The Creative Train Podcast

On a similar vibe to episode 39 about creative teaching methods, this episode focuses on developing and earning respect in a student/teacher situation.  I recount one of my best and one of my worst experiences with this issue, I truly hope that if you are a struggling teacher you can find some inspiration here; and if you are a student having trouble engaging with your teacher(s) maybe you can fin...

I have touched on this topic in past episodes, but some events from this past week really made the relevance of those points come back to mind!  As teachers/educators,  we are not only responsible for delivering information but we are extra-responsible to deliver that information in an engaging and inspiring manner to those who have placed their trust in us. It's about inspiring your students to t...

A wonderful conversation with Stacy Anderson and TJ Corbet- two women finding not only therapy but healing  and joy through their art and creativity after brain injury and the "big C".  Art therapy is a very real thing, and over the next 30-something minutes you'll hear how these two amazing humans overcame severe odds to not only rise up but thrive in their artistic expression and also in how to...

Here's some of my experience gained from writing podcast scripts, radio and social media ads, and from talking to people for more than 30 years as an educator and public speaker.  If you are going to start a podcast but are not sure how to start getting organized, have a listen- I outline my own process from idea, to documenting, recording and editing to create an engaging, interactive and convinc...

Inspired by a real conversation with a musician who instead of learning some new technology and adapting his workflow, decided he should just quit altogether.  I won't let him get away with it! My big take-away is that it's important sometimes to ask ourselves how much we value "traditional ways", especially if they are an impediment! Have a listen, let me know what you think. 

Lacey King is a creator and writer with some very unique perspectives on creativity, inspiration and process.  In this episode, Lacey and I discuss those "subtle energies" which we all know are there, but we have difficulty defining or describing. Call it the Muse, a Vibe, a whisper or a tap on the proverbial shoulder; whatever you call it is unimportant, but how you acknowledge it, foster it and...

This episode ties in to a few others, on developing your unique voice, getting stuck in a creative rut, and asking yourself some very important questions about your work, your process and especially your results. This was inspired by a new music student, who is not new to playing or songwriting, but one who found himself predictably stuck (we ALL get that!) and how he opened up to me about his cre...

This goes beyond your speaking or singing voice; in this episode I'm going into the topic of originality, artistic identity and creative integrity. Just a few small things! This theme comes up often with my music students who want to branch out into songwriting, none of them *want to sound like someone else, but it kinda always happens that their early influences become obvious.  Is this a good or...

In this second episode, Daniel and I get into some pretty deep topics such as how people perceive us as artists and how that can affect family dynamics; our roles as mentors and educators, keeping focused and passionate when we feel overwhelmed and how your life inevitably changes from "normal people" mode when you are a full-time artist.    I found this incredibly inspiring and buoying and I hope...

Daniel Moisan is a renaissance man by every definition.  His life in the visual, musical and performing arts and education has taken him around the world literally and virtually.  This is the first episode of our talk about making a living as an artist; dealing with self-doubt, financial pressures, defining our niche, successes and failures and a lot more!  Whether you are an established or emergi...

I had one of the toughest weeks of my creative career last week as we were without electricity and a vehicle for a week and ALL of my creative projects suddenly came to a halt.  This episode is about how I had to creatively reorganize my routines to keep house and home functional and happy and the silly amount of effort it took me to get back to work once the lights came back on. 

I'm going to share an important realization about this thing we all joke about in our circles of peers. It can be a distraction, a pleasure, and it can be expensive; but other than that- what does having Gear Acquisition Syndrome reveal about us as artists and creators?  I honestly can't laugh this one off anymore!

As tech and AI become seemingly woven into our daily lives, many people are losing their once-respected jobs to these "things" which are supposed to make our lives easier.  In this episode I explore this issue from an educator's perspective; at what cost are to embrace this technological revolution? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

So many new creators equate the cost of their tools with their ability to create, and this is so wrong! Sure, you don't use a hammer to drive a screw, proper tools are necessary; but you should never feel discouraged by not being able to afford high-end tools or that you simply should not even try to create if you don't have the latest/greatest thing talked about online! The history of art is fill...

In this episode I dig into the topic of A.I. generated art and the impact it already has had on the "real" creative industry.  No, this isn't some guy just complaining about how the good 'ol days were so much better, it's an honest and genuine look into the fact that many creatives are being pushed aside for the apparent ease of using A.I. for their images, sounds and much more.  I would love to k...

Timber Masterson is a truly diverse creative. Actor, author, writer, singer/songwriter and dreamer of dreams.  I have had the pleasure of working with Timber for a few years now, as audio engineer, co-producer and consumer of fine coffee.  In this episode, Timber and I discuss the pleasures and pressures that come with living a creative life- grappling with distraction, doubt, dilution, empowermen...

In this episode, I go into the topic of ego versus experience, and how that can and likely will impact the experience of a creative group setting.  We can fool ourselves, but how far can what we "think" we are take us in a creative venture with others? It will go one of these two ways- we will pull up our creative socks and grow and excel or we will trip over that ego and have to face some harsh r...

Roger Guetta is a multidisciplinary artist currently living in Montreal, Canada.    His early years in the arts were somewhat by accident as he recounts his story of attending business management school. From there, Roger pivoted into theatre, photography, poetry, and eventually into being a professor in a liberal arts program in Quebec, Canada.    Here, Roger and I discuss motivation, inspiration...

Singer/songwriter, tattoo artist and nature lover, Cassie Noble stopped by the studio this week to talk about all things artsie, creative and lets us in on a bit of what makes her as an artists running TWO businesses simultaneously does to keep focused and keep those creative fires burning! Sha also performs for us her latest, yet unreleased song; it's a wonderful note-to-self moment about how and...

This episode is just a little check-in and update about some changes I'm going to bring to the Creative Train podcast in 2025. This will be my only upload this month, but stay tuned for lots of great stuff coming up in the new year!    Have a listen, I'm putting out an appeal for your input about guests you'd like to hear on the podcast; artists, educators, anyone creative who has made an impact u...

In this episode, I'm going to take a swing at an icon. Not because of his work, but at the quality of his character. A recent docu-drama cast a new light upon this icon of Canadian literature and I honestly found him repellant after this. Although I almost hate to say such things- this has been on mind mind so much that I have to speak it to the world; not for confirmation but more as a cleansing....

What kind of workplace vibe do you have? Do you encourage your peers, your clients and students? Or is the vibe one more about division, separation and an us/them kind of thing? This episode was inspired by a rapid dissolution into chaos I watched happen in a music teacher's forum on social media where one person's negativity infected the page for a whole day and sent a lot of members off into ran...

This episode was inspired by a conversation about professional hockey!  Within any group of similarly-focused or job oriented people, there will always be those who stand out as being perhaps more naturally gifted. It can be frustrating for the folks in the middle/lower ranks to feel satisfied or accomplished in the shadows of those "top line" players.  So how do they raise themselves up and becom...

So, you're a teacher, coach, mentor, instructor; whatever you call your gig you are responsible for delivering digestible information to paying students, customers and clients.  Is it your responsibility to hold them accountable? I say, YES ! Trust me, they want it! There is a risk/reward in all such relationships- this is my take on how to foster mutually beneficial business  relationships and ev...

In this episode I'm digging into a few things from my own experience as a working artist that you have to be prepared for if you wish to make your hobby a functioning business. It's not an easy road to travel but you can do it with the right mindset, attitude and preparedness.