Fill To Capacity (Where Heart, Grit and Irreverent Humor Collide)

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Peter Hurley’s journey to Mangone is where roots meet route. It's a trip where genealogy and family research become a roadmap to understanding. He proves that when you dig deep into your family tree, you don't just find names and dates—you find destinations.

Peter sets off on a 28-day odyssey to Mangone, his mother's ancestral village in Southern Italy. Though his local guide bails, Peter finds his way to the mayor and town historian Raffaele, who becomes his impromptu guide. They explore an old church where Peter's ancestors were baptized and visit WWI memorials that deepen his connection to his roots. While Peter doesn't discover living relatives, he finds something just as valuable: his family's enduring legacy in Mangone. 

Equipped with genealogy and family history research, Peter returns from Mangone with fresh insights and vivid memories.  His adventure serves as a how-to guide, offering a wealth of tips for anyone planning their own ancestral trip!

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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Step into the world of equine therapy, guided by the inspiring Lynn Moore, CEO of Acres for Life Therapy & Wellness Center. Listen to Lynn’s own transformative tale, one marked by mental health struggles and search for meaningful connection.

Take a virtual tour of Acres sprawling, verdant pastures where horses - each with a personality as diverse and layered as the humans they help- become mirrors to the soul.

Here, an old horse like Chief, once forgotten, brings a prickly man face to face with his own potential for change.  Explore the mysterious non-verbal connections that form when horse and human interact. Learn how Acres For Life uplifts its community and hear first-hand how this therapy packs a punch, rewriting life stories one hoof-beat at a time.

Lynn Moore, CEO of Acres for Life Therapy & Wellness Center, is a mental health counselor, Equine Therapy specialist, mentor, facilitator, and business person.

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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Ever feel trapped in the same old routine, and everything becomes a chore? Discover the delicate balance between comfort and creativity and decipher what a rut really means.

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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Ever felt a story tug at your heart, altering your mood or even your view on life?  Join Patti Christensen as we unravel the magic of storytelling, time travel and its remarkable power to impact lives.  
Patti is a professional storyteller, drama specialist, and licensed clinical social worker who uses the intricate art of storytelling and story- listening as  tools for building connections. The settings may vary, like  a children's hospital, counseling sessions, or doing drama with students in China, but her transformative journey touches lives highlighting the universal power of stories to heal. 
Patti Christensen is a licensed clinical social worker in California. 
She is on the staff of the Healing Arts Dept. at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. She is a member of the National Storytellers Network and the Storytellers of San Diego.
Patti Christensen-Storyteller (pattistory.com) 
Storytellers of San Diego — Patti Christensen-Storyteller (pattistory.com)
Rady Children's Hospital, Healing Arts Program

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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In this touching episode, dive into the transformative world of nature therapy with Taylor Eagan and the Nature Connection team. Explore how they use nature to heal and boost mental health, igniting responsibility and trust with at-risk youth through therapeutic animal interactions. Discover moving tales of personal growth, like a young boy overcoming his fears with a bearded dragon. Uncover the value of small, everyday connections with nature- so important in our fast-paced world! Embrace the ripple effect of positivity the program instills in those battling disabilities and degenerative diseases. Navigate the hurdles in making such impactful programs accessible to all. Lastly, connect with Taylor and her colleagues as their own lives are profoundly changed by these life-affirming encounters. This episode beautifully encapsulates the transformative power of nature.

Taylor Eagan is Program Director for The Nature Connection. She is a biologist, animal welfare advocate, educator, and gardener.

LINKS

The Nature Connection

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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In this episode, embark on an extraordinary artistic journey with Ed Charbonneau. From teenage mural painter to aspiring Disney animator, Ed’s path takes unexpected twists. Join him as he ventures to Alaska, returns to study art, and discovers a passion for large-scale abstract painting and buildings in need of murals.

Ed openly talks about his mental health challenges and the vital support system that fuels his creativity, emphasizing that his accomplishments are not solely his own but the result of collaboration and connection with others.

Delve into the captivating power of color as a language of communication, the democratization of art through digital platforms, and the importance of inclusive and applicable approaches to color theory education.

Ed Charbonneau is an artist, adjunct faculty at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD) and host of the wildly popular Chromosphere: The Color Theory Podcast.

QUOTES

ED: “...so...yes, this has to do with art and I'm an abstract painter, but to me this is about human experience of color”

ED: “And part of being isolated in the pandemic, and I'm writing this thing, my natural inclination is to try and share what I have with people. Yeah. Just like painting a mural on the side of the building... And so I shared it with a number of people and you know, over the years I've noticed that those people are my support system...”

ED: “we have a saying at our studio that 50% of creativity is lunch, as opposed to that old thing of like 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration, you know...back to that manly, like, I gotta work.” 

Links/Further Reading

Ed Charbonneau

Chromosphere: The Color Theory Podcast

How COVID Accelerated the Evolution of the Art World, University of Demo | January 20, 2021

Color: A Visual History From Newton to Modern Color matching Guides by Alexandra Loske

New Life for a 1902 Manual About Color, NY Times, By Julie Lasky, Oct. 4, 2018

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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“In the sacred space where history and art intersect...”    Watch on YouTube

Podcast Transcript: How Do You Remember What You Never Forget?

© 2023  Pat Benincasa  All Rights Reserved 

“Like a relentless yo-yo, history swings back and forth, repeating its ominous patterns as it coils and spins from learned to unlearned events. Yet in this cycle of repetition, certain moments emerge that demand our complete attention. To ignore or forget them is to surrender to a turbulent storm of misinformation where distorted truths masquerade as indisputable facts. Perception, a prism through which we choose to see, holds immense power over our understanding.

As an artist, perception is the essence of my craft. When I gaze upon my earlier works, it feels as though am holding a pair of  binoculars reversed, peering in to the past that now appears both distant and magnified. But among those pieces, there is one that stands out, its significance sharpened to a piercing clarity.

In 2006, a dear friend confided to me a haunting revelation of an Eastern European town that once was home to her husband’s kin during the dark abyss of World War 2.  It was there that the Nazis executed over three hundred Jews, their bodies were thrown into a mass grave. The weight of this revelation hung heavy in the air.

I gently asked her for their names, and she graciously sent me a meticulously typed list. Alone in my studio, I whispered each name not sure who would hear. I rummaged through broken, weathered boards bleached by time and use.  Pieces of wood began to form a Star of David. Hammered strips of copper conspired with pale yellow German New Antique glass to recall the yellow Stars of David that Jews were forced to wear.  The words came to me: "How do you remember what you never forget?”

As night turned in to day, I finished the work, or so I thought. It was missing something: its voice. I knew what I had to do!

I called my friend to translate, “How do you remember what you never forget” into Yiddish? She suggested the translation be in Hebrew knew an old man with a typewriter with Hebrew fonts!  She told him what I was doing and asked if he would do the translation? Without hesitation, he said yes.

When I received his typed words, I went to work and the touch of my brush forming each character completed the piece with a sense of reverence and purpose.

A month later, my friend invited me to show this work to a gathering of the Yiddish Vinkl Club in Minneapolis.  I was nervous about doing this because I am not Jewish. Would my being a First-Generation Italian American, diminish the impact of this work?

Sometimes fate carries us beyond our fears. At the event, I met the gentleman who owned the typewriter with Hebrew fonts. He took my hands in his and told me two things:  He was “honored” to do the translation and he was a survivor of Auschwitz. It was a moment that transcended boundaries of language and heritage.

In that sacred space where history and art intersect, the voices of the fallen, whispered through time, remind us all of our collective responsibility to bear witness, to remember, and to ensure that the echoes of the past reverberate with unwavering clarity through the corridors of our shared humanity.”

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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In this moving episode, Cori Levin delves into the profound journey of elder advocacy, finding joy and making a meaningful impact. Discover how Cori fills healthcare gaps, explores alternatives in healing, and imparts wisdom that challenges society’s fear of death. Listen as she describes how her end-of-life doula work took on new significance during the pandemic. Gain insights into creating a more inclusive, age-friendly environment and the importance of honoring the stories and dignity of our older adults.

Cori Levin, owner of Navigating Elderhood, provides advocacy & skilled care for clients and their families in personal and recovery care, and end of life planning. She also offers professional care-giving training courses.

QUOTES

CORI:  “And I do have to say on a positive note, there are a lot of volunteers that 

             are coming back into the facilities... I'm seeing a lot of retired folks coming 

             back and doing beautiful work from music to art. So, the programming has 

             picked up again, and it's really helped all of us.”

CORI:   “...our sense of hearing is the last thing to go. And so having a phone be 

             put up to somebody who is in the 11th hour, who's about to die...But 

             having the phone up to their ear so they can hear their loved one and 

             know that they're thinking of them and they're gonna be ok. And... just 

             that permission to do their work of dying.”

CORI:  “...To help them die. And as a medically trained professional as a 

                             volunteer, I feel like it was a gift that was given to me.”

LINKS

Navigating Elderhood  

Navigating Elderhood Provides Local Families with Elderly Care Options by Staci Perry Mergenthal | Aug 2022

The Hastings Center 

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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In this episode: Defy perfection or what price creative freedom? Watch on YouTube 

Podcast Transcript: Perfection-ISM or Perfection-ISN’T

© 2023  Pat Benincasa  All Rights Reserved 

“OK, fasten your listening seatbelt! This is a topic that has a stubborn reach, deep into our creative psyche! In a world that glorifies success & fame 24/7, perfectionism sings a siren song, saying this is the path to stellar achievement!  It lures us with a tantalizing illusion of totally flawless pursuits. But this shimmering façade with neon promises has deadly consequences lurking in its shadow.

What is perfectionism? Perfectionism is a mindset of unsustainable standards, leading to self-criticism, fear of mistakes and stifled creativity. And forget satisfaction!  The constant pressure to meet these crazy high standards is  an invitation to a stress-fest, wreaking havoc on well-being and self-worth.

Perfectionism  should come with a warning label! Too much of this, leads to chronic stress and bouts of creative destabilization.

So why are we drawn to perfectionism?  Achievement and external validation play a role. We believe that perfection will lead to success and admiration.

Now this is one I’ve struggled with: seeking approval/validation by others to fill a void in myself. If I rack up achievements, I will get approval.  The thing is, as soon as you achieve one thing, you search for the next. When you link achievement with approval it is a runaway freight train of never enough!

Fear of failure demands that any deviation from perfection is a sign of inadequacy or incompetency. This one is a biggy for me! My education was a constant nightmare of humiliation. Going to parochial school, held back a grade, placed in slow classes, and being ridiculed for being a poor reader, left me feeling intellectually inferior. I am ADD and dyslexic, meaning that my brain works differently but parochial schools at that time were very rigid. So fast forward, it wasn't until I left grad school that I fell in love with reading. But in the meantime, I was terrified of failure.

I don't know about you, but I had to find a way to deal with this fear! Everybody has their own way of figuring things out. For me, my existential battleground was in my studio. I am an artist. Why have a studio if I am too afraid to fail? The studio is not outside of me, it resides in a creative strength to be vulnerable and welcome art making with all its mistakes, disasters, discoveries, and magical moments.  No more, freedom doled out in self-imposed permission slips!

Perfectionism offers an illusion of control in a chaotic world - a structure for uncertainty. What’s not to like about that?  It intertwines our self-worth with our ability to be perfect, and achievements become units of measure for identity. You believe that your value as a human being is based on your ability to be perfect.

You're worth as a human being has inherent value simply by virtue of being human. You are a magnificent combo plate in the diner of life- with unique qualities, quirky personality, talents, and experiences that make you -you! I digress. Back to perfectionism!

 Now here’s the deadly side of perfectionism: constant stress, anxiety, second-guessing and exhaustion. Fear of failure kick-starts procrastination. If you fear failure or making mistakes, it’s easier to  find excuses not to begin a task or avoid a task altogether!

I can’t tell you the number of times, when teaching art in high school and college, talented students saying  they didn’t want to do a project if it couldn't be perfect.

They set up this barricade of perfection that stopped them from crossing into creative risk taking and opportunities. “If it’s not perfect, I don't wa

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In this deeply moving episode, Jennifer Bichanich, shares her personal story of tragic loss, including the death of her husband in a remodeled church-building fire. Despite immense grief and despair, Jennifer found ways to rebuild her life and discover her own creative resilience.

Working with a shamanic energy healer, doing art therapy, and joining the Modern Widows Club, she found community and healing and learned to create something beautiful out of the ashes of her life.

This podcast explores themes of grief, healing, and the power of creativity in navigating through difficult times.

Jennifer Bichanich is a writer, speaker, facilitator and life coach.

LINKS

https://jenniferbichanich.com/

Modern Widows Club

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

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