Creative Moonlighting

Welcome to EPISODE 25!  Thank you to all of you who have stuck with us through the first 25 episodes. Your participation has been greatly helpful in keeping the momentum going.

Today, Denise and Matt will be discussing how to handle tense situations. As artists and creators, we all have to learn the art of collaboration.  But as we all know, the sun doesn't always shine on our collaborative relationships.  In this episode, we attempt to deconstruct some practical ways in which you might be able take a step back and make a thoughtful plan of action for the next time you find yourself in a tense situation at work, at home, or in any relationship you have.

As always, send questions and comments to [email protected] 

We all know that inspiration is at the root of creativity.  But we often forget that creativity also becomes the root for new inspiration.  And the cycle continues.  Today, Denise and Matt welcome Dave and Magda Acuna to talk about their latest creative venture, Three-Legged Pig Creations. 

Magda is an artist and Dave is a business-mind.  Both have full-time jobs and two children who are now young adults.  Both are grounded and comfortable (as comfortable as anyone can be in 2020) in their day-to-day routine.  But in spite of their comfort, they have decided that spending their days on the creative sideline is no longer an option as they have chosen to take a creative leap in starting a charitable business called, Three-Legged Pig Creations. 

We were fortunate enough to have them join us today in talking about the bubbling desire that caused them to take a step in the attempt to do something that is not only creative, but that is also inspiring, communal, and charitable for other creatives.  We hope you enjoy listening to their story! 

Special thanks to Ashton Acuna for his help with sound editing (and of course, for lending his guitar skills alongside Magda's voice at the end of the episode).

As always, send questions and comments to [email protected] 

Today, Creative Moonlighting welcomes storyteller, businessman, father, and all around creative, Torrey Kiolbassa.  We have often heard the concept that failure cuts the path toward success.  But most axioms are easier said than lived because they are usually only discovered by those who take the time to stop and look back on the journey in its entirety.  Torrey reminds us that success is not only made possible by taking the opportunity to fail, but it's also sweeter after you've experienced enough of life to be soured.  We hope you'll enjoy taking the time - as we did - to soak up some inspiration from this truly unique and joyful individual. 

As always, send questions and comments to [email protected] 

This week Matthew and Denise sit down with Mary Richardson, owner of the Austin based yoga sanctuary, Studio Satya. Mary shares her journey of becoming a yogi and the life lessons learned during her time spent practicing yoga in India.  Mary delves into how she's learned to lean into discomfort, not only as a yogi, but as a mother, wife, and business owner during a pandemic. She shares her honest struggles and a resilient attitude that all listeners can connect to and learn from. Join Mary for a virtual yoga class at Studiosatya.com .

As always, send questions and comments to [email protected] 

Today, we delve into the often unacknowledged art of math.  Bob Ohanian is a math teacher in Round Rock who began his career in the world of business.  For all of our listeners and Creative Moonlighters, we realize that math and money management is likely the last item you want to hear about.  Bob Ohanian has often referred to it as, "good napping banter."  But make no mistake, if you're anything like us, you eventually reach an age where you realize that money is a problem that everyone must solve.  Some folks learn the lesson sooner than later (and more often than not, are better for it).  As artists we often sacrifice all our time to learn our respective crafts.  But today's show is meant to explore a flipside to that coin - and hopefully - to plant a seed regarding the concept that as artists, we can be both creative and math savvy with our bank accounts.  After all, having finances in order relieves the burden on our brains and frees us to be more creative.  We hope you'll take a moment to tune into what "Mr. Ohanian" (as he is known at school) is talking about.   

As always, send questions and comments to [email protected] 

This week, Denise sits down with the newly retired, Barbara Taylor.  Barbara reminisces about the pivotal moments throughout her 43 years as an educator that allowed her to understand how to make space for people to express themselves, and in turn, how to nurture confidence, responsibility and creativity. Listen and enjoy Barbara's infectious conversation as she embarks on a new chapter of life. 

As always, send questions and comments to [email protected] 

This week, Denise sits down with the young and talented, Ashley Acuna, to discuss the role of resilience and resolve not just in creativity, but in life.  You'll be surprised by this young woman's maturity and insight.  Moreover, her attitude and ability to express her thoughts provides a great deal of hope for the next generation of adults.  Enjoy!

As always, send questions and comments to [email protected] 

In this episode, Denise shares her perspective as the producer of a 21-day creative road trip.  She speaks of a multi-faceted approach that spanned over a year in her planning of the trip. This is the second of a two-part series in which the pair discusses how they balance productivity with pleasure while exploring national parks and off-the-beaten-path locations across the Great American West.  

And for more specific details about the planning, please check out Denise's Blog at:  "Roadtrippin' During 'Rona Season"

As always, please email [email protected] if you have further comments or questions.  Otherwise, you may reach out to us on social media as well. 

In this episode, Matthew and Denise record their first podcast in the car while embarking on a 21 day road trip.  They dig into establishing creative routines and making intentional choices for maintaining a creative mindset while traveling.  This is the first of a two-part series in which the pair discusses how they balance productivity with pleasure while exploring national parks and off-the-beaten-path locations across the Great American west.  Matthew discusses how he determines what gear to pack, as well as when and how he chooses to use it.

Welcome back for the second part of our interview with Christopher Thompson and Brian Cobos.  In this episode, we will dig deeper into their experience of writing the feature adaptation of their short film, West of Leona.  If you missed episode 15, we urge you to go back and start there to get the full experience with these two talented guys.  If you would like to see some of their past work, please use (and share) the links below! 

Please use the following links to view some of Chris and Brian's work:

https://vimeo.com/258679449

 As always, if you have a question or comment you would like to have included, email us at [email protected].  Enjoy!