Art Pays Me

On Episode 12 I chat with Architect and Adjunct Professor and lecturer at Dalhousie University School of Architecture, Eric Stotts about what an architect does, what skills an aspiring architect should develop and why it's important to consider history and human need when creating new developments. We also have a great philosophical discussion about function vs aesthetic needs in design. This is a...

On episode 11 of Art Pays Me, I speak with Grammy nominated, MTV Award and Cannes Lions Award winning Director, Andy Hines about how he went from making videos for clients in Nova Scotia to directing music videos for ASAP Mob and how that gave him the industry credibility to work with other big artists. Andy shares his philosophy around the importance of making good work, making a lot of it, putti...

Katrina Lopes is the president of KL Management, an artist management company whose roster includes platinum selling and Juno Award winning artist and producer Shawn Desman, R&B/soul artist, actor and cultural curator TiKA, and emerging pop/R&B artist Mandia. We talked about what an artist manager does, setting boundaries, why she started doing online coaching and the unconventional path she took...

Alison Knott is a coding queen, graphic designer and instructor with over a decade in the field of all things web and design. She's also a very talented illustrator and public speaker. She's also one of the people behind the East Coast Creative Collective (E3C), a monthly artist meetup and has a hand in many other Halifax based conferences and meetups. We talk about the importance of community, wo...

On this episode of Art Pays Me, I interviewed Amara Kanté, world renowned Master Percussionist, Composer and Artistic Director. We talked about Amara's passion for preserving and sharing African culture through music and words. We also had a brief appearance by Crystal John from the Mulgrave Park Caring and Learning Centre. Amara   Mulgrave Park Caring and Learning Centre

In episode 7 I interviewed Dion Walcot, the entrepreneur behind Martk'd, a dynamic custom shoe design competition. We discussed his background and how he uses his past experience as an athlete from a tough environment in his business and how artists are similar to athletes. We also talked about why education is just as important as street smarts and how dressing like a professional doesn't necessa...

Today on the show, I interview Tied Up Tee, a rope artist, photographer and general creative. I love Tee's work but I admit that I'm a little scared of it. We've been able to chat a few times in person at various events and I love her energy, her drive and that she's not afraid to ruffle feathers with her art. We talked about where she grew up, what brought her to Halifax, how she got into rope, t...

I met Kemmy when he was my barber at a shop called Ascension. He wasn't as talkative as the other guys but he would pipe in with a sharp verbal jab periodically to get us laughing. Then I later found out he was a NSCAD student and he told me about his interest in customizing sneakers. I'm not a sneaker head so I didn't feel equipped to offer much feedback on his work but I loved the idea. Fast for...

In episode 4 I spoke with illustrator, Liz Mac. Liz opened up about how negative feedback at NSCAD Portfolio day led her to believe she didn't have what it took to be a professional artist and how a serious accident led her back to art. How her past jobs help her today as a freelance artist. Why working with creative collectives like E3C, attending and speaking at conferences can be important. The...

My guest on this episode is Melissa McMaster of 902 Hip Hop. Melissa and I met years ago and immediately bonded. We've been cheering for each other ever since and I've been amazed at the success she's had over the years. She's passionate about elevating the profile of hip hop artists from Atlantic Canada. We discussed what 902 Hip Hop is and what she does, who they represent and why an artist migh...

This week's episode features Gaynete' Jones, a leading millennial mentor, motivational speaker, best-selling author, blogger, founder of G.A.M.E. Changing Industries, Youtuber, plus the creator of  The Goal Chaser VIP  and  The Book Boss Blueprint , programs she created for aspiring millennial entrepreneurs and self-published authors. Most importantly, she's my sister in-law so we're keeping it in...

Premier episode of Art Pays Me, featuring a brief introduction to the show and host, Duane Jones. Duane talks about his childhood, education and career.