Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram

In this episode of Wrecked by Art , I share how chef Tristen Epps’ win on Top Chef Canada became a powerful metaphor for the creative process. We talk about what it means to create from authenticity, how to keep going when you don’t know what you’re making yet, and why knowing yourself is the foundation of creative expression. Whether you’re blocked, burnt out, or just craving more depth in your a...

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma, religious abuse, sexual assault, sex trafficking, suicide, and domestic violence. Please take care while listening. In this powerful conversation, Cindy sits down with Charli—clarity coach, meditation teacher, and recovering perfectionist—to talk about the book that quite literally fell into their life at just the right moment: Elizab...

In this deeply personal episode, Cindy shares the story of a solo trip to Houston during the early days of her burnout. There, two pieces of art—Niki de Saint Phalle’s joyful Nana sculptures and a 13th-century painting of the Virgin Mary—revealed the emotional contrast between who she was and who she longed to be. This is a story about the weight of exhaustion, the mirror of grief, and the slow, s...

Sometimes a painting doesn’t just hang on a wall—it waits for you. In this episode of Wrecked by Art , I share the story of encountering Frida Kahlo’s The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Señor Xolotl during an August Art Church session—a time when I felt unrooted and unsteady in my own life. Three days later, I found myself on a river trip where a grounding med...

In this episode of Wrecked by Art , I tell the story of how a single sentence in a novel led me to sharks, burnout, and the most exhilarating chapter I wrote in my memoir, Art Is About Being Whole . This story is about creative trust, synchronicity, and the magic that only shows up when you're deep in the work. You'll hear about: A quote from Remarkably Bright Creatures that cracked me open The Ja...

What happens when you lose the map, the plan, and all your usual tools for navigating life? In this episode of Wrecked by Art , I reflect on the first time I saw Tempest in Yellow by Dorothea Tanning—and how it wrecked me in ways I didn’t understand until years later. I share how this painting collided with my business burnout, my unacknowledged identity shifts, and my deep craving for control and...

In the very first episode of Wrecked by Art , Cindy shares the moment that changed everything—New Year’s Day 2004, when she came face to face with Picasso’s Girl Before a Mirror . What began as a museum visit turned into a full-body, soul-level recognition. This painting didn’t just speak to her—it saw her. It mirrored the pain she was hiding, and helped her feel, for the first time, truly seen. T...

I’m a mosaic artist, and sometimes I have the great joy of getting to smash a plate with a hammer. The sound it makes when it shatters is sharp, decisive, like a lightning snap. In the instant after, your whole body goes still. You stop, startled. Everything sharpens. That’s what it feels like to be wrecked by art. This podcast is born from that moment—that ache, that awe, that sudden clarity art...

The last couple of weeks have been intense. Between processing the presidential election results (which has left many of us feeling scared, emotional, angry, and sad) and some difficult things happening in my personal life, my creative practice has completely fallen by the wayside. That daily art practice I shared with you before? The one with the squares for each day? Gone. Those mosaics I was ma...

In this vulnerable share on my podcast and YouTube, I open up about my journey of embracing my true self through healing through art and creative community. Watch as I process these revelations through art journaling while discussing last night's powerful tarot session, the magic that happens in our art interpretation circles, and my upcoming tarot program. Join me as I reflect on self-acceptance,...

Hello! I'm excited to introduce you to the first episode of a brand new collaborative podcast with my friend Heather Doyle Fraser over on our new substack, The Spacious Creative. In this limited series podcast, we'll explore the topic of creativity from all sorts of angles. If you are a creative person or especially if you are a creative person "in hiding," I know you'll get great value from liste...

In this engaging podcast episode, Melissa Cox joins me to discuss the artwork Coping by Nicole Eisenman.  Here's a bulleted list of what we discussed in this episode, thanks to our friend Chat GPT. The feeling of being worn down by internal struggles or long-term challenges Reflections on hope and despair, and the isolation it can bring The importance of representation and seeing possibilities for...

In this episode, I chat about what I have been up to, tell you about the new(ish) format for the show, and explore a work by my favorite artist, Naudline Pierre, through the lenses of Internal Family Systems and Shadow Work.   Links: Watch this episode on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/artandselfcindy/videos/765619205553447   Watch this episode on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/video/liv...

In this episode, Dr. Jamie English, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in body acceptance, and I engage in a deep exploration of two artworks side-by-side: Self-Portrait Naked with my Mother II by Chantal Joffe and The Opening by Aleah Chapin. Both artworks are featured in my new book, Art Is About Being Whole: A Memoir . The conversation delves into body image, vulnerability, and t...

Before I transitioned the podcast to its new format as Art and Self with Cindy Ingram, some of my all-time favorite episodes were the ones where I had captivating art conversations with my dear friend, Madalyn. We'd dive deep into a single piece, exploring its intricacies, and unraveling the layers that make art truly fascinating. The goal was to not just talk about art but to show the depth and c...

The creation of my new book, Art Is About Being Whole: A Memoir , was a pretty epic journey from start to finish. When I first started the book, it was going to be an art education book, but somewhere along the way, in both little and big moments, the book morphed into what it is now, which is a soulful, poetic, artistic exploration of not only the story of my growth but of the basic human emotion...

I'm excited to announce that my new book, Art Is About Being Whole: A Memoir , is now live and ready to buy! Click this link to get your copy. Today, I’m thrilled to give you a sneak peek into one of my favorite chapters! Okay, it’s tough to pick a favorite chapter of the book as each one took me on such an emotional journey, but my interpretation of Frida Kahlo’s The Two Fridas , in conjunction w...

In this episode, I have the pleasure of welcoming my friend and colleage Carol LeBlanc from Love Your Numbers Now as my guest, and together, we dive into the thought-provoking artwork Grow With Progress by Erik Johansson. This surreal photograph depicting a woman ascending a staircase inspired a chapter in my upcoming book and it offers a powerful metaphor for personal growth, self-discovery, and...

In this episode, Margaret and I, both passionate art educators, open up about our own artistic journeys. We get real about the struggle of finding our artistic identities as teachers, grappling with imposter syndrome, of not being “good enough” or niched enough, and the “shoulds” that help us back from embracing our own art. But what we have found on the other end after letting all of that go is f...

  In the episode, I introduce the Art Around the World Series, invite you to explore the work of art on your own, discuss the many interpretations possible, share a little about the artist, tell a story about my own connection to it, share a compare/contrast opportunity, and give ideas for teaching it in your classroom!   Today's video is a little longer than the rest will be because I introduced...

After interviews, I often say "wow that was my favorite one" and looking back I have a lot of favorites, but this one may be THE favorite. My conversation with artist and musican, Geoffa Fells, about art and emotion and neurodiversity and music and how all of those intersect still give me chills when I think about it a month after having this conversation. I am so excited for you to hear it! For l...

After episode 117 with Kate Wurtzel , we realized we had been looking at a cropped image, and because of this we had more to say! In this episode, we have a blast geeking out about art philosophy, the idea of the artist as genius, the artist as a healer, following intuition, experimentation, and much more. I had so much fun talking to Kate again, and I hope you enjoy this conversation with her as...

This week I've gotten the delightful experience to witness the joy of creation through my 13-year-old daughter. That, plus my musing on the book Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey, have made me think more about the ways in which I am not following my own advice and how I can give myself a deeper permission to create without the burden of capitalism on my shoulders. For links discussed on today's...

Amanda Koonlaba is a blogger and art teacher who has been running her blog “Party in the Art Room” for more than a decade. In this episode, Amanda and Cindy discuss One Woman Show by Celeste Rapone through our lenses as mothers, educators, and creatives. As former art teachers, we talk about the importance of arts integration and how art can help face uncertainty.   For links to all of the artwork...

I've been talking about it for a while, but I'm finally sharing my painting I made! In this episode, I talk about the vulnerable process of sharing and creating this painting as well as what benefits I get from knowing myself better. Click here to visit the shownotes to view my painting!  Get Involved Join the Art Connection Circle -- Now enrolling for summer sessions!  Art and Self on Facebook ,...