The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

You know the old trope that one must suffer for their art? That creativity is somehow the byproduct of mental illness or addiction or self-harm?  It is time for that idea to go! An examined life can contribute greatly to our enjoyment of life, and to our creative work. In this episode, Susan and Laura discuss the relation of mental health to creativity and the innovative ways in which creators lik...

Susan and Laura have found that when they bring up the idea of promoting one’s own work with their creative clients, the idea is almost always met with a sense of dread. So, how can creators combat this feeling? By making marketing part of the creative process. In this episode, Laura and Susan explore the methodologies and philosophies of the innovative Blue Man Group and how this unique approach...

Many people have the desire to spin their lived experience into their creative self-expression, Susan and Laura included. This desire can present a conundrum as these creations can feature people other than the creator, or have ideas in them that might make a loved one uncomfortable, or are about a topic that some close to us might consider to be taboo. So how do we create with freedom and without...

In Michael Easter's book, The Comfort Crisis, he shares his belief that the modern day creature comforts – air conditioning, food storage, etc., have made us more comfortable as a society and in turn given us extra time that we have filled with worry and anxiety. In this episode, Laura and Susan discuss what comforts we have put into place in regards to our creativity that are stopping us from str...

This spark itself is so vast, but in order to right-size it for this episode, Susan and Laura stay on this important thread: creativity as it relates to abortion rights activism. They discuss risk-taker Carol Downer and her 1960s feminist movement “The Self Helpers," Mexican activist Verónica Cruz, who has dedicated her life to advancing the human rights of women in Mexico and beyond through her o...

They hiked, they swam, they danced, they learned archery, all while being immersed in a horrific ideology. Susan and Laura dive into the shocking true story behind Camp Siegfried, located in the idyllic hamlet of Yaphank, New York, and the beautiful, seductive piece of theater that playwright Bess Wohl crafted out of it all. And so much more. There are certain sparks that light a firestorm in our...

Sparks of creativity can come from so many experiences including gratitude and joy, loss and devastation, and even total destruction. On this episode, Susan and Laura discuss some incredible creative works inside these topics, including the shocking play “Medea,” which was given a new life by director/performer Fiona Shaw on the BBC, the devastatingly beautiful book “Wave” by author and economist...

'Tis the season, everyone! The 4th season, to be exact! Time to jump back into our spark files and share some creative inspiration! This week we're just dippin' our toes in and teasing out a few of the topics we're gonna cover in the coming weeks! Remember, if you hear something that piques your interest, you gotta take it and make it! Happy creating, y'all! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

For everything there is a season, friends! And this season is winding down. Time for a brief respite. But, before we go, let’s talk season highlights! And we’ll leave you with an excerpt from In Your Light by Rumi... “I know you're tired but come, this is the way...In your light, I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you, but sometimes...

Long time listeners will know what a joy this episode was for us! In the way back times, Susan introduced us to a human spark named Lynne Cox - a celebrated athlete who set swimming records around the world and achieved astonishing feats of strength and endurance (including swimming with a baby gray whale - eighteen feet long! - in open waters) She is internationally famous for swimming the world’...

John Lennon said, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end” This week, we admire the imagination and, frankly, the balls of @connorratliff, creator of Dead Eyes podcast. Connor created an unbelievable podcast experience in order to solve what he calls “a very stupid mystery that has haunted him for two decades: why Tom Hanks fired him from a small role in the 2001 HB...

This week, Susan and Laura got to hang with bad ass lighting designer and friend, Marc Janowitz, whose holistic, dynamic lighting designs illuminate a story and light up an audience. His bold, no holds barred lighting transforms comedians into a rock stars and rock stars into gods. Tune in to hear how Marc approaches designs for concerts for My Morning Jacket, The Lumineers, Fun., and many others,...

This week, after experiencing unexpected loss, Laura and Susan discuss the role of grief and friendship, and the bittersweet and inevitable intermixing of joy and heartbreak along this journey we call life.  Inspired by the genius of Brene Brown, Karen Walrond and Susan Cain, Laura and Susan agree with the conclusion that our broken hearts connect us all.  And as creators all we can hope to do is...

This week, Susan and Laura had the distinct pleasure of unpacking the mind of Mike Michalowicz, the man Simon Sinek claims might be “the patron saint of entrepreneurs”. We have to agree. He’s a saint, but our kind of saint -  comfortable with subversive humor served with a dash of profanity.  On a mission to end entrepreneurial poverty, Mike changed our lives (and the way we think about making a l...

Whether the war in Ukraine is causing feelings of unease, uncertainty, or outrage, there are creative ways to activate and support. There are ways to use your talents and resources for the power of good. Tune in this week to hear of creative acts by artists and others to support our colleagues in Ukraine. If you’ve wondered how you can put your thoughts and prayers into action – this episode is fo...

Everywhere you look these days there is a con going down… Inventing Anna, The Tinder Swindler, The Dropout, The Puppermaster, Super Pumped, WeCrashed… Con artists are having a moment.  Tune in this week to learn more about the hustle, and how you can avoid being a “sucker”, a “stooge”, or a “gull” – Better yet, turn the confidence game into an inspired spark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Tired of the “starving artist” trope? Sick of the storyline that says “I’m creative and eccentric, I’m no good with numbers” Isn’t it time you felt a sense of personal agency over your finances?  You are smart and capable. Tune in for some tips on how you can be even smarter and more capable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know that voice in your head? The one that drives you crazy sometimes? The one that points out your flaws and re-plays your mistakes over and over?  What is the point of that voice? Tune in this week as we gain an understanding of how to tame this voice, and put it to good use, thanks to Chatter: The Voice in our Head, Why it Matters, and how to Harness it by Ethan Kross. Learn more about your...

Sit back and marvel at this true tale of limitations inspiring ART as a survival job in less than ideal circumstances. That’s right. The Florida Highwaymen turned to art to elevate themselves and their community out of poverty while reflecting the beauty of Florida landscapes. These master painters (some trained and some self-taught) captured the beauty they saw around them, and supported their co...

Want to know what every single creative can learn from the development and launch of Wordle, the simple and most unexpected game of the century?  Recorded riiiiiiiight before Wordle was sold to The New York Times, we can still learn how creating for an audience of one, making your work accessible and so much more relates to everything we hope to share with the world. Listen in.   Learn more about...

You have undoubtedly heard her unforgettable voice on hits such as “Everybody, Everybody”, “It’s Raining Men” and so many more. But Martha Wash had to use her voice to fight to make sure you knew her name. Tune in to find out how Martha took the record labels to task for abusing the demo track system. Martha paved the way for all artists - to make sure they get paid, and get credit for the talents...

If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through your feeds or combing through google search results thinking “there must be something more out there”, well, this episode is for you! Laura and Susan dive into the concept of “Rewilding Your Attention” - the phrase was coined by Tom Critchlow, shared by CJ Eller and then expanded up on by Clive Thompson.  And the bat signal was seen by @thesparkfile....

This week, snuggle up and join Susan and Laura as they delve into Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May. If you've ever wondered why we feel a pull to retreat indoors and slow down as the days get darker - look no further. It is not your imagination, and it is very much a necessity that we take time  to quiet our minds and slow our rolls, so that we can look...

This week, Laura and Susan dig into this taboo topic and explore how and why shame  keeps us from talking about money, and sometimes even doing anything about money. But valuing ourselves for the amount of money we have accrued has not always been the norm, in fact, it is a rather new framework.  Listen in and imagine a time when we valued ourselves, our communities and the quality of our lives by...

Sometimes a spark is so surprising, so complex and thought provoking it can stun you into silence. And so it was when Susan shared Operation Paperclip with Laura. As outlined in the book, Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen, information on this secret United States intelligence program was recently de-classified and we are now all learning about the plan to bring Nazi Germany scientists to the U...