Windowsill Chats

Taxes for Humans: Hannah Cole on Self-Employment, Creativity, and Money Without Shame

Margo Tantau is joined by artist, tax expert, and founder of Sunlight Tax, Hannah Cole, for a refreshingly human conversation about money, creativity, and her new book, Taxes for Humans: Simplify Your Taxes and Change the World When You're Self-Employed. Hannah brings compassion, clarity, and humor to a topic many creatives carry shame, fear, or confusion around—and reframes taxes as something that can actually support creative, mission-driven work rather than stifle it. Margo and Hannah discuss: * Why creative work is economically vital and plays a real role in shaping culture * How the tax system is designed for humans—not perfection—and includes room for forgiveness * Simple, realistic systems that make taxes easier for self-employed creatives * Tax incentives that actually exist to support artists and independent workers * How money shame shows up for creatives, and why it's completely normal * Why making mistakes with taxes doesn't mean you're "bad at money" * How compassion and clarity can coexist with practical financial systems Connect with Hannah: * Book + Workbook: https://www.sunlighttax.com/book [https://www.sunlighttax.com/book] * Website: https://www.sunlighttax.com [https://www.sunlighttax.com] * Instagram / YouTube / LinkedIn: @sunlighttax Connect with Margo: * Website: www.windowsillchats.com [https://www.windowsillchats.com/] * Instagram: @windowsillchats [https://www.instagram.com/windowsillchats] * www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill [https://www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill] * https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry [https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry]

The Pull to Paint: How Juliene Sinclair Built Confidence, Color Skills, and Creative Joy as a Watercolor Artist & Muralist

Margo is joined by watercolor landscape artist and muralist Juliene Sinclair, a creative whose passion for color runs as deep as the mountains she paints in. Juliene is dedicated to helping painters finally understand color—why it behaves the way it does, how to mix it with intention, and how mastering it can completely transform artistic confidence. She believes that once you grasp how color truly works, your entire creative world opens up. Juliene lives in the mountains with her husband, son, and two cats, and when she's not painting, she's likely geeking out about color theory or hiking steep trails with bear spray in hand. Together, they explore the emotional and technical layers of color, the courage it takes to follow your creative curiosity, and why making art—imperfect, vibrant, deeply human art—is essential to feeling whole. Margo & Juliene Discuss: * Juliene's winding path to watercolor and murals, and how she found her creative voice * Why color feels intimidating for so many artists—and how to move from confusion to confidence * The power of intentional mixing and creating palettes that feel authentic to you * How limiting your palette can actually expand creativity and harmony * The emotional side of color—self-doubt, breakthroughs, and trusting the process * Creativity as essential human expression, not just a career path * Painting with her young son, and what kids teach us about fearless creativity Submit Your Questions for Margo Tantau & Emily McDowell [https://tinyurl.com/7yzt368u] Connect with Juliene: * Website: www.julienesinclair.com [http://www.julienesinclair.com/] * Instagram: @juliene.sinclair [https://www.instagram.com/juliene.sinclair] * YouTube: @julienesinclair [https://www.youtube.com/@julienesinclair] Connect with Margo: * Website: www.windowsillchats.com [https://www.windowsillchats.com/] * Instagram: @windowsillchats [https://www.instagram.com/windowsillchats] * www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill [https://www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill] * https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry [https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry]

Creating Joy on Purpose: Kate Smith on Reinvention, Creative Courage & Making People Smile

Margo is joined by artist and joy-maker Kate Smith, the creative force behind Kate Smith Co.™, a brand dedicated to finding "the happy that's already here" in everyday moments. Kate has built a thriving career in greeting cards and art licensing, working with beloved partners in the U.S. and U.K. to create products that make people smile. From early success with her first brand, From Frank, to a full reimagining of her creative path, Kate's journey is filled with bold decisions, reinvention, and a commitment to following what feels joyful. She also spent seven years living and working full-time in an Airstream, a chapter that deeply shaped her artistic voice and philosophy. Margo and Kate discuss: * Kate's early beginnings—from advertising to accidentally launching a greeting card line that landed in Target within a year * The rise of From Frank, her wildly popular first brand inspired by her French bulldog, and what it taught her about licensing, growth, and creativity * The pivotal decision to sell everything, hit the road in an Airstream, and shift her business fully into licensing * How travel, imperfection, and "found letters" influenced her signature design style and approach to joyful, approachable art * Navigating the fear phases of a creative career and learning to make decisions from hope instead of worry * How she thinks about long-term partnerships in licensing, staying authentic, and evolving her brand without losing its heart * What reinvention looks like now—new art prints, new mediums, and giving herself permission to embrace being an "artist" Submit Your Questions for Margo Tantau & Emily McDowell [https://tinyurl.com/7yzt368u] Connect with Kate: www.katesmithcompany.com [http://www.katesmithcompany.com] www.instagram.com/katesmithcompany [http://www.instagram.com/katesmithcompany] Connect with Margo: www.windowsillchats.com [https://www.windowsillchats.com/] www.instagram.com/windowsillchats [https://www.instagram.com/windowsillchats] www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill [https://www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill] https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry [https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry]

The Art of Exchange: Risk, Rebellion & Connection with Edgeworth Johnstone

Margo sits down with Edgeworth Johnstone — a musician, painter, printmaker, and the unconventional creative force behind The Camden Market Free Art Man. With deep roots in the raw and gritty culture of Camden, Edgeworth has built a life around instinct-driven art, spirited collaboration, and connection through creativity. He shares how a childhood love of music evolved into multiple bands, how discovering painting later unlocked a new artistic identity, and why giving away his work in exchange for stories has become one of his most meaningful projects yet. From working with the Black Ivory art collective to dreaming up a future artist commune in Thailand, Edgeworth reminds us that creativity thrives when we allow it to take us somewhere unexpected. Margo and Edgeworth discuss: * Camden's role in shaping underground music culture * The beauty and honesty of demo recordings, cassettes, and physical media * How falling into painting later in life opened a new world of creative expression * Joining the Stuckist art movement and experiences with outsider art at Tate Modern * Collaboration as a life-force: bands, collectives, and finding your people * The origins and growth of The Camden Market Free Art Man project * Trading art for connection — and what you learn from strangers * Unexpected adventures in Thailand and the dream of an artist commune * Trusting your gut, embracing risk, and following the path that feels alive * Why imperfection is often the truest mark of creativity Connect with Edgestone:Website: https://edgeworth.blog [https://edgeworth.blog]Instagram: www.instagram.com/edgeworth.blog [https://www.instagram.com/edgeworth.blog] Inspired by lately: Ron Throop, Emma Pugmire Connect with Margo: www.windowsillchats.com [https://www.windowsillchats.com/]www.instagram.com/windowsillchats [https://www.instagram.com/windowsillchats]www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill [https://www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill]https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry [https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry]

The Power of Creative Expression & Living Life in Full Color: Amy Lohr on Creative Healing and Finding Your Voice

Margo sits down with artist, writer, and creative director Amy Lohr to talk about the nonlinear, magical, and sometimes messy journey of reclaiming your creative voice. Amy shares how a personal "creative awakening" helped her move through body dysmorphia and social anxiety, and how painting, writing, and photography became tools for healing and deeper self-understanding. They explore the spiritual and practical sides of creativity—from living off-grid in Hawaii, to writing her book Like the Sun at Midday, to embracing curiosity in all its unexpected forms (yes, including papier-mâché and xylophones). Amy also dives into the power of branding and storytelling, and how she helps entrepreneurs and visionaries express the heart of their work with clarity and soul. Margo and Amy Discuss: * Amy's personal creative awakening and how it reshaped her life * Moving through body dysmorphia and social anxiety via self-expression * Following odd, intuitive creative pulls (like new mediums and playful experiments) * Her time living off-grid in Hawaii and the spiritual experiences that shaped her artistry * The influence of mentors—including a counterculture elder with childhood ties to Bobo the gorilla * Writing Like the Sun at Midday and what it taught her about listening, presence, and surrender * The real "soft skills" behind creative confidence: courage, slowness, vulnerability, being seen * How branding and storytelling help creatives express their essence and connect with their audience * Why your art matters not just for you, but for the world Connect with Amy: Website: www.amyinfullcolor.com [http://www.amyinfullcolor.com]Book: www.likethesunatmidday.com [http://www.likethesunatmidday.com] Instagram: @amyinfullcolor [https://www.instagram.com/amyinfullcolor/] Connect with Margo: www.windowsillchats.com [https://www.windowsillchats.com/]www.instagram.com/windowsillchats [https://www.instagram.com/windowsillchats]www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill [https://www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill]https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry [https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry]