Being a Magic Maker: Pam Grossman on Magic, Creativity, and the Enchanted Path of Art
Release Date: 10/02/2025
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Bonus Episode: Creating for Pleasure, Intuition, and Sustainable Practice with Victoria Fry, Founder of The New Visionary Art Collective
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In this episode of the Create! Podcast, Kat sits down with painter and creative mentor Felicia Forte for a deep and refreshing conversation on creative flow, intuition, burnout, and finding your true pace as an artist. Felicia shares how she moved through a major creative block, rebuilt her relationship with painting, and allowed a slower, more intuitive rhythm to guide her back to the work. She speaks openly about dropping the hustle, choosing resonance over pressure, and trusting the quiet seasons where ideas grow underground. This conversation is full of warmth, honesty, and wisdom for...
info_outlineWelcome back to the Create Podcast. Just in time for the fall season, I am joined by Pam Grossman, a writer, curator, teacher, and practicing witch whose work beautifully bridges creativity, culture, and magic.
Pam is the host of The Witch Wave podcast (called “the Terry Gross of witches” by Vulture), the author of Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power, and co-editor of Taschen’s Witchcraft volume in the Library of Esoterica series. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME, and more. She has also organized exhibitions such as Language of the Birds: Occult and Art at NYU and spoken at institutions including MoMA and Columbia University.
Her brand-new book, Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path to Creativity (Penguin Life & Hay House UK, October 14, 2025), is a guide to connecting with the creative force through ritual, history, and practice. It explores how artists and visionaries such as Hilma af Klint, David Bowie, Octavia E. Butler, and Leonora Carrington have used magic as part of their creative process, and how you can do the same in your own life.
In This Episode, We Discuss
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Pam’s creative roots and how she began merging her artistic and magical practices
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Misconceptions about witchcraft and how the archetype of the witch has evolved
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How Magic Maker links art and magic, showing that creativity itself can be a spiritual practice
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Practical rituals to protect your studio time and invite inspiration, from lighting candles to leaving offerings or simply asking for guidance
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The idea of “low frequency” and “high frequency” desires in art and business, and how to balance material needs with higher intentions
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Pam’s experiences speaking at institutions like MoMA and casting a love spell on stage at Carnegie Hall with Jinkx Monsoon
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The role of research, fascination, and intuition when writing a book
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Artists who inspire her including Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Hilma af Klint, Max Ernst, and Kurt Seligmann
Resources and Mentions
Books by Pam Grossman
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Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path to Creativity (Penguin Life & Hay House UK, 2025) → Pre-order here
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Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power (Simon & Schuster, 2019)
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What Is a Witch (Tin Can Forest Press, 2016)
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Witchcraft (Taschen’s Library of Esoterica series, co-edited with Jessica Hundley, 2020)
Podcast
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The Witch Wave – Pam’s long-running podcast on art, culture, and magic
Exhibitions and Projects
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Language of the Birds: Occult and Art (NYU, 2016) → languageofthebirds.org
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Art of the Occult by S. Elizabeth (recommended resource)
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The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting 1890–1985 (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1986)
Artists Mentioned
Hilma af Klint
David Bowie
Octavia E. Butler
Leonora Carrington
Remedios Varo
Max Ernst
Kurt Seligmann
Create! Magazine Open Call
We are now accepting submissions for our fall curated exhibition and catalog: The Spirit World. This virtual show explores the mystical, eerie, and uncanny, making it the perfect theme for the season.
Deadline: October 31, 2025
What selected artists receive: inclusion in the curated online exhibition, a feature in the professionally designed print and digital catalog, a blog post on Create! Magazine, and a spotlight across our international platforms.