Vulnerability in life and art

A mirror and a window, intimacy, safety and connection, acceptance, authenticity, intuition, an invitation, a gaze and open space, risk, love This is the story of my trip to Hawaii for a photography session with Jeremiah Mk Johnson Be sure to learn more about Jeremiah and his work at jeremiahmkjohnson.com and on instagram @jeremiahmkjohnson Photograph (c) Jeremiah Mk Johnson

I enjoyed a wonderful conversation with Sandra Gea, a collagist, poet, and facilitator trained in the Soul Collage © method. She shared many insights, and one in particular stands out to me - how she felt when beginning to work as a self-taught artist. In spite of the doubt: "...I was so deeply within me convinced that I can touch someone's heart with my work..."   Check out Sandra's work at sandr...

I enjoyed a wonderful conversation with photographer Scott Norris.  I really appreciated what he shared, including insights into our relationship with the environment, self-portraiture, and: "One thing that I can do, as a man, is to not always remain the invisible figure behind the camera, but make myself visible in front of the camera, with my own body" Be sure to check out his profile on instagr...

Carole and I talk about self-publishing, how fiction may be inspired or interpreted by real life, distinguishing literary from contemporary fiction, opportunities for creating works about older women, what it might mean to write about protagonists different than ourselves, and how fiction can help us feel we're not alone Look for Carole Scott's book The Broken Heart Repair Plan and check out @caro...

Although slightly sidetracked by my recent trip to Hawaii, my conversation was mainly focused on writer and performer Megan Phillips' insights into circles of intimacy and layers of vulnerability, which has really helped me in terms of figuring out what to be vulnerable about to whom under what circumstances. And when it comes to resistance, as she explains, "You're exactly where you need to be, a...

I learned a lot from my conversation with Giuseppe (Joe) Di Leo "Art matters," "art is about recording a felt life," "intimacy is drawing", "art gives me a sensation of worthiness," and what it means when a broken femur is healed These feelings are so important to share, and I am grateful to Joe for expressing them Be sure to check out Joe's work at giuseppedileodrawing.com and on instagram @giuse...

...in walks the human being, who is the clown... I learned a lot from Joe about the role of the clown in a performance and also in our society at large. To be able to laugh, be present, and release tension - what gifts Here are several ways to experience what Joe has to offer.  Look for him on instagram @joe_de_paul, facebook @joseph.d.paul.71 and online at www.tim-and-joe.com.  And definitely wat...

Well this was a scary episode for me to record, talking out loud about a solo show and the stories I might choose to tell But what a great exercise What stories would you tell about your own experiences and the meanings you might be able to draw from them?

What is revealed through a gaze between subject and artist? As a Hawaii-based landscape and portrait photographer, Jeremiah elicits deep longings, fears, and desires by holding us in a space of still presence As he explains, vulnerability is a tool we can use in our relationships that gives permission for others to disarmour themselves, which can then help us come together as community, society, a...

From PhD studies in biomechanics to street, wedding, and portrait photography, Dan Aponte learned to trust and hone his skills and judgement in a new field as he went along What is the relationship between vanity and vulnerability?  What are our needs for being seen and feeling validated?  What are you revealing about yourself and the subjects of your work?  Where are you investing the most time a...

I went a little off the beaten track this time In this episode, I speak with paralympic cyclist Marie-Claude Molnar.  She shares her insights into what it takes to build confidence, stretch boundaries, and achieve the highest levels of performance in any field, by refusing to settle in the comfort zone and instead taking one step at a time to reach the top of the mountain The only way you can find...

Emma Ressel is a still life photographer who creates striking images of food and animals, exploring things below the surface we don't often talk about, from life and ripeness to rot and death. We discussed the stories we tell ourselves about the natural world, including our relationships with animals and the interplay between beauty and repulsion. Be sure to check out Emma's work online at emmares...

Lydia talked with me about vulnerability and letting go, being visual and creating images in our minds, defiance, discomfort and kindergarten As she explains, allowing oneself to be vulnerable is actually more courageous than not looking Be sure to check out her work at lydiapanas.com and on instagram @lydiapanas

There's something interesting about the dichotomy Christine sets up between failure and joy.  And how your tolerance for each can depend on the field in which you may be playing at the moment And also, vulnerability as the opposite of control. I can identify with that. I feel like I can manage that in my day job, but am certainly not as comfortable in other domains - including drawing, photography...

Andrew Fedynak is a highly talented and committed fine art documentary photographer, as well as the publisher and designer of Zatara Press We talked about storytelling and workflow, analog and digital photography, wabi sabi, photos not taken, artists and creatives, and the influences of social media Check out www.fedynak.com and www.zatarapress.com to see what Andrew has accomplished.  You can als...

Candice Nixon talks about graphic design, glass art, and the natural power of art to heal both the artist and those of us fortunate enough to experience her pieces Be sure to check out her work @meltingpotstudio.ca on Instagram and www.meltingpotstudio.ca And if I ever use the word 'pretty' again in reference to a work of art, please put me out of my misery!

It's not just that Micah Perry describes himself as a passionate, limitless person and artist. You can see it in his pieces themselves, whether tattoos, paintings, sculptures, or photographs - there's a strong sense of movement and life in his work that is captivating. We talked among other things about the nature of vulnerability, and Micah makes an interesting distinction between feeling vulnera...

After several days sick in bed, I thought more about what we see and don't see - and even more importantly, what we're not able to see, trying to tie together some reflections on self-knowledge and vulnerability.

I really enjoyed my conversation with Kristina Troske. Among other things, we talked about puppetry, storytelling without words, collaborating with others, and what it means to call oneself an artist. I had never before properly appreciated the artistry of puppetry, and the ways in which it can reach adults as much as it does children. Be sure to check out her work on instagram @kristinatroske bec...

Debe Arlook is a photographer, educator, contributing editor, and advisor, and she also offers printing services for fine art photographers I really enjoyed our conversation and the range of topics we covered, from control and flow, to meditation and the viewer's experience, to happy accidents Be sure to check out Debe's work - including her project one, one thousand... - on instagram @debearlook...

I tried something different...  I was reading a great book over the weekend and decided to share some of the authors' ideas in this episode.  Let me know what you think: vulnerabilitylifeart@gmail.com The book, Art as Therapy , was written by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong and published in 2013.  They explore various functions of art and then suggest organizing museums and galleries to enlight...

Born in St Petersburg Russia and living now in Dubai, classically trained mezzo soprano Yana Mann writes, performs, and produces music in collaboration with artists around the world. As she says with a laugh, "All my life is a big risk."  But she has never let that stop her from experimenting with different styles of music and creating incredible experiences throughout her career, from performing...

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with TJ Dawe, theatre writer, performer, and educator.  He shares wonderful insights into his work through autobiographical monologues, which are based on his awareness and willingness to share who he is and the stories he tells about himself Be sure to check out more about TJ at tjdawe.ca and on instagram @tj_dawe And definitely watch his show Medicine on youtube a...

Joy Coutts worked in financial services in the UK until she decided to leave that world behind and become a writer, freelance copy editor, and facilitator of a group for women who want to learn what it means to write That's the kind of brave choice her characters make in her first novel, A Missing Mother Among other things, we talked about finding one's voice, creating safe spaces for others, and...

Minna Re Shin is an incredibly talented classical pianist who had her solo début with the Montréal Symphony Orchestra at the age of 10, and she has since won too many awards, fellowships, and grants to count She has taken on a new challenge as the producer of Sonate Tableaux , featuring her interpretations of works by Alain Payette, as well as a performance video exploring the relationships among...