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Best podcasts about artthe

Latest podcast episodes about artthe

Artificiality
Tess Posner: AI, Creativity, and Education

Artificiality

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2025 51:15


In this conversation recorded on the 1,000th day since ChatGPT's launch, we explore education, creativity, and transformation with Tess Posner, founding CEO of AI4ALL. For nearly a decade—long before the current AI surge—Tess has led efforts to broaden access to AI education, starting from a 2016 summer camp at Stanford that demonstrated how exposure to hands-on AI projects could inspire high school students, particularly young women, to pursue careers in the field.What began as exposing students to "the magic" of AI possibilities has evolved into something more complex: helping young people navigate a moment of radical uncertainty while developing both technical capabilities and critical thinking about implications. As Tess observes, we're recording at a time when universities are simultaneously banning ChatGPT and embracing it, when the job market for graduates is sobering, and when the entire structure of work is being "reinvented from the ground up."Key themes we explore:Living the Questions: How Tess's team adopted Rilke's concept of "living the questions" as their guiding principle for navigating unprecedented change—recognizing that answers won't come easily and that cultivating wisdom matters more than chasing certaintyThe Diverse Pain Point: Why students from varied backgrounds gravitate toward different AI applications—from predicting droughts for farm worker families to detecting Alzheimer's based on personal experience—and how this diversity of lived experience shapes what problems get attentionProject-Based Learning as Anchor: How hands-on making and building creates the kind of applied learning that both reveals AI's possibilities and exposes its limitations, while fostering the critical thinking skills that pure consumption of AI outputs cannot developThe Educational Reckoning: Why this moment is forcing fundamental questions about the purpose of schooling—moving beyond detection tools and honor codes toward reimagining how learning happens when instant answers are always availableThe Worst Job Market in Decades: Sobering realities facing graduates alongside surprising opportunities—some companies doubling down on "AI native" early career talent while others fundamentally restructure work around managing AI agents rather than doing tasks directlyMusic and the Soul Question: Tess's personal wrestling with AI-generated music that can mimic human emotional expression so convincingly it gets stuck in your head—forcing questions about whether something deeper than output quality matters in artThe conversation reveals someone committed to equity and access while refusing easy optimism about technology's trajectory. Tess acknowledges that "nobody really knows" what the future of work looks like or how education should adapt, yet maintains that the response cannot be paralysis. Instead, AI4ALL's approach emphasizes building community, developing genuine technical skills, and threading ethical considerations through every project—equipping students not with certainty but with agency.About Tess Posner: Tess Posner is founding and interim CEO of AI4ALL, a nonprofit working to increase diversity and inclusion in AI education, research, development, and policy. Since 2017, she has led the organization's expansion from a single summer program at Stanford to a nationwide initiative serving students from over 150 universities. A graduate of St. John's College with its Great Books curriculum, Tess is also an accomplished musician who brings both technical expertise and humanistic perspective to questions about AI's role in creativity and human flourishing.Our Theme Music:Solid State (Reprise)Written & performed by Jonathan CoultonLicense: Perpetual, worldwide licence for podcast theme usage granted to Artificiality Institute by songwriter and publisher

512 Degrees
Still in Motion: Tim Nordwind on Reinvention and Rhythm

512 Degrees

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2025 26:38


In this episode, Dom sits down with Tim Nordwind, bassist and co-founder of OK Go, the Grammy-winning band famous for their groundbreaking, wildly inventive music videos — from treadmills to zero gravity.Tim opens up about the band's creative evolution, what it takes to sustain a 25-year career in an ever-changing industry, and how OK Go turned curiosity into a signature art form. He shares stories from their early Chicago days to the making of their new 2025 album, reflecting on collaboration, independence, and the surprising lessons behind their viral success.

MTR Podcasts
70 - Street Art, Galleries and Who Defines Great Art in Philadelphia | Sean 'SK' Kinsey

MTR Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2025 60:16


Sean 'SK' Kinsey returns for his second appearance on The Truth in This Art!A Philadelphian visual artist known for blending a fine art sensibility with a street art aesthetic, Kinsey shares his thoughts on the power of art to reflect identity, honor community roots, and connect cultures in Philadelphia, the city that has shaped much of his work.In this episode, Kinsey discusses how his North and Uptown Philadelphia upbringing influences his art, the lessons he carries from his creative practice, and the role that painting and urban art play in honoring untold stories. He also reflects on the joys and challenges of being an artist, cultivating consistency without burnout, embracing creative independence beyond labels, and his ongoing efforts to inspire and uplift the next generation.This conversation explores the connection between art and culture in Philadelphia, focusing on resilience, representation, and the ways that urban art—bridging fine and street traditions—serves as a powerful expression of truth and community.Topics Covered:Kinsey's reflections on his work since his first appearancePhiladelphia's influence on Kinsey's approach to urban and visual artHonoring community stories and identity through painting and urban artThe role of art and creative consistency in inspiring younger generations

MTR Podcasts
69 - Can Baltimore's Art Help You Navigate Crooked Paths? | Ernest Shaw

MTR Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2025 65:59


Ernest Shaw returns for his second appearance on The Truth in This Art! A renowned muralist and educator, Shaw shares his thoughts on the power of art to reflect identity, preserve community history, and connect generations in Baltimore, the city that has shaped much of his work.In this episode, Shaw discusses how his West Baltimore upbringing influences his art, the lessons he carries from his family, and the role murals play in honoring untold stories. He also reflects on the joys and challenges of being an artist and educator, as well as his ongoing efforts to inspire and uplift the next generation.This conversation explores the connection between art and culture in Baltimore, focusing on resilience, representation, and the ways that murals serve as powerful expressions of truth and community.Topics Covered:Shaw's reflections on his work since his first appearanceBaltimore's influence on Shaw's approach to murals and visual artHonoring community stories and history through public artThe role of art in inspiring younger generationsThank you for joining this insightful conversation with Ernest Shaw. Be sure to explore more episodes of The Truth in This Art for more discussions that spotlight creativity, culture, and the voices shaping Baltimore's unique narrative. Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis. Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

NoseyAF Podcast
Using Art to Process Climate Anxiety and Loss with Katherine Steichen Rosing

NoseyAF Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2025 53:15 Transcription Available


Ep 90: Using Art to Process Climate Anxiety and Loss: Katherine Seichen RosingSummary of the episodeIn this deeply personal conversation, Madison-based artist Katherine Steichen Rosing shares how she uses immersive installations and abstract paintings to explore climate anxiety, environmental loss, and the intricate connections between forests and watersheds. Katherine opens up about processing grief through art—from losing her mother to witnessing climate change's impact on the landscapes she loves. She discusses her journey from childhood camping trips around Lake Superior to creating large-scale installations that examine carbon cycles, water systems, and atmospheric rivers. This episode offers insight into how artists can channel eco-anxiety into meaningful creative work while addressing urgent environmental issues through beauty and immersion.Chapters:• 00:25 - Exploring the Connections Between Art and Nature• 05:26 - The Connection Between Nature and Art• 12:25 - The Interconnectedness of Trees• 13:25 - The Importance of Trees in Urban Life• 22:24 - The Artistic Process: Navigating Uncertainty• 27:46 - The Impact of Climate Spirits on Art• 31:23 - Exploring Residencies and Nature's Influence on Art• 39:30 - Navigating Artistic Challenges• 45:39 - Exploring the Artist's Mind: Decisions and Vulnerability• 49:54 - Environmental Awareness and Individual ActionTopics discussed:Processing personal loss and climate anxiety through environmental artThe deep connections between forests, watersheds, and natural cyclesCreating immersive installations that help viewers experience nature's systemsHow childhood experiences in nature shaped Katherine's artistic practiceThe role of beauty in addressing complex ecological issuesWorking with scientists during artist residencies at Trout Lake and St. Croix WatershedAtmospheric rivers, drought, and changing precipitation patternsTrusting your artistic instincts and working through creative uncertaintyIndividual actions we can take to address climate changeThe interconnectedness of trees and forest ecosystemsAll about Katherine Steichen Rosing:Katherine Steichen Rosing creates immersive installations and intricate abstract paintings that explore environmental processes linking forests and watersheds, including the carbon and water cycles. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries across the United States and abroad. She has received numerous grants and awards, including the Forward Art Prize and the Madison Arts Commission/Wisconsin Arts Board Individual Artist Fellowship. She earned an MFA in painting and drawing from Northern Illinois University, taught at universities and colleges in Madison and Chicago, and is represented by Kim Storage Gallery in Milwaukee and Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis.Resources mentioned in this episodeSusan Simard - Researcher studying how trees communicate and interconnect through root systemsTrout Lake Research Station - Artist residency location in northern WisconsinSt. Croix Watershed Research Station - Science-based artist residencyPouch Cove Foundation - Artist residency in Newfoundland, CanadaARC Gallery - Chicago gallery collective that pioneered installation art spacesGreta Thunberg - Climate activist mentioned regarding individual actionUpcoming exhibitionsSolo Exhibition at K. Stecker Gallery, Ripon College, Ripon, WisconsinOpens: October 17, 2025Artist Talk: October 17,...

PASSION PURPOSE AND POSSIBILITIES
Pia Leichter - Welcome To The Creative Club: You've Always Been A Member

PASSION PURPOSE AND POSSIBILITIES

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2025 65:56


Too often, we forget that life itself is our greatest canvas! In this inspiring episode, Candice speaks with Pia Leichter, a creative partner, published author, and certified coach, about embracing transformation, tapping into creativity, and daring to design a life that feels true. Pia's journey from high-powered creative director to author of Welcome to the Creative Club reveals how uncertainty, risk, and reinvention can lead to freedom, purpose, and authentic expression.  Here's what to expect on the podcast:How life's unexpected detours can open the door to transformationThe power of solo adventures, including Pia's unforgettable Trans-Siberian journeyWhy uncertainty is not just scary but also the birthplace of infinite possibilityHow creativity shows up in everyday life, not only in artThe role of vulnerability, purpose, and integrity in living fullyWhy Welcome to the Creative Club is more than a book and an invitation to make life your biggest art projectAnd so much more! Pia Leichter is a creative partner, published author, certified coach, and entrepreneur. Her path has been anything but ordinary: a recovering nomad, she's reported as a journalist in Sri Lanka, graduated summa cum laude from NYU, and worked as an award-winning creative director for some of the biggest brands in the world. Now, as the founder of Kollektiv Studio, she's uniquely positioned to co-create wild visions and ventures. https://kollektiv.studiohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/pialeichter/https://www.instagram.com/pia.leichter/https://substack.com/@pialeichter Pia's Book- Welcome To The Creative Club: Make Life Your Biggest Art ProjectAvailable on Amazonhttps://a.co/d/bJIgfMR ----- If you're struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor, BetterHelp.Visit https://betterhelp.com/candicesnyder for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy.*This is a paid promotionIf you are in the United States and in crisis, or any other person may be in danger -Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Dial 988 ----- Connect with Candice Snyder!Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdrPassion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxationClick this link to receive your FREE TRIAL to The Greenhouse Communityhttps://www.thegreenhousecommunity.com/checkout/the-greenhouse-membership?affiliate_code=11e889

T-Time Podcast
T-Time Podcast - Artist Unplugged w/ ColdSummerzBeatz

T-Time Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2025 58:01


✨ Welcome to Artist Unplugged, presented by T-Time Podcast, where we go behind the scenes with local artists to explore the stories, struggles, and inspirations that shape their art. Hosted by Royal-T.In this episode, we sit down with ColdSummerzBeatz, aproducer/engineer, to talk about their upbringing, creative journey, and the powerful story behind their work.

Paige's Pod
105. Motherhood, Art, and Healing with Spencer Welch

Paige's Pod

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2025 88:05


In this episode of Paige's Pod, Paige chats with Central Texas based artist, Spencer Welch. Spencer is a self-taught painter who has been creating commissioned portraits and original works for nearly a decade, earning multiple US art show awards. Inspired by family, motherhood, and the beauty of everyday life, Spencer's art captures intimacy and resilience. Paige and Spencer open up about:How motherhood reshapes creative practiceHealing from trauma through artThe importance of slowing down and listening to your processThe shared shifts and changes that come with being a mother and an artistThis episode is equal parts vulnerable and uplifting - an invitation to find beauty in change, healing, and connection. Learn more about Spencer's work: Spencer Welch Studios.Follow Spencer on Instagram: @spencerwelchstudios and don't forget to leave Paige's Pod a review on Apple Podcasts or where ever you listen to your favorite podcasts! Your reviews helps more creative souls find these beautiful conversations!

MTR Podcasts
#58 – "Is Art a Mirror for Modern Life?" | Zoë Lintzeris

MTR Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2025 76:57


Artist and Arts in Health Specialist Zoë Lintzeris joins the podcast.  Lintzeris shares how life in Baltimore and beyond informs her visual art practice. Lintzeris' work explores themes of love, loss, and resistance within both urban and rural settings. Lintzeris discusses how current events shape her work, and how art helps her process personal and collective emotions. She talks about using photography and painting as tools to examine the human experience and foster community.Lintzeris explores the realities of being an artist now. Lintzeris shares navigating competition, maintaining authentic expression, and building local support. For Lintzeris, art blends self-discovery with advocacy. Lintzeris uses creative work to spark meaningful conversations about life's challenges.Topics Covered:How the environment and current events influence Lintzeris' artThe role of love, loss, and resistance in her creative themesUsing art and photography to process emotion and document the human conditionBuilding community and connection through honest storytellingThe challenges and rewards of being an artist in a competitive worldThe importance of local support, resilience, and self-advocacyHow art can foster conversation, reflection, and belongingReady to see Lintzeris's creative world? Visit www.zoelintzeris.com or follow @zlintz on Instagram to view her work and stay connected. Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis. Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

MTR Podcasts
#57 – Can Art, Storytelling, and Hope Illuminate Community? | Neha Misra

MTR Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025 67:24


Artist, poet, and climate justice advocate Neha Misra joins The Truth In This Art podcast. Misra shares how growing up in India, studying physics, and her cultural roots shape her creative work. Misra's art blends visual art, poetry, and climate justice activism. Misra discusses how reclaiming creativity helped her navigate periods of loss and anxiety. Misra shares her belief in art as an essential force for healing, resilience, and connection. She talks about finding inspiration in nature and using art bring people together and inspire hope. Misra shares her experience sharing vulnerable work and why creativity matters for everyone. Topics Covered:How Indian heritage, physics, and environmental activism converge in Misra's artThe role of creativity and imagination in healing from loss and building communityUsing poetry, painting, and storytelling as tools for advocacy and connectionArt as medicine—for the self and society—in confronting climate and social crisesThe power of circles, collective stories, and shared vulnerabilityReclaiming and redefining creativity against systems of extraction and oppressionThe ongoing journey toward hope, resilience, and a more connected worldReady to experience Neha Misra's creative world? Visit www.nehamisrastudio.com or follow @nehamisrastudio on Instagram. Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis. Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

All Things Go
3 of 10 - Go/Baduk/Weiqi - C. Thi Nguyen Interview, TelegraphGo & Pixel Go, Learning Themes with Nathan Harwit & Cheating in Chess vs Go with Gazza

All Things Go

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2025 61:32


Theme music by UNIVERSFIELD & background music by PodcastACC. Thi Nguyen InterviewC. Thi Nguyen's websiteThe main subject of our conversation, Nguyen's book Games: Agency as ArtThe excellent interview Thi did on The Ezra Klein Show; highly recommendedThi's game recommendations: El Grande, Tigris & Euphrates, & RootGazza - Cheating in Chess vs GoChinese pro Go player Qin Siyue was banned for 8 years - linkShow your support hereEmail: AllThingsGoGame@gmail.com

The Thriving Mama
18: Losing Yourself in the Fun Zone is an Underrated Key to Healing

The Thriving Mama

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2025 21:12


If you're curious as to if you have any stored emotions or trauma that might be causing your illness, preventing you from achieving your goals, or even just showing up as the best, authentic version of yourself, I invite you to take my free Stored Emotions and Trauma Quiz.In this episode, I talk about how I forgot who I was—and how play helped me find my way back.I share what actually happens in the brain when stress takes over and how it shuts down creativity, joy, and even your ability to make good decisions. I get into why play isn't just for kids and how parenting, painting, and dancing cracked something open in me I didn't know I had lost. I explain how chronic stress rewires your nervous system—and how creativity rewires it back. This is about getting out of survival mode and remembering what it feels like to be fully alive.You'll Learn:What actually happens in your brain when stress takes overThe real reason play and creativity disappear in adulthoodWhy your prefrontal cortex shuts down under chronic stressThe surprising link between oxytocin and rewiring your nervous systemWhat it feels like to rediscover joy through dancing and artThe quiet damage of living on autopilot without realizing itHow play interrupts fear loops and builds safety in the brainSimple, low-effort ways to reconnect with your creative sideWhy novelty and imagination are essential for emotional healingWhat parenting revealed to me about my own disconnectionTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[05:38] How dancing revealed my disconnection from joy[07:00] The science of what stress does to your brain[08:30] Why cortisol, dopamine, and norepinephrine impair your thinking[10:30] The danger of living on autopilot and default habits[11:35] How oxytocin supports healing and rewires the brain[13:20] Reconnecting with your true self through creativity[14:55] Easy ways to bring play into daily life[16:20] Why novelty helps break emotional patterns[18:40] Unexpected ways to access joy and imagination againFind More From Dr. Stephanie Davis:Dr. Stephanie Davis | WebsiteQuantum Rx | InstagramQuantum Rx | Skool

My Music
My Music Episode 544 - Aqua Tofana

My Music

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2025 40:50


Graham is joined by the fiercely creative and wonderfully candid Eva Kearney, the voice and force behind the genre-defying project Aqua Tofana — a band name with a darkly fascinating historical twist and a serious bite behind its beauty.Broadcasting from her hometown in Northern Ireland (while under the weather but still full of wit), Eva opens up about the vibrant music scene in Lurgan, her genre-fluid sound, and how community, chaos, and catharsis all play a part in her musical journey.

The Erasable Podcast
Episode 226: Hot n Early

The Erasable Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 44:49


The summer limited editions are out early this year! Join us for the scoop on two releases from Blackwing, some very watery Field Notes, and finally — you can buy our newest Erasable merch!For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you're a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you're not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!Show notes and linksErasable PatreonErasable Eraser Friend pinErasable logo corduroy hatOrbitalAndor Season 2Doctor Who Series 14Levenger True Writer in Sapphire MosaicDiamine Sapphire BlueField Notes Summer ToteField Notes Is a River Alive?Is a River Alive? By Robert MacFarlaneNew Field Notes box artThe artist and his pencil sharpener collectionBlackwing Labs 05.13.26 pencilsBlackwing Labs 05.13.26 notebookBlackwing Volume 140Andy Johnny/Pencil RevolutionYour HostsJohnny GamberPencil RevolutionAndy Welfleandy.wtfTim Wasem

House of Content
Gen Z's Nouveau Modesty Vs. Extreme Reveal

House of Content

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 31:16


Two aesthetics. One algorithm. Gen Z is living through a cultural split screen—where prairie-core modesty and borderline NSFW outfits are trending side by side. In this episode, we dig into why the same generation is romanticizing religious dress codes and wearing less than a bikini to dinner.We unpack the rise of modesty as rebellion, the spectacle of emotional overshare, and what it all means for brands trying to pick a lane, or survive in the contradiction.Takeaways:Modesty is trending, aspirational, and algorithmic Emotional nudity is the new performance artThe brands that win don't play it safe—they commit to a POV

Faces of the Future Podcast
Episode 217 | Victoria Wilcox Interview On Why Empathy Matters: Being a Black Woman in Film, Representation & Real Storytelling

Faces of the Future Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 55:57


On this episode of the Faces of the Future Podcast, we sit down with Philadelphia filmmaker Victoria Wilcox for an honest conversation about the state of the film industry and her journey navigating it as a Black woman. From the challenges of representation to the importance of empathy in storytelling, Victoria shares her unique perspective as a creative voice pushing for change in media.We explore:What it really means to be a Black woman in the film industryThe power of authentic storytellingThe role of empathy in creating impactful artThe current and future state of film & mediaAnd much more...Whether you're a filmmaker, creative, or simply passionate about representation in media, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

History of the Germans
Ep. 195 – Engraving the German Renaissance

History of the Germans

Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 35:51


Last year I went to an exhibition at the Städel museum in Frankfurt that was entitled Holbein and the Renaissance in the North. That is the elder Holbein, the father of the Holbein who came to England. This exhibition has now ended, but there is still a great summary available on the Städel website.Though obviously not present at the exhibition, one key focus was the Fugger chapel in the church of St. Anne in Augsburg, one of the earliest and most significant Renaissance building north of the Alps. I wanted to kick off this episode with this chapel and then move on to Holbein, Burgkmair etc. But as I dug deeper and deeper into the late 15th and early 16th century art in Southern Germany, the more connections and links emerged that I hope you will find as fascinating as I did.Links to artworks:Fugger chapel: Die Fuggerkapelle | St. Anna AugsburgRiemenschneider Heilig Blut Altar: The Altar of the Holy Blood | ReliquarianThe Hare: Young Hare, 1502 - Albrecht Durer - WikiArt.orgSchongauer St. Anthony: Martin Schongauer | Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons | The Metropolitan Museum of ArtRhinocerus: Albrecht Dürer | The Rhinoceros | The Metropolitan Museum of ArtRitter, Tod und Teufel and other works: Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) - The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Support • History of the Germans PodcastFacebook: @HOTGPod Threads: @history_of_the_germans_podcastBluesky: @hotgpod.bsky.socialInstagram: history_of_the_germansTwitter: @germanshistoryTo make it easier for you to share the podcast, I have created separate playlists for some of the seasons that are set up as individual podcasts. they have the exact same episodes as in the History of the Germans, but they may be a helpful device for those who want to concentrate on only one season. So far I...

NoseyAF Podcast
Navigating Grief through Sculpture: Bobbi Meier's Story

NoseyAF Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 51:30 Transcription Available


Ep 74: Navigating Grief through Sculpture: Bobbi Meier's Story“Grief doesn't have to be gray. It can be neon, it can be soft, it can be joyful.”- Bobbi MeierSummary of the episodeIn this episode of noseyAF, we explore navigating grief through sculpture with Chicago-based artist Bobbi Meier. Bobbi's journey as an artist is intimately shaped by personal loss and the emotional complexities of caregiving, grief, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Through her tactile, vibrant sculptures—which she calls “squishy, colorful towers”—Bobbi channels emotion, joy, and memory. These works, part of a series titled Sentinels for Innocence, reflect how grief and play can coexist in powerful ways.We discuss how Bobbi's sculptural practice creates space for healing, community, and catharsis, and how her art invites both personal introspection and public dialogue. From the transformation of grief into vibrant form to the role of humor in tragedy, this conversation reveals the power of creative expression to shape identity and connect us to one another.Topics discussed:How personal loss and caregiving shaped Bobbi Meier's artThe role of play and innocence in sculptureArt as a response to grief and social-political upheavalBalancing humor and tragedy in creative practiceProfessionalism, hobby culture, and rediscovering joy in artmakingChapters:• 00:07 - Kicking Off Season Six• 06:20 - Exploring the Impact of the Pandemic on Artistic Expression• 18:21 - The Emotional Journey of Art: From Creation to Reflection• 22:42 - Art and Memory: Conversations on Impactful Pieces• 30:00 - The Power of Art and Personal Loss• 39:31 - Defining Professionalism in Art• 44:10 - The Art of Hobbies: Discovering New Passions• 48:23 - Reflections on Fear and ArtAbout Bobbi:Bobbi Meier is a Chicago-based multimedia artist whose provocative, fiber-based sculptures confront the tension between what's seen and what's suppressed. Blurring the lines between public and private, her abstract forms tap into themes of repressed sexuality, proper manners, and emotional excess. With an MFA and MAAE from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Bobbi's work has been featured nationally and was recognized with a prestigious Kohler Arts/Industry residency in 2019.Resources mentioned in this episodeA Tale of Today: Materialities at Driehaus MuseumJohnMichael Kohler Arts CenterEpiphany Center for the ArtsConnect with Bobbi MeierInstagram: @bobbimeierartWebsite: bobbimeierart.comConnect & Stay UpdatedVisit my website (Art, Projects & More)Follow on Instagram (@stephaniegraham)Join my Studio NewsletterListen to more episodesSupport & FeedbackShare noseyAF with...

Soul Field
2. Dancing Through Life with Heather Corwyn

Soul Field

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 51:57


I sat down with Heather, founder of Echo Dance Collective, for a deeply honest conversation on dance, burnout, and coming home to yourself.We talked about how dance becomes more than movement—it becomes medicine. A way to remember who we are, connect with younger parts of ourselves, and move through what words can't always touch.Heather shares what it really takes to build a creative life that's sustainable, soulful, and community-led. We touched on the highs and lows of expression, what happens when burnout hits.We explored:Why connecting with your younger self can shift everythingWhat it means to feel safe in your body and your artThe birth and vision of Echo Dance Collective—and what's coming nextThis episode is for anyone who's ever used creativity to survive, to connect, or to come alive again. It's gentle, reflective, and full of heart.Mentioned in this episode:Heather's InstagramEcho Dance Collective✨ Thank you for listening. If this episode speaks to you, share it with someone who needs a little more softness and self-expression in their life.*Due to technical issues, the episode with Samantha Bove will be posted next week instead of this week.

Fork In The Road
From DIY Horror to Fine Art: The Dual Life of Sue Brown (aka Ursula Dabrowsky)

Fork In The Road

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 34:36


we sit down with the incredible Sue Brown—known in the horror world as Ursula Dabrowsky and in the art scene as Zanne Brown.

The Good Leadership Podcast
The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift: A Masterclass in Success with Kevin Evers and Charles Good | TGLP #215

The Good Leadership Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 30:11


Today, we are joined by Kevin Evers.Kevin Evers is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review. Passionate about shaping groundbreaking research and amplifying pioneering ideas, he has edited bestselling and award-winning books on high performance, creativity, innovation, digital disruption, marketing, and strategy. He has also written popular articles on brain science, Hollywood blockbusters, the art of persuasion, and the unpredictability of success. His newest book, ‘There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift'. In this episode, we explore how Taylor Swift's career represents a masterclass in business strategy and leadership. Kevin reveals how Swift's approach to her career mirrors proven business concepts including blue ocean strategy, the job-to-be-done theory, and anti-fragility. Key topics include:How Swift identified and cultivated an overlooked market segment in country music, similar to Marvel's strategy with college students in the 1960sThe strategic approach Swift took to transitioning from country to pop music while maintaining her core audienceHow Swift transforms controversies into opportunities by controlling her narrative and turning challenges into artThe concept of "productive paranoia" that helps Swift anticipate industry changes and evolve ahead of trends-Website and live online programs: http://ims-online.comBlog: https://blog.ims-online.com/Podcast: https://ims-online.com/podcasts/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesgood/Twitter: https://twitter.com/charlesgood99Chapters: (01:30) Introduction (02:40) Tip: Why Swift Succeeded Where Other Young Artists Failed (05:10) Technique: Understanding and Connecting with Target Audiences (06:00) Tool: The Marvel Comics Comparison: Tapping Overlooked Markets (08:00) Technique: Strategic Transition from Country to Pop Music (11:30) Tool: Turning Controversy into Strategic Advantage (15:00) Technique: The Job-to-be-Done Theory in Swift's Career (19:20) Tool: Productive Paranoia: Staying Ahead of Industry Changes (22:10) Tip: Leadership Lessons from Swift's Reinvention Process (25:50) Conclusion

SubRant
Episode #87: "Meta or Death"

SubRant

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 30:39


SHOW THEMESCatherine and James cancel everyoneSHOW NOTESCatherine's terrible yearJames is undone by performance artThe continuing drama of Orlando Museum of ArtDe Groft is dead (?)An 1840 selfie to 1960s advertising: Eight images that tell the story of America"American Photography" at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam"This is not a commercial, this is my homeland" (1998) by Hulleah TsinhnahjinnieTurn your notifications offHow is Jasmine Crockett 44!?DUMP MetaOk, well now where just go full politicalOn Tyranny by Timothy Snyder"Do not obey in advance"DUMP Amazon and the Washington PostDump it all, it's not easy, but do it anywayThe list of No-No words"Language is everything"Catherine's terrible five years

Beyond the Barn
Ep. 089: How Taking a Step Back Can Move You Forward with Prominent Equine Artist Sarah Dean

Beyond the Barn

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 45:22


***Complete our short survey by Tuesday, April 8, 2025 to be entered for a chance to win Standlee free product coupons and some fun Standlee swag – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/btb2025podcast_______________________________On this episode, co-host Katy Starr and guest Sarah Dean, the incredible artist behind Sarah Dean Arts, discuss her journey as an equine artist, including:How her real-life experience with horses brings authenticity to her artThe struggles she's faced with marketing her art on social media and how she's built a thriving followingHow one unfinished painting changed EVERYTHING about her futureFrom crayons in childhood to oil paintings in her studio today, Sarah's passion for horses and art has remained the same. The challenges she's faced along the way have only made her more determined, proving that resilience is just as important as talent.Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.com_______________________________*Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*_______________________________Connect with Sarah on social platforms and her website – Instagram - @sarahdeanartsFacebook - @sarahdeanartsTikTok - @sarah-dean-artYouTube - @sarahdeanartsWebsitePurchase her (and her horse Cheesecake's!) favorite Standlee product here Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZaHave a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email podcast@standlee.comShare our podcast and learn more about our co-hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast pageSUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode._______________________________Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin BlogFind more nutritional resources from Dr. Stephen Duren and Dr. Tania Cubitt at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/ Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

Benshen Talks S.H.I.T.
Painting A New Path: Transitions and Transformations with Brianna Lance

Benshen Talks S.H.I.T.

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 47:07


In this episode, I sit down with Brianna Lance, a multi-faceted modern day Renaissance woman. Brianna, a self-taught artist based in New York City, has worn many hats over the years - from music to fashion to now a full-time artist living in the East Village. Her paintings, rich in fantastical detail and spontaneous form, serve as portals to dimensions that words often fail to describe. In this episode, we sit down with Brianna as she shares her story, which is one of transformation, perseverance, and trust in the divine timing. “I think if you have that intention, it's sort of like you can never really actually fail, no matter what the outcome is, because your intentions are pure.” - Brianna LanceTOPICS COVEREDHow Brianna transitioned from fashion to fine artThe spiritual dimensions that inform Brianna's creative processThe power of intention in creative work and personal growthBrianna's love for the TarotNavigating life's changes with grace and opennessGuest Info:Brianna's WebsiteBrianna's CollectionBrianna's InstagramGet in Touch:Benshen.co WebsiteBenshen MembershipBenshen.co InstagramRate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Travel Media Lab
Enemy of the Sun: Disrupting Colonial Narratives with Artist Dana Barqawi

Travel Media Lab

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 21:00


Today, we're meeting Dana Barqawi, a multidisciplinary artist and urban planner based in Amman, Jordan. Dana's stunning multimedia work challenges colonial narratives and explores Indigenous identities and aspects of womanhood and community.Growing up with women who painted, sewed, designed, and made art, Dana has a long-standing fascination with detail. She works from a workshop studio in Jabal al Weibdeh - one of my favorite neighborhoods in Amman – fusing elements of painting, photography, and applied materials like gold leaves and beads in her politically and socially engaged artwork. Reminder: this May, you can join my 10-day group trip to Jordan where we'll meet artists like Dana and see their art. Get more details here.What you'll learn in this episode:Dana's path from architecture and urban planning to socially engaged artThe main element in Dana's artThe stories behind Dana's latest exhibit, (Re)Narrate: A Visual Commentary on Colonial Narratives in the Levant & AfricaHow the Black Panther movement in the US is connected to the Palestinian liberation struggleFeatured on the show:Follow Dana on Instagram: @dana_barqawiLearn more about Dana's work on her websiteCheck out the (Re)Narrate exhibit Shop Dana's art postersGet more information at: Going Places website Join our Going Places newsletter to get updates on new episodes and Yulia's travel storytelling work. Subscribe at goingplacesmedia.com/newsletter!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more. Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.

Women in Customer Success Podcast
133 - How Appearance Shapes Professional Interactions - Alexandra Sagaydak

Women in Customer Success Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 36:55 Transcription Available


What role does appearance play in shaping perceptions at work, especially in customer-facing roles? That's what you're going to learn from this episode from my guest, Alexandra Sagaydak, Chief Customer Officer at PeopleForce. We talk about the importance of appearance in the workplace, especially in customer-facing roles, and how it can influence perceptions and interactions. Alexandra also shares her experiences of moving from Ukraine to Romania, her extroverted personality, and her passion for makeup and art. We also talk about the unique challenges and rewards of working in a startup environment. Alexandra provides valuable insights about the world of startups, including the opportunities for career growth, the importance of adaptability, and the potential for burnout.In this episode:Alexandra's background and move to RomaniaExtroversion and social experiencesAlexandra's passion for makeup and artThe impact of appearance in the workplaceAlexandra's career journey in customer successWorking in startupsAdvantages and challenges of startup lifeWhether you're considering a career in customer success, curious about the startup culture, or simply interested in makeup tips, don't miss this episode full of useful information and inspiration.Follow Alexandra!__________________________________________________About Women in Customer Success Podcast: Women in Customer Success Podcast is the first women-only podcast for Customer Success professionals, where remarkable ladies of Customer Success connect, inspire and champion each other. Follow:Women in Customer Success Website - womenincs.co/podcast LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/womenincs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenincs.co/ Host Marija Skobe-Pilley Website - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mspilley/ Get a FREE '9 Habits of Successful CSMs' guide https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/9-habits-freebie NEW - Women in Customer Success Courses: Thriving as a First-Time People Leader - https://womenincs.co/thriving-as-a-first-time-people-leader The Revenue CSM - https://www.marijaskobepilley.com/the-revenue-csm

Beauty At Work
Art and Yearning with Dr. Daniel McInerny (Part 2 of 2)

Beauty At Work

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 32:51


Daniel McInerny is associate professor and chair of the philosophy department at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He is also a novelist and dramatist. As a scholar, Daniel is foremost interested in reactivating an Aristotelian understanding of mimetic art, long out of favor among philosophers. His latest book is Beauty and Imitation: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts. At Christendom College Daniel teaches courses on the Philosophy of Art & Beauty, the Philosophy of Technology, the Philosophy of Culture, and Poetic Experience & Truth. In March 2023 Chrism Press published his novel, The Good Death of Kate Montclair. Daniel is also the author of a play, The Actor, which will premiere in November 2024. Daniel also writes the Substack newsletter, The Comic Muse, where he shares stories and sketches from his studio.In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:The importance of choice over chance in compelling narrativesThe moral dimension of storytellingThe relationship between subjective and objective beauty in artThe significance of context in art appreciationTo learn more about Daniel and his work:Newsletter: https://danielmcinerny.substack.com/Beauty and Imitation: https://a.co/d/cNquN03The Good Death of Kate Montclair: https://a.co/d/0KKy0PSPodcast: https://danielmcinerny.substack.com/podcast This episode is sponsored by:John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show

Mindset Magic with Andie Colleen
Presence and Writing Your Own Story

Mindset Magic with Andie Colleen

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 12:28


In this episode Andie gives you a little catch up on life and talks about the importance of presence in shifting how you see your life, how you value yourself, and how you create the most rich, deep and exciting life possible for YOU.If you are looking for a cozy mindset shift and a way to change your perspective on what's coming next, this bite sized episode is PERFECT for you!What we cover:Little life updateThe importance of presenceSeeing your life as artThe mindset shift to help you find clarityAnd more...Join the FREE Shedding Your Layers MasterclassFREE & LOW COST RESOURCES FOR YOU: Get the free journal here email list here! Check out my website here! Follow on Instagram @andiecolleen and TikTok @andie.colleen for more mini-trainings, tips, and advice. SUPPORT THE SHOW:Please subscribe, rate, and review over on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help support Mindset Magic! Follow along on Instagram and TikTok for updates, giveaways, and more inspo!

conscient podcast
e207 kenneth newby - living with grace

conscient podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 49:52


The planet's not dying. Our place and our version of it may be dying. So how do we deal with that? How do we accept and live with the knowledge that our version of it is dying. It's not something to panic about in the sense that the whole thing's going away, hopefully. We don't know, but I think that notion of living with grace, living without fear, trying to live without anxiety, because those are just places where we flounder, shut off and develop toxic escapes.(photo of Kenneth Newby by Linda Ofshe)I first met Kenneth Newby in 2023 at the infamous Lunch Lady Vietnamese street food restaurant on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. We mostly talked about a book he recommended to me, Learning to Die : Wisdom in the Age of Climate Crisis by Robert Bringhurst & Jan Zwicky, which was transformative for me.Kenneth is a fellow new music composer and sound artist with whom I shared many ecological concerns including aspirations for the role of art in this era of environmental decline.So, I invited him to have a conversation, my second last of this 5th season, where we have been exploring how to  'prepare for the end of the world as we know it and creating the conditions for other possible worlds to emerge'.Kenneth now lives in Victoria. We recorded our conversation in his backyard on September 23rd, 2024. We talked about his journey as a composer and musician, from childhood lessons, experiences in blues bands through to interactive music systems, Indonesian gamelan music and psychedelic experiences, among others.During our exchange, I was thankful that he shared examples of some of his creative projects that integrate storytelling, ecological awareness, and collaborative solutions about societal and environmental issues. It's good to hear about both theory and practice. For example, I was interested in Kenneth's work on the harmonic series as a fractal structure and how he connects it to ecological concepts and ways of being. My approach has been typically to look at the inner life of a sound, try and tease it out and create some kind of soundscape, a composition that's made out of those inner materials and so I was hugely influenced early on by Cage's notion of silence and sound and Schafer notion of the soundscape and an acoustic ecology.You'll also hear some of Kenneth's music in between 3 sections of our conversation. First is Aria - Ocean of Storms, an excerpt from his ‘Seasonal Round' project created in collaboration with poet Robert Anthony, which is composed of raw, time-stretched, transposed birdsong. You'll also hear Howe Sound, a composition featuring birdsong, a frog chorus and transformed excerpts from Maurice Ravel's Sirènes movement of his Trois Nocturnes as well as excerpts from Crépuscule for Barbara written for harpist Barbara Imhoff.Kenneth recommends the following books and film:The spell of the sensuous : perception and language in the a more-than-human world by David AbramWoman in Nature : The Roaring Inside Her by Susan GriffinFantastic Fungi*Sections of the episode (generated by AI and reviewed by Claude Schryer)IntroductionClaude introduces Kenneth and reflects on their previous meeting. They discuss their shared backgrounds in music and philosophy, setting the stage for a deeper conversation about art and the ecological crisis.Kenneth's Musical JourneyKenneth shares his early experiences with music, starting with piano lessons and moving through various musical influences. He recounts pivotal moments in his life, including his time at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, which ignited his passion for electronic music.Cultural Exploration and LearningKenneth discusses his fascination with Indonesian music, particularly the gamelan traditions, and how immersing himself in different cultures has shaped his understanding of music and postmodernism. He emphasizes the importance of cultural relativism in appreciating diverse artistic practices.The Ecology of SoundThe conversation shifts to the relationship between music and ecological issues, exploring how sound can reflect and address the ecological crisis. Kenneth introduces the idea of the harmonic series as a fractal structure, connecting it to ecological concepts.Art and Environmental AwarenessKenneth reflects on the impact of his music and the broader role of artists in raising environmental awareness. He discusses the challenges of making a significant impact through art while acknowledging the importance of collective efforts in the artistic community.Community Engagement in ArtThe discussion turns to the importance of local community engagement in artistic practices. Kenneth shares insights from his projects that focus on situating art within the community, emphasizing the need for relevance and connection in contemporary art.Facing Complexity and ChangeKenneth addresses the complexities of the current ecological crisis and the fear associated with change. He discusses the role of psychedelic experiences in fostering a deeper connection to nature and how they can help individuals navigate the uncertainties of the future.Literary Inspirations and RecommendationsAs the conversation nears its end, Kenneth shares his favorite books and films that explore ecological philosophy and the interconnectedness of life. He highlights the importance of literature in shaping our understanding of nature and our place within it. *END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODESI've been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). It's my way to give back and be present.In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and it's francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I publish a Substack newsletter called ‘a calm presence' which are 'short, practical essays about collapse acceptance, adaptation, response and art'. To subscribe (free of charge) see https://acalmpresence.substack.com. You'll also find a podcast version of each a calm presence posting on Substack or one your favorite podcast player.Also, please note that a complete transcript of conscient podcast and balado conscient episodes from season 1 to 4 is available on the web version of this site (not available on podcast apps) here: https://conscient-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes.Your feedback is always welcome at claude@conscient.ca and/or on conscient podcast social media: Facebook, X, Instagram or Linkedin. I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. Claude SchryerLatest update on July 20, 2024

The Creative Soul Podcast
Ep 134: ft. Anthony Meindl on Being an Artist in the Modern World

The Creative Soul Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 58:47


Anthony Meindl is an award winning writer/director, best selling author, and founder of international Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop. He's worked with 2-time Golden Globe Nominee Shailene Woodley, BAFTA Nominee Daryl McCormack, Grammy Winner Camilla Cabello, Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor and Simone Ashley, Pop Star Suki Waterhouse and hundreds of others, and is known as the Tony Robbins of Acting Coaches. He has also written 5 best-selling books on creativity and silencing your inner critic, including the groundbreaking, At Left Brain Turn Right, and his newest book UNSTUCK. And is currently in post-production on his second feature film (about the climate crisis), after selling his first film to Hulu. In this episode, we talk about:Protest as a form of artThe feeling path and how to feel your feelings as an artistThe risk of sharing your artSocial media & artistsThe relationship between artist & audienceHow to keep making things and keep the hope aliveConnect with Anthony:https://www.anthonymeindl.com/@anthonymeindl

The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes
Marlon Wayans Opens Up on Battling Depression (“I Broke Down & Cried On Stage”)

The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 84:59


SUMMIT OF GREATNESS IS UNDER 2 WEEKS AWAY! Have you gotten your tickets yet? Get them before they sell out at lewishowes.com/ticketsGet ready for an inspiring and heartfelt conversation with the multi-talented Marlon Wayans! In this episode, we dive deep into Marlon's journey as a comedian, actor, and producer, exploring how he's evolved both personally and professionally over his 30-year career. Marlon opens up about his spiritual growth, the impact of losing his parents, and his mission to bring healing through laughter. From his ambitious goals in stand-up to his thoughts on success and failure, Marlon's insights will leave you motivated to embrace your own path to greatness. Don't miss this powerful episode that combines humor, wisdom, and raw emotion!In this episode you will learnHow Marlon is incorporating spiritual growth and healing into his comedy specialsThe importance of continual learning and growth in pursuing your goalsWhy Marlon believes in doing a new stand-up special every year, contrary to industry normsHow losing his parents has shaped Marlon's perspective on life and his artThe value of building the right team and treating yourself as a businessMarlon's approach to overcoming fear and embracing new challengesThe power of trusting in your journey and viewing greatness as a ongoing processFor more information go to www.lewishowes.com/1662For more Greatness text PODCAST to +1 (614) 350-3960More SOG episodes we think you'll love:Eckhart Tolle – https://link.chtbl.com/1463-podRhonda Byrne – https://link.chtbl.com/1525-podJohn Maxwell – https://link.chtbl.com/1501-pod

Faith & Family Filmmakers
From Burnout to Filmmaking with Tara Massey

Faith & Family Filmmakers

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 22:22 Transcription Available


Episode 48 - From Burnout to Filmmaking with Tara Massey In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, hosts Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt interview Tara Massey, who, alongside her husband Jason, founded Dove Light Studios. The discussion covers Tara's journey from running a photography business to establishing a film studio and producing their first full feature film, 'Do Not Grow Weary', featuring Dean Cain. Tara shares experiences about working with JC Films, challenges faced, and how their faith has guided their creative endeavors. She also introduces her podcast, 'Movie Worthy Stories,' which aims to showcase true stories and potential film adaptations. Additionally, Tara discusses her background in acting, ultra-running, and the personal impact of creativity and storytelling on her life.Welcome and IntroductionThe Birth of Dove Light StudiosTransition to Video ProductionThe Turning Point: Burnout and RevivalCreating 'Do Not Grow Weary'Current Projects at Dove Light StudiosThe Movie Worthy Stories PodcastThe Power of TestimonyFinding Purpose: Tara's Acting JourneyFamily InvolvementFavorite GenreThe Impact of ArtThe impact of Mark Hall and Casting CrownsDo not Grow Weary: Movie DetailsTara Masey is a mom of 2, a loving wife, and a child of God. She's also an actress and a producer. She and her husband founded Dovelight studios, She worked with Dean Cain on her most recent project, which she and her husband produced with their film club.Dove Light Studios: https://www.dovelightphotography.com/Tara on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=taraelizabethmasseyTara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taraelizabethmassey/Featured Ad: Mark Stewart Iverson's "For Prophet": https://forprophetfilm.com/The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Releasing new episodes every Monday, we interview experts from varying fields of filmmaking; from screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers, to film scorers, talent agents, and distributors. It is produced and hosted by Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt , and is brought to you by the Faith & Family Filmmakers Association Support Faith & Family Filmmakers Our mission is to help filmmakers who share a Christian Worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Please help by becoming a supporting member or leaving One-Time Donation.Get Email Notifications Enter the Faith & Family Screenwriting Awards festival Faith and Family Screenwriting Academy: https://www.faffassociation.com/Script Notes and Coaching: https://www.faffassociation.com/script-servicesCopyright 2024 Ivan Ann Productions

Zen Habits Podcast
S2 Bonus - Maria Gehrke on Mindfulness Through Art and Parenting

Zen Habits Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 57:52 Transcription Available


In an age of endless distractions and obligations, it's easy to lose sight of the importance of self-care and mindfulness, especially for parents juggling the demands of raising children while pursuing their passions. But what if we could find a way to integrate mindfulness into our creative pursuits and parenting journey, leading to greater well-being and deeper connections?This week, I'm delighted to welcome Maria Gehrke, a watercolor artist and IT professional who beautifully embodies the intersection of art, mindfulness, and parenting. Maria shares her inspiring journey of rediscovering her creativity after becoming a mother and how she has woven mindfulness practices into both her art and her parenting.In this episode, we delve into Maria's integration of mindfulness into her creative process, discussing how personalized art can serve as a therapeutic tool for both the creator and the client. We also explore how mindfulness has transformed her parenting journey, fostering deeper connections and greater presence in everyday moments.Join us as we uncover the transformative power of mindfulness in art and parenting, and discover how it can lead to greater emotional resilience, creativity, and joy in all aspects of our lives.Topics CoveredHow mindfulness influences Maria's watercolor artThe significance of nature in Maria's creative inspirationPersonal and client experiences with "Your Portal to Your Refuge"Mindfulness practices that enhance creative expressionMaria's transition to mindful parenting and its impact on her lifeStrategies for nurturing emotional regulation in childrenInsights from co-founding "The Becoming Mindful Podcast"The role of collaborative art in fostering mindfulness and growthCreating tranquil spaces through visualization and personalized paintingsThe intersection of creativity, mindfulness, and personal developmentTranscriptYou can find the transcript on the episode's web page by clicking here.Maria's Bio & ResourcesMaria Gehrke, a multifaceted watercolor artist and IT professional, bridges the gap between technology and art with a focus on nature and mindfulness. Since moving from Germany to Wisconsin in 2007, she has found inspiration in nature and her personal mindfulness journey, leading to the creation of her unique art series like "Windows to Nature" and "Mini Portals To Tranquility." These culminated in her 2023 project, "Your Portal To Your Refuge," a collaborative art experience designed to manifest tranquil spaces for her clients. Find out more about this mindful art experience here: Your Portal To Your Refuge Alongside her artistic endeavors, Maria co-founded the Becoming Mindful Podcast in 2021, aiming to explore and share her mindfulness journey with a broader audience and encourage others on this path. Tune in here: Becoming Mindful PodcastBalancing a busy life with a small child, a husband, and two dogs, her work embodies her commitment to mindfulness, creativity, and compassion.Zen Habits ResourcesZen HabitsThe Fearless Living AcademyFearless MasteryCoaching with LeoConnect with Leo

The Non-Prophets
First Books, Now Art: GOP's New School Ban

The Non-Prophets

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 19:07


A GOP school board member tried to ban a student's art for being 'offensive' to ChristiansThe Advocate Mag, By Ryan Adamczeski, on May 9, 2024https://www.advocate.com/news/virginia-augusta-school-board-gay-artThe panel delved into the story of Abby Driscoll, a queer student at Fort Defiance High School in Virginia, whose artwork sparked significant controversy. Driscoll's piece depicted praying hands holding a red rosary, surrounded by a rainbow-colored Bible with the caption, "God loves you but not enough to save you." This provocative artwork was an expression of her experience navigating her identity in a predominantly Christian environment.The artwork drew the ire of Tim Simmons, a conservative school board member, who found it offensive to his faith. Simmons went to great lengths to have the artwork censored, even calling for an emergency school board meeting. Despite being mocked by constituents and lacking support from his peers on the school board, Simmons continued his efforts, highlighting a persistent tension between personal beliefs and public education.The episode also touched on broader themes of artistic freedom and the role of art in challenging societal norms. Eli, one of the panelists, argued that the true offense lies in the discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, not in the artwork itself. He emphasized the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths to foster personal and societal growth.Jimmy pointed out that Simmons' lack of support from other school board members and his subsequent appeal to social media were indicative of a broader issue. He criticized Simmons for prioritizing personal offense over the educational needs and emotional well-being of students. Jimmy further discussed the inherent value of art in provoking thought and encouraging dialogue, suggesting that the controversy itself underscores the power and importance of Driscoll's work.Cynthia elaborated on the implications of censorship in schools, noting a troubling trend where parental and ideological pressures increasingly dictate educational content. She highlighted the importance of maintaining a clear separation between church and state in public education, ensuring that curricula are shaped by educational rather than religious or personal beliefs.The panel unanimously agreed that the function of art, especially in an educational context, is to provoke thought, inspire conversation, and reflect diverse experiences. They applauded Abby Driscoll for her courage in expressing her truth through art, despite the backlash. The discussion underscored the vital role of artistic expression in addressing and challenging societal injustices, particularly for marginalized communities.In summary, Abby Driscoll's artwork and the subsequent controversy with Tim Simmons serve as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ acceptance and the critical importance of protecting artistic freedom in educational environments. The Non-Prophets panel highlighted how art can serve as a powerful catalyst for social change, fostering essential conversations about identity, faith, and human rights.The Non-Prophets, Episode 23.22.1 featuring Kelley Laughlin, Eli Slack, Jimmy Jr. and Cynthia McDonaldBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-non-prophets--3254964/support.

Think. Live. Repeat.
Jonny Quatro - "Future Opening Act for Switchfoot" Ep. 89

Think. Live. Repeat.

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 57:43


Grab your popcorn, kickback and gear up for a fireside chat on today's episode! Jonny Quatro is a longtime friend and has recently jumped onto the scene composing, co-producing and performing his first album!  We get real and talk about the role of storytelling in music, perfectionism, mental health, authenticity, responses to unsolicited advice and so much more. Check out his songs on Spotify and follow him on IG @jonnyquatromusic...Enjoy! TakeawaysThe importance of storytelling in music, movies, and artThe challenges of being an artist in the music industryThe balance between authenticity and perfectionism in creative endeavorsThe impact of mental health struggles on creativityThe role of specific and relatable lyrics in connecting with an audience Music is not just about the sound, but also about the time, space, and cultural references that shape it.Talent is not the biggest hurdle in the music industry; distribution and becoming known on a large scale are the real challenges.Rock stars of the past were often admired for their music and their persona, but today's artists face higher expectations of moral behavior.Creating music is a personal journey that allows for self-expression and the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.Success in music should be measured by the joy of creating and connecting with an audience, rather than by external markers of fame or popularity.Follow me on Instagram @ johnskomski for daily intrapreneurial motivation and learn more about Investing Inward at https://jskomski.com/Music:Hindsight (Instrumental) by Fivefold (used with written permission)By Your Side by Caslow, Bertie Scott & Patfromlastyear (used with written permission)Keywords: music, movies, superheroes, storytelling, art, mental health, authenticity, perfectionism, music, songwriting, branding, storytelling, talent distribution, cultural references, rock stars, authenticity, personal growth, goals

The Thriller Zone
Scott Carson and The Power of Voice in Writing

The Thriller Zone

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 37:44


On today's 178th episode of The Thriller Zone, David Temple and Scott Carson, author of Lost Man's Lane, discusses his writing process and the importance of voice in storytelling. He shares his experience working with a private investigator and how it influenced his latest novel. Carson also talks about the power of face-to-face interviews and the impact of feedback on the writing process. Scott offers advice to aspiring writers, emphasizing the importance of reading widely and keeping goals close to the vest. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the magic of voice and the thrill of having respected authors read and praise your work.TakeawaysUsing a pen name can help differentiate between different genres and target specific readerships.Supernatural stories can be challenging to write well and appeal to skeptics, but the satisfaction of success is greater.Readers often have preferences for certain genres and may be more open to different types of stories within those genres.As a writer, it's important to challenge yourself and try new things to continue growing and producing your best work.Building a connection with readers is crucial, and they will follow you across genres if they enjoy your writing style and storytelling. The importance of having fun and taking risks in life and artThe power of voice in writing and the uniqueness each writer bringsThe value of reading widely to improve writing skillsThe benefits of keeping writing goals private and avoiding early feedbackSound Bites"If people like your prose, be whatever flavor it is, they're going to follow you wherever you go.""The supernatural stories are by far the more difficult ones for me. But the satisfaction of sticking the landing is maybe a little bit greater.""I don't think you're ever going to get your best work by staying in the familiar. It's going out there and getting a little bit dangerous.""We only get one crack at this life. So why don't we just have fun with it?""The thing that makes your heart beat a little faster, whatever your emotional cues and triggers are, those are going to still be there no matter how different the story world might be.""Write the first draft with the door shut.”"Voice is the magic, the thing that makes it work.""Read widely because it's all grist for the mill.""Keep your goals close to the vest for as long as possible."Chapters00:00 Introduction and Face-to-Face Interviews05:15 The Impact of Face-to-Face Interviews09:33 Advice for Aspiring Writers14:45 The Magic of Having Respected Authors Read Your Work The Thriller Zone with David Temple is sponsored in part by Blackstone Publishing.

Evolved Living Podcast
Ink and Inclusion: Breaking Barriers in the Occupation of Tattoo Artistry and Beyond

Evolved Living Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 91:57


This Podcast discusses a conversation with Angel, a Tacoma Area tattoo artist, about her journey into the tattoo industry, the skills required, the therapeutic aspect of her work, the need for more diversity and representation in the field, and her community work with the Hundredth Monkey art organization, with future steps including sharing resources on trauma-informed practices, promoting body art in professional spaces, and continuing the conversation about making art more accessible and inclusive. Check out and support Lil' Angel's Ink Artisty: https://m.facebook.com/lilangelink/?locale=hi_INSupport the 100th Monkey Tacoma Art Event: https://www.facebook.com/Tacoma100thMonkey/ https://www.facebook.com/events/6804563089672218/?ref=newsfeedGender Diversity & Gatekeeping in Art IndustriesJosephine explores gender diversity within artistic communities while discussing gatekeeping practices that have historically affected women in various industries. Angel shares insights into challenges faced by women in male-dominated spaces like heavy metal music culture and traditional views within certain segments of the tattoo industry. Both hosts emphasize creating more inclusive environments by supporting diverse artists while addressing issues related to cultural appropriation. Evolution of the Tattoo IndustryThe interview discusses the evolution and growth of the tattoo industry, highlighting the increasing diversity and inclusivity within the community. Angel shares her experience as a female tattoo artist and emphasizes the importance of an open-minded approach to different artistic styles and artists. The conversation touches on historical aspects, acknowledging that tattooing has been a significant art form across various cultures for centuries. Trauma-Informed Tattooing and Personal Storytelling through TattoosAngel's experiences working with clients who have had traumatic medical experiences or seek to cover scars with meaningful tattoos. Josephine's exploration of how tattoos can serve as a form of storytelling, reclaiming personal narratives, especially for marginalized communities. The role of trauma-informed care within occupational therapy paralleled with trauma-informed tattoo practices. Collaboration in Art WorkshopsThere was a focus on trauma-informed community art workshops as a means to make different art forms accessible to people with disabilities while fostering collaboration between occupational therapists and tattoo artists. Occupational Therapy and ArtThe conversation delved into the historical connection between occupational therapy and the arts, exploring how creating art can be naturally therapeutic for individuals and communities. Evolved Living Network Instragram @EvolvedLivingNetworkFree Occupational Science 101 Guidebookhttps://swiy.co/OS101GuidePodcastOS Empowered OT Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1569824073462362/Link to Full Podcast Disclaimer https://docs.google.com/document/d/13DI0RVawzWrsY-Gmj7qOLk5A6tH-V9150xETzAdd6MQ/edit

AuDHD Flourishing
040 Art and Depression with Kal Anderson

AuDHD Flourishing

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 52:12


How does one continue to make art while depressed? Artist Kal Anderson (he/they) has created a large body of work through the ups and downs.Topics include:Questioning the value of artThe process of creating many things you don't likeAsking for helpPerspective on your work and practiceWhether depression is artistically "useful" (spoiler alert: mostly, no)Deciding What to Buy (For Your Business): free chat Apr 4 2:30pm EST Connect with Kal: kalanderson.com for fine art, leather, creative coachingInstagram @kalandersonartResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Happens In Between
Community Curator with OlaRonke Akinmowo

What Happens In Between

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 58:54


In this week's episode of What Happens In Between, I sit down with Ola Akinmowo, the Founder, Curator, and Creator of The Free Black Women's Library: a Black feminist literary hub and community care space that features a collection of over 5000 books written by Black women. Ola helps us understand how to explore the different routes of expression, creation, and art as a ritual of self-actualization. How do we explore our own identities in a society that is anti-Black and anti-woman? Join us on today's episode as we explore what it means to be a Community Curator and a Self-defined Black Woman — who is choosing to thrive.Topics Covered:Questions around speculative fiction, collage work, and performance artThe concept of third spaces and commodification to assign valuePros and cons of social media: a meal for consumption Community as a connection to a common goal and how to learn from each otherThree questions for our Seedling RoundOla's perception of what it means to “be free”How Black women have to be a contradiction to exist fully Guest Info:Ola is an interdisciplinary artist and the curator, founder, and creator of The Free Black Women's Library, a Black feminist literary hub and community care space that features a collection of 5000 books written by Black women. This particular work is fueled by the tenets of Black Feminism, Community Care, and the transformative power of reading and creating to liberate, affirm, and heal.Connect with Ola Akinmowo on Instagram, Facebook, and The Free Black Women's Library Website. Support The Free Black Women's Library here. Follow Us:InstagramWebsiteFull DescriptionWe can use speculative thinking as a type of dreaming as an expansive way to dream big. As the curator, founder, and creator of The Free Black Women's Library, Ola is interested in the infinite possibilities in which we can see the world. She uses the library as a co-creation process between humans and the physical space they occupy. How does community care transform the world when there is a seat at the table for everyone? The Free Black Women's Library is considered a third space, but in Ola's words, it's “a space where black women can come and learn to read. To feel safe and feel free, within an anti-black, misogynist, misogynoir, patriarchal capitalist society.” Commodification is how we assign value — labeling and categorizing things help people better understand the mission. But how does language serve as another layer to what already exists, instead of a contradiction? Ola reminds us to explore the different routes of expression, creation, and art as a ritual of self-actualization. Freedom is accessible, but there's no finality to it. Join us on today's episode as we explore what it means to be a Community Curator and a Self-defined Black Woman — who is choosing to thrive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beauty At Work
The Power Of Art with Wayne Brezinka

Beauty At Work

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 62:27


Wayne Brezinka is an award-winning artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. Wayne's signature style of art incorporates detailed mixed media and assemblage techniques applied to discarded and repurposed materials. He has been a contributing artist to numerous publications, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, POLITICO Europe, and others.In this episode, we talk about: Challenging societal expectations of pursuing a career in artHow creating art facilitates a deeper connection to one's selfHow Wayne flourished in the world of art FreelancingThe power of sharing your expertise with othersBringing to life the world of Mister Rogers through Wayne's exhibitHosting workshops to allow people to unlock their most artistic selvesOn channeling your inner fears and letting them guide your artThe powerful community aspect of creating artTo learn more about Wayne's work, you can find him at: https://www.waynebrezinka.com/ Support the show

Glam & Grow - Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle Brand Interviews
VIOLETTE_FR: “French Girl” Beauty with Violette

Glam & Grow - Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle Brand Interviews

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2024 40:16


Violette_FR, born out of Violette's meteoric rise in the beauty industry, gained recognition after being featured by Vogue France. With an impressive career working with renowned brands like Dior, La Mer, Estee Lauder, and Guerlain, Violette decided to venture into her own creative space. In 2016, she launched her YouTube channel, fostering a vibrant community of beauty enthusiasts. 2021 marked the debut of VIOLETTE_FR, her multi-category vegan beauty brand. Inspired by those seeking a natural yet creative aesthetic, the brand focuses on individuality, efficacy, efficiency, luxury, and accessibility. Violette prioritizes clean, highly pigmented formulas and environmentally conscious packaging, earning the brand popularity among celebrities such as Rosie HW, Drew Barrymore, Joan Smalls, Jen Atkin, Jessica Alba, Karlie Kloss, and more.In this episode, Violette also discusses:How she did it her way in beauty with no real training and a background in fashion and artThe importance of celebrating individuality and differences, rather than fixating on trends.Moving to the US and building the brand in a “French car with American gas”Creating truly innovative products like the new invisible bandage gel What's next for ViolleteWe hope you enjoy this episode and gain valuable insights into Violette's journey and the growth of VIOLETTE_FR. Don't forget to subscribe to the Glam & Grow podcast for more in depth conversations with the most incredible brands, founders, and more.Be sure to check out VIOLETTE_FR at www.violettefr.com and on Instagram at @violette_frThis episode is sponsored by Shopify.Shopify POS is your command center for your retail store. From accepting payments to managing inventory, Shopify has EVERYTHING you need to sell in-person. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at www.shopify.com/glamThis episode is brought to you by WavebreakLeading direct-to-consumer brands hire Wavebreak to turn email marketing into a top revenue driver.Most eCommerce brands don't email right... and it costs them. At Wavebreak, our eCommerce email marketing agency helps qualified brands recapture 7+ figures of lost revenue each year.From abandoned cart emails to Black Friday campaigns, our best-in-class team manage the entire process: strategy, design, copywriting, coding, and testing. All aimed at driving growth, profit, brand recognition, and most importantly, ROI.Curious if Wavebreak is right for you? Reach out at Wavebreak.co

CCO Infectious Disease Podcast
Mental Health Challenges: Dialogues on Optimizing Engagement in HIV Care

CCO Infectious Disease Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 43:58


In this podcast episode, Mark Brennan-Ing, PhD, and Nina I. Martinez discuss mental health challenges in people living with HIV and much-needed strategies to overcome these challenges to optimize engagement in HIV care, including:The increased rates of mental health disorders and substance use among people living with HIVHow mental health disorders contribute to challenges with adherence to HIV treatment and engagement in careHow social isolation and stigma can affect outcomes despite access to HIV care and ARTThe importance of mental health screenings as part of HIV careIntegrating mental health services into HIV care as a strategy to overcome mental health challenges being a barrier to carePresenter:Mark Brennan-Ing, PhDDirector of Research and EvaluationBrookdale Center for Healthy AgingHunter CollegeThe City University of New YorkNew York, New YorkNina I. MartinezPublic Health ConsultantLink to full program: https://bit.ly/3TqVnl1

Dice Exploder
BONUS: Designer Commentary on i know the end

Dice Exploder

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2023 111:26


Hello hello! Today I've got for you another between-season bonus episode. This time we're breaking format to talk about i know the end, a module I published earlier this year about going back home after a long time away and all the horrors that entails. Because if you can't occasionally publish something self-indulgent in your podcast feed, what's even the point of having one?My cohost for this is my friend Nico MacDougall, the current organizer of The Awards, who edited i know the end and had almost as much to say about it as I did.For maximum understanding of this episode, you can pick up a free copy of the module here and follow along (or skim it in advance).Further reading:The original i know the end cover artThe “oops all PBTA moves” version of i know the endThree of my short filmsMy previous written designer commentaries on Space Train Space Heist and CouriersJohn Harper talking with Andrew Gillis about the origins of Blades in the DarkThe official designer commentary podcasts for Spire and HeartAaron Lim's An Altogether Different River, which comes with a designer commentary versionCamera Lucida by Roland Barthes, a photography theory book that we talked about during recording but which I later cut because I remembered most of the details about it incorrectlyWhat Is Risograph Printing, another topic cut from the final recording because I got basically everything about it wrong while recording (the background texture of the module is a risograph printed texture)Before Sunrise by Richard LinklaterQuestionable Content by Jeph JacquesSocials:Nico's carrd page, which includes links to their socials, editing rates, and The Awards.Sam on Bluesky, Twitter, dice.camp, and itch.The Dice Exploder logo was designed by sporgory, and our theme song is Sunset Bridge by Purely Grey.Join the Dice Exploder Discord to talk about the show!Transcript:Sam: Hello and welcome to Dice Exploder. Normally each week we take a tabletop RPG mechanic, bait our lines with it, and cast them out to see, to see what we can catch. But you hear that different intro music? That means this episode I'm doing something much more self indulgent, a designer commentary on a module I released earlier this year called I Know the End.And just a heads up here at the top, to get the most out of this, you probably want to have at least read through the module in question before, or as, you're listening. I threw a bunch of free copies up on itch for exactly this purpose, so feel free to go run and grab one. I'll wait.Anyway, I love designer commentaries. You can find a few of my old written ones, as well as links to a few of my favorites from other people, in the show notes. But I wanted to try releasing one as a podcast, because one, that sounds fun, and two, what's the point of having a podcast feed if you can't be ridiculously self indulgent in it on occasion?And I picked I Know The End to talk about because it is... weird. I don't know. It's weird. I describe it on itch as a short scenario about returning home and all the horrors that entails. But you'll hear us take issue with, I don't know, maybe every word in that sentence over the course of this commentary. It was a strange experience to make this thing, and I figured that might be interesting to hear about.It was also the first time I ever worked with an editor Nico MacDougall my friend and the organizer behind The Awards since 2023. Nico was excellent to work with and you can find their rates and such in the show notes and they are with me today to talk through this thing in excruciating detail as you probably noticed from the runtime we had a lot to say. Definitely contracted two guys on a podcast disease. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. But regardless, I'd love to hear what you think of it. Should I do more? Never again? Want to organize the Dice Exploder Game Jam we mused about doing at the end of this? Hit me up! I'd love to hear from you. And now, here is myself, I guess, and Nico MacDougall, with a full designer's commentary on I Know The End.Nico: Well, Sam, thanks for being here on your podcast to discuss your... adventure.Sam: You're welcome.Nico: Yes.Sam: for having me.Nico: Very first question is adventure: is that really, like, the right term for this?Sam: Are we really starting here? Like, I, I don't know. I, I feel like I got, I really went into this thing with true intentions to write a proper module, you know? Like I was thinking about OSR style play for like the first time in my life, and like, we were both coming out of the awards 2022 judging, and a lot of the submissions for 2022 the Awards were modules. I thought that was great but it really was sort of like opening the floodgates of this style of play that I knew basically nothing about. And, at the same time that we were reading through all 200 submissions for the awards, I was also reading Marcia B's list of 100 OSR blog posts of some influence.And so I was really drinking from the fire hose of this style of play, and also, I wasn't playing any of it. Like, I was experimenting with Trophy Gold a little bit, which is this story game that is designed to try to play OSR modules and dungeons as, like, a story game kind of experience. And I was kind of figuring out how it works and like how I wanted to run it and how to make it go And Joe DeSimone, who was running the awards at the time was just encouraging everyone to make weirder shit and like, that was his ethos and those were the people that he got to submit to the awards. Like, it was just the weirdest stuff that I had ever read in the RPG space and... That's probably a lie. There's some weird stuff out there.It was just like so much weird stuff. It was like stuff on the bleeding edge of a whole side of the hobby that I didn't participate in in the first place. My intro to this part of the hobby was the bleeding edge of it. And I was like, alright, I, I just wanna make something there, I wanna try playing around there and see what happens.And Joe tweeted out the tweet was like, Now we're all making modules based on songs that make us cry. And I was listening to the Phoebe Bridgers album Punisher on loop at the time to inspire a screenplay I was working on. And the last track is called I Know the End, and just ends with this, primal scream.And it was, it was a hard fall for me, at the time. And the primal scream felt really cathartic. And I was spending a lot of time in the, small town where I grew up. And, this horror monster idea of a town that is, itself, an entity and like is a whole monster, and like, what does that mean exactly? I don't know, but intuitively, I like, understand it, and we're just gonna kind of drive... towards my intuitive understanding of what this thing is supposed to be. I just decided to do that and see what happened. And did that give us an adventure in the end? I don't know. Did that give us a 32 page long bestiary entry in the form of a module? Like, that sounds closer to right to me, but also, taxonomies are a lie and foolish anyways.I don't know, I made a weird thing, here it is. Nico: Yeah. So I was scrolling back in our, in our conversation to where you first shared this with me, and I... I would like to share with the audience the text that accompanied it. It was the Google Doc, and then it said, This might be completely unplayable, it might actually be a short story, or, like, a movie, but I'm gonna publish it anyway, and, you know... If that isn't exactly it, like...Sam: Yeah I like that stuff. I don't know, another thing I've been thinking about a lot this fall is writing by stream of consciousness. Like, I realized that I don't have a lot of confidence in any of my work that I feel like I created quickly. Like, the RPG thing I'm most well known for, I think, is Doskvol Breathes, which I just pumped out in an afternoon. It was just a thought that I had on a whim about how you might play blades in the dark maybe. And I finished it and then I released it and people were like, this is amazing. And I still get complimented on it all the time. I'm still really proud of it, but it, I don't have any confidence in it because it came so quickly.And, like, I know that this is something I need to, like, talk about in therapy, you know, about, like, It's not real art unless I worked on it for six months straight, like, really worked my ass off. But this process, I sort of looked back over my career as a screenwriter, as a short filmmaker, as a game designer, and started realizing just how many of my favorite things that I've made came from exactly that process of the whole idea kind of coming together all at once in like one sitting. And even if it then took like a bunch of months of like refining like it's wild to me How much of my favorite work was created by following my intuition, and then just leaving it be afterwards.Nico: Yeah, I actually did want to ask about the similarity between your, like, process for TTRPG design versus screenwriting, cause... While I have read, you know, edited this, but also, like, read your your game design work and know relatively well your thoughts on, like, you know, just game design sort of theory and stuff in general, I have never read any, like, screenwriting stuff that you've done. Although, lord knows I hope to see it someday. Sam: Well, listen, if anyone listening to this wants to read my screenplays, I'm on Discord. You can find me and I'll happily share them all. My old short films are largely available on the internet, too. You know, maybe I'll link a couple in the show notes.Nico: oh yeah,Sam: But I I think of my process for screenwriting as really, really structural.Like, I, I'm a person who really came out of needing a plot and needing to know what happens in a story, and to really especially need to know the ending of a story so I know kind of what I'm going towards as I'm writing the thing. I outline like really extensively before I write feature or a pilot, like there's so much planning you have to do, I think it is really, really hard to write any kind of screenplay and not have to revise it over and over and over again, or at least like plan really carefully ahead of time and like really think about all the details, revise a lot, run it by a lot of people for feedback over and over. But especially for me that, that having an ending, like a target in mind when I'm writing is so important. I just don't know how to do it without that.Except occasionally when I get some sort of idea like this one where I have a feeling of vibe and I just start writing that thing and then eventually it's done. And I, I've never had that happen for a feature film screenplay or like a TV pilot kind of screenplay.But I have had a couple of short films come together that way where I don't know what the thing is, I just know what I am writing right now, and then it's done, and then I go make it. And I I don't know why that happens sometimes. Nico: Yeah, I mean I would imagine length plays a factor in it, right? Like a short film, or, I mean, gosh, how many pages did I know the end, end, end up being? Sam: 36. Nico: But I find that really fascinating that, too, that you say that when you're screenwriting, you have to have it really structural, really outlined, an end specifically in mind, when, to me, that almost feels like, well, not the outlining part, but having an end in mind feels almost antithetical to even the idea of, like, game design, or, I guess, TTRPG design, right?Even the most sort of relatively pre structured, Eat the Reich, Yazeeba's Bed and Breakfast, like, Lady Blackbird games, where the characters are pretty well defined before any human player starts interacting with them, you can never know how it's going to end. And it's kind of almost against the idea of the game or the, the sort of art form as a whole to really know that.Even games that are play to lose, like, there are many games now where it's like, you will die at the end. And it's like, okay, but like, that's not really the actual end. Like, sure, it's technically the end, but it's like, we have no idea what's gonna be the moment right before that, or the moment before that. As opposed to screenwriting Sam: yeah, it's a, it's a really different medium. I still think my need to have a target in mind is something that is really true about my game design process too.Like the other game that I'm well known for, well known for being relative here, but is Space Train Space Heist, where I was like, I have a very clear goal, I want to run a Blades in the Dark as a one shot at Games on Demand in a two hour slot. And Blades in the Dark is not a game that is built to do that well, so I want to make a game that is built to do that well, but like, captures everything about the one shot Blades in the Dark experience that I think is good and fun .And that may not be a sort of thematic statement kind of ending, like that's what I'm kind of looking for when I'm writing a screenplay, but that is a clear goal for a design of a game.Nico: Yeah. even In the context of I know the end, and to start talking a little bit about my role in this as well, as, as the editor, I think the point of view, the vibe, the, like, desired sort of aesthetic end point Was very clear from the start, from the jump. And I think that in many ways sort of substitutes for knowing the end of the story in your screenwriting process.So that really helped when I was editing it by focusing on like, okay, here's the pitch. How can I help sort of whittle it down or enhance it or change stuff in order to help realize that goal.And sometimes it kind of surprises me even, like, how much my games shift and change as they reach that goal. Like, sometimes you can, like, look back at old versions of it, and you're like, wow, so little of this is still present. But, like, you can see the throughline, very sort of Ship of Theseus, right? Like, you're like, wow, everything has been replaced, and yet, it's, like, still the thing that I wanted to end up at.Sam: Yeah, another thing that is, I think, more true of my screenwriting process than my game design process is how very common that in the middle of the process I will have to step back and take stock of what was I trying to do again? Like, what was my original goal? I've gotten all these notes from a lot of different people and, like, I've done a lot of work and I've found stuff that I like.And what was I trying to do? Like, I have, all this material on the table now, I have, like, clay on the wheel, and, like, I just gotta step back and take a break and refocus on, like, what are we trying to do. I Think it's really important to be able to do that in any creative process.To Tie together a couple of threads that we've talked about here, talked at the beginning of this about how much this felt like a stream of consciousness project for me, that I really just like, dumped this out and then like, let it rip.But also, I mean, this was my first time working with an editor, and I think you did a lot of work on this to make it way better, like really polish it up and make those edges the kind of pointy that they wanted to be, that this game really called for. And that makes this, in some ways, both a really unstructured process for me, and then a really structured process, and... I don't know what to make of that. I think there's something cool about having both of those components involved in a process. Nico: Yeah, it is. I I very much agree that like, yeah, most of my sort of design stuff have, has proceeded very much the same way of just kind of like sporadically working on it, changing stuff, like revamping it, whatever. And it's like, it's sort of, yeah, in a constant state of fluxx up until the moment where I'm like, okay, I guess it's done now.What I was gonna say, I was gonna jump back just a point or two which is you mentioned Clayton Notestein's Explorer's Design Jam. And I was curious, like, what was your experience, like, using that design template? Sam: Yeah I really enjoyed it, I really had a good time with it. I had already gotten really comfortable with InDesign just teaching myself during lockdown. Like, that's what I did for 2020, was I, like, laid out a bunch of games myself and they all looked like shit, but they all taught me how to use InDesign as a program.And I think templates are really, really valuable. Like it's so much easier to reconfigure the guts of another template than it is to create something from scratch.And I like Clayton's template. I think it's nice and clean. I think you can see in all the publications that have come out using Clayton's template, how recognizable it is. How little most people stray from the bones of it, and on the one hand, I think it's amazing that you can just use the template and go really quickly and like, get something out.And also I just want to push on it a little bit more. I want something, like the template is designed to be a template. It is not a suit tailored to whatever your particular project is. But also, I think if I had tried to lay this out without a template, it would look substantially worse, and there are a few notable breaks here and there that I, you know, I enjoyed experimenting with. I like the use of the comments column for little artwork. I think that was a nice little innovation that I added.And, you know, I didn't write this originally to have that sort of commentary column as a part of it. Like, all of the text was just in the main body of it. And I like the way it turned out to have that sort of, like, director's commentary thing hanging out in the wings. lot of people have talked about how much they like that in Clayton's template. so I, I don't know, like I, think that on the one hand a template really opens up a lot of possibilities for a lot of people and really opened up a lot of possibilities for me, and on the other hand I do still look at it and I see the template And I'm like, I hope this doesn't look too much like every other person whoNico: Right, right. I mean, that is definitely the difficulty of providing those kinds of tools, because like, it makes it very easy to make things especially if you're sort of just getting started, or if you don't have a lot of confidence or familiarity with it inDesign or anything like that. But ultimately, I feel like Clayton himself would say that the Explorer's Design Template is not intended to be, like, the final template, right? It's intended to be, like, a tool that you can use to varying effects, right?Yeah, I was thinking about it when I was going through this earlier, and I was like, Oh, yeah, like, you only use the comments, column a few times, and then I literally only realized maybe five minutes before you said it, I was like, oh, wait, all the little artwork is also in that little column thing, like you just said, and I was like, oh, that's like, that's actually a really cool way to use the template, because that space is already provided if you include that column, but just because you have the column that's, you know, quote unquote, intended for commentary, doesn't mean you have to use it for commentary, doesn't mean you have to put text in there.Sam: Yeah, you definitely like learn a lot of stuff about the guts of the thing as you start playing with it.Nico: Yeah. is probably getting on the level of, like, pretty pointless, sort of what ifs, but I'm curious... If Clayton hadn't done the Explorer's Design Template Jam, or if you had, for whatever reason, like, not been inspired to use that as the impetus to, like, make this and get it edited and laid out and published or whatever, like, Do you think you still would have tried to use that template, or would you have just tried to lay it out yourself, like you've done in the past?Sam: Honestly, I think without the jam this wouldn't exist. I have like a long to do list of things at any given time, like creative projects I wanna on, youNico: Oh, yeah,Sam: know? And the thing that brought this to the top of that to do list was just wanting to have something to submit into that jam. You know, I wanted to work with you as an editor. I Always want to clear something off the to do list. I always want to have some kind of creative project. And, I wanted to submit something to that jam, but I think if you took any one of those away, I might not have put the thing out at all. Nico: Yeah, that's really interesting. But I guess that's also, again, kind of what a good template or layout or just tool in general can help is actually get these things made. Sam: That's what a good jam can do, too, right? I mean, there's a reason the Golden Cobra contest is something that I love. It's like 40 new LARPs every year and they only exist because the Golden Cobra is throwing down the gauntlet.Nico: That's very true. Well, maybe it's time to move along to more practical concerns Sam: Maybe it's time to do the actual commentary part of this episodeWe've done the waxing philosophical part, butNico: we, yeah, checked off that Dice Exploder box. Now it's time to do the actual game talk.Sam: your bingo cards Nico: Yeah, Sam: Yeah, so let's start with the cover.Nico: Yes, the cover, which I only realized it was a teeth, that it was a mouth with teeth open when you said in the outline, ah yes, it's a mouth with teeth. And I looked at it and I was like... Oh my god, it is. Like,Sam: I did my job so well. I wanted it to be subtle, but I always like looked at it and was like it's so obviously teeth, I'm never gonna get this subtle enough. But I'm I'm glad to hear that I succeeded.Nico: I truly don't know what I thought it was before, but it definitely wasn't teeth.Sam: Yeah. Well, it started as I'll share this in the show notes. It started as this image. It was like a 6x9 layout, and, the teeth were still there, and it was like, all black, and the teeth were this much wider, gaping maw, like, inhuman, unhinged jaw kind of situation. And then, in the middle of it, was a, like, live laugh love kind of Airbnb sign with I Know The End on it. It was like the mouth, like, eating the sign.And I liked that. I felt like, the problem with that was that... As much as creepy, live, laugh, love sign is kind of the like, vibe of this, I didn't really want to bring in the like, kitsch of that at all, like, I felt like that kitschiness would hang over the whole thing if I made it the cover, and I mean, this whole thing is just about my own personal emotional repression, right? And my feelings about my small town that I'm from, andabout like, my ambition, and, exactly, yeah.But I, I write a lot, and I make a lot of art about emotional repression , and I think the particular vibe of this game's repression doesn't have space for irony, or satire, or like, Do you wanna live, laugh, love? Like, I don't know how else to put it. Like, it just felt really wrong.It was like, if you put that into the space at all, it's gonna curdle the whole feeling. Nico: it's about the framing of it. I, know that Spencer Campbell of Gila RPGs has written something about this on his blog. I don't remember specifically what the context is, but he's a psychologist by training and is talking about how, like, the way that you frame something matters a lot to how people respond to it, right?So you like, if you're framing it as like, oh, you have, twelve things and I take away six from you, versus like, oh, you have nothing and then you are given six things. It's like, both scenarios, you like, end up with six but Sam: One feels like a letdown and one feels great. Yeah,Nico: yeah, and so I think in his article he was talking about in the, yeah, you know, tying that into the game design context, obviously.And I think it matches here where like, sort of runs the risk of like, priming people to expect kitsch, and I don't think that that's really present in the rest of the game. And that kind of mismatched expectations could really, like, lead to some problems when people are trying to, like, play the game.Sam: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I mean this cover is just kind of like, oh. Like, it doesn't it doesn't really tell you much other than just like there's something back there that's maybe vaguely menacing, and that's kind of it. That's kind of Nico: Yeah.Sam: Alright, speaking of which can we, can we talk about my favorite interaction between the two of us as we were working on this?Nico: Oh, yeah, I was not sure how to bring that up. yes, please do. Now that we're moving on to... For everyone following along at home, we are proceeding to the credits page.Sam: The comment I got from you while you were editing this was, IDK if it would look different in print, but having the text so close to the edge of the page is activating my fight or flight response. And I just replied, working as intended.Nico: It yeah, I had the feeling, I think, even when I sent that, I was like, this, this is not like an accident. Like, like, like no one makes this like no one does this by accident. But, yes, truly, I hope that you are following along at home because I believe that Sam generously gave a whole bunch of community copies of this game, or made them available. Sam: I believe it was 42, 069 I'm usually doing some number like that. This game, I might have done a different number, but that's, the other games that I've done.Nico: So, but the text on this, for credits page specifically, it's truly, like, at the edge of the page. Like, it looks like it could be cut off. It's like, in print, it would be like, cut off by the process of actually like, making it. In fact, feels like if you try to send it to a printer, they could almost send it back and be like, you've gotta give us some space there. Like, you simply can't do that. There needs to be a gutter, or bleed, or whatever the term is. Like, Sam: I love it. maybe one day I will print this. Honestly, like if I become a super famous game designer or something, like, this is one of the ones that I Nico: screen, slash screenwriter.Sam: yeah, yeah. This is one of the ones I'd like to go back and hold in my hand, but I also I don't know, I just love it. I, I love designing for digital as, like, a primary thing, because I just feel like most people who play the thing are gonna play it out of digital.And I don't know if that's, like, the primary audience for a lot of modules. Like, I think there are a ton of people out there who just, like, buy the zine and hold the zine in their hand and probably never get around to playing it. But I, I love the digital. I've always loved the digital. I don't know, I just like making for it.Nico: Well I mean I was even thinking about it in the context of like, you know, how you talked about how you changed the aspect ratio, I was like thinking about that and I was like, I mean, it's not like that would be impossible to print, but like, most standard commercial printers operate in like, one of the more standard like, page sizes. Even the risograph you said is what it's called, right?Sam: The, the RISO. Yeah, I don't know if it's Rizzo or RISO, but I'm gonna sayNico: The RISO background also makes the, again, just from like a fully practical point of view, it's like you're adding color to the whole thing,Like there are many potential barriers to this as like a physical product that would, that are simply not there when you're designing for digital, so like, it is nice to have that sort of freedom, like, when you're thinking about how to lay this out or, or put stuff on here, it's like, you're freed from a lot of those practical considerations.Sam: There's a few other details I want to talk about on this page just kind of like references I'm making that are not obvious.So the first is that the header font and title font of I Know The End is a font that I ripped from Lilancholy, which is this amazing book by Snow, which is ostensibly a game, but but also a reflection on childhood and personal relationship to emotions and trauma.And I love the look of the font, but I also intentionally wanted to reference that game while I was making something that felt really personal in a similar vein. And another another reference here is that the color of the whole game, like this red, is pulled from the cover art for the Phoebe Bridgers album Punisher that I know the end is off of. I, I just found the, like, most saturated red pixel that I could on the album and was like, that's the color! I love hiding little references in every little detail that I can. Nico: Yeah, it's so interesting because I did not know any of that, you know, prior to this conversation or seeing that stuff on the outline. What did you sort of hope to achieve with those references, right? Because I can't imagine that you're plan was like, for someone to look at it and be like, oh my god, that's the Lilancholy font, and that's the Phoebe Bridgers album Sam: that's one pixel from that album cover.Yeah.What am I trying to achieve? I don't know, like there's, so the Paul Thomas Anderson movie Phantom Thread Is an amazing movie, and it's about Daniel Day Lewis being incredibly serious, scary Daniel Day Lewis, making dresses, being a tailor, and an element of the movie is that he hides his initials inside the dresses, like, when he's making them, he, like, sews his initials in.And that's a real thing that, that people did, and maybe it's just for him. It's also kind of an arrogant thing to do, you know, that all these, like, women are gonna be walking around wearing these dresses with, like, his initials kind of, like, carved, it's like this power thing. But my favorite part of it is that Phantom Thread is PT, also known as Paul Thomas Anderson.Nico: Ha Sam: And, like, like, I, I just feel like when you're doing that kind of thing, it's just, what an act, it's just so beautiful and arrogant and satisfying. Like I think doing that kind of little reference and joke for myself brings me into the mindset of what I am trying to convey with the game.Like, if I'm thinking in the detail of the font selection, what do I want to reference? What do I want to bring to this game? Then, I'm gonna be I'm gonna be thinking about that in every other choice I'm making for the game, too. And even if half of those choices end up being just for me, I will have been in the headspace to make the other half that are for everyone else, too.Nico: Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. like, You could almost even call these, like, Easter eggs, right?But it also made me think about, I had to look this up actually as you were talking, because I was like, about that, the CalArts classroom number that like all of the animators that studied there fit into like Pixar movies and stuff, like, A113, A113. And I think that's also sort of a good example of it in some ways, because it's like now, with the advent of the internet, and you know, and a certain way of engaging with media, like, everyone knows what that, what that means now, or they could if they just looked it up, or they just see some BuzzFeed, you know, article that's like, you know, 50 easter eggs that you missed in the latest Pixar movie.But yeah, it's like, it's very interesting because it kind of asks who is the movie for? What's the intended or imagined audience for all of these things? And it sort of shows that, like, you can have multiple audiences or multiple levels of engagement with the same audience, like, at the same time. Maybe, I would say, it's very unlikely that any random person would just like, look at the cover of I Know The End and be like, oh, that's the Lilancholy font, but,Sam: I have had someone say that to me, though. Yeah.Nico: but, so, what I was just gonna say is like, but I don't think it's hard to imagine that like, the type of person who would, who would buy, who would be interested in I Know The End or Lilancholy, I think there's a pretty decent chance that they would be interested in the other if they're interested in one of them, right?And so it is interesting as well, where it's like, I am often surprised by like the ability of people to sort of interpret or decipher things that far outweighs my sort of expectations of their ability to do so.If only just because I have the arrogance to be like, well no one could ever have a mind like mine. Like, no one could ever think in the specific bizarre way that I do. Then it's like actually a surprising number of people think in a very similar way. Sam: Another thing I think about with making these really, really tiny references, easter eggs, it's the, not making a decision is making a decision, right? CentrismNico: Oh,Sam: Like, if you have literally anything that you have not made a choice about with intention, that is a missed opportunity, I think.And... I have so much respect for people who will just pump something out, like, write a page of a game and, like, upload as a DocX to itch. Like, Aaron King is a genius, and I know a lot of games that are put out that way, and I love that stuff. But for me, like, the kind of art creation process that I enjoy and like doing is so based on finding meaning in every crevice, finding a way to express yourself in every detail. just love doing it.Nico: you are the English teacher that the, the curtains are blue meme is referencing, in fact.Sam: Yes.Nico: The curtains are blue in I Know The End because,Sam: Well, and I know the end they are red, but Nico: yes.Imagine that being the new version of the meme: the curtains in this are red because there's a Phoebe Bridgers album that has a single pixel that is that color.Sam: Yeah, I don't know. It's true, though.Nico: Exactly. it is in fact true. But so would, in some ways, any other interpretation of...Sam: Yeah.Nico: of the red color, right? It's like you picked it because of the association with the album cover. Someone else could be like, Oh, it means this otherthing. And like that interpretation is correct. Sam: Yeah, I mean, I also picked it because of its association with blood, you know, like I, I wanted to kind of evoke that feeling too, so.Shall we do the table of contents? HehNico: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think the most interesting thing to talk about, and I want to know when this entered the sort of the design process, is the blacked out Table of Contents entry which corresponds to an almost entirely blacked out, or in this case, redded out,Sam: Yeah, Nico: messily redacted,part of, the book,Sam: Yeah, I think this was always there, I think I started writing a list of locations very early on, and on that list of locations was, like, I work in Google Docs to begin with for most of my stuff, and it was a bullet pointed numbered list, and the last list item was struck through, and it was your mom's house.And I just thought that was a funny little joke. It's like really dark? Another, just like a little detail, I have such a great relationship with my parents. Like really just a better relationship with my parents than anyone I know. And, so much of my art ends up with these like, really bad, fucked up relationships with parents, and I don't know what that's about.But, there's, there's something about, there's a piece of your hometown that is like so traumatic that you can't bring yourself to look at it. There's a piece of yourself, or your childhood, or like, where you came up, there's something from your origin story that you can't bear to face is a lot of what this is about. And even as the climax of this thing is I think in a lot of ways turning to face everything that you left behind.I mean the whole module is about that but I think fact that even when you are doing that, there's one piece of it that you can't bear to look at is really tragic and a mood to me. You know, it really felt right. Nico: it's sort of like, yeah, I'm finally gonna stand my ground and face my fear, or whatever, except for that thing. That thing, that part over there, for whatever reason, because I'm actually just very afraid of it. It really, as always, is sort of like the exceptions to the rule make the rule, or emphasize the rule. You're kind of carving out the negative space around it. And it makes it clearer in so. so Well, Yeah, so like, then the first thing of the game text itself, so to speak, is like the front and back of a postcard. And where's the picture from? It looks kind of old timey in a sort of non specific way.Sam: It's from Wikimedia Commons, I believe. I was looking for pictures of old postcards, and I wanted a small town, and, this is what I found.The postcard image is actually like a hell of a photo bash too. The stamp on it is from a real postcard I received from my cousin. The handwriting was me on just like a piece of paper that I scanned, and then the postcard is another like open source postcard image.Nico: Yeah. I am, once again, sort of showing, showing a lot of my bias here. I am often kind of against a lot of little, like, accessories, or sort of, like, physical things that are often part of crowdfunding, like, stretch goals, you know, like, it's, I don't know. I don't think it's, like, ontologically evil or anything like that, it's just, I understand, it's part of the reality of crowdfunding, and, like, attracting attention, and yada yada yada, I just personally don't love that reality. Which, of course, is easy to criticize when you're not part of a project is trying to do that, but that aside, I think it would actually genuinely be very cool to have, like, this postcard as, like, a physical object like, if the game were to be printed.Sam: You gonna make me like, handwrite every one of the postcards too? Cause that isNico: I did not say that. Oh, is that really? Well, but then, then you have it already, you can just print it off, like, or you make that the, like, I don't know, the hundred dollar stretch goal, you know, they back it at that level and then the postcard just appears inside their mailbox. Like,Sam: That wa that is creepy. I will tell you that,Nico: You say that as though it's happened to you before. You're like, well, let meSam: well, I'm not, I, I revealing nothing. How autobiographical is this? Nico: Yeah. so I guess, yeah, so getting, So this is the introduction page, the background, the introduction, giving the context to what this module, extended bestiary, what have you, what it is. My question here from a sort of meta perspective is like, how much are you trying to sort of give away at the start of this? How do you pitch this to , like to someone you know?Sam: that's a great question. I'm pretty proud of the execution here. I think I do a good job of, like, leaving some juicy hints here as to what might be going on without giving anything away. Like, the fact that I advertise this as maybe closer to a bestiary entry than a module, like, uh, what? Like, like you, you have an idea of what that means, but also like, where's the monster, what is the thing that I'm looking like, that is kind of planted in your mind in a way that I think is intriguing and sets expectations without giving the whole thing away.And, also, this is just me, like, trying to figure out how to describe this thing in real time as I'm writing. It really came from intuition. Nico: yeah. I know that, you know you're on, very much on record talking about how, you know, like, taxonomy is fake and, you know, et cetera, et cetera. Sam: As much as I love it.Nico: right, right, exactly, I mean, I feel the same way, but I, I am curious as to like if you were trying to sell someone on the idea of even just playing this game, like, how effective do you think it is of like communicating whatever this is, you know, like, is it effective to say it's kind of this, or it's not this, or maybe it's this, like, Sam: I think this is going to be really good at reaching the kind of person who will love this, and really bad at selling this to like a mass audience, you know? But luckily, I'm not trying to sell this to a mass audience. I'm like trying to make Joe Dissimone proud, you know? Like I'm trying to make like something as weird as fucking possible.and I think there's a kind of person who really appreciates that and this struggle to define what this is using existing terminology, I think is going to really appeal to the people who like this.Nico: yeah, I agree, I think it signposts well hey, you, there, like, look at this thing. Isn't that interesting. And if they're like, If they're like, no, that's confusing and I don't know what to do with it, and they go somewhere else, in some ways, it could be argued that that is like, working as intended, right, likeSam: I kind of find it interesting in the sidebar here to watch me sort of like struggle with how you're supposed to play this game, like what rule system are you supposed to use?I do think with some distance from this, the best way to experience this is as a solo game. Like to just read the thing but pause and journal about your character's experience as you sort of walk through it. I have started playing more solo games since I wrote this in preparation for a Season 3 episode of the show, and I think this would serve that experience really well.I considered even, like, rewriting this to be more of explicitly a solo experience, but I, ultimately was really happy leaving it in its sort of nebulous, provocative, what if, is this, what is this sort of state. Nico: Yeah. I would genuinely be interested to have like, the two of us play the game, like this game, like one running it, one as the player, because I don't necessarily disagree with what you said, might be better suited as a solo game, but I really do think that there is something that can be gained about, like being in a room with, like, one other person, or, you know, being on a call with one other person, or whatever and going through this,Sam: Yeah, yeah, I can feel the intensity of that as you describe it. And it sounds harrowing and... Amazing. I do, I do have this dream of like running a Mork Borg dungeon, like over the course of like three sessions, and then like taking one of the players who survives and being like, I've got another module that I think we should play with the same character. Nico: yeah. Anyways, you go home and you think you're safe, but actually, like, Sam: I do think that this as a response to OSR play is really an interesting way to try to play the game, like to Nico: just sort of experienceSam: Yeah, to try to take the kind of character that you would have coming out of that and the experience you would have coming out of that and then like get tossed into this, like that disorientation I think would serve this really well and would do something that I found I really like to do with the OSR kind of play of like finding ways to bring in more character stuff, to just have people to reflect on their person, rather than on the logistical problem solving.Nico: Mm hmm. Which, of course, in some ways also is like, I don't want to say direct contradiction, but like, moving perpendicular to a lot of the sort of OSR principles, rightSam: But yeah, I mean, fuck em. Nico: exactly, I mean, I'm not, saying that to discourage you from doing it, I'm just saying, like, I just think it's an interesting for those to come into sort of, conflict or, or whatever in, in that specific way.Sam: I mean, that's what the bleeding edge of something is all about, right? It's like, what are our principles? What if we throw them out? What does thatNico: Right, right. What if we smash things together that, like, should sort of repel each other like magnets? Like,Sam: Yeah.Nico: Let's move on to the town?Sam: Yeah. So this is the, like, GM spoiler page.Nico: Right.Sam: I don't know that I have a lot to say about this particular page. It's, it's the town. There are, like, two suggestions in the first chunk of this book that came from you that I think are really valuable to this. Like, the first is that the town is always capitalized throughout. Which I like sort of was doing, but you really emphasized, and I think was a great decision.And, the second is that there aren't any contractions in this book except for possessives. And, that was another suggestion that came from you, to have this sort of stilted, formal, slightly off kind of language of not having contractions, that I think serves it really well and is just really cool.Nico: Yeah, I have to give credit for that, to the Questionable Content webcomic, which is a webcomic that has been running forSam: God, is it still going?Nico: oh, it very much is still going, I, it updates Monday to Friday, and I, am reading, I am seated and reading,Sam: stopped reading that like a decade ago.Nico: It is officially 20 years old. It started in 2003.but so one of the characters in that she initially never uses contractions. It is always, it is, it is never, it's. Do not, not, don't, you know, is not, not, isn't and over time, as the character sort of gets more comfortable and starts to open up about her kind of mysterious past, and they'll deal with a lot of the sort of like, serious emotional turmoil that is present in the character, she like, starts to use contractions.And so, it's a specific device that is very weirdly ingrained in my head at this point, because I remember, like, realizing that when it was called out the first time, and then I will fess up and say I have re read the webcomic from the beginning several times. I have a lot of time on my hands sometimes. And it is always kind of a delight to go back to the beginning and see this character and to really notice that device because you know where she ends up and how much more comfortable she is and so to see that difference in the beginning makes it very effective on a reread in a way that is sort of present in the maybe subconscious the first time on the way through.Thank you. And I feel like it's similar here, not quite the same because I don't know if you would ever necessarily actively realize, like, oh, there are no sort of contractions here.Sam: and the town is never gonna stop being a entity of repression.Nico: Yeah, exactly. And so it's giving this like underlying anxiety kind of like,like, you're just like, Ooh, this is Sam: Yeah. It's like, what is going on? What's wrong with the language here?Nico: Yeah. And you might not even really be able to, articulate it because it's sort of hard to articulate the absence of somethingSam: And like, that's the feeling of the whole module. yeah, It's, it's just, it's a great decision. Nico: Yeah. And then of course, capitalizing town, you know, are you even really a game designer if you're not capitalizing some random words in Sam: yeah. gotta have one at least, come on.Sam: I will say I really enjoy the fact that I give no origin story for the town. I think that's also really powerful, of leaving a hole that people can fill in if they want.The mom repression stuff is kinda like that too, the like, the blacking out sharpie. Of like, that's a hole you could fill in in play if you wanted to, but I, I'm not going to. I'm gonna intentionally leave that hole there.Nico: It also is the kind of thing, right, of like, oh gosh, Nova was saying this in the Dice Exploder Discord recently, where like, part of the reason the OSR can be so sort of rules light and stripped down is because like, it is relying a lot on the sort of cultural script of like, what is a fantasy role playing game, or even just like a fantasy story in general, you know? What your knowledge of an OSR game is.And this, in a similar way, is sort of like, you know what a hometown is. Like, you know, I don't need to tell you what the backstory of this is, because you know what it's like to be from somewhere. Cause it's also worth saying, like, this game does not give any character creation instructions, right? I mean, actually, I guess that's not entirely true, because underneath the postcard, you know, it just says, A decade or more gone since you fled the small backwater town that spawned you.And it's like, yeah, that's basically all the sort of character creation information you need, like,Sam: yeah, yeah, like wait, gonna play yourself and you're gonna be sad about this, like uh, Nico: Right, or, like, or if you're not playing yourself, you are playing a person who's sad about it, like, you know, it's like, it's kind of all you really need, Sam: you have internalized the tone of this thing, like, your character is in ways the negative space of the voice of the text. Nico: Like, a weird relationship with your small hometown, we just don't need to spend very much, time covering that broad background. It's much better spent covering the specific, like, locations and people in this town that also sort of help to convey that, feeling, that information.Sam: Temptations and terrors?Nico: Yes, probably The closest thing to a system that is in here, inasmuch as it's taken roughly verbatim from Trophy Dark Sam: yeah, I do think it is notable that when I wrote this I had not played Trophy Dark, and Trophy Dark is the one where you definitely die,Nico: Right. Right. Sam: My intention was not that you would definitely die in this. I really want escape to be a big possibility at the end and so it's interesting that I went with Trophy Dark as, like, the obvious system.Yeah, I like these lists. This is just a lot of tone setting, basically, right? I don't have a lot to say about the details here. The first terror, a children's toy, damp in a gutter, is a reference to another song that makes me cry. The Rebecca Sugar song for Adventure Time, Everything Stays.But most of the rest of this is just, vibes. Here's some vibes. I don't know, I re read these lists and I was like, yeah, they're fine, great, next page. But I don't know, is there anything that stands out to you here?Nico: I mean, I think the most important thing about these lists, these kinds of things, you could maybe even sort of broaden this to like pick lists in general, is that, they kinda need to do two things, like they need to both give you a good solid list of things to pick from, if you're like, at a loss, or if you just are like, looking through it, and you're like, this is good, I want to use this.Or, the other purpose of using it is to have it sort of identify the space that you're playing in to the point where you can come up with your own thing that like, could just be the next entry on that list, right? For me at least, the whole point of like, buying a game is like, I want something that I like, can't essentially come up with by myself, you know? Because I like to be surprised, I like to be sort of challenged, I like to be inspired, and so I think a really good game is one that you sort of like, read it, and you're like, okay, like, there's great things to use in here that I'm excited to use. I also, after having read this, am coming up with my own ideas. Like, equally long, if not longer, list of things that like, fit into this perfectlySam: Bring the vibes of your small town. Nico: Yeah, exactly, that I could also use. It's like, and so it's like, it's kind of funny that like, for me at least, the mark of a good game is like oh yeah, you both want to use everything that's contained in it, and also you immediately get way more of your own ideas than you could ever use when you're running the game.Sam: Yeah. Next?Nico: Yes. Act 1. Sam: I love this little guy, I love Wes he's just kind of a pathetic little dude, and I feel sad for him.Nico: It's so funny, too, because this particular little guy, like, doesn't look very pathetic to me. Like, he looks like he's kind of doing okay. Sam: I definitely like drew, like all the art in the book I drew, and I did it by just drawing a lot of little heads, and then assigning them to people. Like, there were a couple where they were defining details about how the people looked, that I knew I needed to draw specifically. But in general, I just drew a bunch of heads and then doled them out, and like, this is the one that ended up on Wes. And, I think that the contrast between, like, in my mind, Wes is this skinny, lanky, little kid, you know, he's like early 20s, finally making it on his own, and he has no idea what the hell's going on with the world, and he always looked up to you, and he's finally getting out of town. And then he's, he's like overcompensating with the beard for the fact that he's like balding really early, and like, you know, he's, I don't know, like, I think the contrast is just fun.Nico: I love this whole life that you have for this, this little, this little guy, like, which is, I can't stress this enough, mostly not contained in the text,Sam: Yeah. yeah. I think a good NPC is like that. I think it's really hard to transcribe the characters we get in our heads.Nico: yeah, Sam: I really like the, the pun in the Town Crier, I mean like the Town Crier feels like a horror movie trope, like the old man who's gonna be like, You got don't go up to the cabin! But it's also, like I wrote that down first and then just started describing this Wes guy and then I was like I'm gonna just like make a pun out of this.This is something I did all the time while writing this, was I had, like, a little oracle going, actually, at a certain point, like, in the same way that you would in a solo game with an oracle. Like, if I was stuck for an idea, I would just roll on the oracle table and then, like, fill in a detail that was somehow related to the oracle. Nico: Mhm. Sam: That, that didn't happen here, but the idea of, Oh, I want a little bit more description for this guy, like, what should I do? I, like, pulled the word crier, and then was like, Oh, that's really interesting, like, when would this guy have cried? Like, oh, that's a great question, let's just, like, put that to the player. I'm always, like, a thing in screenwriting that is really hard to do, and that I'm always looking for is, like, really good, pithy character descriptions.Like, a friend of mine loves the one like, this is a woman who always orders fajitas at a Mexican restaurant because she loves the attention that she gets when the fajitas come out.She hates fajitas. And that description just says Nico: That's Sam: much. It's so good, right? And that one's even a little bit long for like a screenplay, but it'd be great for like an RPG thing, right?And something about like Here's a little bit about this guy. You remember when he was crying once, like a baby? What was the deal with that? Like, it's such a, like, defines everything else about him. Like, I, I, I'm really proud that.Nico: Yeah. No, that's, that's how I felt a little bit with I ran Vampire Cruise at Big Bad Con this year. And that game has some of, like, the best random NPC generating tables that I've, like, ever seen and played with.I remember one specifically, it was, like, I was like, rolling to generate a passenger, and I think it was like, the secrets part of the table, or something like that, and what I rolled was like, regrets that she never got to see the dinosaurs, and it's like, what does that mean?Like, like, Sam: She had a traumatic experience at a science museum as a kid, or maybe she's like 10 million years old, like, I don't...Nico: or, yeah, or she's just like a weirdo who like really loves dinosaurs? It's like, it's, Like, it really gives you sort of what you need to just sort of like, spin a world out of that specific detail. Sam: It's weird because I like completely agree with you, and you know, I was tooting my own horn about like this question about Wes sobbing and also like, in every single spread of this thing, I'm taking like two full pages to talk about like one or two NPCs, which is a terrible way to do the thing that we are talking about doing. Like,Nico: That is true, that is, it must be said,Sam: it makes it feel so much more like a short story, or maybe like a solo game, right? It's like, eh, spend two pages, like, getting to know this guy. Nico: who won't come up again, spoiler alert, Sam: Yeah, it feels like the right call for this thing where like, I mean it's like the text is forcing you to sit with the memory of this guy, it's like forcing you to come in and like spend more time than you would like to like back at home with these people.And there's some like location context built into all these descriptions too, and we like learn about the bakery thing here and like old stories and stuff. And like, already it's like, do we need that shit to run this game? Like, absolutely not, like, get, get out of the way, like, but also, I don't know, it feels right?And it's one of the things that makes all this weird and, you know, unrunnable.Nico: Which is of course the goal, we don't want people to run this. Yeah, no, that's something that I've thought about in my own games as well, is, is, and just sort of like, my life, I guess, is sort of like, what makes a place that place, you know, like, what makes a town a town, what makes a city a city, like, is it the people who live there? Is it the places? Like, again, kind of back to the sort of Ship of Theseus metaphor, it's like, if everyone you know leaves, and a lot of the stores turnover, like, is that still your hometown? Like... Does your relationship to it change?And so I, in defense of, of what we're doing here, it makes a lot of sense to spend so much time thinking about the people and the places that are here because that also basically is the game, right?Like, like, this is not a dungeon crawl, right? Like, this is not a hack and slash thing, It's not a dungeon crawl, like, Sam: it's a person crawl. Nico: Yeah, exactly, you're yeah, the point of you coming home is you're trying to find Sidra, the person who sent you this postcard, asking you to come home, and yeah, you're basically doing a point crawl, trying to find this person.And then there are various conditions that need to be in place for you to actually find them = And yeah, so it's like, using more words than a sort of your standard OSR like dungeon crawl or point crawl or whatever, or hex crawl, but like, it's kind of the same way where it's like, yeah, but like, that's the game, that's the adventure, like, Sam: yeah, yeah. Another detail here I'm really proud of is the like, offhand remark about how Wes and Sidra aren't talking for what are probably romantic reasons. Because the implication, there's like a strong implication that you, player, have some sort of romantic history with Sidra, like, whether it was ever consummated or not. And I love the just sort of, like, offhand, Wes and Sidra had a thing that didn't work out, because it both... leaves open your potential romantic relationship with Sidra, but also like complicates it and like darkens it from whatever sort of nostalgic quote unquote pure like memory of it you had.And I love that it just sort of brings a little complexity into what happens when you leave for 15 years. And then like what it feels like when you like, hear, oh yeah, your ex has been like, dating someone for a couple years. What were we talking about? Like just that, like sometimes like a bolt of like, information about like, someone from your past that like, you care a lot about will just hit you and you'll be like, oh, wait, what? And we're just I'm supposed to just like, take that and move on? Like, yeah, yeah, Nico: It's also a very small town, right, where it's a sort of like, oh yeah, passing reference to this because everyone knows this already, right? Like, this is old news as well as, like, in a small town, it's like, there's a small pool of people your age that you're interested in, so, not like you're gonna get with all of them inevitably, but it's like, yeah, there's a pretty high chance that you might.Last thing I did wanna say on this, do you wanna share what Wes's name was in the first draft of this that I received?Sam: What was it? I don't rememberNico: It was Glup Shitto. It was, it was one of the first comments I left! It was one of the first comments I left! I was like, Sam, you've gotta know this can't be the final thing, right?Sam: knew it couldn't be the final name. But there was something really funny to me about like the one person who like doesn't fit into town, like this little fucking Star Wars fanboy like schmuck kid is just Glup Shitto. And he's leaving town cuz like when you got that name, it doesn't fit anymore. You gotta get the fuck out of there.No wonder the town couldn't absorb him. His name was Glup Shitto.Nico: I want to say, like, I might have, like, made my first round of comments because I was, like, yeah, feeling the same way of, like, okay, obviously this is not the finalSam: yeah, yeah, I just didn't change it and you were likebruh Nico: and then, yeah, and then you, like, made changes based on the comments that I left, and I went back to it, and I'm like, it's still Glup Shitto. Like, it simply can't be this! It's not allowed! It's, it's not legal! Like, Sam: there ought to be a law.Nico: yeah.Sam: Alright, let's do Act 2 gosh.Yeah, so I made this little map. I like the little map. This is just my hometown, incidentally. Like, there's so much in this that is just, like, pulling details directly from my hometown. That oracle that I mentioned earlier, like, Northfield, Minnesota was, like, one of the things on the oracle. And you can see that here in like, the riverwalk and this little bridge over it was very Northfield. the Rube, which we're getting to next, these two bars, the kind of cowboy themed bar thing was a thing.Nico: Again, it's a very small town of just like, no sort of reasonable business person would have these specific Sam: yeah, but they, they exist here for some reason Nico: it almost feels like the kind of thing where it's like, like they can exist in a really small town, because it's sort of like, well they're the only things here, and they can exist in like New York City Sam: yeah. Nico: everything's in New York city, and like every kind of place is there, but like anywhere in between, people would just be like, I don't understand, and then it goes out of business,Sam: Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, doctors always also a big portion of my childhood and my past always coming up in my stuff just because I spent so much time in hospitals as a kid. So the, inclusion of a doctor here is also very much something coming out of my hometown.I like the little mechanic here of, like, rolling and you, like, add one every, every time. I think that's a nice sort of way to handle trying to find Sidra. Nico: as like a classic Nico mechanic 'cause I simply haven't made and published that many things. But in my mind, my narcissistic fantasy, it is a classic me mechanic.Sam: I believe that came from you.Nico: I fucking love a table that like evolves over time.And it's not like I invented it, but like, I think my more standard thing is sort of like you have a table of like 12 things, and then you change which die you roll on it, you know, it's like, oh you can do like a d4 through d12 or whatever and that's like, I really like the ability to sort of go back to a table and, like, use it multiple times as opposed to, like, Okay, we have one table for this, we have a different table for that, you know.Sam: Additional persons. I really like this format for sort of generic NPCs, like, I'm not gonna tell you anything about this person, but I am gonna tell you what you think about them and your relationship to them.I think it's a really cool way of doing... Oh, do you just need to, like, bring someone in? You, like, met someone on the street or whatever? In a lot of other settings, you would just have, like, a random person, and it would be, like, the Vampire Cruise thing. If you give them an interesting detail in here, it'd be a cool thing.But I think, especially in, like, a small town format, the, like, here's your relationship to this person, because everyone knows everyone, and, every character that comes in, like, is gonna have to inspire some kind of feeling and past in you. I think this works really cool, reallyNico: It also feels very sort of true to life in terms of, at least, how I often GM things. Someone will be like, hey, can I, like, ask just, like, the next person I see on the street what they know about this thing? And I'm like, I mean, I fuckin I guess, like, it'll shock you to learn I don't have a name for that person, but, you know, I just have to, like, come up with, like, here's a weird voice, and like, a random thing they know, and like here's a name, Sam: This is a great way to turn that experience back on the player.Nico: exactly, yeah, there's this random person, you're like, alright, this is someone who owes you an apology, why is that?Like, Sam: yeah, Nico: I also wanna say that I feel like this was actually a relatively late addition to theSam: Yeah, it was. I always intended to write these, but it was like the last thing that I wrote.Nico: Yeah.Sam: Yeah.Nico: There was definitely some time when I sort of came back and looked at it, and all of a sudden there was this relatively large additional persons section in here, and I was like, huh, interesting.Sam: Yeah. I'm happy with how it came out. I think these are my best little guys. Nico: Oh yeah, Sam: I really like the unfinishedness of these little guys that you can project a little bit of yourself onto them while there's still some, like, major details there. This someone you seek vengeance upon looks a lot like a penis, and I don't know how I feel about that one, butNico: I was gonna say, I find that one fascinating as the ide

From Survivor to Thriver
From Prison to Purpose with Elizabeth Mikotowicz

From Survivor to Thriver

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2023 69:35


70% of incarcerated women are suffering from terrible trauma. In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Elizabeth Mikotowicz to talk about her story of abuse and trauma that led to her incarceration. While in prison, she was mistreated and abused by many people in power. Elizabeth is now acting as a force for change to stop the abuse happening to women in prison. Elizabeth has come a long way on her healing journey, and in this episode, she shares her experiences with art as therapy, binaural beats, ASMR, meditation, and self-care in order to recover from the trauma. Five years ago, Elizabeth Mikotowicz was painting murals as a federal inmate, now she has her own art shows and has launched an environmentally friendly clothing brand called EPM which is based on her art. While in prison, she both endured and witnessed institutional abuse, corruption, systemic racism, and cruelty; so much so that sometimes she still wakes up screaming. These days she's turned it all around! She has gotten legislative bills put on the table and passed for the good of the people - not corporations and institutions. Elizabeth is letting the world know what America is doing to its incarcerated population which is the highest rate in the world. She is currently in the editing stages of her memoir and is also creating an adult coloring book based on PTSD and what she learned from her own trauma.  In today's episode, we cover: The corruption in the prison systemThe impact prison has on women with PTSDThe mistreatment and trauma Elizabeth experienced in the prison systemHow Elizabeth was able to move into a place of strength after the trauma of prisonHow she realized that she deserved to take care of herselfSome tools that help with PTSD and trauma healingThe healing power of artThe power we all have to rewire our brainsWe hope you enjoyed our conversation with Elizabeth! If you are interested in checking out her art and fashion line, you can find it here. You can also follow her on Instagram and TikTok.Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Links: Check out Elizabeth's fashion line Follow Elizabeth on Instagram Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedInVisit our website: https://fromsurvivortothriver.com/Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brushcreekthriversFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brushcreekthrivers/Get in touch: amgits.reverse@gmail.com“70% of the women in prison are suffering from some horrible trauma.” -Elizabeth“I am very thankful that there are  strong, powerful women out there who are doing the hard work, not only for themselves, but for others and telling the stories of those whose voices aren't able to reach the media, the state house floor, or a show like ours.” -Erik 

Stitch Please
Her Hoop Dreams

Stitch Please

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2023 27:47


Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter!   Check out our merch here Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode. Join the Black Women Stitch PatreonAmazon Store Jennifer OldhamJennifer Oldham is a thread artist who creates beautiful embroidery hoop designs through which we can see our sisters and ourselves. Jennifer shares her designs through @herhoopdreams and a collection of her work was recently displayed at the Nashville Hermitage Library. While her mom has sewn throughout her entire life and she wore handmade clothes regularly including to her prom and her wedding, Jennifer never took to sewing like her mom did but used the skill when she first got married and couldn't afford to buy curtains and placemats, making them herself. Still, she understood the beauty, skill, and time it takes to make things by hand and eventually found her joy in embroidering. Lisa WoolforkLisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation. Insights from this episode:How Jennifer discovered an art form that spoke to herExpressing facial features in a realistic way through embroidery and getting the details rightHow learning and unlearning play an important role in both the creating process and in lifeWhere Jennifer gets her inspiration fromThe importance of seeing ourselves and people who look like us expressed through artThe therapeutic power of creative art forms Quotes from the show:“You are creating things from your needle and thread that are a reflection of so much Black beauty, so much patience, so much intricate detail.” – Lisa Woolfork, Stitch Please, Episode #194“Even now I still take things to my mother's house for her to sew them!” – Jennifer Oldham, Stitch Please, Episode #194“A part of the journey that I'm on is one of unlearning things that don't fit who I am now and recreating myself–or creating myself and being intentional about that.” – Jennifer Oldham, Stitch Please, Episode #194“This is my year, this is my time, this is my phase of life. Finding me, rediscovering me, taking the pieces that still work and basically stitching them together.” – Jennifer Oldham, Stitch Please, Episode #194“Learning and unlearning, all of these are such vital elements of what it means to just exist in this world, and you have given us a model for putting that not on stage or Instagram where that feels sometimes so forced, but making something really permanent and beautiful and taking the time to do so. That's something I really appreciate, the care and detail about your work.”  – Lisa Woolfork, Stitch Please, Episode #194“Sometimes people have asked me how do you decide what to make, and it's just whatever I'm interested in at the moment; there is no rhyme or reason. I'm just like ‘I want to make that!', so I make it. Which is very freeing! There aren't a lot of spaces in our daily lives where we can just do what we want. Sometimes there might be pockets of that, but it feels like with this particular medium I can just do what I want, and it feels very freeing, it feels very calming. It's a good way to sometimes feel a little bit more control when things feel out of control.” – Jennifer Oldham, Stitch Please, Episode #194“I think one of the things that matter most in sewing and in life is to have boundaries. To exercise your boundaries to stay within the lines that you create yourself, not necessarily what other people have created for you. To take time to play. For me, play is just as vital as breathing. Make boundaries for yourself, honor other people's boundaries, and just enjoy yourself!” – Jennifer Oldham, Stitch Please, Episode #194 Stay Connected:YouTube: Black Women StitchInstagram: Black Women StitchFacebook: Stitch Please Podcast Lisa WoolforkInstagram: Lisa WoolforkTwitter: Lisa Woolfork Jennifer OldhamInstagram: @herhoopdreams Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.

10% Happier with Dan Harris
Legendary Record Producer Rick Rubin On: Creativity, Habits, Self-Doubt, Intuition and Meditation

10% Happier with Dan Harris

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2023 62:57


We also cover: What to do when you're feeling stuck, the difference between authenticity and sincerity, and his approach to work/life balance.Rick Rubin is a nine-time GRAMMY-winning producer and a New York Times number one best selling author of the book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time and the most successful producer in any genre by Rolling Stone. He has collaborated with artists from Tom Petty to Adele, Johnny Cash to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys to Slayer, Kanye West to the Strokes, and System of a Down to Jay-Z.In this episode we talk about:Rick's meditation practiceThe connection between meditation and creativityWhy creativity is a birthright for all of usHow good habits help facilitate the making of good artThe benefits of accepting the magical and mysterious aspects of creativityHis analogy of the vessel and the filter The difference between authenticity and sincerity The role of doubt when creating The role of intuitionWhat to do when you're feeling stuck in a creative endeavor His approach to a work/life balance His take on drugs and their effect on the creative process And his thoughts on the creative capacity of AI For tickets to TPH's live event in Boston on September 7:https://thewilbur.com/armory/artist/dan-harris/Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/rick-rubinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

STORIA PODCAST
Director or Dictator? Part 2 | Fab interviews David

STORIA PODCAST

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2023 22:05


On this episode - Why do audiences care more about box office numbers than a good story? How do you shoot a documentary in Iraq and a musical film with 100 kids, a dog, a frog, and a rabbit? Find out in part two of this series, where Fab interviews David about –Money vs ArtThe importance of relationship to actorsBright Ones, the musical filmDocumentary in IraqLittle Women, the playUnderstanding the power of wordsLeave us a 5-star review, comment, and follow this podcast!Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podcaststoria/Follow us on Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@storiapodcastFollow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/podcaststoriaFollow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/storiapodcastSubscribe + Watch on Youtube - https://youtube.com/@PodcastStoriaCheck out https://www.bethelconservatory.com

Perpetual Traffic
WTF - Are Robots Taking Over Paid Advertising?

Perpetual Traffic

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2022 23:50


Dogs in cowboy hats. Darth Vader hanging out with Jack Sparrow. Spider-Man browsing a cereal aisle. Imagine how uncanny your creatives would be if you could create such surreal images using AI.On today's episode, Ralph and Kasim sit down with Patrick Gilbert from AdVenture Media Group to discuss digital advertising in the age of AI and automation.AI-generated art is the new king of graphic design, and for good reason; the technology is the easiest and fastest way for anyone to build original artworks from scratch. But what can a digital marketer do with AI-generated art? Tune in to hear Patrick describe how marketers can use AI to generate original creatives from prompts that can be as simple as "man riding a bike."IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Why creatives are now more important than everThis week's nugget: Marketers must learn about AI-generated artAI-generated art is the future of creative developmentWhy brands must focus on providing value for their clientsHow AI-generated art will transform marketing foreverEffective tools for creating AI-generated artThe unbundling of AIContent is and will forever be kingLinks and Resources:Patrick's LinkedInAdVenture Media Group's website Patrick's book - Join or Die: Digital Advertising in the Age of Automation DALL-E Image GeneratorMid-journey.comPerpetual Traffic SurveyPerpetual Traffic WebsiteFollow Perpetual Traffic on TwitterConnect with Ralph and Kasim on TwitterOUR PARTNERS:Get a Free Month of Blogs from BKA ContentGet a Free book on how to optimize your website Conversion Fanatics7 Levels of Scale workbookGet Roland's book, Zero Down, FREEFind out your Leadership Trust Score at Ready to Lead.Register for our free Founders Board workshopThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Perpetual Traffic? Have some feedback

Here Be Monsters
The HBM Art Exchange is Back!

Here Be Monsters

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2022 12:34 Very Popular


The Here Be Monsters Art Exchange is back!It's a really simple and wonderful thing where you, gentle listener, can mail a piece of art to a stranger and get a piece of art in return. It's open to artists of all experience levels from around the world. The deadline to sign up is November 10th, 2022. Sign up and more info here: https://www.hbmpodcast.com/artThe art exchange is made possible this year by HBM listener Devon Sherman, who's offered her time and expertise to help with communication between artists. Thank you Devon. Devon is a past participant in the art exchange, and has an ongoing project where she illustrates Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy. Another listener, known as “Endless_Want”, also helped out by making the Art Exchange's promotional video, which you can see on the sign-up page and on our Instagram and Twitter.Music: The Black Spot, Robbie Quine—Glitter Rock Werewolf