A mirror that stares back at a goddess. A studio that runs on play. A maker who treats mistakes like maps. Walk with us and David Wiseman along the LA River as we trace the making of a seven-foot grotto mirror bound for Chatsworth House and the winding path that led from deer wall hooks to Dior ceilings. This story is about process as much as product, how a single wax drip can become a piece’s DNA, how deadlines sharpen invention, and how the right mold can multiply originality instead of cloning it.

David opens the door to his compound and his philosophy. We get inside the feedback loop of an artist-run foundry, where modular stalactite “archetypes” allow real-time composition and patina chemistry compresses weeks into days. He threads myth and material with a light touch, Diana’s grotto meets peyote faces and desert toads, reminding us that wonder belongs in serious work. We talk Victorian follies, garden hermits, and the joy of looking at nature until it reveals itself, then building a form that feels discovered rather than imposed.

The journey arcs through RISD, early “deer guy” days, and the aha of bronze, into collectible design, editions, and the practicalities of wiring, structure, and safe installation. Along the way, David shares how he builds a community of “no-people,” hosts Thursday art nights, and reframes failure as information. He’s candid about scaling a practice, balancing life around a 26-person studio, and the ambition to make beautiful, meaningful objects more affordable, yes, even exploring an IKEA collaboration, without extinguishing the spark that makes the work alive.

If you care about craft, sculpture, design, and the slippery line where they overlap, this walk is a field guide. Hit play, then tell us where you find your spark.

How do you make a feature film for less than $30,000 that attracts A-list talent? Pete Ohs reveals his unconventional approach to filmmaking that throws out the rulebook and returns to what makes creativity truly fulfilling.

Pete shares how his journey began simply as a teenager making videos with friends, not aspiring filmmakers creating art, just kids having fun with a camera. This foundation of joy-first creation became the philosophical cornerstone of his professional methodology. After studying computer science and pivoting to video production, Pete developed a filmmaking approach that prioritizes creative freedom and enjoyment over traditional structures.

What makes Pete's process remarkable is its radical simplicity. No scripts, just brief outlines. Minimal crews, often just himself handling camera, sound, and direction. Two-week shooting schedules in single locations with small casts who become co-writers. The first week is spent filming the first half of the story, then everyone takes a day off while Pete determines how it should end. This approach has attracted collaborators like Julia Garner and Charli XCX, who value the opportunity to create without the pressure of justifying massive budgets.

Throughout our conversation, Pete opens up about recent personal struggles, his father's passing and a relationship ending, revealing a stark contrast between his professional confidence and personal insecurities. His mantra "smaller is better" applies not just to filmmaking but reflects a deeper philosophy about finding meaning in process rather than outcome: "If the journey isn't enjoyable, the end result won't be worth it."

Whether you're a filmmaker, artist, or anyone seeking a more fulfilling creative life, Pete's approach offers a refreshing alternative to the bigger-is-better mindset. Subscribe now to hear more conversations with creators who are redefining what's possible in their fields.

What happens when we're faced with our deepest vulnerabilities? Who guides us through those darkest moments when words fail and understanding seems impossible? 

Meet Peggy Kelly, a hospital chaplain at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, whose extraordinary work places her at the intersection of life's most profound transitions. Far from the religious stereotype many might expect, Peggy reveals the nuanced art of spiritual care – a practice that serves people of all faiths and none, focusing not on conversion but connection.

With disarming honesty, Peggy shares her unlikely journey from aspiring actress to "soul doctor," sparked by witnessing children's existential questions after 9/11. She details the rigorous path to becoming a chaplain – a seven-year journey requiring clinical training, theological education, and thousands of hours of patient care. This isn't volunteer work; it's a calling that demands both professional expertise and profound humanity.

The conversation takes breathtaking turns as Peggy recounts experiences with dying children whose wisdom transcends their years, including a five-year-old boy who, after watching his mother die, simply observed, "I guess she's all done with school." Such moments reveal how even in our most broken times, unexpected beauty and clarity can emerge.

What makes this exchange particularly powerful is its embrace of contrasting perspectives. As the host shares his atheistic viewpoint shaped by losing his mother at eleven, Peggy listens without judgment, demonstrating the very approach that makes her work so effective – meeting people exactly where they are. Their respectful dialogue creates a rare space where faith and skepticism can coexist, united by shared human experience.

Whether you're grappling with mortality, supporting someone through illness, or simply curious about how we find meaning in suffering, this conversation offers rare insights into life's most challenging moments. Listen now to discover how spiritual care transcends religious boundaries to touch what makes us most human.

What makes a movie star? In this captivating conversation with Matt Dillon, we discover it's about far more than just having the right look or landing the big roles. Dillon takes us behind the curtain of his remarkable five-decade career that began when he was just 14 years old and continues to evolve today.

Starting with early breakthrough roles in classics like "The Outsiders" and "Rumble Fish," Dillon reveals how director Francis Ford Coppola shaped his understanding of filmmaking and character development. He offers fascinating insights into his approach to acting, emphasizing what he calls "character logic" over "plot logic" – the idea that characters' actions must remain true to who they are, even when irrational. "If you don't understand why someone is doing what they're doing," he explains, "then the whole make-believe shambles falls apart."

Beyond his celebrated acting career, Dillon opens up about his directorial work, his documentary on Cuban music, and his daily practice as a visual artist. He speaks candidly about resisting being labeled as merely a "sex symbol" and his determination to take creative risks throughout his career. Whether discussing the challenges of working with Lars von Trier on "The House That Jack Built" or reflecting on playing Charles Bukowski's alter ego in "Factotum," Dillon provides a masterclass in artistic integrity.

What emerges is a portrait of a true creative force – someone who at 60 years old believes he's "only skimmed the surface" of his artistic potential. For anyone interested in film, acting, or the pursuit of authentic creative expression, this conversation offers invaluable wisdom from one of cinema's most enduring talents.

Valeria Luiselli's literary voice resonates with a rare intensity that comes from inhabiting multiple worlds. Born in Mexico but raised across continents—from South Korea to South Africa, India to Spain—she crafts stories that blur boundaries between reality and fiction, memory and imagination.

In this conversation, Luiselli shares the intricate details of her six-year journey creating her forthcoming novel "Beginning Middle End," which explores how stories shape our perception of reality through a mother-daughter relationship. With remarkable vulnerability, she reveals her writing process—rising at 5 AM to write by hand, starting with atmospheric feelings rather than plots, and collaborating with her teenage daughter to authentically capture a child's perspective.

What makes Luiselli truly revolutionary is her multisensory approach to storytelling. For five years, she's been recording the entire Mexico-US border with sound engineers, creating what she calls "a 24-hour sonic essay" capturing everything from underwater whale songs to children interviewing rivers. This ambitious project reflects her belief that different mediums allow us to experience stories in complementary ways—her novels existing simultaneously as text, sound, and sometimes visual archives.

Luiselli's perspective on fiction challenges conventional thinking: "Fiction is not the opposite of truth," she explains, tracing the word to its Latin root fingere—"to mold something out of clay, to give shape to something already there." This philosophy illuminates why her work feels so alive; she's not inventing from nothing but sculpting meaning from the raw materials of existence.

The conversation culminates in a profound reflection on narrative's power in our lives. "The value we give to our lives is determined by the way we tell the story of ourselves to ourselves," Luiselli observes. In her hands, storytelling becomes more than art—it's a way of making sense of our existence, of anchoring ourselves in an increasingly unmoored world.

Dive into this episode to discover how one of literature's most innovative voices creates work that resonates with both intellectual depth and emotional truth. Then explore Luiselli's books to experience her singular vision firsthand.

Grammy-nominated producer Jesse Shatkin takes us behind the curtain of chart-topping pop music, revealing the winding path from his beginnings as a teenage hip-hop DJ to crafting global hits with artists like Sia, Kelly Clarkson, and Rihanna.

For anyone fascinated by how the music that shapes our lives comes together, Jesse offers rare insight into the invisible craftsmanship behind iconic songs. His journey challenges our assumptions about overnight success - spending years working minimum wage jobs at recording studios, cleaning toilets at Electric Lady Studios, and absorbing knowledge from established professionals before his breakthrough moment co-writing "Chandelier" with Sia .

What stands out is his lifelong commitment to growth and learning. Despite achieving remarkable success, Jesse maintains a beginner's mindset, watching tutorials from teenage producers on YouTube and approaching each project with fresh curiosity. This adaptability explains his longevity in an industry where many producers quickly become obsolete as trends evolve.

Perhaps most compelling is how Jesse moved beyond the judgmental constraints of what's considered "cool" in underground music circles to embrace pop production. "Cool is the enemy of creativity," he observes, noting how fear of judgment limits artistic possibilities. This liberation allowed him to apply his talents across genres without self-imposed restrictions, focusing instead on making music that resonates regardless of category.

Whether you're a music industry insider or simply curious about how hit songs come together, Jesse's insights reveal the human craftsmanship, technical expertise, and emotional intelligence required to create the soundtrack to our lives. Subscribe now to hear more conversations with the creative minds shaping our cultural landscape.

The journey from rootlessness to cultural pride isn't a straight line - just ask Jing Gao. Born in Chengdu, China, the founder of Fly By Jing spent her childhood moving across continents, adopting a Western name and working tirelessly to blend in as the only Asian kid in her schools. But a remarkable transformation began when she reconnected with her culinary heritage as an adult.

In this captivating conversation, Jing reveals how food became her pathway back to identity. From starting a food blog that caught the attention of celebrity chefs to opening (and painfully losing) her first restaurant in Shanghai, each step prepared her for what would become Fly By Jing - now one of America's fastest-growing condiment brands. 

The story behind Fly By Jing's viral chili crisp is both entrepreneurial masterclass and spiritual journey. Jing shares the raw details of her Kickstarter success, manufacturing challenges in China, and a shipping disaster that became an unexpected brand-building moment. With remarkable candor, she explores how business growth forced personal growth - confronting fears, embracing vulnerability, and finding purpose beyond profit.

Most powerfully, Jing articulates how her mission transcends sauce, challenging perceptions of Chinese cuisine as "cheap" while creating space for authentic cultural expression. Her ambition? To make chili crisp as ubiquitous in American homes as ketchup, while staying true to Sichuan culinary traditions.

Whether you're building a business, searching for identity, or simply curious about the woman behind the condiment taking over your social feed, this conversation offers wisdom on resilience, adaptability, and the courage to embrace what makes you different. Have you tried it on ice cream yet? You should.

What drives our creative pursuits, and how do we navigate a world where entire industries are being transformed overnight? In this illuminating conversation with marketing legend Seth Godin, we explore the deeper motivations behind our work and how to find sustainable fuel for creativity in an age of constant change.

Seth shares a pivotal revelation from his own journey—the moment he realized external validation like bestseller lists and reviews were empty metrics that didn't reflect true impact. This epiphany led him to "fire" certain measurements from his life, freeing him to focus on creating genuine value rather than chasing approval. His perspective on finding better fuel for our work offers a refreshing alternative to the burnout-inducing cycle of seeking validation.

As we delve into the evolving landscape of publishing, speaking, and idea-sharing, Seth introduces his concept of the "smallest viable audience"—a powerful framework for anyone struggling to be heard in today's crowded marketplace. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, he suggests focusing on serving a specific group whose lives would meaningfully improve through your work. "If you pick an industry or a moment in time or segment and you can reach those people with something that they must talk about, they will because they must," he explains.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as we explore artificial intelligence—what Seth considers "the biggest change in our world since electricity." With characteristic nuance, he acknowledges both the challenges and possibilities this technology presents, suggesting that AI might ultimately help humans connect in ways even more powerful than the internet. His balanced perspective offers a thoughtful alternative to both techno-utopianism and doomerism.

Whether you're a creator navigating a changing industry, a business leader refining your strategy, or simply someone trying to make sense of our rapidly evolving world, this conversation offers valuable insights on finding your path forward with intention and optimism.

What happens when success doesn't deliver the happiness you expected? Comedy legend Andy Richter takes us on a thoughtful stroll through Los Angeles, unpacking this question with surprising candor and characteristic wit.

Beyond his famous role as Conan O'Brien's sidekick, Andy reveals himself as a deeply reflective artist who's discovered that creative fulfillment often comes from unexpected sources. "I just want to make things," he shares, explaining how directing commercials can bring him as much joy as working on prestigious comedy projects. This refreshing perspective cuts through Hollywood's status hierarchy with a wisdom that can only come from decades in the entertainment trenches.

The conversation takes particularly poignant turns when Andy discusses the current state of the entertainment industry. Still reeling from COVID, strikes, and recent wildfires, he describes a landscape where many creatives find themselves questioning their professional identities. "We all just don't even know quite what we do anymore," he confesses, a sentiment that resonates beyond just Hollywood.

Throughout our walk, Andy's fundamental sweetness – the quality that makes his comedic characters so endearing – shines through consistently. Whether discussing his happy second marriage, his approach to parenting, or his genuine enthusiasm for creative collaboration, he demonstrates a self-awareness that's both rare and inspiring. As he puts it, he's "stopped putting my hand on the stove to see if it's hot" – a beautiful metaphor for learning to avoid self-destructive patterns.

For anyone navigating a creative career or simply seeking greater fulfillment, this conversation offers valuable perspective that goes far beyond comedy. Join us for this unexpectedly profound walk with one of comedy's most beloved figures.