Vulnerability in life and art

John Avilla is the founder of Sound Union, a creative studio and cultural hub designed for people who see music in terms of well-being, inspiration, and connection. With a background in brand strategy and creative direction, John built Sound Union as a new kind of social club for creatives, entrepreneurs, and thinkers who prioritize music as a vital part of their daily lives and identities. John shared a deep understanding and appreciation for the nature and benefits of music - so persuasive I bought a bass guitar and signed up for lessons the day after we spoke. I'm really hoping I can visit Sound Union one day, in Redwood City California, and they might even let me play. Learn more at soundunion.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/soundunion/ or follow @joinsoundunion on instagram.

This episode is about listening to our inner bass players and some of the different things that might mean.

Lance Johnson has a decade of experience working as a freelance video editor. Based in New York City, he delivers work to clients like Tom Ford, MTV, and Showtime. He is also the founder and host of the podcast See-Through. Lance has an incurable eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which typically causes legal blindness by age 40. Today, at 34 years old, Lance has already spent five years having transparent conversations with people living with blindness and other disabilities, as a way of exploring his own inevitable future. His whole outlook can probably be summed up in this way: "There's something kind of exciting about the possibility that I'll have to just completely pivot and do something else." You can find out more about Lance's work in video editing through his website lancekestreljohnson.com and on instagram @lancekestrel Also be sure to check out his podcast See-Through, for insight and inspiration, at seethroughpod.com

Jenn Seniuk works as an art therapist in Calgary, Alberta. We talked not just about art therapy - working with a professionally trained therapist to use art as another language for accessing and processing our feelings and sensations - but also 'art as therapy,' which is about engaging in the process of making art for creative self-expression, in the in-between spaces, and calming the nervous system. Everyone is innately creative and everyone can make art, if only we can let go of the judgments we might hold about what we create. Creativity is encoded directly in our DNA, just like our need and desire to be in community and have meaningful conversations. I really enjoyed hearing Jenn talk about the My friend Dave project and how she meets with marginalized and vulnerable men every Monday in the park. And not just meeting with them, but meeting them where they're at, where they're being brave and sharing the scary things. Find out more about Jenn and her practice on instagram @BellyEyeArtTherapy, @MyFriendDaveYYC & @ArtTherapy.is, on TikTok @BellyEyeArtTherapy & @MyFriendDaveYYC, and on her websites BellyEyeArtTherapy.com & MyFriendDave.ca. And also please check out her podcast Art Therapy Is on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.  

Clementine Morrigan is a writer and literary punk who has published six books and made 1000s of zines by hand over the last 25 years. Clementine explores complex and challenging human experiences - including incest and other forms of trauma, polyamory, and queer sexuality - with passion and integrity, as a responsibility and a calling. We talked about the constructed nature of confessional writing, cancel culture, and a sense of vulnerability that requires us to be aware and responsible about engaging in the right kinds of vulnerability given the context and our ability to deal with the experience if we are hurt. You can learn more about Clementine and her work at clementinemorrigan.com. Check out her zines at shop.clementinemorrigan.com/category/zines. And follow her on instagram @clementinemorrigan

This is a brief story about something that really caught my attention. I'm not sure if it caught for the right reasons, or that I understand what those reasons are. But it's a story about what happened when I bumped into something that made me question the whole process of reading and writing stories (and sharing stories on this podcast).

Urban artist Fluke got his start with graffiti sketchbook sessions, sitting around a picnic table in the park, a community of kids drawing essais together. He has moved on to creating and leading the production of art murals in Canada, the US, France, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. Fluke talks about the challenge of toning down his work and communicating core ideas more simply, what it means to him to be self-taught, measuring up to family expectations, hustling, and creating art for public spaces. What are the 'right' reasons for creating art? And if someone were to publish a small book of your twenty best pieces - pieces of any kind, in any context - what would they be? Learn more about Fluke on instagram @fluke.art and on his website flukeart.ca, where you can sign up for his newsletter to get updates on his work.

Jaime Hjelm is a custom automotive expert and shop boss in the Netflix reality series TexMex Motors. She is also co-owner, with her sister, of Wicked Wrench, a car shop just outside Chicago. Jaime is a highly accomplished professional in a heavily male-dominated industry who knows car restoration is an art and she approaches it that way. Check out season 2 of TexMex Motors to watch how she designs a '52 Chevy after her purse. As shop boss, Jaime directs but also cares deeply for core cast members, including larger than life Rabbit, the man with a voice like honey on gravel. You can find out more about Jaime on her website jaimehjelm.com and on instagram @jaime_hjelm

Molly Roškar works with a constellation of objects, materials, and processes, from restoring heirloom cabinets to making natural dyes to whittling spoons, knives, and creatures, all within a core theme of tradition, sustainability, and great curiosity and care. Because I can get obsessed with details, we got into bit of a conversation about shellac, which I now know is bug-processed resin. It has been used for thousands of years as a natural primer, stain, and varnish and it offers a deep lens into the structure of the wood. We also talked about art and craft; as Molly explains, 'it would diminish art if you ruled out craft, and it would diminish craft if you ruled out conceptual processes.' She talks about her own work with tangible objects as a response to theoretical questions she wants to explore, intention as key to her creative process, and the beauty that comes from that which is simple and practical, but not obvious. You can learn more about Molly and her work on her website atelierindigoandoak.com and on instagram @atelierindigoandoak

Gabrielle Rae Travis, literary artist and editor-in-chief of the zine whet, talks about the power of community, camaraderie, and connection and the role played by vulnerability and uncomfortable conversations. I relate in many ways to what Gabrielle talks about, including the appreciation and joy of helping to foster the work - learning from wonderful artists who share their insights with us. As she says, 'art is about stirring something in us.' And when the connections empower us to acquire the skills and gain the confidence to contribute and put our own voice out there, all the better. Give youself permission to start your project. You can learn more about whet and subscribe by visiting https://www.whetzine.online/ You can also check out @gabrielllerae and @whetzine on instagram to learn more.

I had the opportunity to speak with Emma Krebs via an introduction through a friend (thanks Joy!). Emma is a freelance expert in producing content in the creator economy, including podcasts and youtube videos, and she is curious and open to learning not just from what comes her way but what she goes after. Originally inspired by the concept of minimalism, she has been traveling the world gaining insight into human nature, connection, and relationships ever since. And when she talks about the 'why' in relation to podcasting, for example, think about what that might mean for you. If there's a project you want to start or are already working on, what's your 'why?' And is it even important for you to define your 'why?' There are several ways to learn more about Emma and what she's up to. You can check out her website emmakrebs.com, her instagram @byemmakrebs, and her youtube channel also @byemmakrebs. And I highly recommend her podcast 'The Curious One' for over 80 captivating conversations.

In spite of the fact that I took notes in preparation for this episode, there's more rambling than usual. All I can say in advance is that these are my reflections on having done 99 episodes to date, and planning for many more to come.  

Singer/songwriter (and spin instructor) Morgan Weinmeister and I talked about the kinds of music she likes to write and perform, her focus on lyrics, the nature of vulnerability, and the power of specificity to convey the deeper feelings, as people 'may not connect with the lyric, but they connect with what they know that lyric feels like.' And most importantly, that we should never feel like we need to be boxed into one thing. You can follow Morgan on instagram @morganweinmeister. Also be sure to listen to her music on Spotify, starting with the album Bruises & Bellyaches. And if you find yourself in Montreal, sign up for one of Morgan's spin classes so you can connect the dots between instructor and singer/songwriter.

From sharing her experiences of academic mobbing to the ways in which she tries to create vulnerable (rather than safe) spaces for learning, professor of instructional design and technology Caroline Crawford is direct, engaged, and fully committed to the ongoing development and success of her student learners. To learn more about Caroline and her academic work, you can check out her faculty page on the University of Houston at Clear Lake website at uhcl.edu/education/faculty/crawford-caroline

I had the pleasure of speaking with Craig Harrison - former British Army soldier, author, and Maverick Survival School course leader - not being quite sure how his story fit with the other conversations I've had over the past 3 and a half years. And he was a perfect fit. How he spoke about his life with PTSD, the importance of communicating and connecting with others, and the restorative power of time in nature was brave, gentle, open, and generous. You can check out themavericksurvivalschool.co.uk/ and instagram @cohcraigharrison to learn more about what Craig is up to today, and read his military memoir The Longest Kill: The Story of Maverick 41 for insight into what brought him to where he is now. PS: For those of you who caught this, you're right - I mistakenly referred to a book as The Artist Within when it really should have been The Artist's Way.

Jason 'Blackbird' Selman is a spoken word artist, poet, and trumpet player. In this conversation, Jason shares his insights into the freedom of poetry, Carribean community and cultures, and what it means to be a good man out in the world. Who am I, where do I come from, what does that mean, can I afford to be vulnerable... We can return to these questions, over and over, throughout our lives and experience how our responses evolve in time. If you're interested in learning more about Jason and his work, you can check out his instagram @jason.b.selman. You can also look for his writings, which include “The Freedom I Stole” (2007, Cumulus Press) and “Africa as a Dream That Travels Through My Heart” (2016, Howl). And be sure to check out the documentary, Ninth Floor, on nfb.ca to learn more about the events that occured after a group of Caribbean students studying at Concordia University (which was then called Sir George Williams) accused their professor of racism.

Two aspects of this conversation with dramaturg Aki Matsushita stood out to me most. One was learning what the expansive field of dramaturgy is all about. As Aki says, it's an art practice that doesn't necessarily show itself to people outside the development process. The practitioners themselves don't even agree on how to pronounce it. My biggest takeaway was that the dramaturg can help answer the question, 'why this story now?' The other is a tangent I went on somewhere in the middle about cross-cultural communication. I was planning to remove it, but Aki's response was both generous and illuminating, so I kept it in. It's something I don't know much about (obviously), so I thought it might be useful for others to hear about as well. Learn more about Aki and her work through the Playwrights' Workshop Montréal website at playwrights.ca/who-we-are as well as her Instagram @kikimg07

This is an episode about what it means to know your thread, if it's important to know what your thread is, and the relationships between who you are and what you do.

This is my conversation with David Gordon - artist, landscape designer, and owner of Bird Dog Arts Gallery in California's San Joaquin Valley. I probably should have edited out even more of our conversation about growing up in the 80s but David is sharp and insightful; I couldn't help it. Listen for David's insights into vulnerability, both for artists and also for people who buy art, people who then express a lot about themselves through pieces they have chosen to put on display. Learn more about David and his work on instagram @davidgordondrsigns and online at birddogarts.com. Keep an eye out for Turkey, the Bird Dog Arts Gallery cat - he has his own instagram #isawturkey

'Failure is a lesson...I won't take one failure as a complete failure.' That adaptability and openness to learning stood out to me during my conversation with Anna Wojcik, a fitness entrepreneur in continual development, always finding new ways to challenge herself and her clients (including me). She warns against remaining comfortable with what we know, encouraging us instead to break out of the bubble to take risks, fail and succeed, and keep looking for opportunities to learn new things, for both body and mind. In Anna's words, step outside your daily. Be coachable. Start small. Take risks and grow. Check out what Anna is up to through instagram @coach_anna_inc And if you're looking for a personal trainer and coach, she offers great sessions live and via zoom.

Claire Hankey first began making collages as a young child. Today, inspired by her father's brushes and paints, she creates fragile, dreamy pieces, in veils of mixed media. Her work reflects early childhood memories - her family home and garden, her glamorous grandmother Evelyne. Reflections on the past also inspired her podcast series Where the Art Began. A poignant moment for me is when Claire speaks about the importance of how we talk to people - children, young people, adults - about their art. Consider how you may have been affected in the past by what people have said about your work. And how might have you affected others? You can learn more about Claire and her work at clairehankeyartist.com and on instagram @clairehankeyartist.  If by any chance you're in Leigh-on-Sea at the right time of year, be sure to enjoy the local art trail (or find one near you). And have a listen to her podcast!

This is an episode about feedback, reacting, and learning from what we hear from others.

As you listen to my conversation with gardener Andi Strachan, see if you can look under the covers at what a garden - as art, creation, growth, and development - might mean to you. Where do you see yourself and your work within this ongoing process of dynamic and ongoing setbacks and bursts; natural individual beauties that develop over hours, days, and years; design through light, colour; sharing knowledge; social pressures and wildness versus cultivation; and 'the relentless emergence of life?' This really was a walk through life and art as garden. You can learn more about Andi and her work on instagram @andi.strachan and by watching the amazing work she creates with friend and gardener Helen Lockwood on the Netflix series The Big Flower Fight.

This episode, my conversation with collage artist Duane Toops, got me thinking. I got caught up in multiple dichotomoies - art versus craft, intuition versus analysis, conduit versus creator. And then, as Duane says, there's the quiet space between things, the unseen. Dichotomies set up false choices. What are you noticing? What's coming up for you, ‘when this piece touches this piece?' You can learn more about Duane and his work here substack.com/@duanetoops and on instagram @duanetoops.

I enjoyed a quickening conversation with poet Rachel McCrum about interpreting the crafts of writing and painting, poetry as a space of ambiguity and uncertainty, and burnout. She shares this beautiful line from Inua Ellams - 'poetry is the cheapest way to be free.' And the podcast she references is The Blindboy Podcast by Limerick-born musician and author David Chambers, also known as Blindboy Boatclub. To learn more about Rachel and her work, you can explore rachelmccrumpoetperformer.wordpress.com online and @kicking.paris on instagram. For sight into another aspect of Rachel's artistic practice, check out her vocals as a member of poetry noise bogrock band Pigs&Wolves at https://youtu.be/r9YRmDUvrzA (their EP 'The Unfortunate Waggle' is due out late October 2024).

Nola McConnan is unapologetically herself in the best ways, determined, self-reliant, and charmingly fierce. She has supported herself as an artist throughout her career, with mentorship and support, despite failing grade 13 French, and she turned a rec room into a room of her own. Please take note - when she talks about Sheilah, that is one of her older sisters. And due to timing, I wasn't able to include the amazing account of her family's connection with Emily Carr. Please be sure to check out her website https://merriweatherdesignstudio.com/

This is an admittedly odd little episode about tribes, belonging, support, feedback, inspiration, and propaganda.

It was fun (and somewhat nerve-wracking) to speak with my drawing teacher Corina Kennedy about making art, being a magpie, taking risks, and the story behind a lovely piece of hers called Work Force/Wind Force. She reminds us of the importance of remembering what it's like to be a beginner and taking the chance to learn something new, allowing our work and ourselves to be seen.

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with Stefan Lorenzutti, poet and co-publisher who runs Bored Wolves with his wife Joanna. He shares stories about becoming a poet, inspired by Frederick the Mouse, sharing his work with friends after hours spent at the copy shop, moving to Poland and feeling isolated and alone until creating the growing community of poets, artists, and artist-poets whose work is now published by Bored Wolves. You can learn more about Stefan and Bored Wolves by checking out boredwolves.com and on instagram @boredwolves

I talked with Matthieu Cheminée about his journey to becoming a silversmith, his travels to New Mexico and West Africa gaining inspiration and insight into metalworking techniques and designs, being an artist versus an artisan, and what it meant for him to stop making work to please other people and instead create exactly what he wanted. Be sure to check out his work at matthieucheminee.com and on instagram @mattieucheminee

There's a theme that runs throughout my conversation with C S McIntire - what it means to be seen and not seen. We talk about his work and life, coming out, balancing the soft with the rough, and deserving to create. Be sure to check out his work at csmcintire.com and on instagram @csmcintire

As one of the tenth episodes this one is just me, sharing a story about being called a copycat and what it means to me now. The title of the book about hawks is H is for Hawks by Helen Macdonald, and the intervening work by Ludwig Wittgenstein is The Blue and Brown Books. I'd love to hear what you think about copycats and originality, and what your sources of inspiration may be.

The conversation does opens with some tears, both in content and tone. Riel shares her experiences as a writer and performer, from growing up with parents in the arts, to touring with a horse and wagon travelling theatre company, to discovering and sharing her most integrated self on stage while learning to manage crippling stage fright. You can see what Riel is up to on instagram @hahahahnsy and @i_see_voices

Melza Harvey integrates multiple materials with her beloved clay to create provocative and playful pieces (I somehow figured out how to record my voice over her audio through an OG Walkman embedded in one of her sculptures). Melza shares stories about gender fluidity, expressing herself through her work, making brave choices to pursue her passions as a person, artist, and parent, and the roles of determination and fear in her ongoing development. The take home message is to go after what fulfills you. You can learn more about Melza and her work at melzaharvey.com and on ig @melzaharvey

Observing without intent, to see what's truly there rather than what we think we see The nature and purpose of collaboration, of creating collectively with others Willingness to fail, as a greater opportunity for learning than success Multidisciplinary artist Christopher Sicat goes deep into the nature of art, process and object, artist and subject, and self-expression. At heart, he is a poet and a dancer. Be sure to check out his work on instagram @christophersicat  

Susan Hensel is an experienced multidisciplinary artist working in media ranging from drawing with graphite to digital embroidery. I very much enjoyed our conversation, as we covered topics including the nature of beauty, the physics of light in triangular polyester thread, and just showing up, even if it's for only five minutes, as part of building a practice of competence and confidence. Check out Susan's work online at susanhenselgallery.com and on ig @susan_hensel_multimedia_artist

This is an odd duck of an episode. I intended it to be a review of H of H Playbook by Anne Carson. It turned into a bit of a ramble about Anselm Kiefer, Heracles, the Vulnerability Journal Project, and a walk between darkness and light. I'd love to hear what you think. You can email me at vulnerabilitylifeart@gmail.com Anne Carson is a Canadian classicist, poet, translator, and professor. She has written a wide range of books, including Eros the Bittersweet and Men in the Off Hour. Anselm Kiefer is a German painter and sculptor who has been creating monumental work throughout his career to ensure our collective history is not forgotten.

In this conversation, Mariette shares stories about what carried her and her husband Raymond from The Hague to Corrahopple in Ireland, how she opens herself to insights from the beings that surround her, the communities and larger families she connects through walks and conversations, and her reliance on intuition. Learn more about life at Corrahopple through instagram @mariette_baptist

I talked with Susan Homa, wellness multipreneur, about her journey from traditional roles as interior designer and real estate broker to creator of Welmä Studio, a nurturing space for self-care, expression, and discovery. As we move into a new year, consider what you may want to leave behind and what you want to welcome in 2024. And don't feel you have to stay in your lane. Learn more about Susan and Welmä Studio by checking out welmalifestyle.ca and instagram @welmastudio

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with Gerry Bohan, farmer and author living in County Leitrim, in the northwest of Ireland.  I was touched by his first experiences with writing as a child, having his copy book thrown to the floor by impatient teachers. Gerry talks about finding safe spaces to perform one's work, writing for self-expression, and sharing a way of life unique to his family and their connection to the land. To learn more about Gerry's writing, you can check out https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/home/1362189/leitrim-writer-bags-top-literary-award-for-short-story-on-local-gaa-club.html

My conversation with designer Anna Agapova was impactful for me, and not just for learning about how she designs spaces with such attention to the influences of nature and art to meet the needs of each client.  I was impressed by her focused energy, especially as she faces new challenges and opportunities to work in different ways.  The Greek root of Agapova is 'agape,' the highest form of love, and you can hear that in her voice as she describes what inspires and drives her. Check out her work at oa-london.com and on instagram @annagapova

Time again for self-reflection...  I've been working through the idea of what it means and why it matters to share our stories with each other.  I may have talked myself in circles.  This is something I need to put more effort into understanding. Any feedback would be very welcome: vulnerabilitylifeart@gmail.com

I'm not sure it's possible to embody vulnerability and resilience more than Valentine when we spoke, wrapped in a Red Cross blanket, hours after her home had burned down and just a few weeks before the vernissage for her work Play Bodies. Her passion for painting, curiosity, openness, and capacity for holding space are absolutely inspiring. Check out her work on instagram @vvv.alentin.aaa and at valentinemakes.art

Vincent Larnicol shares his experiences of collecting art, beyond the prosaic purchase of pieces. Vincent engages passionately in conversations about art and philosophy, the relationships he cultivates with the artists who create the works, and his role in conserving these sources of beauty in the world.

Ville is a multidisciplinary artist born in Finland and based in California.  He creates and documents installation pieces in natural settings through photographs and videos.  His work comes from a place of integrity and reverence you can hear as he speaks.  I admire not only the beauty of his pieces, but the intellectual rigour and clear spirit with which they were made. Check out his work, including the book Lumen, at villekansanen.com and on instagram @villekansanen

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with Spencer, a dancer and movement practitioner.  He is open, committed, and passionate about performance, connecting with others, and being compassionate with oneself as a professional and human being. Be sure to check out his work @spencerdennis_mvmnt on instagram

This is my follow-up conversation with Scott Norris after visiting him for a portrait session in the Mojave Desert.  The experience brought a true and powerful meaning to feeling comfortable in my skin; it also raised questions about compassion and representations of self I'm not close to answering. As Dogen said, 'The mountains are walking.'  I'll continue to walk this path with much gratitude to Scott and the other artists who have shared their art, work, and lives through our conversations and connections over the past few years. Learn more about Scott's work @sdnphoto on instagram and sdnorris.com Photograph (c) Scott Norris

Shem is a painter working in South London.  I enjoyed such a lovely conversation with him about art and life, music and collections, manifesting, taking risks, and not quitting on being happy. Learn more about Shem and his work on instagram @shem_ahl

I enjoyed my conversation with photographer and gallerist Corey Notaristefano very much, I think mostly because he was so gently and easily open about his own vulnerability and the themes he explores through his photographs. Be sure to check out his instagram profiles to learn more about his work - @the__bearded and @c.w.notaristefano - as well as his gallery and studio hueandcry.com.au/

When I asked Eugene Abrams - poet, visual artist, and teacher - how it feels when he reads one of his poems aloud, he said: "I love words, and when I'm reading it's like I'm tasting the words. And I'm just enjoying, you know?" What a precious gift, to write, share, and read words used in such beautiful and powerful ways, especially in the service of peace and the human soul. If you can, make time to read, listen to, and write some poetry - and see what it brings you.

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with Torrance York about the evolution of her photography practice as a tool she uses to make sense of her life, living and working with Parkinson's Disease, and her understanding of the nature of vulnerability and the process of artmaking. Be sure to check out her work on instagram @torrance_york and torranceyork.com, and particularly her book Semaphore (www.torranceyork.com/semaphore)