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Ep 31: Exploring the Intersection of Creativity and Technology || Oliver MacDonald
Curiosity, creativity, and failure are not detours—they’re teachers.
In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with engineer, artist, educator, and startup founder Oliver MacDonald to explore how curiosity across disciplines—art, engineering, language, and culture—shapes meaningful lives and resilient careers.
Oliver shares how growing up immersed in multiple cultures and languages, studying in the International Baccalaureate program, and pursuing both art and engineering taught him to embrace failure as part of learning. From rock climbing and kinetic sculptures to rejected research papers and startup life, Oliver reframes failure not as an endpoint, but as fuel for growth.
This conversation invites listeners to rethink specialization, embrace experimentation, and recognize how creativity—especially art—helps us stay connected to our humanity even in uncertain or demanding seasons of life.
Choose one interest you’ve been curious about and commit to exploring it for just one month—without worrying about mastery or outcomes. Pay attention to what draws you back.
Topics Covered
Why curiosity matters more than early specialization
The role of failure in engineering, art, and life
How International Baccalaureate education encourages integration
Rock climbing as a metaphor for growth
Art as proof of humanity
Learning through rejection and iteration
Language, culture, and how we think
Building startups through collaboration
The power of relationships as “Pebbles of Light”
Guest
Oliver MacDonald — Engineer, artist, educator, PhD student, and co-founder of Qtex AI
Follow & Connect with Oliver
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anomalous_designs/?hl=en
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivermacd/
Want to be a guest on Pebbles of Light? Send Anne Maxson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/pebblesoflight
RESOURCES
Affiliate Disclaimer - As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn advertising or referral fees from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting Pebbles of Light!
Follow Pebbles of Light
Website – https://annemaxson.com/pebblesoflight
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pebblesoflight
Instagram – https://instagram.com/PebblesOfLight
Support Pebbles of Light
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cw/PebblesofLightPodcast
BetterHelp (affiliate – 10% off first month) – https://www.betterhelp.com/pebbles
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By Anne Maxson
4.8
2020 ratings
Curiosity, creativity, and failure are not detours—they’re teachers.
In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with engineer, artist, educator, and startup founder Oliver MacDonald to explore how curiosity across disciplines—art, engineering, language, and culture—shapes meaningful lives and resilient careers.
Oliver shares how growing up immersed in multiple cultures and languages, studying in the International Baccalaureate program, and pursuing both art and engineering taught him to embrace failure as part of learning. From rock climbing and kinetic sculptures to rejected research papers and startup life, Oliver reframes failure not as an endpoint, but as fuel for growth.
This conversation invites listeners to rethink specialization, embrace experimentation, and recognize how creativity—especially art—helps us stay connected to our humanity even in uncertain or demanding seasons of life.
Choose one interest you’ve been curious about and commit to exploring it for just one month—without worrying about mastery or outcomes. Pay attention to what draws you back.
Topics Covered
Why curiosity matters more than early specialization
The role of failure in engineering, art, and life
How International Baccalaureate education encourages integration
Rock climbing as a metaphor for growth
Art as proof of humanity
Learning through rejection and iteration
Language, culture, and how we think
Building startups through collaboration
The power of relationships as “Pebbles of Light”
Guest
Oliver MacDonald — Engineer, artist, educator, PhD student, and co-founder of Qtex AI
Follow & Connect with Oliver
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anomalous_designs/?hl=en
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivermacd/
Want to be a guest on Pebbles of Light? Send Anne Maxson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/pebblesoflight
RESOURCES
Affiliate Disclaimer - As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn advertising or referral fees from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting Pebbles of Light!
Follow Pebbles of Light
Website – https://annemaxson.com/pebblesoflight
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pebblesoflight
Instagram – https://instagram.com/PebblesOfLight
Support Pebbles of Light
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cw/PebblesofLightPodcast
BetterHelp (affiliate – 10% off first month) – https://www.betterhelp.com/pebbles
Shine Cosmetics – https://www.shinecosmetics.com/?afmc=AnneM10 (Code: AnneM10)