SOWAL House

Anyone who has stood in front of one of Justin Gaffrey's pieces will tell you; This is the work of a special kind of genius. Justin is easily one of the most prolific artists in the country. The sheer volume of work he produces in a year is staggering. We're talking HUNDREDS. Of. Pieces. His choice of material is so complex - so difficult to manufacture at scale - that he literally had to build a...

Jim Clark is a man of many talents. His life's work is full of books he's written, magazines he's published, and photographs he's taken. I've honestly never met such a prolific artist like him before. But chief among his many talents is his ability to listen with heart.   In this podcast, Jim and I talk about how he got his start in photography, the work he does in the service of others, and what...

Hands down, Chris Coleman has some of the most incredible life experiences of anyone I've known. He's a self-taught drummer/pianist/guitarist that played the Today Show with Kings of Leon, recorded tracks with Miranda Lambert & Frank Lidel, and married the love of his life, Holly Williams. But I got the sense after meeting Chris that none of this came by chance. It had to have come by destiny (whi...

If Joan Jett and Lenny Kravitz had a baby, that baby would undoubtedly be one of the biggest collectors of Mark Little's work. Here's why... Mark Little is easily one of the most exciting photographers in South Walton. Every one of his stills contain a raw vibrance that I have trouble articulating except through music. It's like edgy, honest rock & roll. Not quite punk. Not quite grunge. His work...

Nicole Paloma is a force. A literal force in the art world of South Walton. There's a creative energy that courses through everything she touches. Fabric. Paint. Scissors. She yields these instruments like that of a highly trained sculptor, yet she has no formal education as a couture fashion designer.   Nicole reluctantly acknowledges that her raw creative energy is actually a superpower, even th...

On Sept 9, 2022, SOWAL House showcased some of South Walton's most renowned artists for a 24 hour pop up art exhibition. Alongside the artists listed below, this limited experience featured a string quartet that played Radiohead & Nirvana covers. Oh, and we asked Christine Tarpey from Better Together Beverage to man the bar. In this special episode, co-producers (Christy Milliken, Chris Tipton, Dh...

There's something magical about South Walton. I'm not sure what it is, but something about this place INSPIRES people. It makes them want to CREATE. People who have never painted before all the sudden start painting. People who have never written creatively before start... well, writing. They're writing memoirs, novels, poetry, songs in prose and so on.  And at just the perfect time, aspiring nove...

Lindsay Tobias is an incredible, multifaceted creative entrepreneur (as evidenced by her two Instagram handles: @artbydoman and @keepyourplantson). Lindsay is one of the few artists I've met who nourishes both sides of her brain simultaneously through art and science. As a hyper-realist painter, illustrator and muralist, Lindsay has a full-time job producing commissioned works. Each work is detail...

Jonah Allen will do whatever it takes to capture his vision of the "perfect moment": A humanless seascape that backdrops the infinate currents and outflows of South Walton's beaches... even if it means hanging from a helicopter to get his shot. In this episode, Jonah talks about his challenges and experiences as one of South Walton's finest creative entrepreneurs. He also gives us a "behind the sc...

Allison Wickey is the living embodiment of what it means to be a successful creative entrepreneur. In this episode, she shares her humble beginnings as a painter in South Walton, the methods of her craft, and her volunteer work with Cultural Arts Alliance & South Walton Artificial Reef Association. Ever inspirational, Allison serves as a true beacon for up & coming local artists. Honorable mention...

As one of South Walton's creative entrepreneur pioneers, few photographers are more prolific than Chandler Williams. One of the things that's so inspiring about Chandler is his refusal to stay comfortable in his craft. He's always pushing his boundaries and testing his limits, which is essential to leveling up in the world of high-end fine art photography.   In this episode, we dive deep into Chan...

Here's what's most amazing about Gaffrey Art Material (GAM): Their sculptural acrylic paints are effectively a NEW ART MEDIUM! GAM is also an intergenerational visual arts business. It started as world-class painter Justin Gaffrey's paint manufacturing experiment, then led to Justin Jr and Aria (accomplished artists in their own right) turning it into an incredible paint company. Listen now to lea...

What do you get when you mix home-brewed talent with keen marketing & operational skills? You get one of the area's tastiest breweries... seemingly overnight! Hunter & Anne Margaret share the curious origin story of Odd Pelican, South Walton's latest brewery! Honorable mentions in this episode include: Reese Harrison Robert Davis Reese Sharp with Beer Marketiers Seaside Bud & Alley's  Westonwood R...

TRUE STORY: Tamales are a uniquely American dish that dates back to 6000BC. During that time, they were considered SACRED… as in the FOOD OF THE GODS! This week J.R. McKinny, owner of It's Tamale Time, shares an amazing entrepreneurial story that is filled with history & fate.   J.R. walks us through the provenance of his business, starting with his late grandmother, Maw Maw Subia's cherished reci...

Whoever said "Do what you love and you'll never work another day" is full of S#%T. Everyone, meet serial entrepreneur and CEO of Hey Mama Wines, Mrs. Lauren Stokes! We laugh and we cry in this episode... literally... about what it takes to start a successful business. Lauren shares SO MANY INSIGHTS about running one of the fastest growing apparel companies in the country before having the epiphany...

How can a greek life and special events apparal company survive a global pandemic when schools and events are CLOSED INDEFINITELY?!!? Listen to this episode where Ben & Nate talk about merging their competing companies to survive and how... just a year later... their business is GROWING EXPONENTIALLY as a result. Here are a few true ninja entrepreneur takeaways they shared: - Bend toward being env...

LUCK NUMBER 7! Today's episode features yogi-preneurs MJ & Bentley Jackson from Sculpt Studio! In this episode we talk about the business side of yoga as well as how yoga can be used to treat asthma & panic attacks… with some details bout my near-death experience with respiratory alkalosis. Believe me, yoga can LITERALLY heal and change people's lives. What an AMAZING & REWARDING business to be in...

This episode is all about SELFLOVE! Something we all need to feel and hear. This week's special guest is artist, author and self love advocate Maurice Hunter. The insights he shared with me have literally influenced how I see the world. Here are a few choice nuggets from this interview: "We are all figments of our own imagination." "Just because a thought appears in your mind doesn't make it yours...

This latest episode is a fascinating conversation about high-quality, one-of-a-kind craftsmanship. Our guest is Chris Tipton from @fresh.impression , who is one of only a HANDFULL of letterpress artisans in the ENTIRE COUNTRY! And his shop, which houses over 15 TONS of vintage cast-iron equipment, is right here on the Emerald Coast!   What is Letterpress you ask? Some of the earliest known example...

Did you know that support services for families touched by autism drops to near-zero after their primary education years are over? This is such a huge loss of human potential. Everyone deserves the right to feel a sense of purpose. No matter their ability. Here's the thing: We all have a need and desire to contribute to society. People with autism should not be left out of that opportunity.   This...

If you're a recent transplant to South Walton / 30A or are curious about what it's like to move here full-time and start a new business, you DEFINITELY want to check out this episode! This week we interview Caroline Boone and Chef Bill Leavy of C.C. Boone! Caroline and Bill, both recent transplants, share their experiences with moving down here full-time and starting one of the most unique busines...

This episode features 3 of the best craft bartenders on 30A: Tatiana Rotari, Slayde Martin, and Christine Tarpey of Better Together Beverage! Highlights of this episode: - Dave confesses to accidentally lighting a patron on fire while trying to do a match trick. - Tatiana orders drinks like James Bond. - Slade shares insight into what makes a truly great bartender - Christine gives us her classic...

Our very first SOWAL Creatives podcast features Michaiah & Deborah Smoots of Aloha Bora Media (@alohabora.media)! This dynamic duo shares plenty of insights about their trailblazing company and how they got their start in media production.  Also, we talk about one of our upcoming collavorative projects together: A YouTube Camp for Kids, launching December 2021!