Color, Calling, and Courage: Casey Alvarez on Faith, Creativity, and Building a Life Through Art
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
Release Date: 04/02/2026
How Creativity Helped Me Begin Again | Lori Morgan on Grief, Reinvention & Building Tom & Chickpea
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What happens when life changes in an instant? In this heartfelt episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, I sit down with Lori Morgan, founder and creative force behind Tom & Chickpea, a beloved furniture painting and creative studio in Derry, New Hampshire. Lori's story is one of resilience, reinvention, creativity, and community. After the sudden loss of her husband Tom in 2017, Lori found herself navigating unimaginable grief while raising two young children. About a year later, she picked up a paintbrush—and that simple act became the beginning of an entirely new chapter. Today, Lori is...
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Your Life as a Work of Art | Diana von Welanetz Wentworth on Purpose, Grief, Creativity & Living Fully
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What does it mean to truly live with intention? In this deeply moving episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, I sit down with Diana von Welanetz Wentworth—New York Times bestselling author, speaker, life coach, media personality, former celebrity chef, and co-founder of The Inside Edge, a transformational community that hosted voices like Louise Hay, Ram Dass, Jack Canfield, and Mark Victor Hansen. At 85 years old, Diana radiates wisdom, presence, creativity, and joy in a way that feels both grounding and expansive. She describes herself as someone who is not winding down, but “composing the...
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Inside Women Create: Susan Harold on Creativity, Purpose & The Art of Coming Full Circle
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What if the path you’re meant for… is the one you return to? In this episode, Susan Harold shares how decades in publishing led her back to a role that feels both unexpected—and exactly right. In this inspiring episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, I sit down with Susan Harold—Editor-in-Chief of Where Women Create and What Women Create, and author of the stunning coffee table book The Art of the Studio. With over 30 years in magazine publishing, circulation, and editorial leadership, Susan has spent her career shaping creative storytelling and championing the maker community. In...
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Color, Calling, and Courage: Casey Alvarez on Faith, Creativity, and Building a Life Through Art
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What if your creativity wasn’t just a talent—but a calling? In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with artist Casey Alvarez, a Missouri-based painter, entrepreneur, and former Christian counselor who has built a thriving creative business rooted in faith, color, and purpose. From painting large European-style armoires on her farm in the Ozarks to shipping her work to 46 states, Casey shares how she transformed her love of creativity into a meaningful and sustainable career. But this conversation goes deeper than art. Casey opens up about: • How her...
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The Courage to Be Seen: ShenShen210 on Graffiti, Faith, and the Power of Vulnerability
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What if your greatest creative superpower wasn’t talent—but vulnerability? In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods, Dionne sits down with groundbreaking portrait artist ShenShen210 for a conversation that moves from freight trains and graffiti culture to faith, purpose, and the courage to fully embody who you were created to be. Growing up in the Bay Area of San Francisco, Shen began painting at just 15 years old—eventually becoming known as one of the first female freight train graffiti artists on the West Coast. At a time when the street art world was...
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Grow with Integrity: Why Every Creative Needs a Strategic Guide with Erin Schlarb
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What happens when calm strategy meets courageous vision? In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with Erin Schlarb, founder of Hemlock Strategy and Design and the strategic guide behind many of Dionne’s most successful launches, websites, and digital expansions. Erin works as more than a website designer — she is a thoughtful partner to creatives, artists, and small business owners who want clarity, integrity, and confidence in their digital presence. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, she serves with intention, helping clients understand what...
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A Creative Life by Design: Motivation, Lists & Letting Go with Michelle Allen
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with Michelle Allen, the artist and creative force behind the globally recognized brand Allen Designs, for a heartfelt conversation about building a creative life by design. From the unexpected way cat clocks changed her life and career, to her love of list-making, bike riding, and creative structure, Michelle shares how motivation evolves over time—and what it really looks like to let go when burnout creeps in. Together, Dionne and Michelle explore the tension between discipline and play, productivity and rest, and how...
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From Dreaming to Doing: Andie Hamilton on Motivation, Color & Becoming an Artist
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with Dallas-based abstract artist and photographer Andie Hamilton, the creative force behind Andie in Color. As a young girl, Andie dreamed of becoming a photographer and fashion designer. Today, she is fully embracing every layer of her creative life—using bold color, expressive abstraction, and intuitive storytelling to shift spaces, spark emotion, and encourage women to be seen. In this honest and motivating conversation, Dionne and Andie talk about the journey from imagining a creative life to actively living one. Andie...
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Painting Identity, Intuition & the Courage to Become with Artist Michele Rogers
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods is joined by Saskatchewan-based artist Michele Rogers, whose powerful portrait work honors Indigenous First Nations women and reflects her Métis heritage through stories of strength, memory, and generational resilience. Michele’s paintings give visual voice to grandmothers, granddaughters, and female warriors—women whose lives and legacies shape cultural identity. Her work is deeply intuitive and emotionally layered, rooted in storytelling rather than surface aesthetics. Through her art, Michele explores what it means to remember,...
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Get Messy, Get Free: Mixed Media Artist Jenny Grant on Courageous Creativity
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, host Dionne Woods sits down with Swedish mixed media artist Jenny Grant, whose imaginative art and creative philosophy celebrate the magic found in the mess. Known for her layered, tactile, and intuitive painting style, Jenny empowers artists around the world to embrace imperfection, trust the process, and rediscover the pure joy of creating. Once a physicist specializing in Optronics, she traded formulas for freedom — turning her lifelong curiosity into a thriving creative career built on courage and play. Through her global Café Flow – The...
info_outlineWhat if your creativity wasn’t just a talent—but a calling?
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with artist Casey Alvarez, a Missouri-based painter, entrepreneur, and former Christian counselor who has built a thriving creative business rooted in faith, color, and purpose.
From painting large European-style armoires on her farm in the Ozarks to shipping her work to 46 states, Casey shares how she transformed her love of creativity into a meaningful and sustainable career.
But this conversation goes deeper than art.
Casey opens up about:
• How her background in counseling became her unexpected superpower in mentoring other women
• The role faith plays in her creative process and decision-making
• What it really takes to build a creative business from “the middle of nowhere”
• Why storytelling—even through painted furniture—creates connection and impact
• How color, nature, and farm life continue to inspire her work
Through honesty, warmth, and wisdom, Casey reminds us that creativity isn’t just about what we make—it’s about how we live, lead, and serve.
This episode is for artists, creatives, and women who feel called to something more—and are ready to express it boldly.
✨ If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your creative passion into a business, or how to trust your voice and your vision, this conversation will meet you right where you are.
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