Chasing Artists with Xenja

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with designer Sarie Gessner about journey in western style clothing design and starting her design business Jukebox Mama. Guest Bio Jukebox Mama is run by designer and maker Sarie Gessner. She primarily specializes in the design and making of vintage style western wear, drawing inspiration from the 1940s-1970s. Sarie lives and works in Nashville, where she makes western wear for all genders on sewing and embroidery machines from the 1930s. Everything from the patternmaking, construction, and chainstitch embroidery on Jukebox Mama designs is done in house. Sarie revels in the unique details of custom garments, and the sky's the limit for details like hand cut genuine leather fringe, appliqué, rhinestones, and signature chainstitch embroidery. Links to Guest www.jukeboxmama.com @jukebox.mama - instagram Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with actor Ian Ruskin about his three solo shows on the lives of Harry Bridges, Thomas Paine, and Nicola Tesla. Guest Bio Ian is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He founded The Harry Bridges Project in 2000 and has written, performed and produced many plays and radio and film documentaries, including From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Docks about labor leader Harry Bridges. He has performed the play over 250 times to approximately 50,000 people, including the English and Scottish Houses of Parliament. The film version, directed and shot by multi-Academy Award winner Haskell Wexler, aired nationwide on PBS for 4 years, making the film available to 150 million Americans. He has completed a new radio documentary A Wild Woman Sings the Blues about the life and work of Barbara Dane and is working on a treatment for a feature film based on the 1934 San Francisco General Strike. His play To Begin the World Over Again: the Life of Thomas Paine continues his mission to present the stories of forgotten and misunderstood heroes from American and European history. Performances have included The American Philosophical Society, Harvard Law School, Conway Hall in London, the Annual Meeting of the Organization of American Historians and in Boston's Faneuil Hall. NETA distributed the film of a live performance, also shot by Haskell Wexler, and 180+ stations aired it in 2017 and 2018. He has also completed and began performing his new one-man play about “the man who invented the 20th century” Nikola Tesla. Magic and Lightning: into the Mind of Nikola Tesla. Venues have included The American Philosophical Society and Theatre West in Los Angeles.  Links to Guest http://www.ianruskin.org/  http://theharrybridgesproject.org/index.html http://www.thelifeofthomaspaine.org/ http://www.theteslaproject.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysfz71XihXQ&t= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uKn37_WPoY Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with composer Shaun Chasin about the composing process for Film/TV & Video Games. Guest Bio Shaun Chasin is a Canadian composer for film, TV, and video games. Most recently, he scored the comedy feature Domino: Battle Of The Bones, starring Snoop Dogg and David Arquette. He has also written the music for dozens of games including the online battle royal shooter Ring Of Elysium, the virtual reality hit Quell 4D, and the family adventure Apple Arcade launch title Way Of The Turtle. In addition to video games, his music has been featured on dozens of networks including FOX, Disney XD, and CNN, as well as streaming services such as Netflix. He contributed music to the crime investigation series Killing Fields on the Discovery Channel and the survival reality show Alone on The History Channel. Shaun also wrote the theme song “Our Time” for the anime Beyblade Burst, airing now on Disney XD. The song has gone on to garner millions of views on YouTube, as well as inspire dozens of fan covers! Shaun studied at Berklee College of Music, where he majored in Film Scoring with a minor in Video Game Music. Upon graduating Berklee, he attended the University of Southern California's Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television graduate program. There, he studied with composers such as Bruce Broughton, Garry Schyman, and Christopher Young. Shaun currently resides in Los Angeles with his cat and studio assistant, Bogie. Links to Guest www.chasin.ca www.instagram.com/shaunchasin https://www.youtube.com/user/shaunchasin https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3917725/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/1JnTuwS0XfOqNhN8XFY4hs Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with creative business coach Sarah Mac about entrepreneurship, burn out, and money mindset for creatives. Guest Bio Sarah Mac is a Creative Business Coach who supports creative entrepreneurs to hit 5-figure months in fun ways in their dream business. She helps her clients to share their unique gifts through powerful storytelling that magnetises dream clients to their offers with ease. Originally from the UK, Sarah is now based in New York. She's also a songwriter and performer. Links to Guest Free Meditation: Creative Money  Free Template: Social Media Post That Sells Withsarahmac.com  Sarah Mac on Youtube Sarah Mac on Instagram Sarah Mac on Facebook  Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with Will Coeur about lighting design and the virtual lighting rig he designed during the pandemic! Links to Guest www.coeurdesigns.net Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with singer/songwriter and music producer Mike Green about starting guitar lessons at four years old to touring in over 36 countries to performing for Mick Jagger and John C. Reilly. Guest Bio Mike Green is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music, Green has garnered attention in the music industry, having performed in front of artists such as Mick Jagger, John C. Reilly, Wyclef Jean, Maroon 5, Jamie Cullum, and more. Green has had music placed in film and television shows, performed in 30+ countries with international events band The Phly Boyz, as well as provided session guitar and vocal work for many LA-based musicians with world-class credits. His style has been compared to artists like Coldplay, Dave Matthews, and John Mayer, although Green has found a way to plate his sound differently. His music is a dish of versatility, garnished with powerful choruses and head-nodding grooves. Mike's debut album “Restart" is a promising first installment from an artist who clearly has the writing, playing, and singing chops to get the material out of his heart and into a song. Links to Guest www.MikeGreenMusic.com www.instagram.com/ilikemikegreen www.facebook.com/ilikemikegreen www.twitter.com/ilikemikegreen Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with musician, composer, and performance artist Cellista about her new multi-media operetta Pariah. Guest Bio Cellista is a Los Angeles-based performance artist. Her critically acclaimed stage poems (narrative multimedia works) juxtapose seemingly disparate elements. The works are acts of resistance art. Employing a politically concerned, observant, and revealing voice, the pieces investigate the ruptures of daily life. Cellista posits that creating art is a radical act. An act that illuminates fragmentations, and allows the community -- as witnesses -- to attend to collective wounds, and to transfigure them. Her most recent work, Pariah, is an operatic fairytale with semi-autobiographical overtones. It explores issues of othering and exile within our communities. Cellista explains "I placed myself within Pariahto reflect on (not represent) my own experience as an artist. Pariahha's allowed me to examine my own feelings of loneliness and othering. Through Pariah, I am confronting myself." Pariah features collaborations from notable soprano Carla Canales and composer Mazz Swift, and is accompanied by a book co-written with philosopher Dr. Frank Seeburger, and a dance film written and directed by Cellista. Cellista's penchant for performing music in unconventional spaces, and her devotion to collaborating with artists across media, and genres, disrupts the world of the classical performing arts. She defies standard categorization, her sound brims with a dissident voice informed by her classical foundation and her desire to tear that very foundation apart. Fresh off her 2021 Lincoln Center debut, Cellista is a sought after collaborator. She has worked with Grammy-nominated artist Tanya Donelly, producer John Vanderslice, Troyboi, Don McLean, Casey Crescenzo (The Dear Hunter), Van Dyke Parks, Tony! Toni! Toné! and Pam the Funkstress. Her compositions and performances have been heard on film and TV including PBS; and she has appeared as an extra on the TV shows Better Things and Will & Grace playing her cello. Her interdisciplinary exhibit The End of Time premiered alongside renowned visual artist Barron Storey's solo exhibit Quartet at Anno Domini art gallery in downtown San Jose with her chamber music collective the Juxtapositions Chamber Ensemble. The dual exhibition, created in tribute to French composer Olivier Messiaen's seminal chamber work The Quartet for the End of Time, received critical acclaim. She is an elected chapter governor of the Recording Academy and a former San Jose arts commissioner. She received a masters in business from the Berklee College of Music in 2020. She is the founding artistic director of House of Cellista in Longmont, Colorado; a microcenter for the arts which advocates and offers subsidized housing to working artists. Cellista was born in Colorado, on February 21, 1983. She plays a Luis & Clarke carbon fibre cello, and an 1885 Czech cello named Chordelia. Links to Guest cellista.net wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellista facebook.com/cellista.music instagram.com/xcellistax twitter.com/xcellistax medium.com/@xcellistax Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Mookey Van Orden about art, mental health, and the importance of sharing black and female stories. Guest Bio Mookey Van Orden is an educator, writer, actress, director, artist, and mental illness survivor. She is currently working as a coordinator for a child care program and is involved in multiple theatre and performing arts companies. Black stories, female stories, mental illness, and the inclusion of marginalized voices are paramount to Mookey's process and artistic works. She is currently working on a filmed production of a new work, Kill Move Paradise by James Ijames for the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company. Black Lives Matter. Black Theatre Matters. Black Voices Matter. Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat all things theatre with actor, director, physical theatre artist, and teaching artist Christion Ty Edwards. Kickstarter Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/running-with-wolves/running-with-wolves-music-short-film?ref=project_build Guest Bio Christion Ty Edwards fell in love with theatre artistry at a very young age, before he even knew the true meaning behind those words. An alum of the B.A. Theatre program at James Madison University, Ty finds great joy and fulfillment as an actor, director, physical theatre artist, and teaching artist. He also enjoys dabbling as a writer from time to time. Previous credits include STAGE: Forbes Center for the Performing Arts; William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Equus. Southern Appalachian Historical Association; Horn in The West. FILM: Foreign Mindset Productions; Coffee & Yellow Roses (2021), J. Cubed Productions; Sharp Dressed Men. Links to Guest IG and Twitter - @TyrroTundra FB - ChristionTyEdwards.Actor Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Ontario based Burlesque dancer and empowerment coach Olive von Topp. Kickstarter Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/running-with-wolves/running-with-wolves-music-short-film?ref=project_build Guest Bio Olive von Topp is an empowerment coach & burlesque dancer hailing from the royal city of Guelph, ON. Self-proclaimed pleasure-slut, Olive empowers women to challenge and change their thoughts, increase their self-confidence, and unleash their inner badass.   Through mindset work, movement, and mindfulness, Olive helps women explore their deepest desires, discover what they truly want and go after it, and access the pleasure they deserve.    Her goal is to take down the patriarchy, one self-loving woman at a time. Links to Guest www.olivevontopp.com @olivevontopp [Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter] Course: https://www.olivevontopp.com/self-love-online-course Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with aerialist Charlotte Rigault about starting circus arts at the age of six in France to now teaching, training, and performing in New England. Kickstarter Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/running-with-wolves/running-with-wolves-music-short-film?ref=project_build Guest Bio Charlotte started circus at the age of six in France at a small circus school called "Aux agrès du vent" with Daniel and Martine Vatan. She specializes in aerials, mostly corde lisse and tissu, but she also works on trapeze and lyra. She teaches kids and teens at The Circus Complex in Newton MA, where she also trains and performs. She has also been seen at The Muse Brooklyn (NY), Circus Maine (Portland, ME), Circus Up and other New England circus venues. She's currently finishing her circus teacher training program with the National Circus School in Montreal and has a Bachelor's degree in international business from Northeastern University. Charlotte is passionate about her art and loves to share it with her students and an audience. Links to Guest @charlotterigault Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with Meagan Culberson about writing, being single, and the creation of her business and lifestyle blog Single Girl Club. Kickstarter Campaign Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/running-with-wolves/running-with-wolves-music-short-film?ref=project_build Guest Bio Meagan A. Culberson is writer and the creator of the lifestyle website for single women, SingleGirlClub.com, where she hopes to inspire single women to build better relationships with themselves. She is a graduate of the Los Angeles Film School, an aspiring producer, and lover of classic horror films and sci-fi.  Links to Guest @single.girl.club - instagram singlegirlclub.com Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Loris Anne Jones Randolph about stepping into her own light both within the entertainment industry and life itself. Guest Bio Loris is a diverse and unique performer. She had years of classical voice training, her four octave range is only paralleled by her ability to emote conflicting feelings on film, whether a silent short or a national commercial, she is always ready.  Loris is a lover of improv, creating musical sketches for instagram and quick quips for TikTok. That same love of improv provides her with the opportunity to create improved graphically scored a capella songs for LA based and globally recognized artist Emily Mast. In her off time, she's busy shooting, producing and editing content for a variety of brands and companies, most notably her efforts on the Daytime Emmy Award winning special for PBS' "From Scratch Show."  Links to Guest @boozybushwick BIGO live : ID lorisanne https://www.lorisanne.com https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9812373/ Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with actor, producer, and career coach Jodie Bentley about her journey as a multi-hyphenate creative and navigating the business side of acting and creativity. Guest Bio Jodie Bentley is an LA based actor, producer and creative business coach. A graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Acting, she's worked for Netflix, Hulu, ABC, CBS and many more. For the past 13 years, she's also been educating actors and artists on how to achieve their goals, implement success strategies, become organizational masters, stop the self-sabotage and own their brand.  She has taught workshops on all the above at SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity, Comic Con  and over 50+ universities and training programs. Jodie's students have gone on to perform on Broadway, star in films, recur in TV, book commercials & VO, land agents & managers, and live abundant joyful and creative lives. Links to Guest Social Media: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodiebentley Twitter - https://twitter.com/jodiebentley  Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/jodiebentleycareercoach/  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodiebentley/ FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theactorsthinktank Websites: https://www.jodiebentleycareercoach.com/ https://jodiebentley.com/ Free Gifts: When you set out to be an actor, you didn't think “Cool, I just became the CEO of my own business!” Yet, you get to be a proactive savvy actor who understands business principles and how to leverage them to fast track your acting career. Learn my 7 Steps to be a Working Actor in this free eBook! https://www.jodiebentleycareercoach.com/free_ebook/ Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with fashion illustrator and artist Phoebe Ouma about her desire to share an African experience through her creative works. Guest Bio My name is Phoebe Ouma and I've loved art & fashion from a very young age. It's become an integral part of my life and I'd love to share that world with you.  I specialize in lifestyle, fashion & family illustrations. I grew up in the outskirts of Nairobi, moved to Iowa when I was four and came back to Nairobi when I was ten years old. I now reside in Nairobi Kenya full-time and absolutely love it! My work is inspired by the constant need to live vicariously through my work, relive beautiful moments seen in fashion and real life. I'd like you to have an African experience influenced by a global perspective when you see my creations. I grew up not seeing much of people who looked like me in the magazines I consumed. I'm determined to provide a different perspective for women of color. Links to Guest https://www.phoebeouma.com/ @phoebe_ouma Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Ruth Brandt about acting, comedy, life, and the creation of her first solo show. Guest Bio Ruth has been interested in the performing arts her entire life, but only became immersed in recent years. A combination of looking inward, getting older, and a major life change brought Ruth back to her creative DNA. Ruth has three young adult kids who are all artists in their own right. Her favorite genre is comedy and she has been doing standup regularly. Ruth just wrote and performed in her first solo show, Cooking My Way to Comedy. Links to Guest @ruthrunsla Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with actor, producer Brianne Davis about life as a working actor in Hollywood, directing, and her new book: Secret Life of a Hollywood Sex and Love Addict. Guest Bio Whether lighting up the big screen or calling the shots behind the scene, actor, director, producer, and writer Brianne Davis is one of the most electric talents to storm Hollywood by force. She recently wrapped two seasons as series regular in History Channel's "Six" as well as a role in the upcoming season of Netflix's "Lucifer." Originally from Atlanta, Brianne moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. Her first lead role came in 2005 with the blockbuster hit Jarhead, opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. Her credits include recurring roles on Hulu's "Casual," TNT's "Murder In The First," HBO's "True Blood," as well as FX's "Nip/Tuck," "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS' "CSI: Miami," ABC's "Desperate Housewives," and HBO's "True Blood." Not only an actor, Brianne is also an accomplished director and producer. Thriving behind the camera, as much as in front, she has produced three films with her production company "Give & Take Productions." She has directed two features: "The Night Visitor 2: Heather's Story" and "Deadly Signal," which premiered at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain.  Brianne has over a decade of recovery as a Sex and Love Addict.  She currently hosts and produces the popular mental health podcast Secret Life. Brianne is the creator of two female-driven TV Series, "Take Back The Night" and “Secret Life." She's currently pitching them to networks with her producing partner/husband, Mark Gantt.  She recently finished writing her first roman a clef fiction novel, "Secret Life of a Hollywood Sex and Love Addict," coming out February 12, 2021 for Valentine's Day weekend. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son Davis and their dog Bear. Links to Guest Amazon:  https://amzn.to/2MjsjvL Website:  https://secretlifenovel.com  Instagram: @thebriannedavis @secretlifenovel @secretlifepodcast Tiktok:  @the.briannedavis SLAA Info: https://slaafws.org/40-questions https://slaafws.org/meetings Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with drag queen Cordelia Facade. Guest Bio What do you get when you put an attempted musical theater career, love for makeup & fashion, and passion for gender/LGBTQIA+ social issues into a blender? A drag queen! Hence, the birth of Cordelia Facade. The brainchild and alter-ego of Jake, Cordelia is a "Trophy-Wife-On-A-Mission", bringing both beauty and brains to the stage. I love creating high concept numbers/mixes that incorporate intricate looks, character illusions, comedy, and pop culture references to really bring my performances to the next level. Last summer, in collaboration with Beck Rogers, I developed a color-blocked rainbow Pride photo series as a celebratory art piece during the initial “first wave” of the pandemic. We are currently in development for a second iteration of this project for this year's Pride. Links to Guest cordeliafacade.com  @cordeliafacade  Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with Los Angeles based artist and illustrator Sandra Hsu about finding her artistic passions again after two decades and the importance of sharing our stories through a variety of mediums. Guest Bio Sandra Hsu is a Los Angeles based artist and illustrator exploring figurative art, landscapes, and fashion illustration through her favorite media. Links to Guest www.sandrahsuart.com www.instagram.com/sandrahsuart www.instagram.com/shareyourasianstory http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-sandra-hsu-art-illustration-santa-monica/ https://baystbull.com/how-draw-a-dot-is-using-art-to-spread-awareness-on-anti-asian-racism/ Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with actor, producer, jewelry designer, PPD advocate, and spiritual life coach Tanya Newbould. Guest Bio Tanya Newbould is an English born, American raised PPD advocate and survivor, Public Speaker, Spiritual life coach, Producer, Actor and known Jewelry Designer. Tanya is an expert in resilience from being adopted in the U.K., growing up with an alcoholic parent, surviving PPD to go on to co-produce and award winning documentary “When The Bough Breaks - a documentary about Postpartum Depression.” Whether working as a Keynote Speaker, coaching, or designing unique jewelry for her clients, Tanya's goal is to empower others to THRIVE, not just survive. Links to Guest @tanyanewbould @delpozzojewelry www.tanyanewbould.com www.psi.net - Postpartum Support International Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with actor and musician Tom Bottelsen about his journey as a working actor in Los Angeles. Guest Bio Tom has been a working actor in LA for 20 years with credits in film and television. In Los Angeles Theater he's understudied John Ritter, worked with Larry Hagman and Ted Neely, directed by Linda Gray and written two full length plays which saw their premieres on Hollywood Blvd. In Commercial he's worked for Hometown Buffet, Starbucks, and BMW to name a few. As a songwriter and musician he's performed at the Hard Rock Cafe on Hollywood Blvd, the House of Blues and written the title track “Riding with Jimmy and Me” for the Award Winning documentary “DEANERS” which follows the fans of James Dean. Tom loves board games, Star Trek, painting miniatures, playing music and telling old stories with old and new friends. Links to Guest @tombottelsen - instagram Tom Bottelsen - youtube Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with Haven Denson about Black Lives Matter, activism, and using creativity both as a tool to fight injustice and a tool for self care. Guest Bio Haven Denson is a third-year Social Entrepreneurship major and Theatre minor at North Central College. She has been a performer from a young age has been involved in 20+ theatre productions. As a changemaker and activist on her college campus and in her communities, she has organized and spoken at multiple protests, and continues to educate others on how to begin and continue anti-racism work. Links to Guest insta - @havensydneyy LinkedIn: Haven Denson https://www.linkedin.com/in/haven-denson-6767b1171/ Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with screenwriter Peter Gamble about the writing process, the spirituality of creativity, and the evolution of storytelling. Guest Bio Peter Gamble sold Halloween themed thriller 10/31 to Orion Pictures which was featured on the Blacklist, Hitlist, & Bloodlist as one of the best unproduced horror films of 2019. The same year he sold I Play Rocky, a Sylvester Stallone bio pic, to Baja Productions. Peter started his career ghostwriting the Oscar nominated film House of Sand and Fog. He worked as a one-man writer's room for Ed Solomon for 12 years on films such as Now You See Me 1 & 2, Mosaic, and Wild Hogs. His film Office Uprising (starring Zachary Levi, Brenton Thwaites, & Jane Levy) was released on Crackle in 2018. The Harrowing (with Matt Yang King) has won multiple screenwriting awards and is under option by director Angela Robinson. Links to XENJA @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with audio & recording engineer and musician Nate Bridges about his journey pursuing music production, working at Capital Records, his own music pursuits, and opening his own Nashville studio, High Noon Audio. Guest Bio Nate Bridges is a recording engineer and musician from San Luis Obispo, California. Nate spent time honing his craft in Boston, Spain, Hollywood, and Nashville, working under some of the top engineers and producers in the world. He recently opened up a brand new studio called High Noon Audio in Nashville. Links to Guest Highnoonaudio.com Instagram.com/highnoonaudio Facebook.com/highnoonaudio BlackMarketDub.Bandcamp.com Patreon.com/BlackMarketDub Youtube.com/c/BlackMarketDub Instagram.com/BlackMarket_Dub Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by Nate Bridges

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with singer/songwriter Sam Small about the songwriting process, touring, and his new EP Hazel. Guest Bio Sam Small is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and poet.  Sam's music is intimate, intricate, and lush in lyrical imagery with seemingly as much influence from music as poetry and literature.  Sam, while a prolific writer, didn't release his musical debut, Hazel, until 2018.  Hazel is a collection of modern folk songs recorded live in one night.  Mitch Mosk of Atwood Magazine writes, "Acoustic music has an inherent tendency to feel raw and naked, but Sam Small's debut EP feels all the more exposed: Humble and honest, Hazel is an intimate and timeless look at modern life through the eyes of a singer/songwriter and his faithful guitar…  Don't miss this embittered, starry-eyed artistry. Sam Small may be a new name, but his tale is classic; as old as time.”  Sam is also a touring and session musician and a member of Man Man. Links to Guest @samsmallsamsmall https://samsmall.bandcamp.com/community https://northoftheinternet.com/sam-small/ Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with Heather Keller about the creation of her solo show ChemoBarbie, which documents her experience with breast cancer. Links to Guest @chemobarbieshow Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with stunt performer Anthony Hoang about his journey going from being a shy, introverted kid to a clown with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, a street performer, and now stunt performer for TV and film. Guest Bio Anthony Hoang is a stunt performer and actor. He credits his training in martial-arts as the key that's opened doors for him. Anthony toured with the world famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as a clown. After running away from the circus and joining a town, he realized his skills from the Greatest Show on Earth translated well into stunts for TV and film. Links to Guest @actionanthony - instagram Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Shannon Noel and Stacie Burrows about the creation of their musical comedy duo Mommy Tonk where they've taken the first decade of motherhood and turned it into a hilarious musical comedy act! Guest Bio Stacie Burrows and Shannon Noel of the LA-based musical comedy duo Mommy Tonk electrify the stage as they sing outrageously funny songs about, of all things, the monotony of domesticity. These two saucy moms have taken the first decade of motherhood and turned it into anthems about lost youth (We Used To Be You), battle-cries for big-box stores (Gotta Go To Target), ballads about marital strife (Last Fight), odes to organic produce (Farm Box) and love songs for husbands (Here's Me Communicating My Needs). Their comedy and music are both evergreen and ever-changing. Each stage of motherhood is inspiration for the next song, sketch or live show. Their harmonies are as tight as The Everly Brothers, but the lyrics are more akin to Tenacious D. It takes a village to raise a kid, they say, but this is no ordinary village. This village is racy, outspoken, and unabashedly authentic. MOMMY TONK wasn't born yesterday. They've been at it for over a decade. And by “it” we mean they've been sitting in bars writing lyrics on cocktail napkins while the Xbox babysat their children and their husbands. Stacie & Shannon met while getting drunk backstage at an Expressing Motherhood show. Burrows, from Texas and Noel, from Kentucky have Southern sensibilities in that they will look you right in the eye and give you a firm handshake as they politely tell you to, “Go fuck yourself, ma'am” as they do in their song Bless Her Heart. And they will do it with such a sweet harmony that it will make you forgive them instantly. It's been said that Mommy Tonk is not suitable for work, children, or anyone with standards. But Mommy Tonk is suitable for any audience hungry for ballsy originality. Often backed by their Americana Roots trio, The Assless Chaps, Mommy Tonk has toured the U.S., packing clubs such as: Zanies Nashville, Throckmorton Theatre Mill Valley, House of Blues Hollywood, Flapper's Burbank, Stagecoach Country Music Festival, The Boston Comedy Festival, Three Clubs Hollywood, The Comedy Store Hollywood, Mohawk Austin, The Laughing Derby Louisville, and Wow Summit 2018. And when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down live entertainment, the ladies kept on cranking out new quarantine-inspired music like Never Been This Close (to leaving you), MyLuftPalloon, My Mumu, and My Wifi Hates Me. They continue to stay connected with their audience through Zoom shows and social media. Their debut album NAILED IT is available on Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music. People who have seen their live shows have compared them to Tenacious D, Flight of the Conchords, and Garfunkel and Oates. Links to Guest @mommytonk https://mommytonk.com New Special Out 5/8 - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/wearemommytonk Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with award winning solo performer, voice over artist, and writer Pam Levin about the creation of her solo shows Tales of Modern Motherhood Parts 1 and 2! Guest Bio PAM LEVIN  actor /writer/voiceover Award Winning, solo performer Pam Levin has been performing one-woman shows for the past 22 years.   Pam is thrilled to have been chosen by the Whitefire Annual Solofest as part of “BEST OF THE FEST 2020”.  This is the largest one-person-show festival on the West Coast.  Most recently, Pam was asked to both OPEN & CLOSE this year's festival.  She opened on January 8th, 2021 with her smash hit comedy, "Tales of Modern Motherhood part 1,This Sh*t Just Got Real” and will close with a brand new show with the working title, "When I Turn 40....a prediction or self-fulfilling prophecy." In 2019, Pam did something that had never been done before at solofest.  She performed 3 completely DIFFERERT one-woman shows over the course of the 2 ½ month festival. She toured all over the world, off and on, for six years with the show, The Quiet Room, in which she won an ADA Award in Los Angeles for “Best Solo Production”. She also had the pleasure of performing the hilarious, raunchy comedy, In My Own X-Rated Words, written by Fredrica Duke, to SOLD-OUT runs in LA, as well as the Big Apple.  Pam's 3rd piece, which was actually first in line at last year's festival, was her own solo piece, which she crafted in Terrie Silverman's Solo Master Class in LA.  called, Tales of Modern Motherhood…This Sh*t Just Got Real”.  It made its East Coast Premiere fall of 2017, OFF-BROADWAY at the United Solo Festival in New York City where she had two sold-out shows and was invited back for an encore performance. It had sold-out runs at both The Santa Monica Playhouse and The Whitefire Theater, where she was asked to HEADLINE  Solofest in 2018.   In 2019, Pam performed the World Premiere of “Tales of Modern Motherhood, part 2 (Gender & Identity) OFF-BROADWAY at the United Solo Festival and was supposed to perform at the United Solo Festival in LONDON last September in the West End…but due to the pandemic live theatre was prohibited.      Pam is a recurring performer with the storytelling series EXPRESSING MOTHERHOOD. She is currently in post-production on the new web series, “The Misadventures of …” and you can watch her in the feature film, “Princess of the Row” which is currently on Amazon Prime. Pam has narrated over a dozen children's audio books on the website, thebrilliantkid.com and babysbrilliant.com. and is a proud mother of 2 amazing kids, Bella & Darby and the bride of her Romeo, Brett.  For information about her plays and more updates, please visit her website at: talesofmodernmotherhood.com.  Links to Guest Website: talesofmodernmotherhood.com  Instagram: talesofmodernmotherhood Facebook: talesofmodernmotherhood or Pam Levin https://www.tickettailor.com/events/pamlevin/505021 Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with belly dancer, fusion dancer, model, and mom Mary Snow about the art of belly dancing, balancing creativity with a full time job and having a family, and the importance of Asian representation and female empowerment! Guest Bio Mary Snow is a frequent solo and troupe performer known for her engaging personality and versatility. She is a proud member of the award-winning Invoketress Dance belly dance and fusion troupe based in Guelph, Ontario where she is the Managing Director, senior dancer, and choreographer. She is also a member of Haus of Quartz Entertainment based in Guelph, which offers sold out lively drag and variety shows. And, she is the resident belly dancer at Retour Bistro Guelph Lebanese restaurant in Guelph. Mary loves connecting with an audience and has extensive experience performing at shows, weddings, parties, corporate events, community and cultural festivals, charity events and fundraisers. She has danced at many small and large-scale belly dance events in Canada and in the US. In 2017, she was part of the Invoketress ensemble that won 1st place in the Hamilton International Belly Dance Competition. She has also performed live with a number of world-renowned musicians such as twice Juno-nominated Eccodek, the Lemon Bucket Orkestra, and Adrian Raso to name a few. She's also an invited belly dance instructor at fitness centres, private functions, and festivals. These days she can be seen dancing in online shows and collaborating with other artists on video projects. Links to Guest Website: www.marysnow.ca IG: @mary.snow.official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.snow.official/ Youtube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKgNVnWJ6lQcWk_bIX103M36APJCNVM8M Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with co-founder of Kawami Jewelry, Maria Clara Ospina about starting a small business to create global impact and enhance the beauty of people around the world. Guest Bio Kawami Jewelry is a jewelry company located in Chicago, Illinois, focused on sharing the exquisite handwoven, beaded, and artisanal jewelry produced in Medellin, Colombia. Each piece of jewelry is hand-crafted by artists in Colombia, which gives it the personal touch of Colombian art and culture. Links to Guest https://kawamijewelry.com @kawamijewelry Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with creativity coach, actress, writer, and teaching artist Jennifer Seifert about healing through creativity with the Artists Way and the creation of CRxEATIVITY. Guest Bio Jennifer Seifert is the producer behind the CRxEATIVITY Festivals and the facilitator for the Artist's Way workshops.  The Festivals have focused on Healing through Creativity and Women and Empowerment.  Between the #metoo movement and her own traumatic health event in 2017, Jennifer looked to Creativity as medicine for body, mind and soul.   CRxEATIVITY's incredible support system of artists embraced this concept, and along with the nonprofit organizations, Moms Demand Action, RAICES and the Cancer Support Community of Pasadena, Jennifer has emerged as a game changer in Altadena.   Jennifer Seifert is a Jack Nicholson Scholarship Award winner and alumnus of the University of Southern California, is a certified life coach, actress, writer and teaching artist.  As an actress, Jennifer is an Ovation Award winner, and has worked with such theaters as A Noise Within, Pasadena Playhouse, Shakespeare Festival LA, The Actors Gang and The Falcon Theatre (now Garry Marshall Theatre) with Troubadour Theatre Co.  Jennifer produced her own short film, To Desdemona, Love Juliet and can be seen in the Academy Award nominated film, In America, and opposite Academy Award winner, Anjelica Huston in Huff.  She is thrilled to be teaching theatre arts again in South Central Los Angeles with CRE, and facilitating CRxEATIVITY groups.  Ever since the shooting at Columbine, Jennifer has been passionate about eliminating gun violence in this nation, and has recently followed through with a variety of other humanitarian missions, including her film Inside a Feather. Her CRxEATIVITY Festival raised money for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and her CRxEATIVITY groups of 2017 donated funds to Habitat for Humanity in the aftermath of the hurricanes in Houston and Puerto Rico.  Jennifer also continues to tour the country with Playfair,  and has found a new voice with Expressing Motherhood , and  Listen to Your Mother. CRxEATIVITY's Artist's Way groups are now a hybrid of Jennifer Seifert's own social/emotional curriculum and creativity coaching, hands on creations and writing, and a navigation through Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way.  As CRxEATIVITY has shifted to an online platform, (although, will eventually go back to “in person” meetings as well), participants have discovered that the process can be more flexible as the artists can participate from the comfort of their homes.  Discussions of Brene Brown's work, and Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magichave become an important part of the connection that occurs within the 12 week program, and the leaps, and breakthroughs that artists have made throughout the years, (both in person and online), have been nothing short of incredible.  Past participants and CRxEATIVITY Festival performers  have gone on to be nominated for Emmy Awards, write and direct films, produce and star in web-series(that have then been sold),nominated for Tony Awards, win OFTA Awards, design costumes for film and music stars, speak for TED Talks, book series regular roles on TV shows, create websites, sculpt and design for Disney, start blogs, write and collaborate on books, book film, TV and professional theatre jobs, write and produce one person shows, win awards for short films, write for Expressing Motherhood, write and produce for Disney, create and sell paintings, perform in World Tours, produce CRxEATIVITY Festivals, earn college degrees, have babies, find some semblance of balance and joy in this creative, beautiful life.  For more information about Jennifer and CRxEATIVITY visit www.jenniferseifert.com  Links to Guest www.jenniferseifert.com @crxeativity Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with multi-hyphenate artist Emma Estrada about her many artistic outlets, pursuing comedy professionally, artistic recovery, and arting sober. Guest Bio Emma Estrada is a mostly vegan 24 year-old writer, actor, artist and comedian from Los Angeles. She hosts the I Love You Haha podcast every Tuesday and creates comedy videos every Friday on her YouTube channel. Just search for her name. Find her on IG at @theemmaestrada.  Links to Guest Emma Estrada - Facebook @theemmaestrada - Twitter @theemmaestrada - personal & comedy Instagram @emmaestradaart - art & cartoons Instagram @iloveyouhahapodcast - instagram Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC61y0qbwyPL00cYLVoe7ytA Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.patreon.com/xenja www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Irene Rubinsky about her love of and passion for dance, and how dance has been her rock throughout everything in her life from moving to the USA from Argentina in her early twenties to navigating a major LA earthquake the day after starting her own gym to stepping into her own performance light. Guest Bio Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Irene began dancing at the early age of three. Irene studied Modern, Ballet and Jazz in Argentina and dancing became her passion throughout her teens. She appeared on television and the stage before eventually teaching dance. In 1991 she relocated to Los Angeles. In 1994, along with co-owner and celebrity dance/aerobics instructor, MaDonna Grimes, Irene opened her first dance studio in West Hollywood, California. Within only one year her dance studio became “the studio of choice” providing celebrities and locals with the hottest and best instructors and the most innovative classes. In 1997 Irene started a very successful career at Gold's Gym as the Group Exercise Director overseeing 7 different locations and over 200 instructors all over Southern California. In 2012 Irene decided to change gear yet again and became the manager of Talent Lab a kids dance studio in Westalake Village. And In 2017 at Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood.  Irene decided in 2018 to pursue a professional dance career and was signed by Go To Talent Agency. She recently appeared on the award winning show “Transparent” on Amazon Prime. Meanwhile Irene's passion for dance has never stopped. In 1994 she created her Latino Groove class which has been evolving ever since. Irene has instructed students worldwide including Japan, Korea, South America and throughout the United States.  She has been featured in numerous television shows and Magazines.You can find her teaching her Latin Jazz Fusion class at Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood and at Equinox around Los Angeles.  Owner, creator and manager of MaDonna Grimes Fitness Theatre Co- West
Hollywood 1993-1997
Group Exercise Director Gold's Gym Hollywood, Downtown LA, Thousand
Oaks,Simi Valley, Fullerton, West Covina 1997- 2012
IDEA conference Presenter 1998-1999
IHRSA Conferemce Presenter-2006
Gold''s Gym Conference Presenter 2010
Gold's Gym award winning Program Director 1999 & 2001
Gold's Gym nominee for Best Program Director 02,03, 04, 05, 06, 07,
08, 09, 10, 11
Featured in SHAPE magazine, Los Angeles Times, Inside Edition, Extra, Good Day LA
Certifications : AFAA, Pilates, Gravity, Zumba,  CPR/ AED , Life Coach, and creator of Latino Groove , Latin Grind, FIRE, Latin Jazz Fusion. Teaching history: MaDonna Grimes Fitness Theatre West Hollywood CA 1994-1997 Gold's Gym 1997-2011 Hollywood, Downtown LA, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Culver City.  Breakthru Fitness Pasadena CA 2011-2012 Talent Lab Westlake Village CA 2012-2015 Equinox Woodland Hills 2012-2013 Equinox West Hollywood -2012 Equinox Encino 2014 BayClub Santa Mónica CA 9012- Present BayClub Canoga Park CA 2012- 2019 Edge Performing Arts Center 2012-Present LaDance Fit 2012 BayClub Thousand Oaks CA 2015- 2017 Athletic Society Westlake Village 2017-Present Equinox Sports Club LA 2020 Certifications and Accreditations: Life Coach, AFAA, Pilates, Gravity, Zumba, CPR/ AED certified. Go2Talent Agency, Creator of Latino Groove, Latin Grind, FIRE, and Irene's Dance Fusion. Featured in SHAPE Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Inside Edition,  Extra and Good Day LA. International Award Winning Coach for U.S.A. (Gold and Silver) and Danish (Gold) Aerobic Competition Teams and Pairs. 
Choreographer for Miss Fitness U.S.A. and Miss Fitness America. 
Transparent. Links to Guest Irene Rubinsky - facebook @chachaqueen - instagram irenesdancefusion - youtube Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.patreon.com/xenja www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

There are the stories we tell to the world. And there are the stories that led us there, that remain in our hearts, quietly guarded. Behind the most imaginative and evocative stories are the creative humans, leading lives of inspiration, empowerment, and authenticity, often the foundation for bringing such creative storytelling to life. Chasing Artists with XENJA brings to you the stories of these creative beings, whose work invokes palpable connective emotions to uniting fans around the world to cult followings. Join your host XENJA, writer, independent music artist, and creative soul, weekly as she dives behind the scenes of the incredible real-world creatives of today, tomorrow, and yesterday. What journeys led them to where they are now? How have their experiences influenced their creative works? What messages delve beyond the stories they've brought to life? YOU are invited to connect with XENJA and her guests through their courageous and vulnerable storytelling, to encourage the inner light already inside of you to be your guide, and to discover the journey that is right there waiting for you to bring it to life. Voice Over by Pam Levin Music by XENJA