Smerdon Toast

There are no second chances on Portrait Artist of the Year… but there are in the studio!

In this episode of Smerdon Toast, we give ourselves a do-over and repaint our PAOTY celebrities — legendary film critic Margaret Pomeranz and incomparable drag queen Courtney Act. With the cameras gone and the clock no longer ticking, we talk honestly about what it felt like to be under the lights, on the spot, and on national TV.

We revisit all the highs, lows and weird in-betweens of being on Portrait Artist of the Year Australia: the adrenaline, the self-doubt, the pressure to “perform”, and that strange mix of joy and grief when it’s all over. As we repaint Margaret and Courtney, we unpack what we’d do differently, what we learned about our own practices, and why painting in four frantic hours is a completely different beast to working in the studio.

In this episode, we chat about:
🎨 The difference in our painting skills and arts practice before Portrait Artist of the Year and after being on PAOTY
🎨 How we would paint Margaret Pomeranz and Courtney Act differently if we had a second chance (which we did!)
🎨 The emotional rollercoaster of being on PAOTY (before, during and after)

If you watched our heat on Portrait Artist of the Year or you’re curious about what really goes on behind the easel, this one’s for you.

🎨 New here?
We’re Seabastion Toast and Anne Smerdon – two Australian painters talking about process, prizes, painting disasters, small victories, and everything in between.

🎨 Find our work at:
Anne Smerdon: www.annesmerdon.com
Seabastion Toast: www.seabastiontoast.com

🎨Topics discussed this episode:
#PortraitArtistOfTheYear #PAOTY #CourtneyAct #MargaretPomeranz #AustralianArt #allaprima #PortraitPainting #OilPainting #ArtPodcast #SmerdonToast #AnneSmerdon #SeabastionToast #paintingchallenge

In this episode of Smerdon Toast, professional artists and 2025 Portrait Artist of the Year AU (PAOTY) contestants Anne Smerdon and Seabastion Toast put the 80/20 Pareto Principle to the test in the studio.
The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of effort. But how does this apply to artists making art? Can painters and creatives really work smarter, not harder? We put the 80/20 Rule to the test in this art challenge, exploring:
✅ How the 80/20 Rule applies to painting, creativity, and studio practice
✅ Why most artistic progress comes from just 20% of effort (and what to focus on)
✅ Practical tips for artists to work smarter, not harder
✅ How painting challenges can sharpen focus and lead to unexpected insights
If you’re interested in painting challenges, art productivity hacks, creativity tips, or studio efficiency, this video is for you. Watch as we test the Pareto Principle in art, share what worked, what didn’t, and what we learned along the way.
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🌟 Subscribe to Smerdon Toast for more painting challenges, creative discussions, and tips for artists.
Find our art on:
• www.annesmerdon.com
• www.seabastiontoast.com

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Key topics covered in this episode:
80/20 rule painting challenge, Pareto principle art, painting challenge YouTube, art productivity tips, 80/20 rule in art, Pareto principle painting, art hacks for artists, painting challenge ideas, how to improve your art practice, artist productivity challenge, work smarter not harder art, Smerdon Toast painting challenge PAOTY contestants, Portrait Artist of the Year AU, Australian Portrait artist of the year, Portrait artist of the year Australia.

In this episode of Smerdon Toast, artist Ben Crawford joins us to explore how collage can be used as a powerful tool for creating artwork. From paper cut-outs to digital collaging, we dive into techniques, challenges, and creative possibilities that collage opens up for painters, mixed media artists, and anyone curious about starting their own art journey.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
🎨 Why artists use collage as a starting point for painting
🎨 Ben Crawford’s personal approach to collage in his art
🎨 Where did collage begin?
🎨 The worst and best advice Ben has received as an artist

Whether you’re an emerging artist, a collage enthusiast, or just love hearing how creative people work, this conversation is packed with insights and inspiration.

📌 Subscribe to Smerdon Toast for more conversations with artists: Smerdon Toast Youtube
🎨 View Ben Crawford’s art: www.bencrawford.com
🎨 View Anne Smerdon’s art: www.annesmerdon.com
🎨 View Seabastion Toast’s art: www.seabastiontoast.com

We discuss:
🎨 How can thinking abstractly can transform your painting practice, opening up new creative possibilities even if you usually work in a realistic style.
🎨 What is “real” in art?
🎨 And why do we keep circling back to the tug of war between realism and abstraction?

To push ourselves, we set a painting challenge: create a work that sits right on the edge of realism and abstraction — predominantly abstract, but still recognizable.

The result? A creative experiment that forced us to blur the line between clarity and imagination.
Watch along to see our paintings unfold. Whether you’re an artist, art student, art collector or just curious about how abstraction and realism shape the way we see the world, this conversation is packed with art history insights, painting tips, and creative inspiration.
Do you prefer to work abstractly or realistically? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments (or use #smerdontoast when posting to social media) as we’d love to hear your thoughts.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more episodes on painting, art history, and creative challenges.
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🖌️ About Smerdon Toast: Smerdon Toast is a YouTube and podcast series created by award-winning Australian painters Anne Smerdon and Seabastion Toast.
Each episode, we challenge each other with a different art challenge designed to push our painting skills and stretch our creative muscles.
From painting competitions and timed painting sessions to unusual art topics, we invite you to join us for a deep dive into the world of contemporary art-making.

🖼️ Shop the artworks from each episode:
👉 www.annesmerdon.com
👉 www.seabastiontoast.com

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Key topics from this episode: Abstract painting techniques, Realism in art history, Realism vs abstraction debate, Painting challenges for artists, How to think abstractly as a painter, Finding your balance between realism and abstraction

We discuss:
🎨 the pros and cons of going to art school 13:20
🎨 how to research the right art school for you 27:00
🎨 alternatives to art school for those that can't afford the cost or time of a degree 32:00
🎨 why learning the fundamentals of drawing and painting is so important
🎨 what secondary colours are and how we've used them
🎨 the science of colour 7:15
🎨 where you can find our foundational oil painting courses 46:20

Want to join the challenge? Share your work using #smerdontoast on Instagram, Tiktok or YouTube — we’d love to see it!

🖼️ Shop the artworks from each episode:
👉 www.annesmerdon.com
👉 www.seabastiontoast.com

🖼️ View our foundation painting courses:
👉 Toast’s foundation painting course
👉 Smerdon’s oil painting course