Being an artist at a private home studio can be a silent and solitary profession. Sometimes I embrace the solitude. (Ever notice how the word “embrace” gets overused these days??) Sometimes I trap the UPS driver into seeing my work and hearing about it, because I haven’t talked to a soul all day long. I’ve tried making phone calls using the speaker-phone so I can paint while talking. The recipient of the call says “What?” so much that I’ve decided that is just not a viable way to multi-task.

Lots of times I use the painting time to listen to good stuff using my laptop and Bose speakers. (What a wonderful addition to a laptop for $100 – GREAT sound!!)

Here are a few of my favorite listening sites:

Artists Helping Artists is very very interesting, especially if you are an artist. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!) Leslie Saeta from Pasadena, California, is a working artist who used to be in marketing. She has a weekly podcast on Blogtalk Radio in which she interviews working artists and shares marketing tips. She is very upbeat, high energy, giggly and encouraging.

my pastor, Alex Garcia from the Three Rivers First Baptist Church. I listen because I miss a lot of Sundays in the summer, and I listen because I learn so much from Alex.

Michael Hyatt is one of my favorite bloggers. He is an “a-may-zing” guy, and I have learned so much from him about business, writing, getting published, blogging, leadership (as if anyone is actually following me!), marketing, and personal development. He has a great podcast once a week.

Chris LoCurto is another of my favorite bloggers. (I’ve guest posted for him 3 times.) He does a podcast about every 2 weeks, interviewing some very great business people like the head of Zappo’s, Tony Dungy, the head of Tractor Supply Co. and a number of business authors.

I Heart Radio is a new website that my sister. Melinda, told me about. (She has always been ahead of me when it comes to cool stuff.) You type in a favorite song or singer or group, and it creates a personal radio station for you based on your choice. First I put in Toto (remember them from the late ’70s or early ’80s?) and now I can listen to “Toto Radio” – it really surprised me how many groups from that time sang with very tight harmonies (like Little River Band, or even the Eagles.) Then I put in Casting Crowns, and got to hear new songs by old favorites and old songs by new singers. Then I had them make Steve Wariner Radio for me – he is my Absolute Favorite Male Voice of All Time. (Yes, he is Country – so what??)

There are other things I listen to, but this post is just getting too long. Besides, I probably disgusted half of you by admitting that I listen to Country music, and annoyed the other half by saying I like to listen to my pastor’s sermons!

If you are still here after all that annoyance, will you tell me what you like to listen to?