Following a Good Idea: Salli Swindell on Illustration, Creative Community, and Finding Joy Beyond Client Work
Release Date: 03/11/2026
When Your Joy Becomes Your Job: Protecting the Magic in a Creative Career with Andrea Campos
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined once again by New York Times bestselling illustrator, artist, and now author Andrea Campos, the creative force behind DreasDoodles. Since her first visit to Windowsill Chats, Andrea’s creative career has continued to evolve—from a pandemic doodling practice that began simply as a source of joy to collaborations with Target, Jimmy Fallon, and Jennifer Lopez, and now the release of her very first picture book as both author and illustrator, Tis’ the Season for Tamales. In this conversation, Andrea and Margo get candid about what happens when something you love becomes your...
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Building the Invisible Infrastructure for a Sustainable Creative Life with Kim Robinson
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by Kim Robinson, founder of 3pts and a longtime contributor to and advocate for creative communities. With more than 15 years of experience at cultural platforms including The FADER, Complex, Red Bull, and the American Museum of Natural History, Kim has worked alongside artists like Solange, Kendrick Lamar, Spike Lee, Erykah Badu, and Tyler, the Creator. Raised within underground punk, hip-hop, electronic music, and art scenes, Kim eventually founded 3pts to put his experience directly in service of makers and creative entrepreneurs, helping them build sustainable careers on...
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The Stories We’re Wired to Tell: Abbie Emmons on Creative Instincts, Overcoming Self-Doubt, and the Power of Storytelling
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by author, creative writing coach, and video creator Abbie Emmons for a conversation about the power of storytelling and why our ability to tell meaningful stories is more instinctive than we might think. Abbie is the author of three novels and YouTube’s most-watched creative writing coach, with a community of more than half a million writers worldwide. Margo and Abbie explore storytelling as something fundamentally human, why compelling stories begin with internal conflict, and how we can move beyond rigid rules, perfectionism, and self-doubt to reconnect with our natural...
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The Stories We Carry: Three Artists on Collaboration, Legacy, and the Objects That Shape Us
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by Amy Wilderson, Brenda Olson, and Katy St. John—three artists whose distinct creative practices come together in Objects Through Time: Connection, Story, and Legacy, an exhibition exploring memory, heritage, and the unexpected stories hidden within everyday objects. Amy is a multi-media visual artist whose metalsmithing and wirework transform forgotten treasures into meaningful jewelry and sculpture. Brenda is an illustrator, mixed media artist, and founder of Blueberry Road Cards, whose work celebrates storytelling, community, and creative connection. Katy is a...
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Art for Everyone: How Liz Lidgett Combines Her Curiosity, Desire for Accessibility, and Storytelling to Promote Great Art (Replay)
Windowsill Chats
In this re-aired episode Margo is joined by art advisor, curator, and gallery owner Liz Lidgett. Liz’s passion for art allowed her to see that competent art consulting for private companies and corporations was a need that wasn’t being filled. With that in mind, she began her art consultation business, Adore Your Walls, in 2013. Since then, her business has grown and she recognized once again that online and national consulting – the type that exists for furniture and interior design – was completely absent for the world of art and has expanded her services, including a gallery space....
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Curiosity Over Talent: Reigniting Artistic Joy in The Kindest Corner of the Internet with Lisa Bardot
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by Lisa Bardot, an illustrator, author, and Procreate educator who has spent the past decade helping people discover the joy of drawing digitally. She's the founder of Art Maker's Club, a thriving online membership for Procreate artists, creator of the Making Art Everyday drawing challenge, and the artist behind Bardot Brush, known for its popular Procreate brushes and tutorials. Lisa is making her second appearance on Windowsill Chats, and this time she's digging into what she's learned after years of building online creative communities — and why consistency and connection...
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The Continuous Evolution of Creativity: Reese Emry on Growth Over Perfection, Finding Your People, and Never Settling for One Story
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by artist and entrepreneur Reese Emry for a heartfelt conversation about creativity, resilience, and following the unexpected twists of life. From humble beginnings in Spokane, Washington, through adventures in Waco, Round Top, and Austin, Texas, then North Carolina and Connecticut, Reese has woven creativity into every chapter of her life—flipping a "hoarder house," opening an antique shop, building a candle business, and ultimately finding her way to ceramics. Reese shares how she's learned to trust her own timing, embrace imperfection, and let her art evolve slowly and...
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Creativity Machine: Building Better Ideas Through Practice, Process, and Play with Scott Dikkers
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by comedy writer, creator, and entrepreneur best known as the founder of The Onion, Scott Dikkers. Scott served as editor-in-chief and co-owner during its first two decades, helping shape one of the most influential satire publications of all time. In this episode, Margo sits down with Scott to explore the surprising mechanics behind creativity and why inspiration isn't something you wait for—it's something you build. Drawing from decades of experience creating successful entertainment, Scott shares practical insights on developing creative habits, embracing constraints,...
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The Art of Beginning Again: Lessons in Healing, Growth, and Horses with Jade Chen
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined once again by Jade Chen, a healer, guide, and space-holder whose work centers on helping people navigate transformation, uncertainty, and growth. With over a decade of experience in somatic and lineage-based healing practices, Jade helps others reconnect to their inner voice and creative resilience. Living on Hawai‘i Island, her work is deeply inspired by the rhythms of nature, the wisdom of ancestry, and the quiet courage it takes to begin again. In this returning conversation, Jade shares the profound changes that have unfolded since her last appearance on the podcast,...
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Stitched in Memory: Symbolism, Color, and the Hidden Stories in Greek Folk Art with Ariadne Kritonos
Windowsill Chats
Margo is joined by designer and storyteller Ariadne Kritonos, whose work brings centuries-old Greek folk motifs into contemporary life. Drawing inspiration from historic embroideries, textiles, and museum archives, Ariadne shares how studying the creative traditions of the past has shaped her approach to design, color, and inspiration today. Together, they explore the hidden stories embedded in traditional folk art, the value of looking beyond digital culture for creative inspiration, and what we can learn from the women whose stitches carried meaning across generations. Margo and Ariadne...
info_outlineMargo is joined by illustrator, creative community builder, and industry champion Salli Swindell, who has spent nearly five decades in the illustration world. Salli began her career at American Greetings before co-founding several beloved platforms with her brother Nate Padavick—including They Draw, The Illustrator’s Circle, and Illustrators For Hire—all dedicated to celebrating and promoting illustrators around the globe. Margo and Salli explore Salli’s creative evolution, from decades of client-driven illustration work to embracing a more personal, self-directed creative practice.
Margo and Salli discuss:
- The power of starting small and following curiosity instead of waiting for a master plan
- How Salli and her brother Nate built global platforms from the ground up
- Why partnerships with people who have different strengths can open unexpected doors
- Salli’s shift from decades of client-driven illustration work to developing a personal creative practice
- The origin story of Snack + Sketch, a gathering that blends creativity, food, and meaningful connection
- Why community, creativity, and shared meals can be powerful pillars of wellness
- How simple gatherings around your kitchen table can spark inspiration and lasting creative friendships
Connect with Salli:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallistyle/
Website: https://freshfoodillustration.cargo.site
Illustrators For Hire: https://illustratorsforhire.com
The Illustrator’s Circle: https://www.illustratorscircle.com
They Draw: https://www.they-draw.com
Connect with Margo: