What Needs To Be Said: Courtney Barnard On Painting From Within
In this episode of The Artist Is In, I talk with intuitive abstract expressionist Courtney Barnard about painting as a form of inner truth-telling. For Courtney, art isn’t about external expectations—it’s about listening inward, honoring what needs to be said, and letting it pour onto the canvas. We explore how creativity becomes a declaration of self, how we choose who we are through what we make, and why the act of creating is enough to claim the title of artist. This is a conversation about voice, vulnerability, and the quiet power of trusting your own instincts.
Courtney Barnard is an intuitive abstract expressionist painter who acknowledges and validates people’s experiences through her work. She helps create connections and community with her topics and encourages people everywhere to feel and heal.
She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with honors, from West Chester University. After some time away to start a family, Courtney returned to painting with a renewed purpose. Having hit rock bottom emotionally and physically, painting became not just something she enjoyed, but a way to heal. Through meditation and journaling, combined with her art practice, Courtney unlocked a new way to express emotions and connect with those going through similar experiences. It has become her mission to help those struggling with trauma recovery to feel validated and part of a bigger healing community.
Learn more about Courtney at:
Website: https://www.courtneybarnardart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneybarnard_art
Be sure to follow and tag us with #TheArtistIsInPodcast on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook: @katcollinsstudio
Podcast: https://www.artistisin.com
Website: https://www.katcollinsstudio.com
