Artist Decoded

Yulia Bas's artwork explores the fragmentation of contemporary individuality, healing, and the body as a somatic memory tool. Across her paintings, sculptures, and installations, equilibrating between figuration and abstraction, Yulia employs unconventional materials to explore her perception of physical and mental thresholds, transitional states, and subjective wholeness. Guided by her personal journey of transformation through body therapy and meditation as well as her immigrant background, Yulia's work embodies her experience of multiplicity of self. She searches for ways to show the tension that comes from the necessity of coexisting with different identity faucets, real, digital, and imagined ones. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Yulia and Yoshino discuss creative struggles (00:03:05) How Yulia got her start in the arts (00:06:57) The importance of micro and macro decisions in life (00:10:15) Structuring and creating order, and knowing when to break out of it (00:15:02) Negative stereotypes of being an artist (00:17:44) Allowing vulnerabilities to inform us, and tapping back into a childlike mindset (00:24:53) Questioning what art is and expressing oneself honestly (00:37:05)  Taking time for rest and contemplation, and trying not to overwork the process (00:43:11)  Yulia talks about her painting process (00:49:28) Yulia speaks about experimentation and stepping into performance art (01:05:13) Yoshino speaks about studying martial arts and observing false narratives around masculinity and femininity (01:11:47)  Advice Yulia would give to her younger self (01:36:57) artistdecoded.com yuliabas.com instagram.com/yulia__bas    

Iranian-American director and writer Saman Kesh has the most Vimeo staff picks, ever. He attributes this accolade to excessive consumption of rocket fuel and a knack for combining the human experience with a healthy dose of controlled chaos. Saman gained recognition with popular music videos like Cinnamon Chasers: Luv Deluxe (which won ‘Best Video' at SXSW), Kygo: Stole The Show and Basement Jaxx: Never Say Never, along with videos for Calvin Harris, Ed Sheeran, and Placebo. He has also directed award-winning commercials for major brands like Zoom, Google, Uber, Toyota and Nintendo. Saman has written and directed industry-hailed short films, CONTROLLER and HIT TV, and is currently developing several feature films. On his off hours, he plays video games and trolls racists. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Yoshino and Saman catching up (00:02:14) Imbuing authenticity into commercial creations (00:05:54) Saman speaks about his experience shooting the “Azizam” music video for Ed Sheeran (00:20:38) Saman reflects on 15 years in the film and commercial industry (00:29:43) Saman discusses dealing with triggering moments on set, and how he has learned to comport himself appropriately in those situations (00:39:04) Yoshino asks about romantic relationships and finding a shared rhythm with a partner (00:43:44) Knowing how to make the most truthful decisions for our lives (00:49:56) Getting out of analysis paralysis (00:56:24) Saman reflects on how his past self might perceive who he is today (00:59:00) artistdecoded.com samankesh.com instagram.com/saman_kesh  

Tomas Watson (b.1971) is a British artist who has lived and worked in Greece since 1994. He studied at the Slade School of Art in London. In 1998, he won the BP Portrait Award and was subsequently commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to paint the author John Fowles. This portrait is in their permanent collection. He is represented by the Jill George Gallery in London (www.jillgeorgegallery.co.uk) and Accesso Galleria in Tuscany (www.accessogalleria.com) Topics Discussed In This Episode: Tomas recounts where his artistic journey began (00:02:11)  The importance of mentorship (00:07:46)  Tomas's experiences at Slade University in London from 1990 - 1994 (00:09:28)  Discussing mark-making (00:14:42)  Having the courage to trust your artistic vision and perspective (00:26:22)  Tomas winning the BP Portrait Award in 1998 (00:35:33)  Cultivating a creative community and creating collective dialogue (00:43:35)  Tomas discusses his process of creating carborundum etchings and using various other mediums (00:54:01)  Tomas speaks about the Sigri Arts Retreat, the artist retreat he co-founded with his partner, Cindy Camatsos, in Lesvos, Greece (01:10:56) Living alternative lifestyles, staying patient, and allowing oneself to grow over time (01:18:36) www.artistdecoded.com www.tomaswatson.com www.sigriartsretreat.com  

Pasqual Gutierrez is a writer, director and actor. Sundance 2025 Comedy “Serious People” was his debut into feature filmmaking alongside veteran documentary filmmaker Ben Mullinkosson who co-wrote and directed. Gutierrez is also 1/2 of music video directing duo CLIQUA who has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry including The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Rosalia, Madonna, and more. Gutierrez is developing his second feature, a sequel to Serious People. Ben Mullinkosson was raised in the suburbs of Chicago and trained in directing at Chapman University. After graduating Ben spent 15 years directing commercial work and documentary films between Los Angeles and Shanghai. Ben's newest film, SERIOUS PEOPLE, directed with Pasqual Gutierrez premiered at Sundance 2025 Film Festival. The film is sold by 2AM. He is most well known for his feature length film DON'T BE A DICK ABOUT IT which won the Audience Award at the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam in 2018 and is currently distributed in North America by Oscilloscope Laboratories. en also recently premiered his five-year project, THE LAST YEAR OF DARKNESS, which won the Special Jury Mention prize at CPH:DOX in March 2023 and was sold to MUBI. The film was represented for sales by CAA and a is co-production between Kindred Spirit (Executive producer of THE FAREWELL and HONEY BOY) and /avelength (Executive producer of CUSP and WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR). Among Ben's advertisements, SAMSUNG: VOICES OF LIFE with Agency Leo Burnett won a silver lion at the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival in 2016. His UNESCO World Heritage Ad with agency TBWA, THE LEFT HAND, was nominated for the ADC awards in 2020. His other clients include Facebook, Beats, Vivo, Yelp, The Home Depot, VANS, Converse, Apple, Red Bull, VICE and Nowness. His short film, GNARLY IN PINK, premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2013 and premiered online as a NYT Op-Doc. A number of his other short films have received Vimeo Staff Picks and others have millions of views. Ben is repped for commercials by Florence in Los Angeles. He also speaks Chinese fluently and is an X Games gold medalist for halfpipe skateboard competition in China.  Topics Discussed In This Episode: How the idea for Serious People came to Pasqual in a dream (00:03:15) Pasqual and Ben's writing process for Serious People (00:08:26) Developing the film's narrative and structure (00:11:38) Casting Miguel Huerta as the doppelgänger (00:16:17) Pasqual's reflections on parenting (00:23:46) Friendship, the creative process, and working with friends (00:29:23) Being authentic and leaning into one's childlike sensibilities (00:45:32) Shifting our perspective and opening ourselves up for magic to be observed (00:59:36) Final thoughts and future plans (01:09:26) artistdecoded.com Ben's Links: benmullinkosson.com instagram.com/benmullinkosson Pasqual's Links: pasqualgutierrez.com instagram.com/pasqualgutierrez instagram.com/cliquamundo   

Shuchi Talati is a filmmaker from India whose work challenges dominant narratives around gender, sexuality, and South Asian identity. Her feature film, Girls Will Be Girls, premiered at Sundance where it won an Audience Award and a Special Jury Award. Shuchi was a Gotham Awards Breakthrough Director nominee and a John Cassavetes Award nominee at the Spirit Awards. During development, Girls was supported by the Aide Aux Cinémas du Monde and Sørfond grants, Gotham Week, Berlinale Project Market and Script Station, and Cine Qua Non Script Lab. Shuchi's short film, A Period Piece, was selected for SXSW and her film Mae and Ash won numerous awards before becoming a Vimeo Staff Pick. Shuchi's documentary credits include story producing the Emmy-nominated film Being Mary Tyler Moore which premiered at SXSW. Shuchi also story produced the vérité series, We Are: The Brooklyn Saints, directed by Rudy Valdez for Netflix, and Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas for HBO, where one of her episodes was nominated for a GLAAD Award. She is a graduate of the American Film Institute and an alum of Berlinale Talents. She lives in NYC and is a member of the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective, the Bitchitra Collective, and the Freelance Solidarity Project. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Shuchi shares her childhood love for books, her exposure to Bollywood and Hollywood films, and her introduction to cinema in university (00:03:45) Making her first documentary (00:11:40) The influence of observation in storytelling (00:14:55) Interrogating values to harness a unique point of view (00:20:49) Learning then unlearning techniques in film school and her project “Me and Ash” (00:25:29) Capitalism vs. creative expression (00:27:50) Shuchi's writing/directing process for “Girls Will Be Girls,” and giving oneself space to mature with the process (00:30:43) Discussing alternative ways of living (00:38:47) A discussion on relationships, vulnerability, and the complexity of human behavior (00:55:06) Shuchi's daily habits, teaching screenwriting, creative accountability, and the importance of a creative community (01:08:47) Shuchi's decision to quit using social media (01:20:43) artistdecoded.com shuchitalati.com  

Landon Van Soest is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, Fulbright Scholar, and two-time Sundance Fellow. His work presents social commentary through rich characters and immersive narratives. Landon recently directed the Hulu Original Documentary The Jewel Thief, which was the #1 most viewed movie on Hulu worldwide in the summer of 2023. His previous documentary, For Ahkeem, premiered at the 2017 Berlinale and Tribeca Film Festivals, won seven Best Documentary awards, opened theatrically in ten cities, and is being distributed by The Orchard and Amazon. His first documentary, Good Fortune, was broadcast on the award-winning PBS series POV, where it received an Emmy Award, the Witness Award for Human Rights and the Overseas Press Club's Carl Spielvogel Award. Landon is a founder of the not-for-profit Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective and co-founder of Transient Pictures, where he has collaborated with non-profits and brands including Toyota, UNICEF, eBay, Facebook, 23andMe, Lincoln Center, ABC, National Geographic and PBS. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Landon's introduction to filmmaking (00:02:06) Skateboarding's influence on culture and creative expression (00:04:31)  Landon describes his mindset on approaching his creative projects (00:11:49)  Discussion about Landon's film Light, Darkness, Light and its conceptual roots (00:13:30)  How Landon chooses which projects he wants to work on (00:38:30)  Yoshino and Landon speak about the process of letting go (00:46:48)  Landon recounts the making of The Jewel Thief on Hulu, the story of master criminal Gerald Blanchard (00:49:15)  Yoshino and Landon discuss the importance of starting projects, evolving through them, and staying authentic to one's interests (01:00:51) artistdecoded.com transientpictures.com/ instagram.com/landonvansoest  

Growing up in Northern California, Jacob Rosenberg developed his passion for video and film as a skateboarder in the early 1990s, making acclaimed videos for Plan B Skateboards under the mentorship of the late founder Mike Ternasky. Upon his graduation from Emerson College, Rosenberg began his professional career directing music videos, short films, and commercials where he has directed and produced talent names such as LeBron James, Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg, and Latto. Rosenberg served for a decade as a partner at the independent studio Bandito Brothers, spearheading forward-thinking digital workflows as their CTO and in-house director. He contributed expertise to productions such as Avatar and Act of Valor as well as numerous documentaries including Shine A Light and S.O.P.. In 2012, Rosenberg's directorial debut, Waiting for Lightning, premiered at SXSW, going on to be released by Samuel Goldwyn Films. The documentary feature painted an intimate portrait of childhood friend and skateboard legend Danny Way, who in 2005 attempted to jump the Great Wall of China on a skateboard. With a penchant for telling deeply human stories, Rosenberg's documentaries range on subjects from land speed racing to skateboarding, photography, technology, and the world of magician Franco Pascali. His award-winning broadcast work has included campaigns for Ford, INFINITI, HUMMER, NBA, MLB, Royal Caribbean, Burger King, Beats, Advil, Intel, and countless others. Rosenberg's latest works include co-curating a first-of-its-kind museum exhibit on the emergence of skateboard videos in the 1990s at The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, as well as his first photo book RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES, documenting a decade of Bay Area hip-hop and skate culture. The book focuses on Jacob's story, coming up as a filmmaker for Plan B and then a photographer for the rap collective Hieroglyphics—which culminated in filming, editing, and directing their first group music video “You Never Knew” in 1998. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Jacob speaks about his new book, Right Before My Eyes (00:09:32) Magic, childlike curiosity, and the film “The Red Balloon” (00:13:19) Jacob shares his experience creating “Waiting For Lightning,” a documentary about skateboarder Danny Way (00:18:51) Jacob reflects on how creative pursuits helped him navigate childhood trauma (00:22:08) Finding acceptance through skateboarding (00:29:52) Jacob opens up about childhood trauma and how it fostered his ability to empathize with others (00:38:14) Yoshino shares how teaching boxing to kids highlights their natural embrace of diversity, connecting it to skateboarding's cultural inclusivity (00:40:42) Jacob reflects on how childhood influences like Star Wars and Public Enemy shaped his creativity (00:52:09) Jacob recounts meeting his mentor, Mike Ternasky (Co-Founder of Plan B and H Street Skateboards), at a skate camp in 1988 (00:58:04) How authenticity and small acts of kindness create meaningful connections (01:04:56) The conversation explores empathy as a counter to divisiveness in politics and mass media (01:07:46) Yoshino reflects on experiencing racism while traveling (01:18:15) Jacob discusses creating Plan B's iconic skate videos: Questionable, Virtual Reality, and Secondhand Smoke (01:21:54) Jacob highlights a museum exhibit celebrating 1990s skateboarding videos as cultural and documentary art (01:32:10) Joan Scheckel and her embodied storytelling technique (01:35:36) The importance of open-hearted living and artists staying fearlessly present during turbulent times (01:41:53) Yoshino and Jacob admire the subtle storytelling in Wim Wenders' Perfect Days (01:51:07) Jacob discusses his book Right Before My Eyes, chronicling his growth as a filmmaker and skateboarding's evolution from 1988 to 1998 (01:58:28) Yoshino and Jacob explore how modern technology overwhelms and disconnects, emphasizing slowing down and finding grounding in nature and analog experiences (02:03:57) artistdecoded.com jacobrosenberg.tv/shop instagram.com/jacobrosenberg    

Joshua Hagler (b. 1979, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho) is a first-generation graduate with a graphic design degree from The University of Arizona. A 2018 grant recipient of the Roswell Artist in Residence Program, Hagler has since made New Mexico his permanent home. Currently, he lives with his wife and daughter in the high desert village of Placitas at the foot of the Sandia Mountains. In recent years, his practice has been guided by an approach he calls Nihil, a set of nine self-imposed principles that have grown out of solitary excursions throughout the state. These principles determine all aspects of the work from its imagery and process to the media and objects comprising it. Concept and meaning, as such, naturally unfold out of synchronistic experiences occurring over time. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Romanticizing solitude and isolation (00:05:53) Joshua describes his meditative practice (00:09:06) Yoshino reflects on how names and labels impact our perception of reality (00:14:15) Joshua discusses his project “Nihil” (00:17:24) How Joshua's personal grief has shaped his work (00:23:28) Joshua and Yoshino share personal anecdotes and experiences with encountering spiritual signs (00:29:41) Yoshino discusses the challenge of describing spiritual experiences. Joshua adds that people often exist in a projected reality, shaped by narratives and labels, which sometimes diverge from actual reality (00:46:21) Exploring ideas around purpose (00:51:23) The danger of equating success with self-worth (00:58:39) Joshua shares his experiences about how his project “Nihil” began and ended (01:17:45) Yoshino uses the metaphor of the “Easter egg” in video games to explain an artist's desire for others to understand the depth of their work (01:25:41) The benefits of living in simplicity and not being attached to outcomes (01:30:47) Joshua shares a recent interaction with a younger artist, offering advice on handling the pressures of age and expected timelines (01:37:59) artistdecoded.com joshuahagler.com instagram.com/aemenededeen

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios x.com/yoshinostudios

“As an artist, I am interested in observing the transmutation process of unconscious material moving into conscious awareness. I work in painting, photography, writing, performance and video. My paintings utilize inner visions and depth psychology to form works layered with symbolism and metaphor. In photography, I employ an experimental process on film that focuses on Jungian Intuitive and Feeling typology. By blurring, altering or disrupting the straight forward information in a photograph, the image moves from analysis to an abstraction - allowing the viewer's point of focus to relax, moving closer to the body and the Self. This subtle shift of perception is why I describe my photographs as Portals of Feeling.” Nouel Riel is a Los Angeles based Artist. Following many years performing as a competitive gymnast she earned a full athletic scholarship to The University of Minnesota. There she studied Apparel Design, continuing that focus at The Art Institute of Portland. Since receiving her BFA from Santa Fe University of Art and Design in 2014, she has shown in solo and group exhibitions in Santa Fe, NM, Los Angeles, New York, and London. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Yoshino and Nouel reconnect after not seeing each other for over four years (00:06:30)  Nouel reads The Layers by Stanley Kunitz, and the conversation explores the poem's meaning and personal resonance for her (00:08:23)  How Yoshino and Nouel met (00:13:05)  Archetypes and Jungian psychology (00:18:56)  Nouel talks about her background in competitive gymnastics (00:24:24)  Finding art as a tool for self-discovery and healing (00:38:52)  Giving a voice for our dark energy and integrating with our shadow-self (00:48:38)  Embracing different types of intelligences and trying to not take things personally (00:56:23)  Exploring loneliness and how it could relate to the missing connection with the Devine feminine and masculine (01:08:20) Nostalgia, popular culture, and the perception of self (01:25:21) The importance of representation in mass media and Yoshino's personal experiences dealing with racism (01:32:12) artistdecoded.com nouelriel.com instagram.com/nouelriel

Sah D'Simone is a dynamic spiritual leader and global humanitarian who has made profound contributions to mental health, spirituality, and social welfare. As the founder of the Somatic Dance Institute and creator of the Somatic Activated Healing (SAH) Method, he has empowered millions to heal from trauma and foster spiritual growth. Sah's work extends across multiple fields, from his role as a spiritual teacher to his achievements as an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, published author, and host of the podcast Solving the Riddle of Being Human. Blending Buddhist practices, contemplative psychotherapy, kinesthetic learning, and clinical spiritual care training from Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Sah's trauma-informed approach has earned worldwide acclaim. His holistic perspective informs his humanitarian efforts, which have garnered recognition like the City of Los Angeles CARE Award. A prominent figure in media, Sah has been featured in major publications and has spoken at esteemed institutions such as Columbia University and the United Nations. Through his innovative healing methods, bestselling books, and transformative retreats, Sah continues to bridge the gap between spirituality, mental health, and social consciousness, impacting lives globally. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Sah's early life in Brazil (00:04:00)  Immigrating to the U.S. at 16 and the cultural transition (00:06:57)  Grief, loss, and the impact of losing his mother (00:12:16)  The Camino de Santiago (00:20:03)  Traveling, becoming nomadic, and understanding personal values (00:36:36)  Trusting ourselves and listening to intuition (00:42:12)  Training in martial arts to overcome inner demons (00:43:23) Co-founding Bullett Magazine and working in fashion (00:53:22)  His newest book, Spiritually We (01:06:28)  Advice for seeking connection and dealing with loneliness (01:14:37) artistdecoded.com sahdsimone.com instagram.com/sahdsimone tiktok.com/@sahdsimone

When I was a child, I was repulsed by my father's smoking addiction. I can still smell the acrid scent of his clothes, laden with a residual stench that never quite went away. He used to carry an old handkerchief in his front shirt pocket. Even at a young age, I thought it was odd when he would blow his nose into it and then stuff it back. I found it even more disgusting when he would spit on it and then subsequently wipe my face with the same putrid handkerchief. I felt a sense of betrayal enter my body whenever he would do this. Maybe he thought of me as some sort of sick puppy, like how a dog licks the fur of it's young as an act of compassion. Perhaps his dad did the same thing to him too? I guess I'll never know. Around the age of six or seven, I asked my father if he would quit smoking. He replied, “I will quit when you turn nine.” Can you guess what happened when my ninth birthday came around? This cycle of broken promises continued for the next few years until he and my mother divorced when I was 14. That same year he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. When I was 16, I visited him at my grandmother's house. I opened the front door and locked eyes with him. He was ecstatic to tell me a story about where he had recently traveled. I was confused because he wasn't allowed to go anywhere unsupervised by this point. “Son... I have to take you to this place! We... we were traveling in a helicopter to this beautiful remote island. There were all types of dinosaurs there. From brontosaurus to pterodactyl... I even saw a T-Rex!!!” It was such an absurd thing to say; it took me a while to process what he was telling me. “Dad... are you talking about Jurassic Park??”  “You've been there already!” he replied with a sense of disappointment on his face. After this instance, I rarely visited him. My mother had custody over me, so I watched him from afar as he slowly began to deteriorate. It was a confusing emotional time for me back then. Looking back now, I know I distanced myself as a defense mechanism. I was ashamed of what my father was going through. While other fathers seemed to be present in their children's lives, mine was dwindling away, becoming a fragment of his former self. I didn't understand what he was going through then. How could I have? I remember a few family members telling me I would regret not visiting him more before he passed away. But to be honest, I don't regret distancing myself. After his death, I learned about my father's checkered past. I'm still processing the things I found out about him—how he was a gambler, a womanizer, and a failed businessman. He lived his life in ways I disagree with. In many ways, I have tried to be the exact opposite of him. The photos you see here were taken for several reasons. First, I find the graphics on these cigarette packages to be disturbing, hilarious, and problematic at the same time. The disclaimers are, for lack of a better term, utter bullshit. The cigarette companies don't care about the health of the people who purchase them. But I guess that's a symptom of living in a society that values predatory capitalism. Finally, these photos are for you, Dad. May you rest in peace. I'll see you in the next life so we can reconcile our differences. Hopefully. _ Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded.  Yoshino's essay “Cancer Sticks” can be read at Yoshino's Diary on Substack. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Jia Sung is a Singaporean Chinese artist and educator whose practice spans painting, artist books, textiles, printmaking, writing, and translation. Drawing on motifs from Chinese mythology and Buddhist iconography, Sung uses the familiar visual language of folklore to examine and subvert conventional archetypes of femininity, queerness and otherness. Her recent work explores threads of ecofeminism, ethnoecology, the ecological capacities of the body, invasive species as family, and the potentials of collective and constant human transformation through interspecies dynamics. Her approach draws from that of the Chinese zhiguai tradition, that genre of ‘strange tales' cannot be translated directly through the lens of horror. The supernatural, the monstrous, the spiritual, seep into the tidy confines of ordinary existence, often humorous, arbitrary, smearing at the boundaries of our reality and then slinking away just as rapidly. Here is shapeshifter, here is trickster, things that inhabit liminal space and refuse to be held in place or form; the profane invades the interior, wilderness enters the domestic space, phenomena defy causation and morality, creature refutes taxonomy. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Jia's childhood, early influences, and why she chose to dedicate her life to the arts (00:06:14) Formative books, films, and mythologies for Jia, Jennifer, and Yoshino (00:08:05) Art as a lifestyle and sketching/journaling as a form of expression (00:15:52) Jia explains her experiences going to RISD (00:17:03) Teaching art and guiding students – Jia shares her approach to teaching, focusing on personal expression over technique (00:18:46) Returning to unfinished work (00:22:42) Balancing chaos and creativity – reflections on how emotional turmoil can fuel or take away from creative work (00:28:11) Identity, ego, and output in art – how artists' identities are tied to their creative output and the challenges that brings (00:33:32) Discussing various levels of consciousness (00:40:44) Challenges of art school and institutional expectations – Jia reflects on the pressures and baggage that come from a formal art education (00:43:48) Breaking away from art jargon and structured critique to find a personal voice (00:54:27)  Lightheartedly discussing astrology (01:04:04) The Artist Decoded Tarot and Jia's “The Trickster's Journey” tarot (01:10:27) Discussing the potential future of AI (01:18:17)  Jia's advice to her younger self (01:30:41) Episode co-host: Jennifer Sodini artistdecoded.com jia-sung.com instagram.com/jiazilla

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

“Born in the UK I now live and work in Los Angeles. I studied fine art at UCA just outside London in the early 90s then moved to Italy for 7 years to immerse myself in classical art. On my return to London I started a successful fashion career that took me around the world, shooting for esteemed clients and magazines for 15 years. In 2013 I decided to return to fine art. This coincided with a move to Los Angeles, where I built a studio practice that broadened my horizons to include sculpture, painting, installation and video works. And this is where I've landed and feel comfortable, in that liminal space between art and commerce, recording the body clothed and unclothed using photography, video and 3 dimensional form making. The merging of these disciplines is what inspires me, creating immersive installations that ask questions of who we are and how we interact with each other, how our bodies are perceived in societal roles and how we can move past these structured ideas.” - James Mountford Topics Discussed In This Episode:  How Yoshino and James originally met (00:02:13) The beginning stages of James's artistic journey (00:04:10) James starting his photography career in Rome (00:11:18) How the role of a professional photographer has changed (00:14:41) James starting to paint again after stopping for many years (00:20:16) Creating sustainable homes and studios in the Mojave Desert (00:23:14) James's current photography practice (00:31:12) James talks about his favorite artists (00:35:25) Using social media and how it can impact one's artwork (00:42:18) Photography, nostalgia, and James's collaborations with NOH/WAVE (00:44:20) Finding a balance between personal and professional pursuits as a full time artist (00:48:43) Staying athentic to oneself (01:01:42) Yoshino's experience doing The Camino de Santiago (01:06:36)  artistdecoded.com jamesmountfordstudio.com instagram.com/jamesmountfordstudio/

Justin Tyler Close (b. 1984, Toronto, Canada) is an award-winning director, photographer & visual artist. Justin founded the internationally distributed arts publication The Lab Magazine and was the active editor-in-chief/creative director from 2010-2018. The interview magazine featured artists, designers, filmmakers, and activists such as Marina Abramovic, Wes Anderson and Noam Chomsky. In 2020, Justin created his audio-visual installation titled The Fifty Eleven Project, which was exhibited at the prestigious Copenhagen Contemporary Museum. Soon after, Justin wrote and directed two award-winning short films, Like Father Like Son and Where The Time Goes.  He is currently developing several projects, and set to direct his debut his feature film in the fall, 2025. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Justin's life in Athens, Greece (00:02:07) What Justin has been focusing on recently (00:05:09) The beginning stages of Justin's painting process and nostalgia (00:08:45) Being nomadic, defining a home, and socially imposed ideals (00:12:26) Justin's daily process and finding a flow state (00:22:06) Justin's thoughts about turning 40 and what he learned in his 30s (00:27:49) Finding a balance between personal and commercial work (00:28:20) Finding our artistic voice (00:41:07) Justin's advice to his younger self (01:00:02) artistdecoded.com jaeclose.com instagram.com/justintylerclose

Rose Ides is an artist from San Diego specializing in veristic surrealism, and a writer exploring the sociology of the arts in the United States. With a background in sociology, education, public health, and art, her work aims to participate in creative liberation and artistic compassion. She has published two illustrative projects with Running Press, the Oracle of Pluto deck and the illustrated astrological compendium The Cosmic Symposium, which you can pick up at all major book retailers. You can connect with her on Instagram at @idesofrose. Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Why Rose decided to pursue art full-time (00:02:08)  Artistic insecurities developing in childhood (00:04:49)  The history of the word “art” (00:11:15)  Breaking through illusions to simply “be” (00:15:24) Using our emotions to fuel our creativity (00:25:34) Translating the dreamworld (00:29:47)  Working through educational trauma and Rose wanting to begin her PhD program in Indigenous Rights (00:40:43)  Rose's advice for the audience (00:47:50) Episode co-host: Jennifer Sodini artistdecoded.com roseides.com roseides.substack.com instagram.com/idesofrose

Erik Davis, PhD, is an author, award-winning journalist, sometimes podcaster, and popular speaker based in San Francisco. He is the author of 6 books which include: Blotter: The Untold Story of an Acid Medium (MIT Press) High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the 70s (MIT Press/Strange Attractor Press). Nomad Codes: Adventures in Modern Esoterica (Yeti, 2010). The Visionary State: A Journey through California's Spiritual Landscape (Chronicle, 2006), with photographs by Michael Rauner. Led Zeppelin IV (Continuum, 2005) - 33 1/3 volume. TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information (Crown, 1998; republished by North Atlantic Press). Topics Discussed In This Episode:  Erik's work and his areas of interest (00:04:37) Deciding what projects to dedicate his time to (00:06:36) Finding his authentic voice (00:13:27) The transformation of subcultural movements into mainstream cultural (00:13:18) Trying to make sense out of confusing times (00:24:22) Learning to appreciate banality, and simplicity in an increasingly more technologically focused world (00:36:33) Separating yourself from devices and giving yourself the space to allow the muse to enter (00:46:15) The consensus trance and becoming more conscious (00:49:38) Having good “epistemological hygene” (00:57:04) Getting back to basic joys (01:05:09) Erik's new book “Blotter: The Untold Story of an Acid Medium” (01:07:09) artistdecoded.com techgnosis.com x.com/erik_davis burningshore.com

Explore the intersection of tarot, artistic creativity, and technical innovation in The Artist Decoded Tarot, a first-of-its-kind deluxe deck and guidebook set from author of Amenti Oracle Jennifer Sodini and artist Yoshino. Jennifer Sodini is an artist, writer, speaker, and producer whose creative endeavors span various realms of art and spirituality. She is the author of Amenti Oracle Feather Heart Deck and Guidebook and Everyday Amenti, and the co-creator of the Modern Nirvana Oracle. Jennifer explores the intersection of esoteric philosophy and cutting-edge technology, bridging the gap between ancient wisdom and modern innovation. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Oprah Daily, Rolling Stone, Vice, Sounds True, and Maxim. She splits her time between Los Angeles and Mexico. Yoshino is an art polymath with a direct focus on image-making, writing, and interviewing. He uses photography as a medium to capture poetry within an image, and attempts to create a confluence between his internal and external observations. Within the image, he invites the viewer to enter a space of contemplation and self-reflection. Conversation and curiosity are cornerstones of Yoshino's creative practice. In 2015, he created Artist Decoded, a podcast that explores the practices, lifestyles, and psychology of artists from various mediums. ArtistDecoded.com The Artist Decoded Tarot - Hachette Book Group 

John Wentz is a contemporary artist whose work is an exploration of process and technique. Working within the classical idiom of the human figure, his goal is to reduce and simplify the image to its core fundamentals: composition, color, and mark-making. Paint application and brush strokes are broad and simplified as a means to connect and convey these ideas to the viewer with an abstract sensibility.   John was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. His interest in art began at the age of 6 when he first discovered Batman and Spiderman comic books. After years of copying comics panel by panel, he worked in the commercial arts as a muralist, billboard creator, and freelance illustrator. After learning to paint by doing airbrushed billboards, he decided to pursue Fine Art and work in oils. Since then, he has had 5 solo exhibitions in San Francisco and numerous group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. His works have appeared in many publications and have won multiple awards. artistdecoded.com johnwentz.com instagram.com/johnwentz

Tim Bettinson is a 27-year-old singer-songwriter and producer most recognized for creating and living behind the lustful, ambient guise of Vancouver Sleep Clinic. Across his catalogue, elements of anthemic indie rock, intimate R&B, and sophisticated folk provide a sweeping film soundtrack for Bettinson's gentle vocal and expansive storytelling. Emerging from his native Brisbane, Australia on the strength of a series of singles including “Someone To Stay," “Middle of Nowhere," “The Wire,” and the bedroom-produced viral cover of “As It Was," Tim now roams the world with a laptop and headphones in pursuit of adventure and creative inspiration for his ever-evolving project. Topics discussed in this episode: Leaving Los Angeles (00:12:19) How Tim and Yoshino originally met (00:14:04) Lesson's Tim has learned throughout his journey in music and the industry (00:17:31) The feeling of making music (00:23:34) Yoshino's journey into martial arts and photography (00:26:47) The first song Tim released on Soundcloud called “Vapour” (00:30:19) Tim's decision to start singing and using falsetto (00:35:22) Natural talents vs. achieving abilities through hard work (00:40:39) Anxiety and self-imposed pressure (00:52:25) Advanced technologies (00:57:45) Finding balance and joy within the creative process (01:04:06) Dealing with anxiety, self-doubt, and negative thoughts (01:09:36) Navigating feedback and trusting your instincts (01:18:38) Defining one's purpose (01:25:16) Finding perspective on past work (01:30:49) People who inspire Tim and Yoshino (01:36:57) artistdecoded.com vancouversleepclinic.org instagram.com/vancouversleepclinic

Iranian-American filmmaker Saman Kesh has the most Vimeo staff picks, ever. He attributes this accolade to excessive consumption of rocket fuel and a knack for combining the human experience with a healthy dose of controlled chaos. After his music videos won him YDA Silver at Cannes and two Best Video at SXSW, his foray into advertising was an epic international Superbowl spot for Taco Bell. Since then, he has worked with major brands like Zoom, Google, Citibank, Uber, and most recently picked up a handful of Clio awards for his work with Toyota and Nintendo. Saman has written and directed two universally hailed short films, CONTROLLER and HIT TV, which are being developed into TV-shows, and he is currently working on two feature films. On his off hours, he plays video games and trolls racists. Topics discussed in this episode: Creating a sanctuary for yourself (00:03:20) His short film Controller, DP'd by Isaac Bauman (00:10:01) Saman's definition of success (0015:43) Celebrating small victories (00:22:28) Working professionally with ADHD (00:26:59) Knowing our strengths and weaknesses and how to work with them (00:35:40) Martial arts and spirituality (00:43:22) Saman's advice for artists and creatives (01:11:16) artistdecoded.com samankesh.com instagram.com/saman_kesh

Daniele Bolelli is a writer, martial artist, university professor, and podcaster. He was born in Italy and currently lives in Los Angeles. Topics discussed in this episode: Daniele's podcasts History on Fire and The Drunken Taoist (00:01:17) Daniele's writing practice (00:04:13) Family and navigating personal struggles (00:10:25) The origin of Daniele's passion for history (00:26:21) Reflections on legacy (00:30:24) Unpacking success, values, and the nature of quality (00:36:08) The complexities of meritocracy  (00:48:54) Discussing personal values (01:03:41) Thoughts on the impact of advanced technology (01:12:32) Power and agency within decision making (01:40:12) Daniele's life advice (01:44:43) artistdecoded.com danielebolelli.com danielebolelli.substack.com historyonfirepodcast.com thedrunkentaoist.com instagram.com/daniele_bolelli

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's essay “Photo Roulette” can be read at Yoshino's Diary on Substack. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Wesley Stringer (b. 1985) was born in Oklahoma City and has worked as a photographer for the past 13 years. Stringer began photographing while a BFA student at the University of Oklahoma. His practice is concerned with the natural environment, both in its untouched state, as well as how it relates to the spaces people occupy. The printed image is as important to Stringer's work as the physical and textural presence: his photographs frequently take the shape of handmade books or boxes. In addition, the artist prints many of his photographs on translucent gampi paper and mounts them by hand to heavier weight papers, giving each artwork evidence of its making. Stringer's photographs and handmade books have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the United States and in France. In 2013, Stringer's photographs were exhibited at the Museum of Art and Design in New York. In 2016, Stringer was a finalist for the Rudin Prize for Emerging Photographers, which resulted in a group exhibition at the Norton Museum of Art, Palm Beach. Working in collaboration with artist Daniel Brush, Stringer's photographs were exhibited at L'École School in Paris (2017) and L'École School in New York (2018). In 2019, his photographs were exhibited at Nailya Alexander Gallery, New York (2019), and in 2020, Stringer's work was acquired by the library of The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2020). Stringer's work is represented by Michael Hulett at The Hulett Collection in Tulsa, Oklahoma.   

James “Munky” Shaffer is best known as co-founder and guitarist for American rock band Korn. With a career spanning three decades, his latest project Venera ventures into experimental electronic territory. Venera L.A.-based James Shaffer and Atlanta-based Chris Hunt converged as Venera in early 2022 in Downtown Los Angeles while working on songs for singer Xhoana X. Their kindred interest and backgrounds in dramatic texture, electronics, and experimentation inspired an improvisation-based recording process that seeks to explore a sonic universe defined by evolving atmosphere, cinematic noise, and select collaborations. Venera released their self-titled debut album on Oct. 13 via Ipecac Recordings.  Topics Discussed In This Episode: Treating everyone with kindness (00:04:34) James's newest project Venera (00:08:37) Unexpected occurrences while making music for Venera (00:18:29) How he experimented with new playing styles in Venera (00:21:34) Switching studios or environments to channel into different ways of creating and experimenting (00:24:19) Understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses / working with producer Ross Robinson (00:26:29) Exploring the origin of Korn's unique sound (00:29:30) Discussing alternate realities (00:31:26) Creating time for creative practices (00:35:58) James's daily habits and rituals (00:37:23) James's struggle with addiction and how he overcame it (00:42:06) Spiritual transcendence (00:45:00) How James originally got into music (00:50:02) The importance of having a creative outlet in one's life (00:54:28) artistdecoded.com instagram.com/munky_korn instagram.com/_veneramusic veneramusic.com kornofficial.com

Paul Yoon is the author of four previous works of fiction: Once the Shore, which was a New York Times Notable Book; Snow Hunters, which won the Young Lions Fiction Award; The Mountain, which was an NPR Best Book of the Year; and Run Me to Earth, which was one of Time magazine's Must-Read Books of 2020 and longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, he lives in the Hudson Valley, New York. ArtistDecoded.com Paul's Website The Hive and The Honey

Johan Van Mullem (Belgian painter born in 1959) persisted in his youthful search for wrinkled faces, seeking the beauty he recognized in an experience engraved on the faces and in the hands.  Since then, the face remains the major subject of his work but over time reversing the imprint of it on his own face while these subjects seem to rejuvenate, disappearing or emerging in a halo of light in old-fashioned sfumato, offering the gaze an escape into the world of emotion, because Johan van Mullem's work is an invitation to introspection, to a journey whose omnipresent emotional charge cannot leave indifferent as the depth is often dizzying.  The superimposition and erasure of the many smooth layers of the diluted inks further accentuate this feeling of inexpressible presence on the canvas. The self-taught mastery of the specific and unique technicality of his work because only executed in etching ink (an extension of his experience as an engraver) gives his work an additional exceptional character.  Complete artist, designer, painter, and sculptor, (but also poet and musician) Johan Van Mullem strives to create a multiple, diverse but absolutely coherent work offering links and bridges to all our senses awakened by this work that projects as much into the past as into a contemporaneity. artistdecoded.com johanvanmullem.com fine-arts-museum.be/en/exhibitions/johan-van-mullem instagram.com/johanvanmullem

Jacqueline Castel is an internationally award-winning director, screenwriter, and curator based in NYC. Her short film work has been featured at more than fifty festivals worldwide, including Sundance, SXSW, Rotterdam, BAMcinemaFest, Sitges, and Fantasia. She has written for and directed cult auteurs John Carpenter and Jim Jarmusch, and collaborated on a film with David Lynch for his Festival of Disruption in 2018. Her most recent short film, a portrait of Cannes award-winning actor Caleb Landry Jones, debuted on NOWNESS in 2021. Castel's work has appeared in The New York Times, The BBC, Dazed, VICE, Italian Vogue, Interview Magazine, and on AMC's Shudder. She earned her BFA with honors at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. My Animal is her feature film debut. artistdecoded.com jacquelinecastel.com instagram.com/jacquelinecastel myanimalfilm.com

Internationally acclaimed, prominent contemporary artist and social media Influencer; Dan Lam is an artist based out of Texas, US. Lam's sculptural work expresses and plays with sensational dichotomies by combining unconventional materials, organic forms, and bright colors. With contrasting themes verging on beauty and grotesqueness at once, Lam's art provokes its viewers to ponder meaning and existence while inspiring feelings of familiarity and wonder. Curiosity, play, and fun are the foundation of where Lam's work begins. Her experimentation results in beautiful sculptures created with various materials such as foams, polyurethanes, resins, acrylics, and polymers, which defines her style. She has exhibited worldwide, and celebrity clients include Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, The Game, and Lily Aldridge. Notable art collectors, such as the Tisch family, have acquired her work. In addition, Lam has collaborated with prominent companies, including Facebook and Virgin, and renowned art producers, Meow Wolf. Her pieces have been featured in Architectural Digest, Travel and Leisure, and Forbes, amongst many other international media outlets. artistdecoded.com bydanlam.com instagram.com/sopopomo

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's short story “The Inner Symphony” can be read at Yoshino's Diary on Substack. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Christine Kuan is President & Executive Director of Creative Capital, a nonprofit grantmaking organization funding artists creating experimental and groundbreaking new work in the visual arts, performing arts, film, technology, literature, socially engaged, and multidisciplinary forms. Before joining Creative Capital, Kuan was CEO & Director of Sotheby's Institute of Art, and held roles as Chief Curator & Director of Strategic Partnerships at Artsy, Chief Curatorial Officer & VP for External Affairs at Artstor, and Editor-in-Chief of Oxford Art Online/Grove Art Online at Oxford University Press. She has also worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and taught at the University of Iowa, Peking University, Rutgers University, and Stanford University Arts Leadership program. Kuan holds an MFA in Creative Writing Poetry from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop and a BA in Art History and English Literature from Rutgers University. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Intuition (0:09:49) How Creative Capital fosters the careers of multi-disciplinary artists (00:13:43) How Creative Capital supports diversity and equality within the arts (00:16:30) How Creative Capital is often the first organization to fund artists (00:21:18) The “Wild Futures” grant cycle (00:22:23) Jordan Weber's “4 MX” project (00:25:11) Early funded projects including Lynn Hershman Leeson‘s “Women Art Revolution” (00:28:08) Christine encourages people to pursue a career in the arts (00:33:24) Creating harmony between the arts and institutions (00:36:18) Focusing our attention towards quality time and experiences (00:40:11) How artists are selected by Creative Capital (00:48:36) Christine's advice for artists and creatives (00:58:04) Books Referenced: “Deep Work” by Cal Newport “The Kybalion” by The Three Initiates People Mentioned: James Baldwin Angela Merkel Spike Lee Jibz Cameron Titus Kaphar Cassils Jordan Weber Jesse Krimes Lynn Hershman Leeson Samora Pinderhughes Simone Leigh Lorraine O'Grady artistdecoded.com creative-capital.org instagram.com/kuannyc

Mitch Horowitz is a historian of alternative spirituality and one of today's most literate voices of esoterica, mysticism, and the occult. He is the PEN Award-winning author of books including Occult America, One Simple Idea, The Miracle Club, Daydream Believer, Uncertain Places, and the forthcoming Modern Occultism. Mitch hosted, co-wrote, and produced a feature documentary about the occult classic The Kybalion directed by Emmy-nominee Ronni Thomas and shot on location in Egypt. The movie premiered as the #3 documentary on iTunes. Mitch plays a newscaster in the forthcoming Paramount feature thriller My Animal directed by Jacqueline Castel, an official selection of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Mitch's books have been translated into French, Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Korean, and Portuguese. His work is censored in China. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Mitch's currently unreleased book, “Modern Occultism” (00:04:33) Mitch's concept, “The Ten Day Miracle Challenge” (00:07:00) Having an obsessive intellect (00:09:53) Nurturing one's intrinsic nature (00:11:19) Positive lessons Mitch learned while working in publishing (00:13:41) Learning from suffering (00:17:17) Emotions informing memories (00:20:31) Anton Lavey's teachings (00:24:03) Truth comes in the form of a lie - G. I. Gurdjieff (00:26:34) Finding one's personal truth (00:31:49) The films of Ruben Östlund (00:35:19) “The Wish Machine” in Andrei Tarkovsky‘s film Stalker (00:38:39) The effects of technological information overload and Anton Lavey's “The Augmentive Principle” (00:42:32) Fear and a wish being one and the same (00:47:27) Building character through difficult situations (00:54:23) Mitch's fascination with the work of G. I. Gurdjieff (00:57:09) Separating the art from the artist (00:59:42) Limiting judgments against others (01:06:38) Books Referenced: Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel) Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill) The Third Mind (Brion Gysin and William S. Burroughs) Films / TV Shows Referenced: The Square Force Majore Stalker Anti-Christ The Last Ship The Last of Us Alone People Mentioned: Jacqueline Castel Carlos Castaneda Jack Parsons Brion Gysin William S. Burroughs G. I. Gurdjieff Vernon Howard Ruben Östlund Andrei Tarkovsky Anton Lavey Emily St. John Mandel Ralph Waldo Emerson Napolean Hill Grant Morrison Alan Moore ArtistDecoded.com MitchHorowitz.com Mitch's Twitter Mitch's Instagram

Cj Hendry (b. 1988) is a New York-based artist originally from Brisbane, Australia. Hendry transforms her fascination with contemporary material culture into large-scale, hyper-photorealistic drawings. Cj Hendry's exhibits aren't intended to be passively observed but, rather, actively experienced through engaging, fun, and thought-provoking exhibits. For her exhibit Monochrome, Hendry and her team built an entire multi-room “home” inside a warehouse with each room entirely monochrome-colored from floor to ceiling and everything in between. For Rorschach, guests jumped through a gigantic bouncy house maze in order to reach and finally view the impressive series. Each Cj Hendry exhibit, from Miami to Melbourne, draws massive crowds with attendees waiting in line for several hours - and, in the end, everyone leaves more enriched than when they arrived. With her celebrity clientele – and many works in private collections - Hendry's waitlist is now well over 3,000 collectors with a wait time of up to five years to get their hands on a piece. Topics Discussed In This Episode: CJ's mindset shift after university (00:03:41) The beginning of CJ's art practice (00:06:35) What led to CJ's first sale (00:08:32) The 10,000-hour rule (00:12:49) Creating great concepts and ideas (00:10:46) Success leading to complacency (00:13:59) Her recent project “Cheese” (00:18:28) Thoughts on losing fire and passion over time (00:20:37) Sustaining a playful mentality (00:23:58) Valuable lessons learned creating an art business (00:26:54) CJ's “Copyright Infringement” series (00:37:22) CJ's decision to not work with a manager (00:42:33) AI art (00:46:38) Her upcoming exhibition “Plaid” (00:52:27) artistdecoded.com cjhendrystudio.com instagram.com/cj_hendry

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's short story “And Then Awoke The Butterfly” can be read at Yoshino's Diary on Substack. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Brett Amory's multidisciplinary practice is based on the intersection of quotidian and habitual engagements with the everyday world. His works consider moments of visual perception that precede interpretation. Working primarily in painting and installation, he uses the ordinary as a vehicle for extending the familiar into the realms of the unfamiliar. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, including at the National Portrait Gallery, London; the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh; the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Indiana; Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco; and de Young Museum, San Francisco. Brett Amory earned an MFA from Stanford University and a BFA from the Academy of Arts University. He lives and works in Oakland California. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Introduction (00:00:00) Brett's introduction to art through skateboarding (00:11:42) Using experiences to inform one's creative process (00:21:45) Honing into instincts (00:26:27) Being challenged to draw better (00:30:22) The combination of aesthetics and meaning (00:37:35) The evolution of Brett's work over the course of 25 years (00:41:33) “The Waiting Series” (00:43:33) Getting his MFA @ Stanford (00:48:31) Conclusions Brett has come to after completing his MFA @ Stanford (00:51:23) What the MFA application process is like @ Stanford (00:56:47) Phenomenology (01:01:08) Brett's recent work regarding duality and technology (01:04:00) Stoicism (01:09:40) GANs / AI (01:12:27) Artists / People Mentioned: William Strobeck (Skateboard Film Director) George Romero  (Director) Marshall McLuhan (Writer) Maurice Merleau-Ponty (Philosopher) Paul Cézanne (Painter) René Descartes (Philosopher) Martin Heidegger (Philospher) Books Mentioned: Techgnosis (Erik Davis) The Singularity is Nearer (Ray Kurzweil) Article Read In Episode Intro: "What is Embodiment? Maurice Merleau-Ponty's Philosophy of the Body" by Moses May-Hobbs artistdecoded.com brettamory.com instagram.com/brettamory

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Yoshino's essay “Wandering and Wondering” can be read at Yoshino's Diary on Substack. Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com yoshino.substack.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Living with love and compassion (00:07:48) The journey into understanding (00:11:56) Making impactful decisions (00:15:27) Yoshino's creative life (00:19:41) Manifesting future outcomes (00:25:35) Napolean Hill's concept, “The Definite Chief Aim” (00:27:51) The psychology of money (00:32:02) Yoshino's life as a martial artist (00:36:07) Breaking through a consensus trance (00:42:00) Toxic productivity (00:50:53) Seeking balance (00:53:21) Yoshino's recent revelations (00:59:06) Artists / People Mentioned: Mac Miller (Rapper) Thundercat (Singer/Songwriter/Bassist) Michel Legrand (Composer) Mitch Horowitz (Writer) Phoebe Bridgers (Singer/Songwriter) Justin Daashuur Hopkins (Director/Artist) Erik Davis (Writer) Charles Bukowski (Writer) Jack Kerouac (Writer) William S Burroughs (Writer) Aldous Huxley (Writer) Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Dealing with negative thoughts and emotions Yoshino's perspective shifting while running “Tao Te Ching” by Lao Tzu Living in a productivity-focused world Giving ourselves permission to step deeper into ourselves Sufi mysticism Thich Nhat Hanh “Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.” ― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Raymond Lee stars as Dr. Ben Song on the new NBC drama “Quantum Leap.” Ben is a brilliant quantum physicist leaping through time to put right what once went wrong. Lee also stars in the AMC series “Kevin Can F*** Himself,” which begins its second season Aug. 22. Previously, he was a series regular on Alan Ball's HBO series “Here and Now.” Additional recurring roles include the HBO Max series “Made for Love,” Fox's “Prodigal Son,” Amazon's “Mozart in the Jungle” and ABC's “Scandal.” On the film side, he is currently appearing in the box office smash “Top Gun: Maverick.” Theater credits include the world premiere productions of “Vietgone” at Manhattan Theater Club, for which he was awarded the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Debut; “Office Hour,” opposite Sandra Oh, and “Cambodian Rock Band” at the South Coast Repertory. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Raymond and Yoshino being Cal State Long Beach alums (00:06:31) Raymond dropping out of high school and how that affected him psychologically while growing up (00:07:27) Problems with the education system (00:010:05) Finding a love for performance in his youth (00:13:07) Discovering acting through theatre and deciding to become a professional actor while he was in college (00:14:49) Raymond's approach to acting (00:18:37) The importance of having discipline and maintaining solid habits (00:22:53) Embodying characters and manifesting roles (00:25:59) Yoshino shares a personal story highlighting the impact art can have on its viewers (00:36:05) The impact art has made on Raymond's life (00:39:02) The Kybalion and embracing polarities (00:43:56) The Rashomon Effect (00:47:32) Manifesting goals (00:51:18) Honing into and practicing intuition (00:59:22) Raymond and Yoshino speaking about acquiring skill sets (01:10:56) Final words of advice from Raymond (01:22:11) Artists / People Mentioned: Sandra Oh (Actor) Joseph Lee (Painter / Actor) Akira Kurosawa (Film Director) Rubens Charles Cobrinha (BJJ Practioner) Books Mentioned: The Kybalion Films / TV Series Mentioned: Dopesick (2021) Rashomon (1950) artistdecoded.com Raymond Lee's IMDB instagram.com/raymomomo

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Making good use of your observations The cop-out of not feeling inspired Observing people's body language and the way they treat animals Yoshino's perspective on street photography The artist's duty “Our hearts all beat for something.” - Yoshino Following one's own personal interests Being honest with one's self The Daemon Building one's perspective Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Questioning illusions Envying what others have Finding a deeper understanding of ourselves Brutal honesty with oneself Dealing with trauma Healing Building your intuitive muscle Being conscious of what we give our time to Writing from a place of honesty Embracing paradoxes Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Elly Smallwood is a figurative and portrait artist living in Canada. She works primarily in acrylics and oils. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Elly moving from Ottawa to the woods The energetic differences she notices between living in a city versus being in the woods Modern-day false prophets and gurus The power of questioning dogmatic principles Art capitalism Trying to seek balance in the need to live a peaceful life, while simultaneously wanting to seek progression in one's career Elly's experiences working with galleries Growth through vulnerability Her perspective of creating portraits of other people in contrast to creating portraits of herself Model vs. muse Elly's bone collection Tarot and its influence on Elly's artwork The Hermit and The Tower in the Major Arcana in Tarot Elly training Muay Thai Working through uncomfortable experiences Artists / People Mentioned: Nina Menkes (Film Director) Books Mentioned: The Richest Man In Babylon (George Samuel Clason) The Kybalion (Three Initiates) The Vegetarian (Han Kang) Films / TV Series Mentioned: Wild Wild Country Portrait of a Lady on Fire Brainwashed: Sex, Camera, Power artistdecoded.com elly.ca instagram.com/ellysmallwood

With the release of Black Magnet's debut album ‘Hallucination Scene' in 2020 a new Industrial Metal power emerged from the unlikely landscape of Oklahoma City. After anxiously waiting out the pandemic Black Magnet returned to the road in late 2021 and has now dropped ‘Body Prophecy' the second full-length burst of machine-driven mayhem and electronic deviance. On ‘Body Prophecy' mastermind, James Hammontree welds the frenetic vitality of post-punk and metal energy with driving synthetic club beats, factory force physicality, and alluringly stark melodic pulses. Tracks like ‘Floating in Nothing' and ‘Violent Mechanix' feature both intensely catchy hooks and hammering brutal noise. ‘Sold Me Sad' is a quietly deranged lullaby that takes an atmospheric turn. The throbbing drug-addled lurch of the Manson / Reznor-esque ‘Incubate' is, at the end of the album, treated to a completely re-imagined and extended club-style remix by scene legend Justin K. Broadrick (Godflesh, Zonal, etc). For all its harsher, scraping atmospheres and pummeling aggression ‘Body Prophecy' always remains an eminently tight, memorable album molded for the stage and constructed to keep bodies in motion and listeners transfixed. Topics Discussed In This Episode: How The Kybalion impacted James's life/creative practice Hermeticism and the 7 Hermetic principles Folklore behind “Ring Around The Rosie” Draxler's visual contribution to Black Magnet's newest album “Body Prophecy” Recording “Body Prophecy” during the early stages of the pandemic James working with Justin K Broadrick Suffering through challenging material to grow one's creative perspective Looking past genres to develop a deeper relationship with artworks Tapping into your highest vibration, frequency, and energy Creating art with absolute honesty Embracing the paradox Transforming negative outlooks into positive perspectives “The Pregnant Void” in Taoism Artists / People Mentioned: Salvador Dalí (Surrealist Painter) Francis Bacon (Painter) Max Ernst (Surrealist Painter) Mitch Horowitz (Author / Occult Historian) Jay Cheel (Director) Andrei Tarkovsky (Director) Alejandro Jodorosky (Director) David Lynch (Director) Alan Watts (Writer) Bands / Musicians Mentioned: Justin K. Broadrick Godflesh Jesu Vatican Shadow Killing Joke The Birthday Party Big Black Meshuggah Blood Incantation Greg Puciato Books Mentioned: The Kybalion The Lord of the Rings The Occult: A History Man, Myth, and Magic Series The Hellbound Heart I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream Films / TV Series Mentioned: Midsommar Cursed Films Serpent and the Rainbow Twilight Zone Movie The Birds The Exorcist Poltergeist Stalker Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror Hereditary The Witch The Crow The Wizard of OZ Weeds Hellraiser artistdecoded.com blckmgnt.bandcamp.cominstagram.com/bl4ckm4gnet

Oliver Johnson aka Dorian Concept will release his new album What We Do For Others on 28th October on Brainfeeder Records. It's the third studio album by the Austrian producer and synthesizer savant, famed for his singular, beautifully detailed sonic tapestries and wild, utterly joyful live keyboard jam videos. What We Do For Others is a relaxed, quietly confident and intimate record, founded on delightfully loose arrangements, feedbacked soundscapes and blessed with snatches of cryptic vocals that are presented more as additional instrumentation rather than lyrical phrases. All the elements and layers were recorded without interruptions and deliberately not edited. “I think that's why this record has something of a ‘band sound'” says Oliver. “It's me playing all kinds of different key- instruments, singing and using fx-units to create these freeform compositions.” The title came to Oliver in a dream and stuck with him. “One thing I often find interesting about my creative process is that when I believe to be making something that others could like, it tends to not really connect with people,” he says. “Whereas when I get to that special place and just work from my gut – the music tends to often speak to the outside world naturally.” Johnson says that he tried questioning his internal voice of self-judgment and temper his constant urge for improvement during the making of the album. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Dorian's earliest memories of being introduced to music through film soundtracks such as Batman Returns (1992) Sound synthesis The earliest influences on Dorian Dorian being influenced by Dj Spinna's “Heavy Beats Vol. 2” in his youth Experimenting and improvising with Micro Korgs Dorian learning how to play the piano around the age of 6 Prepared piano The importance of having teachers that can nurture one's individual creativity Connections between music and video games 8 to 16-bit music used in early console games Psychedelics Set and setting Questioning one's perspective on using time The intentionality of decisions made throughout one's life The compulsion for creating art Dorian's reasons for choosing to become a professional artist His new album “What We Do For Others” His track, Survival Instinct being the “heartpiece” of his album Drawing parallels between creating a sculpture and creating music Presenting complex points of view to a wider audience Commercialization vs. arthouse creations Breaking rules and questioning the process Paradigm shifts in one's own unique consciousness Dorian creating lo-fi music videos for himself with the use of archival footage and processed through Blender Artists Mentioned: Dimlite (Musician) Mike Slott (Musician) Tupac (Rapper) DJ Spinna (DJ) John Coletrain (Saxophonist) Edgard Varès (Composer) Aphex Twin (Musician) Little Snake (Musician) artistdecoded.com dorianconcept.com

Topics Discussed In This Episode: Discrimination against women in the film industry The Weinstein investigation 94% of women working in the film industry experiencing sexual assault How film objectifies women through the use of camera angles, camera movement, and lighting techniques Updating the narrative point of view Predatory perspectives within filmmaking Portraying love and intimacy in film in more nuanced ways Addressing the male gaze The need for more government funding for the arts in the U.S. Artists / People Mentioned: Iyabo Kwayana (Cinematographer) Jeffrey Martin Zacks (Psychologist) Sandra De Castro Buffington (Producer) Catherine Hardwicke (Filmmaker) Laura Mulvey (Film Theorist) Eliza Hittman (Filmmaker) Werner Herzog (Director) Claire Denis (Director) Films Mentioned: Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) Sleeping Beauty (1959) Blonde (2022) Blade Runner (1982) The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) Titane (2021) Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) artistdecoded.com ninamenkes.com

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: “When do you feel the most in flow?” Being able to follow one's instincts Asking questions to one's self Journaling Discipline “What things matter to you most?” Inspiration and observation Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios

Louis Cole is a singer-songwriter and sickeningly talented multi-instrumentalist with a strong DIY aesthetic from Los Angeles, California. He is on a mission to create deep feelings through music and is the figurehead of an LA jazz-adjacent scene that includes Genevieve Artadi (with whom Cole co-founded the alt pop / electrofunk band KNOWER in 2009), Sam Gendel, Sam Wilkes, Jacob Mann, Dennis Hamm, Pedro Martins and more. He will release his new album “Quality Over Opinion” on 14th October 2022 on Brainfeeder Records. Topics Discussed In This Episode: What initially attracted Louis to wanting to become a musician Olfactory memories How Louis approaches creating music now Louis's love for harmony and chord progressions Musical gifts from the universe Louis's daily routines The multiple albums Louis has coming out including a collaboration with Metropole Orkest in Holland Louis's wide range of eclectic musical taste His experiences going to USC for music school Artists Mentioned: Frédéric Chopin (Composer) Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer) Bill Evans (Pianist) Gil Evans (Pianist) James Brown (Singer / Performer) Stevie Wonder (Singer-Songwriter) Igor Stravinsky (Composer) Genevieve Artadi (Jazz Musician) Thundercat (Singer-Songwriter / Bassist) Sam Gendel (Musician) Blake Mills (Musician) Pino Palladino (Musician) Kurt Rosenwinkel (Jazz Guitarist) Meshuggah (Band) Gustav Mahler (Composer) Skrillex (DJ) Doug Mosher (Saxophonist) Keith Jarrett (Composer / Pianist) Video Games Mentioned: Mario Kart Starfox Streets of Rage artistdecoded.com louiscole.bandcamp.com instagram.com/louiscolemusic

Joseph Lee is an actor & self-taught artist who studies faces and the emotions that inhabit them. Lee focuses on the parallels between external reality and the internal process by manipulating everyday faces and objects through segmented brush strokes, color choice, and volume, converging them into a complete and balanced whole. Topics Discussed In This Episode: Joseph Lee's upcoming solo exhibit opening at GR Gallery in NYC on September 8, 2022 The importance of taking care of one's own mental health Examining the origin of pain and trauma Joey moving to LA to pursue acting The moment when he decided to become a painter Potency in making decisive and guttural decisions Spiritual connection through art Having an insatiable curiosity of people His currently unreleased Netflix show “Beef” (starring David Choe, Steven Yeun, Patti Yasutake, Ali Wong) Utilizing gratitude prayers and journaling Simplifying one's life to help alleviate anxiety Reconnecting and remembering our child self Challenging our needs for external validations Fighting against jadedness Artists Mentioned: Marie-Louise von Franz (Psychologist) Martha Graham (Choreographer) Books Mentioned: The Book of Five Rings (Miyamoto Musashi) Podcasts Mentioned: Hidden Brain - “The Secret Life of Secrets” Films Mentioned: The Godfather Trilogy Paterson (2016) artistdecoded.com josephleeart.com instagram.com/joeyunlee

The long arc of Joshua Hagler's oeuvre, with its focus on painting, could be traced by its slow, physical and conceptual disintegration - of it's imagery, politics, art historical underpinnings, and philosophical erudition - from its early pictorial messaging to a need, in more recent years, for direct physical experience of the numinous. Material layering is at the core of Hagler's work, combining a range of self-developed painting processes which force a loss of skilled control, making for radical pictorial transformation. The works situates itself in the paradox of absence and presence, the internal and external, and the sacred and profane. Whatever research occurs with regard to issues such as mass shooting, wildfires, and religiosity in America, only demonstrates itself to the degree that it's relevant to the artist's own background and direct life experience. The personal is thus foregrounded and given preference over academic defenses, which are subverted at every opportunity. Hagler's distinct signature manages to span paintings both physically slight and vast, figurative and abstract. The work is intentional about avoiding redundancy common in an era of self-conscious branding, preferring endless evolution, while seeking to ground itself in deeper authenticity over time. Topics Discussed In This Episode: The Tenets of Nihil Exile & Absence (The Archaic Brother) - The first tenet of Nihil The reasons why Josh moved from California to New Mexico in 2017 Paradoxes Private vs. public conversations Arvo Pärt's compositional style, “tintinnabuli” Josh's observations in abandoned spaces throughout New Mexico Believing in consciousness Axis Mundi Patterns emerging out of observations The Archaic Brother How being a father has given him a deeper meaning and appreciation for life The role meditation has played in his life Artists Mentioned: Ruben Östlund (Director) Arvo Pärt (Composer) Mark Rothko (Painter) Aja Daashuur (Medium) Books Mentioned: The Daemon (Anthony Peake) The Seat of the Soul (Gary Zukav) Films Mentioned: The Square (2017) Force Majeure (2014) artistdecoded.com joshuahagler.com instagram.com/haglerjosh

Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded. Topics Discussed: Channeling the muse Seeking the higher self Questioning one's own intentions and motivations Journaling Artists Mentioned: Anthony Peake (Writer) Gary Zukav (Writer) Carl Jung (Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst) Michael Pollan (Writer) Margaret Atwood (Writer) Books Mentioned: The Seat of the Soul (Gary Zukav) The Daemon (Anthony Peake) Caffeine (Michael Pollan) Yoshino's Links: yoshinostudios.com instagram.com/yoshinostudios twitter.com/yoshinostudios