In my first solo episode, I talk about how creativity can feel “indulgent” and “selfish,” especially around the holidays, and how we can reframe that for ourselves to keep it a priority.

Here are some takeaways I’m trying to practice myself:

• Recognize what feels urgent, and what feels important on your physical or mental list of things to do. Try to make time for the important things first, including your latest creative thing. Know that somehow the rest will get done anyway.
• Allow others to know what important thing you’re working on and why it’s important to you. They might surprise you and be super supportive.
• Reframe the time you spend on creating - it’s not JUST about you, but about the person who’s going to finally find joy or meaning in this thing you’re making right now.

I dare you to listen to Katharine Jordan’s original song “Morbid O’Clock” and not laugh. She wrote it for her one-woman comedy show called “Yia-Yia Knows Best,” a peek at her life and Greek culture from the eyes of her grandmother. Katie released her show online in 2021 after the in-person Chicago debut was cancelled in March 2020 due to the pandemic. I just had to ask her about the work and the guts that went into this show, resiliency during the pandemic, portraying herself and members of her family, and about the vulnerability of being a professional actress.

Here’s what we talked about:

• Learning about ourselves and our emotions through acting
• Taking care of herself during the pandemic
• Resiliency and adaptability of artists to make things happen
• Being present onstage but also wanting the validation of the audience
• Drawing from real life to become your character
• Being proud of what’s unique to you to feel more confident
• Finding time to do what brings you joy

In this episode, we talk about:

• Following your passions
• The unpredictable nature of opportunities and evolving careers
• Forcing yourself to try and fail before you’re ready
• Learning to see the magic in the everyday

My husband’s aunt introduced commercial illustrator Jerry Lofaro to me as “the guy who did the Aflac duck.” His illustration work (full of both whimsy and darkness) is widely renowned but he’s also gained an impressive Instagram following for his photography of abandoned vehicles in addition to his artwork. I was thrilled to chat with him about how he fell into both illustration and photography, the meandering path to get to where he is, dinosaurs, and his “fake it till you make it” mentality. This was one of my favorite conversations of this season!

Where to find Jerry

His online store and galleries of his artwork - Jerrylofarodesigns.com

His new photography site - Jerrylofarophotography.com

Instagram - @jerrylofarorust, @jerrylofaromusic, @jerrylofaroart, @jerrylofarophotos

In this episode, we talk about:

• Taking baby steps, and how they can evolve into a career
• Building and keeping confidence in yourself
• Originality vs. “Mainstream”
• Developing skills over time
• Growing your network in a new state

Hallie Jade Leonard is a New England photographer now based in Vermont who thrives “somewhere in the middle” between a mainstream and unique style (though I would argue that from my perspective, her work is incredibly interesting and full of life!). I met Hallie through a mutual friend and was immediately impressed at how she built up her business from scratch in spite of (and maybe even because of) what she calls “social anxiety.” The introvert in me was cheering for her through our whole conversation as we chatted about how she got started, gaining confidence, the way she views her own work, and her move away from her family to continue her business in Vermont.