Vulnerability in life and art

I talked with Matthieu Cheminée about his journey to becoming a silversmith, his travels to New Mexico and West Africa gaining inspiration and insight into metalworking techniques and designs, being an artist versus an artisan, and what it meant for him to stop making work to please other people and instead create exactly what he wanted. Be sure to check out his work at matthieucheminee.com and on...

There's a theme that runs throughout my conversation with C S McIntire - what it means to be seen and not seen. We talk about his work and life, coming out, balancing the soft with the rough, and deserving to create. Be sure to check out his work at csmcintire.com and on instagram @csmcintire

As one of the tenth episodes this one is just me, sharing a story about being called a copycat and what it means to me now. The title of the book about hawks is H is for Hawks by Helen Macdonald, and the intervening work by Ludwig Wittgenstein is The Blue and Brown Books . I'd love to hear what you think about copycats and originality, and what your sources of inspiration may be.

Melza Harvey integrates multiple materials with her beloved clay to create provocative and playful pieces (I somehow figured out how to record my voice over her audio through an OG Walkman embedded in one of her sculptures). Melza shares stories about gender fluidity, expressing herself through her work, making brave choices to pursue her passions as a person, artist, and parent, and the roles of...

The conversation opens with some tears, both in content and tone. Riel shares her experiences as a writer and performer, from growing up with parents in the arts, to touring with a horse and wagon travelling theatre company, to discovering and sharing her most integrated self on stage while learning to manage crippling stage fright. You can see what Riel is up to on instagram @hahahahnsy and @i_se...

I talked with Susan Homa, wellness multipreneur, about her journey from traditional roles as interior designer and real estate broker to creator of Welmä Studio, a nurturing space for self-care, expression, and discovery. As we move into a new year, consider what you may want to leave behind and what you want to welcome in 2024. And don't feel you have to stay in your lane. Learn more about Susan...

Observing without intent, to see what's truly there rather than what we think we see The nature and purpose of collaboration, of creating collectively with others Willingness to fail, as a greater opportunity for learning than success Multidisciplinary artist Christopher Sicat goes deep into the nature of art, process and object, artist and subject, and self-expression. At heart, he is a poet and...

Susan Hensel is an experienced multidisciplinary artist working in media ranging from drawing with graphite to digital embroidery. I very much enjoyed our conversation, as we covered topics including the nature of beauty, the physics of light in triangular polyester thread, and just showing up, even if it's for only five minutes, as part of building a practice of competence and confidence. Check o...

This is an odd duck of an episode. I intended it to be a review of H of H Playbook by Anne Carson. It turned into a bit of a ramble about Anselm Kiefer, Heracles, the Vulnerability Journal Project, and a walk between darkness and light. I'd love to hear what you think. You can email me at vulnerabilitylifeart@gmail.com Anne Carson is a Canadian classicist, poet, translator, and professor. She has...

In this conversation, Mariette shares stories about what carried her and her husband Raymond from The Hague to Corrahopple in Ireland, how she opens herself to insights from the beings that surround her, the communities and larger families she connects through walks and conversations, and her reliance on intuition. Learn more about life at Corrahopple through instagram @mariette_baptist

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with Gerry Bohan, farmer and author living in County Leitrim, in the northwest of Ireland.  I was touched by his first experiences with writing as a child, having his copy book thrown to the floor by impatient teachers. Gerry talks about finding safe spaces to perform one's work, writing for self-expression, and sharing a way of life unique to his family and their c...

My conversation with designer Anna Agapova was impactful for me, and not just for learning about how she designs spaces with such attention to the influences of nature and art to meet the needs of each client.  I was impressed by her focused energy, especially as she faces new challenges and opportunities to work in different ways.  The Greek root of Agapova is 'agape,' the highest form of love, a...

Time again for self-reflection...  I've been working through the idea of what it means and why it matters to share our stories with each other.  I may have talked myself in circles.  This is something I need to put more effort into understanding. Any feedback would be very welcome: vulnerabilitylifeart@gmail.com

I'm not sure it's possible to embody vulnerability and resilience more than Valentine when we spoke, wrapped in a Red Cross blanket, hours after her home had burned down and just a few weeks before the vernissage for her work  Play Bodies . Her passion for painting, curiosity, openness, and capacity for holding space are absolutely inspiring. Check out her work on instagram @vvv.alentin.aaa

Vincent Larnicol shares his experiences of collecting art, beyond the prosaic purchase of pieces. Vincent engages passionately in conversations about art and philosophy, the relationships he cultivates with the artists who create the works, and his role in conserving these sources of beauty in the world. Follow his journey on instagram @carillonart

Ville is a multidisciplinary artist born in Finland and based in California.  He creates and documents installation pieces in natural settings through photographs and videos.  His work comes from a place of integrity and reverence you can hear as he speaks.  I admire not only the beauty of his pieces, but the intellectual rigour and clear spirit with which they were made. Check out his work, inclu...

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with Spencer, a dancer and movement practitioner.  He is open, committed, and passionate about performance, connecting with others, and being compassionate with oneself as a professional and human being. Be sure to check out his work @spencerdennis_mvmnt on instagram

This is my follow-up conversation with Scott Norris after visiting him for a portrait session in the Mojave Desert.  The experience brought a true and powerful meaning to feeling comfortable in my skin; it also raised questions about compassion and representations of self I'm not close to answering. As Dogen said, 'The mountains are walking.'  I'll continue to walk this path with much gratitude to...

Shem is a painter working in South London.  I enjoyed such a lovely conversation with him about art and life, music and collections, manifesting, taking risks, and not quitting on being happy. Learn more about Shem and his work on instagram @shem_ahl

I enjoyed my conversation with photographer and gallerist Corey Notaristefano very much, I think mostly because he was so gently and easily open about his own vulnerability and the themes he explores through his photographs. Be sure to check out his instagram profiles to learn more about his work - @the__bearded and @c.w.notaristefano - as well as his gallery and studio hueandcry.com.au/

When I asked Eugene Abrams - poet, visual artist, and teacher - how it feels when he reads one of his poems aloud, he said: "I love words, and when I'm reading it's like I'm tasting the words. And I'm just enjoying, you know?" What a precious gift, to write, share, and read words used in such beautiful and powerful ways, especially in the service of peace and the human soul. If you can, make time...

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with Torrance York about the evolution of her photography practice as a tool she uses to make sense of her life, living and working with Parkinson's Disease, and her understanding of the nature of vulnerability and the process of artmaking. Be sure to check out her work on instagram @torrance_york and torranceyork.com , and particularly her book Semaphore ( www.torr...

I'm almost a week late in releasing this podcast, at least according to my self-imposed schedule.  But I guess it had to come when I was ready, and a quote sent this morning by a friend was somehow the trigger to pull some pieces together, such as they are. Self-awareness is something I've been working on, both personally and intellectually in some way.  I'd really love to hear any feedback you ma...

I realized after listening to my conversation with writer/performer Mike Boyce that this episode is more concerned with vulnerability in life than in art, but I think that partly reflects the fact that Mike's art is the stories he tells about his life, of doing the hard things and discovering a new sense of who he is. If you're interested in personal storytelling, one of the important issues Mike...

Zoe Wittering explores periods of transitions and moments of vulnerability and uncertainty through her portrait photographs of herself and others. We talked about her (what I consider to be brave) choice to leave a career in corporate law and move into work she finds so personally and professionally fulfilling, even or maybe especially because of the need to relinquish control and trust the creati...