Art as Lifeline: Reaching the Sleeping Corners of the Soul | Ovi Paulter

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep62

What if creativity isn’t just a hobby, but a lifeline? In this soul-stirring episode, floral oil painter and nonprofit founder Ovi Paulter opens up about how gentle, soulful art-making helped her reclaim her identity, process trauma, and find peace after years of burnout.

In This Episode You’ll Discover:

1. How creativity can help you reconnect with your truest self after burnout or trauma
2. The healing power of gentle art-making—without pressure or perfectionism
3. Why non-toxic, soulful painting became Ovi’s way to offer softness and belonging to others

Episode Summary:
In this heartfelt conversation, Ovi Paulter shares how her art journey began not as a quest to become an artist, but as a desperate need to breathe again. After trauma, infertility, and a breakdown, she stumbled upon an oil painting class that gently reawakened her soul. Today, she teaches others to do the same, without pressure, performance, or toxic materials.

We talk about how creativity can be a bridge between the self we’ve abandoned and the one we’re becoming. Ovi reflects on her shift from striving to softness and the powerful decision to offer free monthly art classes to make creativity more accessible. Her message is a beautiful reminder that we don’t need to wait until we’re “ready” to begin—we just need to say yes to the whisper.

🌿 Key Takeaways:

• Creativity can reach places inside us that words cannot
• You don’t have to be an artist—just willing to begin gently
• Art-making is a powerful way to regulate the nervous system and reconnect with presence
• Denying creativity can lead to anxiety and disconnection
• Your creative whisper is a call toward wholeness, not something to ignore
• Combining writing and art deepens the healing experience

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep62

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introducing Ovi Paulter
• 4:56 Creativity as a Lifeline
• 7:43 Staying True to Your Art
• 10:00 Excuses Stopping Women from Honouring Their Creativity
• 13:57 Ovi's Blend of Gentle Creativity
• 17:25 Using Non-Toxic Materials in Art
• 19:15 Why is Art & Creativity So Healing
• 21:23 How Can Creativity Help Us Thrive?
• 24:28 Ovi's Powerful Message for Anyone Curious About Using Creativity to Heal
• 26:18 Mixing Art with Words
• 27:51 Connect with Ovi Paulter

Transcript

Ep 62: Soul-led Creative Women

​[00:00:00]

Sam Horton: So today I have Ovi Paulter with me. Ovi is a floral oil painter teacher and nonprofit founder, helping women reconnect with peace, identity, and beauty through slow, soulful creativity. She began painting during a season of deep burnout, not to become an artist, but just to breathe again.

Now she teaches others to create without pressure using non-toxic materials. And a gentle step-by-step approach. Her message isn't about performance.it's about creating softness and belonging in a world that asks too much. So welcome, Ovi. 

Ovi Paulter: Thank you so much, Sam.

Thank you for having me. I'm so honored to be on your podcast. Thank you. 

Sam Horton: So today we're gonna be talking, about all things art, creativity, and healing. We actually have some very similar language coming through in our work, and I'm really intrigued to hear about your story [00:01:00] and your experiences. So why don't we just start with your journey.

Tell us about how you got started with art and why art and creativity have become so important to you. 

Ovi Paulter: I don't even know where to begin, but I'll try to. 

so, I have, when I was 16, everything collided or fell apart, I should say. My parents divorced. the same year I was a victim of a violent crime.

If you can imagine against me as a woman. And, also. I grew up in a childhood where my dad did not love me because he himself did not know how, the way, how he grew up. And so, you know, after, after that crucial year, something has broken inside of me and I just, and nobody seemed to care, how I'm doing.

And so I. Also stopped asking, and I was just working, performing, going on with my life. I met my [00:02:00] husband, who is an American, and he's one of the strongest relationships that I have in my life. So my grandparents and my husband, I would say are three strongest relationships, saving graces in my life.

But, so for the longest time, I was doing everything right, what I'm supposed to be doing to heal, therapy, medicine.And it just wasn't helping to the full extent that it could I guess. And then we had seven years of infertility. and then my daughter was born two years after my twin boys were born.

And that was a crazy, crazy time. So imagine that 16-year-old, like a sleeping beauty. She's still sleeping and just a part of her is functioning in the world and, she's doing everything right. but she breaks, she goes to the hospital because she broke. she comes back from the hospital [00:03:00] and she continues to do the things.

She knows what to do. therapy, medicine. And then something happened, just a wise person told me, you know, you should seek a creative outlet. Mm-hmm. I picked up just a local community school brochure, and quickly looked for it. And that was oil painting class for all levels. So for two years, I was learning traditional oil painting methods.

Slowly, slowly, somehow, I think my part that was underneath the survival started talking to my now grown up part. Slowly somehow they started coming together and then COVID hit, the whole world shut down, and I found some teacher online who actually taught how to paint a prima in one sitting. And I gravitated towards [00:04:00] florals because of my strong relationship with my grandma and my summer spent with her.

Mm-hmm. And just, and only art was able to touch something, you know, to bring back that, mm-hmm. 16-year-old girl to bring her up to speak to the world and started healing me slowly.and it really became 

Sam Horton: a lifeline for you. Didn't ovy. I've seen that. You've written about it becoming a real lifeline.

Ovi Paulter: Exactly. That's exactly it. it became a lifeline. another way I could say it became like, little, you know, the straw that I would stick into the dark parts of me, stir something up and then come up on the canvas. Mm-hmm. It was very emotional, but for the flowers somehow. and eventually I'm here now and I'm able to talk about all these things.

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: But, lifeline is a very correct way to call it. Yes. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. And so when you first started out, you know, would've taken you a little bit of time to [00:05:00] realize, what was happening in terms of this, deep healing power that, that the art making was, helping you with. So, you know, tell us a little bit about that journey in terms of, you know, you started off just sort of, learning to paint, but then when did you really realize that, hey, this is actually, you know, this is really helping me.

When did you realize that? 

Ovi Paulter: I realized that I would say, during COVID when I discovered that, painting, painting won the same painting for the eight weeks and just the landscape was killing me slowly. I had a very generous, a very good teacher, but, as a person with a DD, I was getting bored of the same subject really bad.

Mm-hmm. So when I. Another teacher as well, generous and wonderful teacher who taught me how to paint in one sitting and finish the painting. Sure. During the same, that's when magic started happening. That's when, okay. In a fashion. I understood [00:06:00] that every time I painted, I usually painted at night after everybody fell, fell asleep, kids after prayers, we put them to bed and I came here laying my paints and paint in the kitchen.

That's when I realized that. It's something is happening, something more than just painting. 

Sam Horton: So it's almost like you, you kind of found your thing, you found your groove with it. Right? And, and as you started to really lean into, your unique way of painting and art making that really lit you up, that's when you kind of had that, realization.

Yeah. Would you agree with that? Yeah, 

Ovi Paulter: I would agree with that. And, absolutely Sam and it, it was like a bridge, you know, I. A bridge, a straw, whatever you wanna call it. So that part of me that was dormant for so long that I couldn't access for so long. Mm-hmm. And true healing. and, you know, wearing off the topic.

I did all the things I thought the artist should do. Now that I found it, I was so [00:07:00] happy. Oh, you should sell all these. Oh, you should. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: Walk it crazy. It's a trap. 

Sam Horton: It's a trap. 

Ovi Paulter: Yeah. And you know, it just put me down rabbit hole. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. And I've been down that rabbit hole too. 

Ovi Paulter: So you, you, you get me. And, and then eventually, couple months ago I was.

I had the sleepless nights. It was a gradual project, like peeling onions, skins. I realized I'm tired of live Instagram sales. I cannot do that. It's not my heart. It's not where my heart is. Yeah. It's too intense. I realized, and just somehow overnight I said, you know what? Let me try teaching. 

Sam Horton: Yeah.

Okay. 

Ovi Paulter: For another important step. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: In my story. Both of my grandparents were teachers. Mm-hmm. in, we met in the village. my grandma was elementary school teacher. Mm-hmm. In my grandpa [00:08:00] was, math teacher. And, and then, you know, like almost a day or two after I decided that I will try to teach art.

Mm-hmm.I saw two cardinals, a male and female. I was just taking out. Still recycles into the backyard. Then I saw them on the branch and I took it as affirmation. 

Sam Horton: Okay. 

Ovi Paulter: From a like an angels visiting me. And I took it as a very cool sign. 

Sam Horton: You had that deep aha moment. 

Ovi Paulter: Yes. 

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. Yes. That's beautiful. yeah.

Ovi Paulter: So, and then I talked to this one gift shop where I had my paintings, if I could do a class there, and I did the four week class. And the, it was not for, profit. And that's when the reviews were amazing. They said, I'm a patient teacher, I don't know where that patient comes from. And it flowed, it just flowed it just like, it like I was on fire.

And [00:09:00] then that's when I realized, and that's somehow another sleepless night and everything came together that, that's what I wanna do, that I want to. Give back. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. Great. So, I mean, there are so many excuses that prevent women from embracing their creativity. You know, even if they've got this kind of gentle whisper, you know, inside about creating, what would you say to women who struggle to prioritize and lean into their creativity, you know, when it's bubbling away in their heart like that?

Ovi Paulter: Well, I heard all the excuses you can imagine. Yeah.

One mom of four boys, she said, I just don't have time. Yeah. I just don't have time at all. And she's also, a dog mama. And, I would say to that, the best advice I think I could give is just to begin gently, give, first of all, a, a woman has to give herself permission because there's so much [00:10:00] guilt.

With us women that we are gonna take away, time from our families. Mm-hmm. so I would just say set perhaps half an hour to an hour on the calendar. Maybe if you are a stay at home mom when your children are at school or maybe like I did at night. and I can just. At this point say, please believe me that, if you don't believe me, then believe Drexel University study that says that's 45 minutes of dental art, making lower cortisol levels dramatically.

So I would say put it on the calendar and honor it as an appointment and actually sit down and. Do it no matter. It doesn't matter what it is, even if it's a coloring book that you bought in a, you know, in a bookstore, even if it's a coloring book and you just bought like little, uh, colorful pencils. 

Sam Horton: [00:11:00] Yes 

Ovi Paulter: to color, color mandalas, or even if it's, or open the door gently because we don't remember those parts of ourselves, even if it's.

Buying a bouquet of flowers in a grocery store and arranging bouquet of flowers. Mm. You know, or even having a picture on your walk with the kids, if you something you might wanna look at it later and enjoy. Just, I would say opening the door gently, letting it open gently. And then perhaps, perhaps you will, especially if you honor your appointment.

Yeah, and just to begin, that's the most important part. Beginning it. Yeah. Uh, that's what I think because it can 

Sam Horton: feel counter counterintuitive, can't it? When you're so busy and you've got so many things on the to-do list, and then taking that time for yourself to create something just for the sake of it, it can feel quite counterintuitive.

Yeah. But when you realize that it's actually going to help, you know, [00:12:00] regulate your nervous system and, you know, help you to process your emotions and stuff you can kind of take on, it takes on a different value, doesn't it? 

Ovi Paulter: Yes. I, the only thing I can say, I'm the living proof. Yeah. That, that's the case.

I lived it. only art reached the parts of me. those, and you don't have to be a survivor of trauma. Yeah. You know, you could have lived under being the strong one for 10 years or being the one who's doing everything. Or exhausted to the point where you don't even know which day or which month or what hour it is, 

Sam Horton: because they're all the same.

Ovi Paulter: Yes. So, exactly. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. So you, you, you used the word gentle creativity, before, so can you tell us a bit about what that term is, what that means to you? 

Ovi Paulter: Yes. I can tell you what that means to me. So.I don't want my floral sessions as I call 'em, floral [00:13:00] sessions to be one more thing to do. I want it to be an invitation so gentle creativity.

to me means no expectations.no pressure to produce a beautiful painting.it means Removing all obstacles to entry, which is, that's why I'm doing it for free. it's just an invitation to come as you are. Mm-hmm. I provide the materials and, they're all nontoxic materials and gentle means no rush with very supportive guidance.

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. 

Ovi Paulter: Step by step so that you don't, so, so 

Sam Horton: did you say all your classes are free? 

Ovi Paulter: My, my monthly, class. Oh, oh, you have a 

Sam Horton: month. Okay. So an invitation for a free class. Yeah. Okay. 

Ovi Paulter: So, so it's, I have a online class mm-hmm. That. Online class. That's foundations That one. I recorded and I [00:14:00] have a fee for it.

Yeah, sure. But my monthly personal class Yeah. And monthly, club that I'm going to start in, the, uh, online one 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: Is going to be on YouTube and it's going to be for free. Yeah. Okay. So. Monthly offerings are free. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. That's cool. That's really cool. That's really beautiful. I think, you know, that there is such a power in slowing down and, leaning into this really gentle, soft, feminine side of ourselves, which, you know, is very important.

And we, we are sort of taught to prioritize all this very, masculine doing, you know, productive, efficient energy. So this idea of gentle creativity really is a, You know, a, a flag waving a flag to say, you know, I'm important too. You know, the, there's the feminine beauty of creativity is so powerful.

So that's, that's wonderful. 

Ovi Paulter: Yeah. So I, I thought that's the only way, because I totally heard it all, you know, uh, people reached out to me and said, you know, I really would like [00:15:00] to. Take your class or even when I was inviting people to come, you know, to in-person class. Mm-hmm. The, it's endless, endless. Not only time, you know, you have to make sure that you have coverage for your kids.

you know, yeah. You have to make sure that all the stars align and you cannot completely take someone who is not ready yet, and. Just transport them to the classroom. You cannot do that. There has to be a little ling in the person. Yes. There has to be little something there. You know, that's why I'm saying that, opening the door gently.

Maybe we're just buying flowers from the grocery store. From the florist. Just buying flowers and putting them on your table can put you in touch with your senses. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: You know? so I, I. I truly try to make it, it's also sip and paint in a way. Yeah, sure. But, it's just unusual because it's with oils.

My, that's my [00:16:00] medium of choice. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. Okay. 

Ovi Paulter: To provide paper boxes for people to bring their paintings home. Yeah. So, you know, because they're not acrylics, they don't dry right away. 

Sam Horton: No. So you said that you use non-toxic materials in your art. So tell us a bit about why that's important to you. 

Ovi Paulter: Okay. So, when I decided that I would like to do teaching, uh, I would like to try out how would I be as a teacher.

the gift shop owner challenged me. She said, I don't want toxic materials in my shop. 

Sam Horton: Okay, if you 

Ovi Paulter: would like to teach. And so. I researched all the brands that are available here in USA on the market. There are a few, and I found one line in particular that I really enjoyed. I ordered a set for myself, to create trail lessons to create paintings that we are gonna be painting step by step.

And I really liked it. And then. But I had this inner [00:17:00] dissonance, how can I, in my own practice, use toxic materials? Yeah. And then teach different, and it just grew louder and louder. Okay. And I couldn't that dissonance at all. Okay. And so, but what I was taught, I was taught to have some people just take pure, you know, mineral spirits or turpentine and just pour it down the drain.

It's terrible. Or even if you take your cadmium. cadmium material brush and just put it under the sink. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. Uh, 

Ovi Paulter: not properly dispose of that. It's so, I just, it just felt good. It just felt right. it felt like honoring my grandma's legacy because she was a green thumb on steroids. She loved all the plans, she loved all the earth.

she was just, so when I decided to go toxic free cold Turkey. Yeah. Uh. That was a learning curve, but I, that's how I ended up using non-toxic oils. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. [00:18:00] Okay. That's beautiful. So why do you think then that art and creativity are so healing and so powerful? you know, to create this sort of inner connection for women?

Ovi Paulter: For women? so I can only speak from personal experience. Yeah. And from what I have seen, yeah. You know from the moment you walk through the door, that rushed expression on your face, oh, I got here. I beat the traffic finally, and you sit down. Then from the moment when they leave through the door with their finished painting, it's a changed facial expression.

You know, my relaxed. So I cannot explain all the inner workings of the nervous system, even though I took a little course on polyvagal. Theory, but just from my experience, I think it does something to us that we do not even understand. It's, it's bigger than us. [00:19:00] Yeah. I cannot even explain it, but I, my personal experience is that, if I'm having a bad day and I feel the need to paint or have an urge to paint when the kids fall asleep and I come to my kitchen table to paint.

'cause I don't have a, you know, big, proper studio when I create, I'm in the moment. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: I, when that brush goes on the canvas, I don't think about the past. I don't think about the future. I don't worry what tomorrow's dinner has to look like. Yeah. I'm just in the moment and I think that's where the power is.

Mm. That we, When you are in the moment, you know, when they teach you, therapists, how they teach you to stay in the moment when you feel anxious. Sure. Detect, you know, the sense of smell. Smell something. What are you smelling now? What are you touching now? Yeah. What are you hearing now? So something like that is happening, you know?

Sam Horton: Yeah. Like a spiritual connection. 

Ovi Paulter: Yes. [00:20:00]

Sam Horton: Yes. Yeah. To something much bigger than ourselves. Yes. Yeah. That's beautiful. Love that. And so, you know, with that in mind then, you know, do you, like, do you believe that it grows? You know, is it, is creativity, the key to unlocking more of what we want in our lives?

More fulfillment, more connection, more joy. Tell us a bit about your thoughts around that. 

Ovi Paulter: I. It's a huge part of it. Mm-hmm. 

it's not the only way. There are many ways we can do that. what's funny is that when you ask this question, what comes to my mind is how many doctors I know who are artists too.

And there are, there are times like a dentist, be it a dentist, or be it, A teacher, someone who mm-hmm. Uses their brain for precise science in their daily work. How creativity actually helps 'em live a fuller life. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: So I think [00:21:00] creativity can be, 

Sam Horton: yeah, 

Ovi Paulter: a gateway to more, to connecting your broken parts, to putting it all back together.

How it was for me. Yeah. But I don't think creativity alone in some cases, like in my case, I also needed medicine and therapy. 

Sam Horton: Sure, 

Ovi Paulter: yep. so, but it's a huge, huge part of the part. 

Sam Horton: Yes, yes. And I think that, I mean, I guess where I was going with that question was, you know, when we are denying our creativity because of the endless list of things that we've got to achieve and do and be and all of that sort of stuff, when we're denying it, then it is the key because, like you said, in order to have a full life, you know, whether all the medicine and all the therapy and all of the, achievements and successes and, you know.

Status, you know, things, you know, if we are denying our creativity, then there's still a gap. There's still a hole there. Would you agree with that? 

Ovi Paulter: I [00:22:00] agree with you wholeheartedly, Sam. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: I don't know why, but like tears will come up now. 

Sam Horton: Oh, bless you. 

Ovi Paulter: I, I think you are so right. that denied creativity finds some way to.

Tell you about it. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: It could be an unhealthy way. It could manifest in anxiety even. Yeah. How it is for me. For example, if I, if I skip an evening of painting when I truly was called to sit down to the easel and canvas that night, the next day, I'm not having a great day at all, you know? Sure. It's you.

Just anxious thoughts and 

Sam Horton: yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: So creativity can also be, you need patience. And you can listen to yourself. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. So 

Ovi Paulter: if you work with your creativity, your life is going to be much better for sure. [00:23:00]

Sam Horton: That's it. Yeah. And I think, you know, when we've tried everything else, you know, when we've done all the right things, and there's still something missing, you know, it's something that really needs to be looked at because it's so powerful like we've been talking about.

So yeah. Really special. So for all the women out there that are curious about. Using art to heal from, you know, burnout or anything in their, their lives and to create more softness in everyday life. What powerful message or question would you like to leave them with today? 

Ovi Paulter: I would, I would encourage them to make that appointment on their calendar.

15 minutes. 15 minutes is all I ask. 15 minutes and just. Whatever even remotely excites you. Be it, be it pencils, be it watercolor. Mm-hmm. Even be it knitting anything with our hands. Yeah. That's something with our hands [00:24:00] be, even if you, whatever excites you remotely, I would say make that appointment or just for fun, go and try out a class.

Mm-hmm. For fun. I'm sure that once per season, once per spring or once per summer, you could go and try out a class. Maybe making clay things excites you, maybe working with wood excites you. 

Sam Horton: There's so much, isn't there? 

Ovi Paulter: Yes. So if, whatever. Remotely, remotely, sparks something in you. Or if you have even a little bit of curiosity, maybe that's the direction you should try.

Mm-hmm. And there's an abundance usually of, uh, classes, online even. But you know, if it requires additional materials, you can definitely try for fun. Something for fun. Yeah. But if you don't have that luxury, then I would say 15 minutes [00:25:00] that you put on your calendar. Maybe just coloring something. Mm.

Maybe you're writing something in your diary, even if it's a creative writing. Mm. You know, that also can be a powerful healing tool to access your creativity. Yeah. I just, 

Sam Horton: I, I combine both the writing and the art, so I, I'm a big advocate for that. I think they're beautiful together. Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: Yes. It's actually interesting, I never, I usually do tell a story of every painting I make, but I have a second solo exhibition coming up in September, and for that one I did 20 paintings and each painting was based on a specific memory of my grandparents. 

Sam Horton: Okay. 

Ovi Paulter: You know, pitting cherries with them for the jam or going mushroom foraging, or.

Just, you know, gathering apples or just sitting and waiting for a plum to fall. Like my grandma said, I was just sitting by the tree waiting for the plum to fall. [00:26:00] Okay. So, and I wrote a story with every painting. I'm not beautiful. I'm not, so I'm just good doing a companion book, you know? Mm-hmm. Uh, a companion book to the exhibition.

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: And that was a work of love. And that was so healing. Yeah. That was so healing. 

Sam Horton: What I find often is when you've, when you've got the writing and the art next to each other, they both, take on deeper meaning. Do you know what I mean? Like you're able to really kind of go a bit deeper and explore a lot more.

So it's so powerful combining the words with the visual. yeah. So I can completely relate to that experience. So how can people get to know you better ov and get a real feel for the work that you are doing? 

Ovi Paulter: My main hub is my Instagram page. Mm-hmm. so, and my handle is OV Paulter Art, OVIP as in Paul, A-U-L-T-E-R, art, or I'm sure they can find it in the show notes.

Sam Horton: Yes, of course. [00:27:00] Absolutely. 

Ovi Paulter: Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's where I have all my information and my paintings and, some of my thoughts on video about 

Sam Horton: creativity. Excellent. Thank you so much for coming and chatting with me today, ov I really loved our conversation. Thank you so much, 

Ovi Paulter: Sam. Thank you. You, uh, made me think about things, especially about you encouraged me to explore writing and art together.

Sam Horton: Yeah. Okay. 

Ovi Paulter: I hope that, this podcast is not the last time we meet, and yes, of course. I'm sure we'll 

Sam Horton: see each other online again soon. That's the space, isn't it? Yeah. 

Ovi Paulter: Yes. Thank you so much, Sam. Thank you. 

Sam Horton: Thank you.