the state of the creative industry, the role of AI in unexpected places, massive murals, and even Christmas tree tariffs. They share thought-provoking articles, fun finds, and the latest creative headlines worth your attention. Mentioned in this episode: Connect with Abby: Connect with Margo:
info_outline
Punch Needle Fashion and the Art of Blurring Creative Boundaries with Micah Clasper-Torch
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by artist, designer, and educator helping to lead the modern revival of punch needle rug hooking, Micah Clasper-Torch. Based in Los Angeles, Micah’s work blurs the lines between art, craft, and design, creating one-of-a-kind textile pieces that range from coats and accessories to wall hangings and soft sculpture. With a background in fashion design from both The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and the Politecnico di Milano in Italy, Micah weaves together her love of fine art, heritage craft, and wearable design. In 2019 she became a certified Oxford Punch...
info_outline
Using Curiosity as Your Creative Compass to a More Colorful Life with Ana Bianchi
Windowsill Chats
What if color could completely change the way you see the world? This week Margo is joined by Ana Bianchi—artist, designer, illustrator, and now the author of Color Curious, her vibrant new book with Chronicle Books. Ana’s lifelong love of color has taken her from children’s books to ceramics to joyful, intuitive “color harvesting” everywhere from gardens to street markets. Her work spans disciplines, but the throughline is always color—how it inspires, connects, and transforms. Part visual diary, part creative toolkit, Color Curious is packed with gorgeous photography,...
info_outline
The Art of Getting Hired: Vanessa Stoilova on Pitching, Portfolios & Creative Momentum
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by illustrator, surface designer, educator, and art business mentor Vanessa Stoilova—better known online as Art Business with Ness. Since 2015, Vanessa has navigated the creative industry from mobile games to picture book illustration to surface design, and now shares her hard-earned insights with thousands of aspiring artists through her courses, YouTube channel, and mentorship programs. Vanessa has a knack for making the business side of art feel approachable, actionable, and even exciting. In this conversation, she and Margo dig into how to position yourself for real...
info_outline
From Side Quest to Spotlight: Andrea Campos on Play, Purpose, and Her Unconventional Art Journey
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by color-obsessed illustrator and joyful creative spirit, Andrea Campos. Known to many as the talent behind Drea’s Doodles, Andrea shares her unconventional journey from a decade-long career in marketing to becoming a full-time visual artist and New York Times bestselling illustrator. What started as a personal art challenge during the pandemic turned into an extraordinary pivot—leading to illustrating a bilingual children’s book co-authored by none other than Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Fallon. Margo and Andrea talk about the magic of starting before you’re ready, the...
info_outline
Creating with Intention: Katie Howie on Slow Styling and Storytelling Through Portraits & Spaces
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by photographer, slow stylist, and storyteller Katie Howie. Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Katie brings a thoughtful, refined eye to everything she touches—whether she’s capturing a family in motion, styling a cozy and intentional home, or consulting with small businesses on creative strategy. Katie shares her journey from studying psychology and women’s studies, to a decade in retail marketing, and ultimately to finding her creative footing as a visual storyteller. Margo and Katie explore the power of slow living and how Katie’s “slow styling” philosophy helps...
info_outlineMargo is joined by creative couple Steve and Mary Jo Hoffman for a tender, thought-provoking conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the art of intentional living. In the wake of losing their family home to a fire, Steve and Mary Jo open up about what it means to rebuild—not just a house, but an entire way of living. They share how their individual creative practices continue to evolve, how they support one another through parallel play and creative autonomy, and how loss clarified what truly matters.
About Mary Jo Hoffman:
Mary Jo is an artist and photographer best known for her project STILL, a daily nature photography practice that blossomed into a decade-long blog and the book STILL: The Art of Noticing. Her images and essays capture the quiet beauty of everyday natural objects and invite readers to see the world with fresh eyes. She lives in Shoreview, Minnesota, with her husband Steve and their puggle Jack, who joins her on daily foraging walks.
About Steve Hoffman:
Steve is a James Beard Award–winning writer whose debut memoir, A Season for That, chronicles his family’s relocation to southern France and the unexpected beauty found in ordinary food, people, and rhythms. A tax preparer by day and food writer by heart, Steve’s work has appeared in The Washington Post, Food & Wine, and The Minneapolis Star Tribune. He lives with Mary Jo on Turtle Lake, surrounded by bees, cranes, and creative inspiration.
Margo, Steve, and Mary Jo discuss:
-
Navigating loss and rebuilding with intention after the fire that destroyed their home and studios
-
How daily creative rituals can ground and guide us through upheaval
-
The power of noticing: Mary Jo’s journey with STILL and the discipline of paying attention
-
Writing memoir and confronting vulnerability in Steve’s A Season for That
-
What it means to live in a “total work of art” and create a life aligned with your values
-
How partnership and creativity intertwine without merging
-
Embracing slow living, meaningful routines, and the grace found in the everyday
Previous Episodes with Mary Jo & Steve
-
Episode 197: "Finding Beauty in Everyday Life: The Power of Creative Practice and the Art of Noticing with Mary Jo Hoffman"
-
Episode 209: "A Season for Change: Steve Hoffman on New Perspectives, Culture, and Finding a Sense of Belonging"
Connect with Steve Hoffman:
https://www.instagram.com/sjrhoffman/
Connect with Mary Jo Hoffman:
https://www.instagram.com/maryjohoffman/
http://eepurl.com/bTvh4n (Newsletter)
Connect with Margo:
www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill