In this episode of the Artist Collective Radio Show, my long-time friend, Jay Allen, opens up about his unexpected career path, his philosophies about the creative life, and how creating anything—from art to business—is at its essence about connection and building relationships. 

Important moments in this episode (times are approximate): Starting SLACKCiRCUS 19:30; Starting Secret Powers 26:30; Jay’s creative process 33:35; Creative philosophies 37:00; and The symbiosis of art 50:00. At around 55:42, Jay turns the tables and asks me a question or two, and at around 1:04:00, you’ll find out my favorite form of improv (in case you don’t already know).

More about Jay: Jay Allen is the creative director and founder of Secret Powers, a creative production powerhouse studio specializing in design, animation, and visual effects. He is also the mastermind behind SLACKCiRCUS, the creative force known for its viral He-Man videos. Jay is a multitalented creative, formerly playing in bands like The Angelus, and an avid cyclist. He and his wife, Amy, have one daughter and live in Fort Worth.

Link to Jay’s talk at UT-Arlington: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZDJyPcKXX0

***
Connect with Jay Allen:
Websites: https://www.youtube.com/user/slackcircus https://secretpowers.com
Instagram: @slackcircus @secretpowers
iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/slackcircus/804877691
Twitter: https://twitter.com/slackcircus
Vine: https://vine.co/slackcircus 

#jayallen #slackcircus #secretpowers #heman

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More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, a writer, actor, sometimes textile artist, and long-time dreamer. If there's anything I've learned about the creative life, it's that #livinthedream is not always easy, and the road is always better when you're surrounded and encouraged by a community of others on the same journey. I publish interviews of in-depth conversations with artists on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Google in an effort to help surround, encourage, and inspire others and to build a sense of community, so we all feel a little less alone on this creative journey.

Theme song written and performed by the brilliant @margaretchavezmusic

Connect with me:
Websites: 
https://shashanapearson.com 
http://artistcollectiveradioshow.com
Instagram: @shashanapearson; @artistcollectiveradioshow
Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/acrstv

For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220. 

#artistcollectiveradioshow #acrstv #shashanapearson

On this episode of the Artist Collective Radio Show, Mara Lee Miller, singer/songwriter for the band, Bosque Brown, and I dive deep and talk about her crisis of faith, mental health breakdowns, and finally finding the help she needed after a postpartum diagnosis. 

More about Mara Lee Miller:
Mara, the daughter of a public school music teacher and church pianist, grew up in small-town Texas, singing in church and performing alongside her sister. The pleasure of performing with a loved one was at times the only way Mara could bring herself to perform at all. So, when she started her band, Bosque Brown, it was alongside her sister, husband, and her friend Jeremy Buller--the only remaining member. 

Often plagued by physical and mental health issues, it took a crisis of faith, pregnancy, and a post-partum diagnosis before Mara found the help she needed and began healing from the inside out. During that time, many of her songs were featured in major motion pictures like David Lowry’s Pete’s Dragon, and in 2018 she released Little Sea, a record named for her daughter. This fall, a renewed and healthier Mara has been performing alongside long-time bandmate and multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Buller, with several shows scheduled for December.

Connect with Mara:
Websites: http://www.bosquebrown.com
Instagram: @bosquebrown
Bandcamp: https://bosquebrown.bandcamp.com
#maraleemiller #bosquebrown
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More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, a writer, actor, sometimes textile artist, and long-time dreamer. If there's anything I've learned about the creative life, it's that #livinthedream is not always easy, and the road is always better when you're surrounded and encouraged by a community of others on the same journey. I publish interviews of in-depth conversations with artists on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Google in an effort to help surround, encourage, and inspire others and to build a sense of community, so we all feel a little less alone on this creative journey.

Theme song written and performed by the brilliant @margaretchavezmusic

Connect with me:
Websites: 
https://shashanapearson.com 
http://artistcollectiveradioshow.com
Instagram: @shashanapearson; @artistcollectiveradioshow
Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/acrstv

For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220. 

#artistcollectiveradioshow #acrstv #shashanapearson

On this episode of the Artist Collective Radio Show, Emil Rapstine, singer/songwriter for the band, The Angelus, talks with me about the shock of sobriety, the regenerative power of music, and songwriting for the long game.

More about Emil: 
Born and raised in the small Texas town of White Deer, Emil Rapstine attended college in Denton, Texas, during its shoegaze, doom-rock heyday of the late 1990s/early 2000s. In 2001, Emil formed The Angelus with drummer and backing vocalist Justin Evans, and today the pair is joined by bassist Justin Ward. Last month the band released its third full-length album entitled Why We Never Die. 

Emil is also a family man—he is married with two young children—and works full time for an advertising agency. To learn more about Emil and/or The Angelus, click the links below.

Connect with Emil:
Website: https://www.theangelusband.com https://www.facebook.com/theangelusband
Bandcamp: https://theangelus.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-angelus 
Instagram: @theangelusband @the_emillennium 
Twitter: @TheAngelusBand

#emilrapstine #TheAngelus

*********************
More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, a writer, actor, sometimes textile artist, and long-time dreamer. If there's anything I've learned about the creative life, it's that #livinthedream is not always easy, and the road is always better when you're surrounded and encouraged by a community of others on the same journey. I publish interviews of in-depth conversations with artists on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Google, and many other podcast platforms in an effort to help surround, encourage, and inspire others and to build a sense of community, so we all feel a little less alone on this creative journey.

Theme song written and performed by the brilliant @margaretchavezmusic

Connect with me:
Websites: 
https://shashanapearson.com 
http://artistcollectiveradioshow.com
Instagram: @shashanapearson; @artistcollectiveradioshow
Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/acrstv

For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220. 

#artistcollectiveradioshow #acrstv #shashanapearson

This episode of the Artist Collective Radio Show is for those of you struggling with pursing your art as a career. In this episode, I talk to Jennifer Morgan who for the past 20 years has created a life for herself as a visual artist. We talk about the importance of having an entrepreneurial spirit, creative work as an antidote to depression and anxiety, and why it’s important to stay in the present moment. Jump to minute 45 for Jennifer’s tips for pursuing your art.

More about Jennifer:
Jennifer Morgan is a visual artist based in Dallas, Texas. For the past two decades, she has produced more than 3,000 works, enabling her to fully support herself from her art.  While in school at the University of North Texas, Jennifer pursued graphic design, art history, marketing, and painting—all of which have informed her career since graduating. Some of the more-notable patrons of her work include Neiman Marcus and The Omni Hotel in Dallas, as well as numerous private collectors.

Connect with Jennifer:
Websites: https://www.jennifermorgan.net
Instagram:@jennifermorganstudio

#jennifermorganfineart #jennifermorgan
*********************

More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, a writer, actor, sometimes textile artist, and long-time dreamer. If there's anything I've learned about the creative life, it's that #livinthedream is not always easy, and the road is always better when you're surrounded and encouraged by a community of others on the same journey. I publish interviews of in-depth conversations with artists on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Google in an effort to help surround, encourage, and inspire others and to build a sense of community, so we all feel a little less alone on this creative journey.

Theme song written and performed by the brilliant @margaretchavezmusic

Connect with me:
Websites: 
https://shashanapearson.com 
http://artistcollectiveradioshow.com
Instagram: @shashanapearson; @artistcollectiveradioshow
Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/acrstv

For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220. 

#artistcollectiveradioshow #acrstv #shashanapearson

On this episode of the Artist Collective Radio Show, I sit down with Stuart Sikes, an award-winning record producer, engineer, and mixer, and Diane Sikes, an artist and program director for Austin-based Women & Their Work. In this episode, we talk about their life works, empowering others to shine through art, and the changes they made to make it through the pandemic. 

More about Stuart:
Stuart got his start as an unpaid intern at Easley-McCain Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, before working his way up to studio manager (a paid gig). In 2001, he moved from Memphis to Dallas and soon went on to open his own studio in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas. In 2005, Stuart won a Grammy award for his work engineering Loretta Lynn’s album, Van Lear Rose. Stuart has worked with acts like Cat Power, The White Stripes, Modest Mouse, Black Pumas, and The Walkmen, as well as bands like Pleasant Grove (my husband’s band), Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner, Dove Hunter, and the up-and-coming, Jackson Scribner. In 2012, Stuart relocated from Oak Cliff to Austin, and just last year, he put the finishing touches on an at-home studio he built in a former yoga studio behind his home—a pivot resulting from the great pandemic of 2020.

More about Diane:
Diane has been in the world of professional artists since she earned her MFA from Memphis College of Art in 2000. Her own work has appeared in shows at 500X Gallery, Dallas; Dallas Contemporary; Art Con; Moody Museum, Ft. Worth; and the University of Art and Design Helsinki, among many others. Since 2017, Diane has been the program director for Austin-based Women & Their Work, where she develops educational programs, exhibitions, and membership and fundraising programs for the organization.

Connect with Stuart:
Website: http://www.stuart-sikes.com 
Instagram: @stuartsikes

Connect with Diane:
Websites: 
https://www.dianesikes.com 
https://womenandtheirwork.org
Instagram: @dhsikes; @womenandtheirwork
*********************

More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, a writer, actor, sometimes textile artist, and long-time dreamer. If there's anything I've learned about the creative life, it's that #livinthedream is not always easy, and the road is always better when you're surrounded and encouraged by a community of others on the same journey. I publish interviews of in-depth conversations with artists on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Google in an effort to help surround, encourage, and inspire others and to build a sense of community, so we all feel a little less alone on this creative journey.

Theme song written and performed by the brilliant @margaretchavezmusic

Connect with me:
Websites: 
https://shashanapearson.com 
http://artistcollectiveradioshow.com
Instagram: @shashanapearson; @artistcollectiveradioshow
Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/acrstv

For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220. 

#artistcollectiveradioshow #acrstv #shashanapearson

On this episode of Artist Collective Radio Show, Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder talks to us about his creative and artistic evolution and how becoming your most authentic self often produces your best work. He takes us on his journey of playing with indie bands to playing with one of the most iconic bands of all time. Jeff tells us how those experiences and the radical acceptance of himself inspired him to produce his own solo work, set to be released by the end of this year. Jeff is one of the kindest, most-humble people you’ll ever meet, and this is an episode you’ll want to watch until the very end.

More about Jeff Schroeder:
Known for his swirling, lyrical guitar shreds, Jeff Schroeder has been the guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins since 2007. Prior to that, he pursued doctoral studies in comparative literature at UCLA, released several albums with California shoegaze-pop darlings The Lassie Foundation, and toured the world with The Violet Burning. In July, he released a phantasmagoric cover of classic Korean tune, Haenim by Kim Jung Mi. Later this year, Jeff will release an album of his own work.

Connect with Jeff:
Websites: http://jeffkimschroeder.com; https://smashingpumpkins.com
Instagram: @jjjschroeder; @smashingpumpkins; @lassiefoundation

#JeffShroeder #SmashingPumpkins #Haenim #TheLassieFoundation #TheVioletBurning

*********************
More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, a writer, actor, sometimes textile artist, and long-time dreamer. If there's anything I've learned about the creative life, it's that #livinthedream is not always easy, and the road is always better when you're surrounded and encouraged by a community of others on the same journey. I publish interviews of in-depth conversations with artists on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Google in an effort to help surround, encourage, and inspire others and to build a sense of community, so we all feel a little less alone on this creative journey.

Cover art courtesy of the artist. Theme song written and performed by the brilliant @margaretchavezmusic.

Connect with me:
Websites: www.shashanapearson.com; www.artistcollectiveradioshow.com
Instagram: @shashanapearson; @artistcollectiveradioshow

For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220. 

#artistcollectiveradioshow #acrstv #shashanapearson

On this episode of Artist Collective Radio Show, Conrad Keely, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist for prog-rock band …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead talks about the artist’s obligation, the importance of remembering the fun of creativity, and the band’s forthcoming album—the eleventh in the Trail of Dead lineage. 

Works cited:
Austin Current: https://austincurrent.com/an-interview-of-conrad-keely-of-and-you-will-know-us-by-the-trail-of-dead/
Texas Monthly: https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/and-you-will-know-them-by-the-trail-of-debt/

***

More about Conrad:
Conrad Keely is a multitalented multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, known for his work with …And You Will Know Us by The Trail of Dead, a band he formed in 1995 with Jason Reece. Since then, Conrad and Jason have traveled extensively on tours across the US and around the world in support of the ten albums Trail of Dead has released to date. The pair is currently back in the studio in Austin, hammering out on their eleventh album.

 But Conrad is not limited to his work with Trail of Dead. In 2016, he released a solo album, Original Machines, which garnered him critical acclaimed. He is also an avidly prolific and graceful visual artist, whose beautiful and detailed drawings have frequently served as cover art for the Trail of Dead albums. More of his visual art and his creative process can be found on his Patreon site, listed below. 

 Connect with Conrad:
Websites: trailofdead.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/conradkeely
Instagram: @conradkeely @realtrailofdead
Twitter: @conradkeely
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conradkeelyart
#ConradKeely #trailofdead #andyouwillknowusbythetrailofdead
#artistcollectiveradioshow #acrstv #acrs-tv
________________

More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, a writer, actor, sometimes textile artist, and long-time dreamer. If there's anything I've learned about the creative life, it's that #livinthedream is not always easy, but it is beautiful, and the road is always better when you're surrounded and encouraged by a community. I publish interviews of in-depth conversations I have with other artists on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Google as my effort to help surround, encourage, and inspire others and build a sense of community so we all feel a little less alone on this creative journey.

Theme song written and performed by the brilliant @margaretchavezmusic

***
Connect with me:
IG handles: @shashanapearson @artistcollectiveradioshow
Websites: www.shashanapearson.com, www.artistcollectiveradioshow.com
For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220. 

This week on ACRS-TV, I go deep with powerhouse of hilarity, Frank Caeti of The Second City, MADtv, and one half of the sketch comedy duo, FrankenMatt. In this episode, Frank talks…well, frankly…about his career in comedy, the compassion of suffering, and the hard decisions and trade offs of being an artist and a family man. You'll learn the two most significant acts of Franks life where he leaned on his improv skills; listen to a story he retells from Bob Odenkirk that made me tear up; and find out what Frank does to take the reins of his own career. You’ll want to watch this one until the very end—where the best stuff always is—as Frank takes us on a wild ride of balancing the comedic arts with the every day.
________________________________
More about Frank:
Frank Caeti is a Chicago-area native who was discovered while performing for Second City, where he caught the eye of Sony Pictures Television, Saturday Night Live, and MADtv. Soon after, he was hired as cast member for Fox’s MADtv, moved to Los Angeles and went on to appear in Modern Family, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Key and Peele, NCIS, and many other films and television shows. Frank was one half of the acclaimed comedy duo FrankenMatt with former SNL writer Matt Craig and has performed improv all over the world, from Bosnia, Kosovo and Germany to Shaghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong to Dallas, New York City, and back to Los Angeles. Known for his adept physical comedy, his theatrical reel is laugh-out-loud funny (and linked below). He is currently developing a semi-autobiographical pilot, continues to teach improv, and performs at every opportunity. 
***
Connect with Frank:
Twitter: @FrankCaeti
Theatrical Reel: https://vimeo.com/228611337
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0970761/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Ad Council PSA on fatherhood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIPcpCDgJvI
Website: www.frankcaeti.com
_______________________________

More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, journalist turned actress, writer, mom, and host of the ACRS-TV show, where I invite my guests into meaningful conversations about life and art. I've always been surrounded by artists—actors, writers, musicians, entrepreneurs—anyone passionately dedicated to creating something from nothing. I am intrigued by the challenges uniquely faced by artists as they balance the everyday with an aesthetic life. Through ACRS-TV, I—and you—will discover how these artists create a life filled with beauty that can only be described as one well lived. 

Theme song written and performed by the great @margaretchavezmusic
***
Connect with me:
IG handles: @shashanapearson @artistcollectiveradioshow
Websites: www.shashanapearson.com, www.artistcollectiveradioshow.com
For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220.

Today’s guest on ACRS-TV, musician Leslie Sisson, knows trauma. Shortly after her mother died from an overdose, Leslie survived being drugged and kidnapped at gunpoint from her own home. Rather than let those events stop her, she sought the help she needed and poured herself into writing and performing music. In this episode of the Artist Collective Radio Show, Leslie talks about the events that shaped her, how she’s recovered from PTSD, and how she uses music to heal the soul.

More about Leslie Sisson:
Leslie Sisson is a Jack(ie) of many trades. She’s not only an accomplished musician, but has also worked in film/tv, technology, and education and holds certificates in UX and web design. Frontwoman for the moody, melancholic rock band, Moving Panoramas, Leslie has channeled a glut of catastrophic traumatic events into what’s been described as dream gaze rock, garnering international acclaim. She recently appeared in Season 6 of ATX6, a documentary film series that follows six Austin-based musicians as they travel to international music festivals, which in Leslie’s case was cut short by the 2020 global shutdown resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Connect with Leslie:
IG handles: @lesliesisson; @movingpanoramas
Websites: www.lesliesisson.com; www.movingpanoramas.com; www.projectatx6.com

******

More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, journalist turned actress, writer, mom, and host of the ACRS-TV show, where I invite my guests into meaningful conversations about life and art. I've always been surrounded by artists—actors, writers, musicians, entrepreneurs—anyone passionately dedicated to creating something from nothing. I am intrigued by the challenges uniquely faced by artists as they balance the everyday with an aesthetic life. Through ACRS-TV, I—and you—will discover how these artists create a life filled with beauty that can only be described as one well lived. 

Theme song by the great @margaretchavezmusic

Connect with me:
IG handles: @shashanapearson @artistcollectiveradioshow
Websites: www.shashanapearson.com, www.artistcollectiveradioshow.com
For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220.

In this episode of ACRS-TV, artist Lisa Rawlinson talks about harnessing creative energy, aging backwards, and finding community. In this episode, we talk about what happened to Lisa in 2016 that altered her course, how she’s evolved since, and what’s she’s doing now with art through mediation, visualization, and the company she started, Open Window Meditations. 

More about Lisa Rawlinson:
Lisa is a BFA graduate of the University of North Texas where she was a founding member of the renegade group, The Good/Bad Art Collective, known for its one-night only showcases, largely of performance art. For more than two decades Lisa pursued a career as a designer and art director in educational publishing before refocusing on her own creative work. Now, she is a Reiki Master-Teacher at her company, Open Window Meditations, through which merges all of her creative energies into one.
***
Connect with Lisa:
IG handles: @lisa.rawlinson; @openwindowmediations
Websites: www.lisarawlinsonart.com; www.openwindowmeditations.com
For information and booking for private readings and Reiki sessions, email [email protected]. 
________________

More about Artist Collective Radio Show:
I'm Shashana Pearson, journalist turned actress, writer, mom, and host of the ACRS-TV show, where I invite my guests into meaningful conversations about life and art. I've always been surrounded by artists—actors, writers, musicians, entrepreneurs—anyone passionately dedicated to creating something from nothing. I am intrigued by the challenges uniquely faced by artists as they balance the everyday with an aesthetic life. Through ACRS-TV, I—and you—will discover how these artists create a life filled with beauty that can only be described as one well lived. 

***
Connect with me:
IG handles: @shashanapearson @artistcollectiveradioshow
Websites: www.shashanapearson.com, www.artistcollectiveradioshow.com
For on-camera bookings, please call my agent Gillian at The Horne Agency (214) 350-9220.