Vulnerability in life and art

Explore who you are and can become through openness, risk, reflection, and conversation. I talk with artists and other creatives in a wide range of disciplines - from painting, photography, and writing to furniture and automotive restoration, entrepreneurship, and stage performance - to discover what drives them and what they reveal about themselves through their work. Listen to a few of these conversations and find what you need to take one step, then one more step in your own life. One step after the other makes the journey. Please send feedback to vulnerabilitylifeart@gmail.com #podcast #podcastconversations #vulnerabilitylifeart #vulnerability #vulnerableconversations #takerisks #makeart

Episode 130 Moving towards 03/15/2026

Episode 130 Moving towards This is a quick ramble about the learning field - designing courses and workshops - and sustaining dramatic tension in long-form fiction. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/40486060

Episode 129 Jackie Reeves 02/12/2026

Episode 129 Jackie Reeves 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 to create and why? It's not about knowing how, but knowing what. Jackie shares that when she looks over her body of work, it's about claiming space, and female identity more broadly, of building up and breaking down. It's your "own past flooding in through you." And then we can let it be what it is. Let it sit and cook for a while. For those really attentive to detail, near the beginning of our conversation Jackie refers to university and "CEGEP." In case you wondered, that's the Québec equivalent of junior college. Check out @jackiereevesart on instagram and jackiereeves.com to learn more about her work. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/40081295

Episode 128 Laura Tafe 02/03/2026

Episode 128 Laura Tafe 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 /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/39978885

Episode 127 Stefan Lorenzutti (reprise) 01/24/2026

Episode 127 Stefan Lorenzutti (reprise) 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. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/39863400

Episode 126 Liv Wickedly 01/08/2026

Episode 126 Liv Wickedly 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 genekeys.com And check out Babe Philosophy, the podcast Liv hosts with best friend Meli Wolf, which is 'a podcast where questions matter more than answers, where liminal spaces are revered, and where magic is practical.' /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/39659630

Episode 125 Surf woman 12/30/2025

Episode 125 Surf woman 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 /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/39565955

Episode 124 Jon Schmidt 12/16/2025

Episode 124 Jon Schmidt 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 giving something your all. Are you striving for failure or for success? I'll leave you with a question. What's your no-go fly zone? I don't know why, but that image really caught at my heart as a metaphor for discovering and accepting our limits, of any kind. Because it's doesn't always have to be about pushing beyond limits; sometimes, it's about working creatively within them. You can follow Jon Schmidt on instagram @thejingleheimer and check out his past work on IMDB at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6869567/ /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/39439265

Episode 123 Amy Horowitz 11/27/2025

Episode 123 Amy Horowitz 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" /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/39193290

Episode 122 What's my ikigai? 10/26/2025

Episode 122 What's my ikigai? 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 . And please note, the Canadian guitarist whose name I couldn't remember is Donna Grantis, who played with Prince in his band 3rdeyegirl. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/38785115

Episode 121 Tim Tamashiro 10/24/2025

Episode 121 Tim Tamashiro 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 . He hosts Sufferless with a Part-time Monk, a mindfulness and mental wellness podcast that helps people navigate modern life with more peace and purpose, and you can also follow Tim on instagram @timtamashiro /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/38769145

Episode 120 Why/Not 10/22/2025

Episode 120 Why/Not 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. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/38741815

Episode 119 Doug Breault 10/06/2025

Episode 119 Doug Breault 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 and on instagram @dug_bro /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/38460740

Episode 118 Barbara Steinhaus 09/21/2025

Episode 118 Barbara Steinhaus 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 and /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/38296340

Episode 117 Elijah Parker (Part 2) 09/03/2025

Episode 117 Elijah Parker (Part 2) 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 /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/38061670

Episode 116 Flow 08/18/2025

Episode 116 Flow Welcome to episode 116: some ideas about flow, inspired by a long run up in the country over a weekend. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/37860810

Episode 115 Elijah Parker (Part 1) 08/04/2025

Episode 115 Elijah Parker (Part 1) 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 /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/37662110

Episode 114 Dana Stirling 07/22/2025

Episode 114 Dana Stirling 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. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/37510480

Episode 113 Feedback versus distortion 07/08/2025

Episode 113 Feedback versus distortion 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. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/37335975

Episode 112 Carolina Modena 06/22/2025

Episode 112 Carolina Modena 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 slowfood.com and on instagram @slowfood_international. And if you're interested in learning more about the foods unique to your own area, be sure to check out their Ark of Taste project (. I have discovered that here in Québec, we raise Chantecler chickens, which are a composite breed of Dark Cornish, White Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, White Wyandotte, Columbian Wyandotte, and White Plymouth Rock chickens. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/37107240

Episode 111 John Avilla 06/07/2025

Episode 111 John Avilla 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 or follow @joinsoundunion on instagram. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/36903230

Episode 110 Listening to my inner bass player 06/01/2025

Episode 110 Listening to my inner bass player This episode is about listening to our inner bass players and some of the different things that might mean. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/36805410

Episode 109 Lance Johnson 05/11/2025

Episode 109 Lance Johnson 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 /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/36524515

Episode 108 Jenn Seniuk 04/27/2025

Episode 108 Jenn Seniuk 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, @MyFriendDaveYYC & @ArtTherapy.is, on TikTok @BellyEyeArtTherapy & @MyFriendDaveYYC, and on her websites & . And also please check out her podcast Art Therapy Is on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/36327345

Episode 107 Clementine Morrigan 04/13/2025

Episode 107 Clementine Morrigan 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 /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/36116675

Episode 106 Devil's in the details 03/30/2025

Episode 106 Devil's in the details This is a brief story about something that really caught my attention. I'm not sure if it caught for the right reasons, or that I understand what those reasons are. But it's a story about what happened when I bumped into something that made me question the whole process of reading and writing stories (and sharing stories on this podcast). /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/35779875

Episode 105 Fluke 03/16/2025

Episode 105 Fluke 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. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/35715190

Episode 104 Jaime Hjelm 03/11/2025

Episode 104 Jaime Hjelm 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 /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/35631195

Episode 103 Molly Roškar 02/06/2025

Episode 103 Molly Roškar 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 and on instagram @atelierindigoandoak /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/35185550

Episode 102 Gabrielle Rae Travis 02/03/2025

Episode 102 Gabrielle Rae Travis 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 You can also check out @gabrielllerae and @whetzine on instagram to learn more. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/35126670

Episode 101 Emma Krebs 01/20/2025

Episode 101 Emma Krebs 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. /episode/index/show/vulnerability-in-life-and-art/id/34905870

Vulnerability in life and art

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