Every week, one of us brings a topic. The other finds out what it is at the same time you do.
Pain In The Arts is a weekly podcast about the creative life. Hosted by Breallyn and Lyndon Wesley – a novelist-in-progress and a working musician and producer – we talk about what it actually looks like to make art while living a modern life: the breakthroughs, the false starts, the imposter syndrome, and the quiet triumphs that make it all worth it. Here’s your curated gateway.
Pick the pain point you’re sitting with today and start there.
EPISODE 16
Best For: Finding Deeper Meaning
Title: Is Life Art? Remembering Sal and Finding Meaning
Why it earns its place: This is the soul of our creative life podcast in a single hour. When a deeply personal loss sparks an unexpected philosophical debate, it forces a beautiful question: can an ordinary, well-loved life be curated like a masterpiece? It is raw and profoundly moving – the exact episode long-time listeners send to friends to explain why this show matters.
EPISODE 41
Best For: The Mid-Career Slump
Title: Too Good To Quit: The Mid-Career Artist Dilemma
Why it earns its place: What happens when your craft keeps improving, but the art world’s clock keeps ticking? Lyndon and Breallyn unpack the mid-career artist dilemma – too good to quit, yet somehow too old to be “emerging.” They talk about the art world’s unspoken timelines that leave little space for detours: caregiving, raising a family, or finding your calling later in life.
It’s also a conversation about the hidden labour behind creative careers, and the families quietly making them possible.
EPISODE 66
Best For: Real-World Inspiration
Title: The Musician Who Does Everything: Erik Parker on Burnout, Busking, and Building a Music Career
Why it earns its place:
A gritty look at the independent artist reality. Erik Parker shares how he builds an independent music career from scratch. This is an essential listen for any modern creator trying to balance the harsh financial realities of the industry with pure creative survival.
EPISODE 36
Best For: Overcoming Comparison
Title: Creative Envy: Turning Comparison Into Creative Fuel
Why it earns its place:
Every single artist experiences jealousy; almost no one has the courage to talk about it out loud. In this uncomfortable but necessary conversation, we dismantle the toxic culture of comparison. Learn how to stop letting other people’s milestones stall your momentum and start overcoming creative envy by turning it into a powerful tool for your own growth.
EPISODE 19
Best For: Building A Roadmap
Title: Beyond Likes: Sustainable Self-Promotion for Independent Musicians
Why it earns its place:
Sick of being told to “just post more content” to feed an algorithm that doesn’t care about your art? This is our quietly radical, highly practical antidote to social media fatigue. After diving deep into the emotional side of creativity, this episode gives you a sustainable self promotion framework to market your work without losing your mind.
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