Vulnerability in life and art

This is a reflection on Quality in this podcast and how it relates to video and audio conversations.

This is another one of those odd duck little episodes. I pulled a snippet out of my conversation with Tim Tamashiro where he walked me through the process of identifying my ikigai. I felt a bit awkward when I became the subject of our discussion, and that feeling encouraged me to look more closely at what we talked about. So, there are two parts to this episode. First, Tim is helping me figure out my ikigai. And then the follow up is my reflection on where we landed and where I might go from there. If you're curious, give this process a try. Exploring your ikigai is a way of articulating who you are and what matters to you most. Ask yourself these four questions: what do you love to do, what are you good at, what does the world need, and how do you want to be rewarded? If you want more detail on the process, you can watch Tim's TEDx talk about ikigai on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk-PcJS2QaU . And please note, the Canadian guitarist whose name I couldn't remember is Donna Grantis, who played…

Entrepreneur, consultant, writer, and founder of Serapex, Philipp explains that our existential fears of life and death are our primary drivers. He helps people uncover the deeper meaning and purpose that underlie their fears, so they can reframe those fears and determine the best ways to work through them. Through his experience in design, branding, and strategy as well as study of existential psychology, Philipp developed insights that are meaningful to a broad audience, including his conviction that the real art is the act of becoming the artist - someone who creates - rather than whatever is created, which is just a by-product of the process. To quote from Philipp's latest post on substack (18 Sep 2026): Don't panic. Hold the line. Create the multi-layered art that is locked up in your soul right now. Learn more about Philipp and his work by exploring serapex.com - and there is a link to the archteype quiz on the home page. You can also check out his writing on substack @philipp

Photographer and wild horse advocate Carol Walker talks about how she first started in photography and what led her to capturing images of families - the stallions, mares, and foals living in the wild in Wyoming. Carol's passion and commitment to raising awareness of the precarious plight of wild horses today come through not just her words, but the images she captures of horses as individuals, from Blue Zeus and Picasso to Washakie and Thor. Have a look through her photos on livingimagescarolwalker.com and on instagram @wild_hoofbeats to learn more about her work and the challenges facing wild horses today.

David Deane Haskell is a musician as well as the author of several books, including Wounded Angels and The Solarian Deep. We talk about how drumming led him to writing a personal memoir about trauma and inner child healing, essays capturing daily slices of life, and speculative science fiction. Ulimately he sees all the pieces he creates as opportunities to communicate with others in a meaningful way - to be heard and understood, and also to hear and understand how others react to what he shares. David shares his experiences of vulnerability, both as a person and an artist, with great openness and self-awareness. You can learn more about his work at daviddeanehaskell.com and on instagram @daviddeanehaskell

Ivana Bajic is a multimedia producer drawn to stories where nature, emotion, and human transformation intersect. Through surfing, she discovered the ocean not just as a place, but as a force of healing, grounding, and deep connection among women. Author of Nature of Surf Women, creator of the podcast Nature of Surf Women - Waves of Women, and curator of surf and wellness retreats, Ivana is currently working on a documentary about surf therapy and the healing power of the ocean. Among my favourite parts of our conversation was talking about the tremendous value of caring and community. Learn more about Ivana and her broad scope of work on instagram @ivanabajic and @nature_of_surfwomen and online at natureofsurfwomen.com

Mark Connor is a boxing trainer and writer from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Hearing Mark read from his book, 'It's About Time (Millions of Copies Sold for Dad),' reminded me how precious it is to have the opportunity to listen to a writer read their words aloud. As Mark says, 'God breaks my nose; I'll break his nose.' In other words, fight for what feels right. And the idea that once your feet hit the ground, you have to keep the momentum going, whether it's running, writing, painting, playing music, however you want to express yourself - that speaks to me. We always have to start by getting the momentum going, by becoming the kind of person who does what we value most. You can learn more about Mark on instagram @writingboxer and online at boxersandwritersmagazine.com. His book - It's About Time (Millions of Copies Sold for Dad)' - is available on Amazon.

I've called at least one other episode in this podcast an odd duck. I think this may be a much even odder duck. The theme is ruminations I guess on the fifth birthday of the Vulnerability in life and art podcast.

Colin Douglas lives in Las Vegas, a data analyst by training and a philosopher by nature. He's driven by ideas and a great curiosity about how people choose to live their lives in the general pursuit of happiness, or better yet, enduring peace, fulfillment, or purpose. Working a full-time job, he finds the time to share his insights and invites others to engage in the conversation. Colin shares a great line: 'Thoughts disentangle themselves through the lips and the fingertips' (commonly attributed to Dawson Trotman). That's how I feel about this podcast. Be sure to check out Colin's writing on substack @personalpeace

"Books transform and shape us," says Winnipeg-based book artist Debra Frances. What makes a book a book? And how are we shaped by what we experience through books? Inspired after making a book to showcase her daughter's artwork, Debra now creates stunning pieces from natural materials like milkweed seedpods and driftwood, as well as her own handmade papers and dyes. She teaches bookbinding classes and also leads a one-week retreat every summer on Malcolm Island, British Columbia (for which I'm on the list in August 2027 :-) And the project where she collaborated with a climate scientist to create a book to represent key aspects of the work, centering on storytelling, was fascinating to me. Learn more about Debra and her work on instagram @debra_frances and online at debrafrances.com

Based in Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario, Bryn Gladding is a commercial photographer who works with developers, researchers, inventors, artists, and manufacturers, alongside pursuing his own personal projects. I found his insights and reflections into his personal projects in particular, from the perspective of his own vulnerability, very moving. Bryn is as passionate about nurturing connections with people as making photographs of and for them. He embraces the opportunities that come with new technologies as they emerge, and at the same time he looks forward to a resurgence in our general appreciation and valuing of art and artists, maybe even especially handcrafted or at least human-directed work. Check out Bryn's work on instagram @bryngladding as well as online at bryngladdingphotography.com Photograph © Bryn Gladding Photography Sculpture "Stratford War Memorial" Walter Seymour Allward (1919-1922)

This is a quick ramble about the learning field - designing courses and workshops - and sustaining dramatic tension in long-form fiction.

This was a fun coversation from a personal perspective, because I went to high school with Jackie Reeves, a painter who also does collage, installations, film, and animations. Jackie grew up making art and exudes a lovely sense of calm confidence not only in her talent, but also in her choices to make art as child, teen, and adult. She has faith in her drawing hand, her painting hand. I did envy that a little, and I told her so. Did I follow through the right pigeonhole? My mother, as she has listened to these conversations over time, has noticed when artists have grown up in families who've supported, or at least understood, artistic practice versus when they did not. It's in no sense a requirement, but may be a factor that influences the effort to invest in that practice. We connected on the work one does for oneself compared to commercial work to meet the design needs of clients. Figuring out what we want to share from our own voice can be tricky. Jackie asks the question - beyond skill, what do we choose…

I had the opportunity to speak with Laura Tafe about her collage work, which I find bright and bold. She also works as a pathologist and has been able to reintegrate artistic practice into her life as an adult, with a spirit of intentionality and a desire to express different aspects of herself, both to herself and to others. Laura talks about the role of art, creativity, and self-expression in her leading a fully realized life. Paper - through its textures as well as acts of cutting out pieces - is her preferred medium for showing physical bodies and parts in motion and expressing a range of emotions. She shows courage not only in putting her work out in the world, but in exploring language for speaking about what her practice and pieces might mean, as she builds communities with others. When you have a chance, go take a look through Laura's work on instagram @imogene.awe

This is my second conversation with Stefan Lorenzutti, a poet who runs the independent press Bored Wolves in collaboration with his partner Joanna Osiewicz-Lorenzutti. Stefan and I were messaging a few months back and he shared that it had been a challenging year, and how responses from when we last talked would no longer be quite the same. So in a way we talked about many of the same big picture questions, but this time with a focus on what it means to publish 50 books in 50 months; interacting with respect, trust, grace, and forgiveness; and appreciation of the details and stories behind process. To learn more about Stefan and his journeys through poetry and publishing, check out episode 83 of this podcast as well as boredwolves.com and @boredwolves on instagram.

One might think that by my fifth year of doing this podcast, I'd remember to introduce the guest at the beginning of the episode! Sadly, I did not in this case. So, this is my conversation with Liv Wickedly, a multidimensional artist and creative who loves jumping in to try new things, a woman after my own heart. We talk about art as intentional self-expression, through whatever medium feels right, which has personal value regardless of how it may be 'liked.' Reaction and feedback from others, however it may align with your own feelings and intentions, are always better than ambivalence. And we talk about vulnerability as raw or tender moments of being seen, or even seeing oneself, when we aren't feeling so certain or clear about what we're sharing of ourselves. To learn more about Liv and her work, you can explore livwickedly.com as well as her profile on instagram @livwickedly For more information about the Gene Keys, you can listen to episodes 115 and 117, my conversations with Elijah Parker, or visit…

In this episode, I talk about what surfing means to me. It's a challenge on many different levels. Most importantly, it is teaching me what the real challenge is, in my relationship to the ocean, control, and lessons still to learn. Be sure to check out the book Nature of Surf Women @nature_of_surfwomen written by Ivana Bajic @ivanabajic with photography by Gabriela Tellez and audio recordings by Martyn Stewart. I also highly recommend the podcast of the same name. And if you find yourself in LA and want to learn to surf, you can get in touch with Heather Alley of Soul Surf Sessions @soulsurfsessionsla

This is my first episode - and probably my first conversation ever - with an action actor (which is today's term for the profession I would've referred to as stuntman). Jon Schmidt fell into the work after time in the Peace Corps and then completing his MBA, when the job overseas that he had accepted fell through. Jon explains how in the beginning of his career, he worried that saying no to a role might mean he'd never work again. I connected with that, though I work in a completely different field. Overpromising on performance is actually the greater risk; learning to undersell (or at least, promise from a realistic perspective) leads to trust, more opportunity, and a stronger network. He also shares some of his insights into education, writing, and AI - again, points that fall close to home for me as a learning designer and writer. And then in the final moments of our conversation, we talk about about the purpose in making yourself vulnerable, throwing yourself out into the world in front of others, and…

Amy Horowitz is a freelance photographer based in New York City who takes portraits of young adults in and around Washington Square Park, looking for the softness under the shell and documenting today's generation in tumultuous times, in moments of connection. Here's the core message of her work - and I really like how she says it: I was brought up in a different way...but people are how they are...we're all the same. The message is deceptively simple of course. Her photographs, on the other hand, tell deep stories about people, identities, self-expression, and navigating turbulent times. Because life is messy sometimes. You can learn more about Amy and her work at amyhorowitzphotography.com and on instagram @dont_smile_nyc. And be sure to check out her book, which you can find by searching for "Walk in the Park? Amy Horowitz"

Tim Tamashiro is a speaker, singer, radio and podcast host, and author of How To Ikigai, a book that helps people discover their ikigai, or life's purpose. His own ikigai is "to delight." Tim talks about how mental health crises during the covid pandemic led him to therapy and Buddhist practice, the role of manifestation in his life, and his passion for ikigai which is a combination of four factors: what you love to do, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be rewarded for. The ultimate goal is self-actualization and in the episode that will follow this one, Tim will walk me through the process of uncovering my own ikigai. Tim has actually written two books about ikigai, How to Ikigai: Lessons for Finding Happiness and Living Your Life's Purpose and Golden Ikigai: Unlock Japanese Secrets to a Life of Purpose and Joy After 50. You can watch Tim's TEDx talk about ikigai on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk-PcJS2QaU. He hosts Sufferless with a Part-time Monk, a mindfulness and…

In this episode, I talk about what it means to me to make choices about where to put my time and energy - and really trying to feel into those choices, as well as think logically about pros and cons, so I can open space in my life for doing what matters most to me.

Doug Breault is a Boston-based interdisciplinary artist who works with photography, painting, sculpture, and video. In addition to his art practice, he curates exhibitions at Gallery 263, teaches art students at Babson College and Bridgewater State University, and contributes articles to Boston Art Review, Lenscratch, the Harvard Art Museum, and the Bridgewater Review. Doug talks about his evolution from creative writing to photography - which then began to intersect with other forms of art, how an interdisciplinary approach to art making allows the idea to come before the material, and the themes of loss and memory that run through his work. You can learn more about Doug and his work through his website douglasbreault.com and on instagram @dug_bro

Having inadvertently introduced Barbara Steinhaus - Chair of the Department of Music at Brenau University - as a music therapist, she not only set me straight with gentleness, but then walked me through her career as singer and educator, the value of music for healing, and how visiting art museums improves our wellbeing. I was taken by the four elements of singing in a healthcare setting that align with Barbara's life as a vocal artist: the intimacy of folk music, the transformational potential of the spiritual, classical vocal style, and a sense of meaning in song and lyrics that is particularly profound for her. For more information about Barbara's work as an educator, you can look her up on the Brenau University website. And for details about the study she's leading with the High Museum of Art, check out https://www.brenau.edu/news/brenau-partners-with-high-museum-for-arts-and-health-research/ and…

This is the second half of my conversation with Elijah Parker. We touched on how we can use different forms of language such as music to express ourselves, entrainment and the physics of harmony, wounds and wonders, and the nature of vulnerability as honest self-inquiry. And I love the image of us being watery beings moving through seas of vibration. Elijah is a Gene Keys Guide, Ambassador, and core member of the Gene Keys Publishing team. The Gene Keys offer a set of teachings to guide personal growth and development through contemplation, inquiry, gentleness, and patience. Elijah facilitates both personal and group sessions with The Gene Keys for transformation in relationships, activating creative projects, and discovering the gifts inside life's challenges. You can learn more about Elijah at fractaldoors.com and on instagram @fractaldoors And if you're interested in The Gene Keys, check out genekeys.com

Welcome to episode 116: some ideas about flow, inspired by a long run up in the country over a weekend.

Elijah Parker is a Gene Keys Guide, Ambassador, and core member of the Gene Keys Publishing team. The Gene Keys offer a set of teachings to guide personal growth and development through contemplation, inquiry, gentleness, and patience. Elijah facilitates both personal and group sessions with The Gene Keys for transformation in relationships, activating creative projects, and discovering the gifts inside life's challenges. In this first half of our conversation, we talked about magic and storytelling, collective truth and love, and creating resilience through vulnerability and intimacy with ourselves and others. You can learn more about Elijah at fractaldoors.com and on instagram @fractaldoors And if you're interested in The Gene Keys, check out genekeys.com

Dana Stirling is a fine art photographer as well as co-founder & editor-in-chief of Float Photo Magazine. She was born in Jerusalem, of parents from London England, and now lives in Queens New York. Dana experimented with drawing and writing before discovering how much she enjoyed taking photos. She then found out she was following in the footsteps of both her father and grandfather, but she was the first one in the family to pursue photography seriously. Through her work, Dana explores very personal themes that surface from family relationships and dynamics, challenges with mental health, experiences of displacement as an immigrant, and how it feels to be and not belong in a space. To learn more about Dana and her work, be sure to visit danastirling.com and @dana_stirling on instagram.

This is an episode about receiving feedback, feedback relative to a goal, feedback versus distortion, and feedback helping us to see things that we may not be able to see ourselves.

The last time I went out this far out on a limb in terms of topic on this podcast was my conversation with gardener Andi Strachan. But there's something about the interactions between human cultures and the natural environment that I find fascinating, and there's also a thread related not just to vulnerabilities of agrobiodiversity and food sovereignty, but also how our individual lives are entwined with the food that sustains, nourishes, and can hurt us and our environment. Carolina Modena is Director of the Biodiversity Office at Slow Food, which is an organization headquartered in Bra, Italy representing a global movement of local groups and activists devoted to ensuring everyone has access to good, clean, and fair food. From a background in law and gastronomic sciences, she is committed to protecting food culture against the twin forces of globalization and standardization. You can learn more about the mission and activities of the Slow Food organization and ways to get involved on their website at…

John Avilla is the founder of Sound Union, a creative studio and cultural hub designed for people who see music in terms of well-being, inspiration, and connection. With a background in brand strategy and creative direction, John built Sound Union as a new kind of social club for creatives, entrepreneurs, and thinkers who prioritize music as a vital part of their daily lives and identities. John shared a deep understanding and appreciation for the nature and benefits of music - so persuasive I bought a bass guitar and signed up for lessons the day after we spoke. I'm really hoping I can visit Sound Union one day, in Redwood City California, and they might even let me play. Learn more at soundunion.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/soundunion/ or follow @joinsoundunion on instagram.

This episode is about listening to our inner bass players and some of the different things that might mean.

Lance Johnson has a decade of experience working as a freelance video editor. Based in New York City, he delivers work to clients like Tom Ford, MTV, and Showtime. He is also the founder and host of the podcast See-Through. Lance has an incurable eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which typically causes legal blindness by age 40. Today, at 34 years old, Lance has already spent five years having transparent conversations with people living with blindness and other disabilities, as a way of exploring his own inevitable future. His whole outlook can probably be summed up in this way: "There's something kind of exciting about the possibility that I'll have to just completely pivot and do something else." You can find out more about Lance's work in video editing through his website lancekestreljohnson.com and on instagram @lancekestrel Also be sure to check out his podcast See-Through, for insight and inspiration, at seethroughpod.com

Jenn Seniuk works as an art therapist in Calgary, Alberta. We talked not just about art therapy - working with a professionally trained therapist to use art as another language for accessing and processing our feelings and sensations - but also 'art as therapy,' which is about engaging in the process of making art for creative self-expression, in the in-between spaces, and calming the nervous system. Everyone is innately creative and everyone can make art, if only we can let go of the judgments we might hold about what we create. Creativity is encoded directly in our DNA, just like our need and desire to be in community and have meaningful conversations. I really enjoyed hearing Jenn talk about the My friend Dave project and how she meets with marginalized and vulnerable men every Monday in the park. And not just meeting with them, but meeting them where they're at, where they're being brave and sharing the scary things. Find out more about Jenn and her practice on instagram @BellyEyeArtTherapy,…

Clementine Morrigan is a writer and literary punk who has published six books and made 1000s of zines by hand over the last 25 years. Clementine explores complex and challenging human experiences - including incest and other forms of trauma, polyamory, and queer sexuality - with passion and integrity, as a responsibility and a calling. We talked about the constructed nature of confessional writing, cancel culture, and a sense of vulnerability that requires us to be aware and responsible about engaging in the right kinds of vulnerability given the context and our ability to deal with the experience if we are hurt. You can learn more about Clementine and her work at clementinemorrigan.com. Check out her zines at shop.clementinemorrigan.com/category/zines. And follow her on instagram @clementinemorrigan

Urban artist Fluke got his start with graffiti sketchbook sessions, sitting around a picnic table in the park, a community of kids drawing essais together. He has moved on to creating and leading the production of art murals in Canada, the US, France, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. Fluke talks about the challenge of toning down his work and communicating core ideas more simply, what it means to him to be self-taught, measuring up to family expectations, hustling, and creating art for public spaces. What are the 'right' reasons for creating art? And if someone were to publish a small book of your twenty best pieces - pieces of any kind, in any context - what would they be? Learn more about Fluke on instagram @fluke.art and on his website flukeart.ca, where you can sign up for his newsletter to get updates on his work.

Jaime Hjelm is a custom automotive expert and shop boss in the Netflix reality series TexMex Motors. She is also co-owner, with her sister, of Wicked Wrench, a car shop just outside Chicago. Jaime is a highly accomplished professional in a heavily male-dominated industry who knows car restoration is an art and she approaches it that way. Check out season 2 of TexMex Motors to watch how she designs a '52 Chevy after her purse. As shop boss, Jaime directs but also cares deeply for core cast members, including larger than life Rabbit, the man with a voice like honey on gravel. You can find out more about Jaime on her website jaimehjelm.com and on instagram @jaime_hjelm

Molly Roškar works with a constellation of objects, materials, and processes, from restoring heirloom cabinets to making natural dyes to whittling spoons, knives, and creatures, all within a core theme of tradition, sustainability, and great curiosity and care. Because I can get obsessed with details, we got into a bit of a conversation about shellac, which I now know is bug-processed resin. It has been used for thousands of years as a natural primer, stain, and varnish and it offers a deep lens into the structure of the wood. We also talked about art and craft; as Molly explains, 'it would diminish art if you ruled out craft, and it would diminish craft if you ruled out conceptual processes.' She talks about her own work with tangible objects as a response to theoretical questions she wants to explore, intention as key to her creative process, and the beauty that comes from that which is simple and practical, but not obvious. You can learn more about Molly and her work on her website atelierindigoandoak.com…

Gabrielle Rae Travis, literary artist and editor-in-chief of the zine whet, talks about the power of community, camaraderie, and connection and the role played by vulnerability and uncomfortable conversations. I relate in many ways to what Gabrielle talks about, including the appreciation and joy of helping to foster the work - learning from wonderful artists who share their insights with us. As she says, 'art is about stirring something in us.' And when the connections empower us to acquire the skills and gain the confidence to contribute and put our own voice out there, all the better. Give youself permission to start your project. You can learn more about whet and subscribe by visiting https://www.whetzine.online/ You can also check out @gabrielllerae and @whetzine on instagram to learn more.

I had the opportunity to speak with Emma Krebs via an introduction through a friend (thanks Joy!). Emma is a freelance expert in producing content in the creator economy, including podcasts and youtube videos, and she is curious and open to learning not just from what comes her way but what she goes after. Originally inspired by the concept of minimalism, she has been traveling the world gaining insight into human nature, connection, and relationships ever since. And when she talks about the 'why' in relation to podcasting, for example, think about what that might mean for you. If there's a project you want to start or are already working on, what's your 'why?' And is it even important for you to define your 'why?' There are several ways to learn more about Emma and what she's up to. You can check out her website emmakrebs.com, her instagram @byemmakrebs, and her youtube channel also @byemmakrebs. And I highly recommend her podcast 'The Curious One' for over 80 captivating conversations.

In spite of the fact that I took notes in preparation for this episode, there's more rambling than usual. All I can say in advance is that these are my reflections on having done 99 episodes to date, and planning for many more to come.

Singer/songwriter (and spin instructor) Morgan Weinmeister and I talked about the kinds of music she likes to write and perform, her focus on lyrics, the nature of vulnerability, and the power of specificity to convey the deeper feelings, as people 'may not connect with the lyric, but they connect with what they know that lyric feels like.' And most importantly, that we should never feel like we need to be boxed into one thing. You can follow Morgan on instagram @morganweinmeister. Also be sure to listen to her music on Spotify, starting with the album Bruises & Bellyaches. And if you find yourself in Montreal, sign up for one of Morgan's spin classes so you can connect the dots between instructor and singer/songwriter.

From sharing her experiences of academic mobbing to the ways in which she tries to create vulnerable (rather than safe) spaces for learning, professor of instructional design and technology Caroline Crawford is direct, engaged, and fully committed to the ongoing development and success of her student learners. To learn more about Caroline and her academic work, you can check out her faculty page on the University of Houston at Clear Lake website at uhcl.edu/education/faculty/crawford-caroline

I had the pleasure of speaking with Craig Harrison - former British Army soldier, author, and Maverick Survival School course leader - not being quite sure how his story fit with the other conversations I've had over the past 3 and a half years. And he was a perfect fit. How he spoke about his life with PTSD, the importance of communicating and connecting with others, and the restorative power of time in nature was brave, gentle, open, and generous. You can check out themavericksurvivalschool.co.uk/ and instagram @cohcraigharrison to learn more about what Craig is up to today, and read his military memoir The Longest Kill: The Story of Maverick 41 for insight into what brought him to where he is now. PS: For those of you who caught this, you're right - I mistakenly referred to a book as The Artist Within when it really should have been The Artist's Way.

Jason 'Blackbird' Selman is a spoken word artist, poet, and trumpet player. In this conversation, Jason shares his insights into the freedom of poetry, Carribean community and cultures, and what it means to be a good man out in the world. Who am I, where do I come from, what does that mean, can I afford to be vulnerable... We can return to these questions, over and over, throughout our lives and experience how our responses evolve in time. If you're interested in learning more about Jason and his work, you can check out his instagram @jason.b.selman. You can also look for his writings, which include "The Freedom I Stole" (2007, Cumulus Press) and "Africa as a Dream That Travels Through My Heart" (2016, Howl). And be sure to check out the documentary, Ninth Floor, on nfb.ca to learn more about the events that occured after a group of Caribbean students studying at Concordia University (which was then called Sir George Williams) accused their professor of racism.

Two aspects of this conversation with dramaturg Aki Matsushita stood out to me most. One was learning what the expansive field of dramaturgy is all about. As Aki says, it's an art practice that doesn't necessarily show itself to people outside the development process. The practitioners themselves don't even agree on how to pronounce it. My biggest takeaway was that the dramaturg can help answer the question, 'why this story now?' The other is a tangent I went on somewhere in the middle about cross-cultural communication. I was planning to remove it, but Aki's response was both generous and illuminating, so I kept it in. It's something I don't know much about (obviously), so I thought it might be useful for others to hear about as well. Learn more about Aki and her work through the Playwrights' Workshop Montréal website at playwrights.ca/who-we-are as well as her Instagram @kikimg07

This is an episode about what it means to know your thread, if it's important to know what your thread is, and the relationships between who you are and what you do.

This is my conversation with David Gordon - artist, landscape designer, and owner of Bird Dog Arts Gallery in California's San Joaquin Valley. I probably should have edited out even more of our conversation about growing up in the 80s but David is sharp and insightful; I couldn't help it. Listen for David's insights into vulnerability, both for artists and also for people who buy art, people who then express a lot about themselves through pieces they have chosen to put on display. Learn more about David and his work on instagram @davidgordondrsigns and online at birddogarts.com. Keep an eye out for Turkey, the Bird Dog Arts Gallery cat - he has his own instagram #isawturkey

'Failure is a lesson...I won't take one failure as a complete failure.' That adaptability and openness to learning stood out to me during my conversation with Anna Wojcik, a fitness entrepreneur in continual development, always finding new ways to challenge herself and her clients (including me). She warns against remaining comfortable with what we know, encouraging us instead to break out of the bubble to take risks, fail and succeed, and keep looking for opportunities to learn new things, for both body and mind. In Anna's words, step outside your daily. Be coachable. Start small. Take risks and grow. Check out what Anna is up to through instagram @coach_anna_inc And if you're looking for a personal trainer and coach, she offers great sessions live and via zoom.

Claire Hankey first began making collages as a young child. Today, inspired by her father's brushes and paints, she creates fragile, dreamy pieces, in veils of mixed media. Her work reflects early childhood memories - her family home and garden, her glamorous grandmother Evelyne. Reflections on the past also inspired her podcast series Where the Art Began. A poignant moment for me is when Claire speaks about the importance of how we talk to people - children, young people, adults - about their art. Consider how you may have been affected in the past by what people have said about your work. And how might have you affected others? You can learn more about Claire and her work at clairehankeyartist.com and on instagram @clairehankeyartist. If by any chance you're in Leigh-on-Sea at the right time of year, be sure to enjoy the local art trail (or find one near you). And have a listen to her podcast!

This is an episode about feedback, reacting, and learning from what we hear from others.