Tradition! Tradition!
Believe to See
Words like "rules" and "tradition" tend to make us squirm We're creative! Aren't we supposed to break free of the ordinary? Join the roundtable as the hosts discuss the necessity of learning, understanding, and practicing the "rules" in order to unleash our own creativity.
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Wanted: Obscurity, Dead or Alive
Believe to See
Some artists find fame while they're living . . . and may wind up forgotten once they're gone. For others, that script is flipped. Join the hosts at the roundtable as they share stories of artists whose works were only truly appreciated after their deaths. Why was their brilliance overlooked when they were alive? What led to their eventual (re)discovery and acclaim? Is it tragic, or inspiring, or a bit of both? ("Obscurity" by Brian Wight used with permission.)
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Food Is Fuel . . . Or Is It?
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Our modern culture seems to struggle with how to treat food. Sometimes it's a nuisance to choke down that protein bowl so we can get back to the "real" work. Other times, it's a struggle not to overindulge in our food-flooded society. And at others, food is broken down into its scientific components so that it no longer matters what it tastes like or if we enjoy it, as long as we're getting our macro- and micronutrients and calorie counts optimized for the body we want. But is that how we should treat food? Are we missing something? Join us as we discuss the pitfalls and problems with our...
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Have We Become Too Ironic?
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Our culture has become terribly serious about not taking anything seriously. From satire and postmodernism to the internet’s endless layers of irony, we’ve become afraid to be earnest. Some artists have called for a rebellion against this irony, and renewed emphasis on “New Sincerity.” But irony still has its benefits. And too much earnestness has its own set of pitfalls. Matt, Mandy, and Christina explore the benefits and dangers of both earnestness and irony.
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Ancient Paths Made New
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It's not easy to feel grounded in our busy, 21st century lifestyles. Our spiritual journeys can feel truncated, stale, or simply seem another "to-do" list item to improve upon. But what if we could renew our spiritual journeys by way of our ordinary lives? How might ancient practices give us a foundation from which to do it? Join us as we talk to author Danielle Mellema about how she has learned to practice the ancient ways in her ordinary days as an author, wife, and mother of four young children. Danielle's book Ancient and New: Storied Pathways of the Kingdom Coming is...
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Look for the Story: Storytelling in Visual Art
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Join Mandy’s conversation with oil painter Nicole Beck and road trip photographer Isaac Hans — both members of the Anselm Society Arts Guild. Nicole and Isaac discuss how storytelling is integral to their work, from inception to public showings. (Warning: You're going to want to attend more gallery shows after this episode, and you'll never see them the same way again.)
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The Art of King Arthur's Court
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How much Arthurian art have you seen? Chances are, it's more than you think. From medieval illuminated manuscripts to seemingly vague romantic paintings of knights on horseback wooing maidens with flowing hair, join the hosts for an exploration of visual depictions of Arthurian legends across the centuries.
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The Once and (Always) King: Arthur Legends through the Centuries
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For more than a thousand years, the legends of King Arthur have been retold, expanded, and reinvented. In this episode, we trace the remarkable evolution of the Arthurian legends from the shadowy origins in post-Roman Britain through Saxon England and the French courts, up through Victorian writers and into the modern day. Along the way, we explore how each generation reshaped the legend and why Arthur remains one of the most enduring figures in Western literature. More than the story of a single king, Arthur’s journey is the story of how great myths survive: by continually...
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Why Phantastes Still Matters
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What did C.S. Lewis mean when he said that George MacDonald's Phantastes "baptized my imagination"? Meredith Finch is the writer of the new graphic novel adaptation of Phantastes from Cave Pictures Publishing. We discuss the unique challenge of adapting a dreamlike and deeply symbolic novel into a visual medium, the meaning behind some of MacDonald's most memorable images and episodes, and why this strange fairy tale still speaks to modern readers.
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Who Continues the Lore?
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Dovetailing with last week's episode on the ownership of stories, Matt, Mandy, and Sarah discuss the mysterious and oft-maligned world of fanfiction. Is it a silly way for mostly young women to get validation and fix the problems they see in other stories? Or is it a low-stakes environment to hone skills and experiment with identity? What is fanfiction's appeal and value, and what can it show us about its subjects? Join the digital pub table to learn more about fanfiction and its purpose in continuing the conversation with the works it pays homage to.
info_outlineDovetailing with last week's episode on the ownership of stories, Matt, Mandy, and Sarah discuss the mysterious and oft-maligned world of fanfiction. Is it a silly way for mostly young women to get validation and fix the problems they see in other stories? Or is it a low-stakes environment to hone skills and experiment with identity?
What is fanfiction's appeal and value, and what can it show us about its subjects? Join the digital pub table to learn more about fanfiction and its purpose in continuing the conversation with the works it pays homage to.