Vulnerability in life and art

Jaksot

• 
  Episode 138 Philipp 22.09.2026 28min

  Entrepreneur, consultant, writer, and founder of Serapex, Philipp explains that our existential fears of life and fear of 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
• 
  Episode 139 Carol Walker 19.09.2026 29min

  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.
• 
  Episode 137 David Deane Haskell 15.09.2026 29min

  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
• 
  Episode 136 Ivana Bajic 23.07.2026 30min

  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
• 
  Episode 135 Mark Connor 19.06.2026 30min

  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.
• 
  Episode 134 Five years on 18.05.2026 14min

  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.
• 
  Episode 133 Colin Douglas 10.05.2026 31min

  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
• 
  Episode 132 Debra Frances 29.03.2026 28min

  "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
• 
  Episode 131 Bryn Gladding 27.03.2026 29min

  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)
• 
  Episode 130 Moving towards 15.03.2026 15min

  This is a quick ramble about the learning field - designing courses and workshops - and sustaining dramatic tension in long-form fiction.
• 
  Episode 129 Jackie Reeves 12.02.2026 30min

  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 128 Laura Tafe 03.02.2026 29min

  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 127 Stefan Lorenzutti (reprise) 24.01.2026 50min

  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 126 Liv Wickedly 08.01.2026 29min

  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 125 Surf woman 30.12.2025 18min

  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 124 Jon Schmidt 16.12.2025 29min

  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 123 Amy Horowitz 27.11.2025 28min

  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 121 Tim Tamashiro 24.10.2025 29min

  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 mental wellness podcast that helps people navigate modern life with more peace and purpose, and you can also follow Tim on instagram @timtamashiro    
• 
  Episode 120 Why/Not 22.10.2025 12min

  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 119 Doug Breault 06.10.2025 27min

  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