Textile artist Jen Arron shares her transformative journey from established Toronto photographer to full-time artist, revealing the messy, beautiful process of reinventing her creative identity.

In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Jen shares the difference between being good at something and being truly creative, the terror and liberation of change, and the life shift that crystallized her need for work that felt essential.

This episode offers practical wisdom about protecting your creative whispers, redefining success metrics, and the courage required to claim “artist” as your identity when everyone knows you as something else.

Essential listening for anyone feeling the tension between commercial success and the whispers to follow creative authenticity.

Listen Below Or Enjoy On Your Favourite Podcast App

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Youtube

Covered In This Episode

• Why being “good at something” and being truly creative are two entirely different things—and how to tell which one you’re actually doing

• The exact moment Jen realized her 13-year photography business was sucking her artist’s soul dry, despite external success and acclaim

• How a random two-week weaving workshop became the catalyst for completely reinventing her creative identity at age 40

• The limiting belief that almost stopped her pivot: “If I turn my art into a business again, it will kill my creativity”

• Two non-negotiable practices for protecting your emerging creative desires before sharing them with the world

• Why Jen refers to art buyers as “collectors” and her work as a “studio” instead of a “business”—and how this shift changed everything

• The messy reality of having “one foot in photography, one foot in weaving,” and when to finally make the leap

• Practical advice on investing in your creative practice: from renting your first studio space to building your yarn collection

• How to navigate the loaded question “What are you up to?” when you’re in the middle of a major identity shift

• The power of micro-pivots: why creative evolution never stops, even eight years into a successful art practice

• What “living as an artist” actually means—and why it has nothing to do with when or where you make your art

• How to redefine success metrics when moving from a business-driven career to a soul-driven creative practice

• The practice of “parenting” your creative whispers before letting outside opinions shape (or destroy) them​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Courageous Pivot Podcast
03:23 From Photography to Weaving: A Creative Transformation
05:18 The Struggles and Realizations of an Artist
07:59 Embracing the Artist Within
10:35 Navigating Personal and Professional Shifts
21:26 Rediscovering Passion and Purpose
36:59 Embracing Creative Pivots
39:06 Understanding Creative Rhythms
41:57 Balancing Business and Creativity
43:54 The Joy of Weaving
48:01 Managing Commissions and Exhibits
58:53 Protecting Your Creative Energy

Special Offers

• Free Heart Coherence Masterclass – A complimentary session with Meghan Telpner exploring how to create alignment between your heart and mind, access inner calm, and live from your most authentic self.

• Click here to get 30% off Rise & Shine: A Guided Approach To Heart-led Living and Leadership. (Click here if you reside in Canada)

Links and Resources

Jen’s Platforms

• Jen’s Website

• Jen’s Instagram

• Join Jen’s Email List — stay up to date on new works, exhibitions, and workshops

Referenced in This Episode

• The Workroom (Toronto) — where Jen first took a weaving workshop

• CONTACT Photography Festival — Toronto’s annual citywide photography festival, where Jen first exhibited her woven works

• Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) — where both Meghan and Jen studied

• Catherine Farquharson — personal transformation coach who guided Jen’s creative pivot

• Domestika — online creative learning platform Meghan uses for fiber arts courses

More About Jen Arron 

Jen Arron is a studio-based textile artist in Toronto. She works with globally sourced fibers to create works that have scale & presence. Weaving entirely by hand, in a freestyle approach, Jen’s large-scale woven pieces reveal the often entangled invisible parts of our collective experience.