In episode 3 of Process Over Product, artists Trevor Wade Thomas and Kelsey Kopp explore how momentum is actually built in the studio—especially when you’re staring at a blank surface or trying to pull a big idea into motion.

They talk through what goes into the creative thought process, how they generate and recognize usable ideas, and what they do when things go sideways mid-process. The conversation moves between mindset and action: how to make decisions when clarity hasn’t arrived yet, how to recover when a painting drifts, and how small, intentional moves can rebuild direction without forcing an outcome.

This episode is for anyone trying to start new work, restart stalled work, or keep going when the studio feels uncertain.

Kelsey Kopp is a landscape painter whose work is rooted in observation, repetition, and sustained engagement with place. Her practice emphasizes process as a way of understanding time, light, and perception rather than arriving at a fixed image.

Find Kelsey on instagram @kelsey_kopp_art

Trevor Wade Thomas is a painter and educator working primarily from observation. His practice centers on drawing, material process, and the relationship between labor, memory, and making. He is the founder of Oil and Earth Studio YouTube Channel, where he explores craft, teaching, and long-form artistic inquiry.

You can find Trevor online at www.trevorwadethomas.com , on YouTube at www.youtube.com/oilandearthstudio , or on Instagram @twtfineart