Reina Takahashi is a paper artist is is responsible for some of the most delightful work I've ever observed. There is something about paper art that really makes people respond to it in a way that they wouldn't to any other medium. It feels friendly, playful and incredibly clever. Maybe it taps into the construction paper days that many of us experienced as children. Maybe it’s that every work of cut paper is a tiny engineering feat. Maybe it’s just that it’s really fucking cool. In this episode, we talk about saying yes to projects before you might be ready for them, why giving yourself constraints can actually be better for the creative process, and how we are both united by our love for food-themed projects.

Dana Martin is many things: my best friend, cosplay aficionado, potato chip enthusiast, art educator, and in her own words, a cultural facilitator (™). From the moment I met her, I noticed that Dana had an incredible way of talking about art in a way that demystified it, made it more accessible for people who might not have an art history degree, but were at the very least curious. While neither of us work in museums anymore, Dana and I still constantly talk about the ways that art continues to motivate us, nourish us and how ultimately none of it matters if it’s not accessible to everyone. I’m so happy to welcome my partner in all things to this project. In this episode, we talk about how art shapes community, how art can foster communication better than language, and why art education will cure cancel culture.  

Mira Shah is an incredible Portland-based Art Therapist who I am also lucky to call one of my closet friends.  As a child, while undergoing what was supposed to be a routine surgery, an unforeseen medical mishap occurred that would ultimately alter the course of Mira’s life. Despite the resulting physical and emotional trauma, Mira was able to tap into art as a healing tool that helped her re-frame her experience in a way that has lead her down a path that would allow her to help countless people though her current career as an art therapist. In this episode, we talk about finding ways to communicate parts of ourselves, using art as a tool for healing, and why sometimes, you just have to use wood burning tools to get your aggressions.

Hey everyone, I will resume with the regularly scheduled programming next week, but I wanted to dedicate my tiny space of the internet to drawing attention the civic unrest that is happening in so many communities in America right now. Here are some ways that you can help:

Please consider donating at some of these organizations:

For a list of more organizations, as well as a list of non-monetary ways you can help, please go to bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES for a list of books, articles, videos and podcasts that you can consciously consume.  

Please never, ever stop fighting for each other. We are all we have. ♥️

Karen is an incredible Brooklyn-based ceramist, sculptor, and educator, but if I had to choose a single word to describe her, it would be: H U S T L E. This girl works 👏SO 👏DAMN 👏HARD and exemplifies the adage of getting out what you put in. On top of all that, she’s one of the funniest damn people I know, so I hope you have as much fun listening to this as we did making it. We talk about discovering her passion on accident, why her process is a constant conversation, and the (shocking) opinion that theater kids were actually cool and intimidating in high school.

This week's guest is my friend and co-worker Tori McGoogan! Tori currently works as an Art Director for the Visual Systems Studio at Facebook, but that’s not even the reason why I wanted to talk to her! She’s one of the most creatively curious individuals I’ve ever met and is one of the biggest advocate for creative exploration. We talk about the accessibility of art, celebrating the small things, and why whatever you get out of art is the right thing.

Gah! It’s happening, ya’ll. This is the first ever episode of Just Wondering, and we’ve already gone through a hard pivot. I had a totally different episode ready to go out today, but in the middle of the night last night, I suddenly decided to go a totally different direction. That’s just the sort of high--octane, thrill-ride this podcast promises to be, so I hope you’re ready for adventure.