Artifice

Roxy is the creative mind behind Xanne Fran Studios, a sculpture and jewelry shop with a focus on magical figurative design. Inspired by the natural world and the world of her imagination, she brings to life dreamy jewelry designs in gold and silver, and fantasy sculptures in classic, timeless bronze. She got her start as a figurative artist, focusing on drawing and painting the human form, but im...

Briar West, a visionary fluid artist raised in Southern California, infuses her work with the essence of the ocean. She embraces the elegance of imperfection and the beauty in chaos. Through her art, she captures the notion that we are all imperfectly perfect, and believes that’s a beautiful thing. Briar’s journey into art is as unconventional as her medium. With a background in medical research,...

Receiving B.S. and M.S. degrees from The Julliard School of Music, David Taylor started his playing career as a member of Leopold Stowkowski's American Symphony Orchestra, and with appearances with the New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez. Simultaneously, he was a member of the Thad Jones Mel Lewis jazz band, and recorded with groups ranging from Duke Ellington to The Rolling Stones. He has a...

Chad's artwork embodies beautiful woods from around the world. What began as retirement gifts for his fellow active duty servicemen has turned into amazing creations exhibiting the Pacific Northwest, wildlife, instruments, pop culture, ancient culture and mythology. Chad understands how to use the unique characteristics of the wood to enhance his work into a one of a kind piece of art. He won Best...

My name is Hanna. I’m an artist, art therapist, and special education teacher. I’m Ukrainian and have been living in Estonia for three years now because of the war in Ukraine — it’s dangerous in my hometown, Kyiv. I draw inspiration from the majesty of nature and from people whose words align with their actions. My hobbies include collecting stones, playing the guitar, working with clay, and photo...

Stu Beavers is a metal artist from Durham, NC. Stu’s mother was a welder, and though she tried to teach him, he always preferred painting and drawing. It wasn’t util he took a formal welding class at Durham Tech that those lessons with his mom clicked and he understood her love of metal—he’s been obsessed ever since. He is heavily inspired by wildlife, recreating the flora and fauna of his favorit...

Andrea Durfee is an artist and NYS licensed creative arts therapist based in Rochester, NY. Her paintings, sculpture and animation celebrates women, nature and sacred connection through vibrant landscapes and intimate portraits fusing the figure with flora and fauna. She is the creator of the oracle deck, Gaia: Lessons from the Earth and has a forthcoming book of poetry and goddesses being release...

Katharine Hooper is a Sommelier and artistic multi-hyphenate living in New York City. Raised by a celebrated painter father and an executive-career mother, she developed an early affinity for the intersection of art, science, and mysticism. After happily stumbling into a career in wine, she became engrossed in examining the overlap between the philosophical and the sensory, reflecting her balanced...

Olivia Book, is a professional ballet dancer in Ballet West’s second company in Salt Lake City, Utah. Olivia grew up in a small town in Ontario, Canada and was born with a right arm limb deficiency. She has always been a natural performer and began ballet classes at a local dance studio at the young age of four, she later became a member of a competitive dance team from the age of nine until fifte...

Amber Dunford is a former mental health clinician turned interior designer and one of only a handful of “design psychologists” with expertise in the connection between space design and mental health. She spent years in private practice as a therapist before merging her passions for design and psychology by developing a college course on the relationship between the two. She believes there is a pow...

Pat Partridge writes across genres. He is the author of the mystery Fragile Memories, the sequel Buried at Bears Ears, and the humorous road-trip novel Fast on Fifty. His book of political humor, now in its third edition, has sold over 70,000 copies. Partridge’s short stories span a wide range of styles, characters, ages, and themes. All were written in the past 3+ years. Two humorous ones—The Bud...

Robert Monroe graduated with a B.A. in Theater Arts from the State University of New York/Oswego. For twelve years, he worked as a New York casting director and talent executive. His credits include projects with the Walt Disney Company, the John Houseman Theater, the Annual MDA Telethon, and the now-defunct United Paramount Network. At the beginning of the millennium, he moved to Portland, Maine,...

Callie Crofts is the founder, songwriter and front-human for SLC’s edgy electropop phenom Die Shiny. A small-town Idaho native, Crofts has spent the last decade making ripples in Utah’s underground music scene - becoming established in recent years as a local ex-mormon, queer and feminist icon. Known for unwavering authenticity and lyrical activism, the experienced artist boasts a diverse songwrit...

Callie Crofts is the founder, songwriter and front-human for SLC’s edgy electropop phenom Die Shiny. A small-town Idaho native, Crofts has spent the last decade making ripples in Utah’s underground music scene - becoming established in recent years as a local ex-mormon, queer and feminist icon. Known for unwavering authenticity and lyrical activism, the experienced artist boasts a diverse songwrit...

As a multi-generational artist, Sara was immersed in the culture of fine art since her birth in West Jordan, Utah. Sara is a dedicated and tireless mother to seven children, six boys and one girl. While studying for her MFA at the Academy of Art University Sara gave birth to four children. Sara’s approach to art is best described in her own words: STOP … and Smell the Flowers Living life to the fu...

William D. Higginson: A Canadian Surrealist Visionary William D. Higginson is a Canadian surrealist painter whose evocative works have captivated audiences worldwide. A professional artist since 2007, Higginson explores a vast array of mediums and genres, creating pieces that resonate on both emotional and intellectual levels. His art is held in private collections across the globe and has been fe...

The final little treat in this celebration week! It's a walk down the Artifice memory lane with "love notes" from a bunch of my fabulous guests, and some present-day reflection (plus a mild helping of tears) from me.

Another little bonus track during our CELEBRATE 200 week! This time, it's one of my Deep Dive Essays (featuring wisdom from January's guests), read aloud. Listen friends, joy is a serious subject...

Bestie and chosen sister Olivia Custodio helps me **CELEBRATE 200** in the second of three special episodes this week. After you finish this, check out Episode 15 to hear me interviewing Olivia (the first time we met)! Enjoy!

One-true-fan Jaron Davis helps me **CELEBRATE 200** in the first of three special episodes coming this week. Enjoy!

Hello, I am Anna and I love Pottery I always loved being creative and enjoy trying out various styles and craft making, yet over the years I developed a special relationship to clay. My love of pottery emerged from producing sculptures and about four years ago I also started with ceramics. I just love working and experimenting with this material with seemingly endless applications. In short I don'...

Michael Staum was born in New Jersey in the early sixties. He has been a creator for most of his life. On Michael’s 5th birthday he received art supplies in abundance. Oils, canvases, watercolors and paper, different grades of graphite and pen & ink sets…everything an inquisitive creator needed to start a journey into the world of artistry. At the age of 19 Michael joined The United States Navy an...

Zack Davisson is an award-winning translator, writer, and folklorist. He is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Yokai, Kaibyo The Supernatural Cats of Japan, Yurei the Japanese Ghost, The Art of Star Wars Visions, and Manga: A Visual Guide. He co-writes Ultimate X-Men with Peach Momoko for Marvel Comics. His works have been translated into multiple languages. Zack has translated globally...

Kate Schroeder is a ceramicist and full time professional artist residing in Kansas City, Missouri. She earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Sculpture and Ceramics from the University of Central Missouri and a Masters of Fine Arts also emphasizing Sculpture and Ceramics from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Kate has exhibited nationally and has work in collections around the globe. In fact, it ca...

Working at the intersection of horticulture, art and architecture, David has applied his passion for plants to a growing list of innovative projects, building a broad variety of modern, human-centric spaces with abundant plant life at their heart. David is a pioneer in the field of vertical gardens. He holds a degree in Environmental Horticulture Sciences and Psychology from California Polytechnic...