In this episode, I speak with Eolia Ahouansou Dembele, who is a mixed-media artist from Benin and Togo with a keen focus on using unconventional materials, her portraits aim to explore identity, belonging, and individuality.

We talk about putting together her first series "The Woman In The mirror" where she uses the mirror as an artistic medium to reflect both the strikingly lifelike and abstract to create a powerful image. 

We also talk about her experience of becoming a new mother;

• The importance of family for her as an artist 
• Planning for pregnancy as an artist 
• Taking a proactive approach toward sharing her work, her process, her thoughts to sharing her inspiration 
• Enjoying motherhood 
• Documenting your process as much as possible

You can connect with Eolia at https://www.instagram.com/eolia.art/

In this episode, I speak with actress, art consultant, dealer and activist Marie Humbert. Presently Marie finds herself working in contemporary African art space, with a soft spot for West African artists. 

As an actress, Marie played one of the five female leads, Makena, in the international hit web and TV series ‘An African City’ which was featured in The New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, the BBC, CNN, and many more. 

We about talk her early interest in theatre and pursuing her bachelor's degree in the same field. 

• Her move to Ghana 
• The current film industry in Ghana, its current stage, and how  sustainable infrastructure can be built for the space
• Investments needed in the film space
• Her role in an African city 
• Her advocacy podcast on gender-based violence called “Reclaim Your Power”
• Feeding the mind as a way of nurturing your craft

You can connect with Marie at https://www.instagram.com/marielaly/ and on her website a https://www.instagram.com/marielaly/

In this episode, I speak again with Ghanaian-American independent curator and art tastemaker Larry Ossei-Mensah. 

We talk about his practice of feeding his projects, his work with Art Noir, and his other interests like travel, reading, and flying his kite. Larry shares the importance of rest to reconnect as a way of staying tapped in and being in service with the artists he works with. He talks about the importance of artists being in dialogue with each other and trying to help validate what they do. 

We also talk about;

• his work as an angel investor investing in startups. 
• The importance of rest and just being human 
• Life will happen but it's really how you respond to it that matters
• Creativity as a spiritual endeavor 
• Taking stock of your work
• Spirituality as a way of moving with intention and engaging your purpose
• Identifying the things that make you happy and fulfilled 

You can connect with Larry at https://www.instagram.com/larryosseimensah/?hl=en

In this episode, I speak with Ama Asantewa Diaka also known as Poetra Asantewa who is a poet, writer,  visual artist, and the founder of Black girls glow, a residency program that brings visibility to issues women face by exploring ways in which art can be used to foster collaboration.

We talk about her early practice as a spoken word artist, as a writer, and creating her first EP motherfuckitude https://soundcloud.com/poetra-asantewa/sets/motherfuckitude to creating her greeting card company called Yobbins in 2015.   

You can connect with Poetra at:  https://www.instagram.com/poetra_asantewa/

In this episode i speak with Braimah Lawal about his art pratice in Chicago and his cultural influence that has shaped his work.

Braimah speaks about his exprience growing up in Ghana as a Nigerian and his feeling of wanting to find where home is, he tries to express the feeling of feeling lost and still represent his rich cultural heritage through his paintings.

He shares how  art became an escape for him and seeking therapy as a form selfcare.

You can connect Braimah at https://www.instagram.com/braimahlawal.art/

In this episode, I speak with author, photographer, and blogger Brandon Stanton about his prolific work in producing content from 20 countries across the globe.

Brandon's blog Humans of Newyork has accumulated millions of followers and turned two of his books  into  new york times bestsellers https://www.amazon.com/Humans-Brandon-Stanton/dp/1250114292/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U2P64KPRCJ7R&keywords=humans+of+new+york+book&qid=1675808701&sprefix=humans+of+%2Caps%2C352&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Humans-New-York-Brandon-Stanton/dp/1250038820/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1H26ZZJINFSZN&keywords=humans+of+new+york+book&qid=1675808749&sprefix=humans+of+new+york+book%2Caps%2C307&sr=8-3

You can connect with Brandon at https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/

In this episode, I speak with artist and educator Ablade Glover about his art practice and growing up in the early '60s pursuing a career in the field, meeting Kwame Nkrumah who helped further his education in the UK. 
Ablade Glover is famous for painting his energetic charged crowded scenes. As a retired professor Ablade now solely focuses on his running gallery Artist Alliance which works on shwcasing traditional contempory African art. 


This episode was recorded in February 2022. 

In this episode, I speak with the super talent Tanisha Laverne Grant who is a multi-award-winning broadcast entrepreneur and one of the most thought-provoking entertainment journalists in Hollywood.

Tanisha LaVerne Grant has singlehandedly made her mark in Hollywood by securing red-carpet real estate at the most prestigious awards shows in Hollywood including the EMMYS, GRAMMYS, GOLDEN GLOBES, OSCARS, and TONYS. Known for her grace, elegance, and well crafted questions and interviews Tanisha LaVerne Grant has emerged as a well respected leader in the entertainment news space and a favorite amongst the Hollywood Elite interviewing a roster of luminaries, legends, and icons like Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Viola Davis, Steve McQueen, Ava Duvernay, Spike Lee, Tracee Ellis Ross, Robert DeNiro, Billy Crystal, Regina King, Padma Lakshmi, Timur Bekmambetov, Jimmy Fallon, Mary J. Blige, LupitaNyongo, Chadwick Boseman, Cicely Tyson, John Singleton and many more.

This episode was recorded in July 2022

You can connect with Tanisha at https://www.instagram.com/tanishalavernegrant/

In this episode, I speak with the founder and director of the Noldor Artist Residency Joseph Awuah-Darko, who is an African contemporary art connoisseur, collector, and thought leader.

Joseph continuously works to bridge the ties between an established European art scene and Africa’s emerging cultural industries. He continues to actively nurture his understanding of global art market dynamics and apply them to his African roots.

In our conversation, we talk about his early career in music, overcoming depression, and his work as an artist and curator.
 
This episode was recorded in November 2022

You can connect with Joseph at https://www.instagram.com/okuntakinte/

In the episode I speak with Vincent Paterson who is a world-renowned director and choreographer whose career spans nearly every genre of the entertainment industry including film, theatre, Broadway, concert tours, opera, music videos and television.

As a director and choreographer, Vincent has created many works for Madonna and Michael Jackson including Madonna  BLOND AMBITION TOUR (on which the film, TRUTH OR DARE is based), and her legendary Marie Antoinette Vogue performance for MTV and the choreography for her videos EXPRESS YOURSELF and VOGUE. For Michael Jackson, with whom he worked for over 15 years, Vincent created the BAD TOUR as well as SMOOTH CRIMINAL and BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR and multiple other Jackson music videos and live performances, from the Grammy Awards to the Superbowl Halftime Show.

Vincent is featured in the best selling, Smithsonian publication, Masters of Movement: Portraits of America's Greatest Choreographers. The Swedish documentary about Vincent's life and career, THE MAN BEHIND THE THRONE, has aired on TV internationally as well as at film festivals where it has won several awards. He is presently in development, to direct an original musical based on a Chinese legend. His autobiography, Icons &Instincts, published by Rare Bird Lit is out now.

This episode was recorded in October, 2022.

You connect with Vincent at: https://www.instagram.com/vlpla/

His book Icons& Instincts is out now at: https://www.amazon.com/Icons-Instincts-Choreographing-Directing-Entertainments-ebook/dp/B0BDVH7JPP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=icons+and+instincts&qid=1673358005&sprefix=icons+and+insti%2Caps%2C766&sr=8-1