Musings of the Artist: (Honest) Conversations with Montse Andrée

Rachel Demy is a music photographer who honed her craft while on the road with various rock bands over 10+ years as a tour manager. She’s from Portland, OR and now based in Seattle.

Our wide-ranging conversation takes us everywhere from panic attacks, to the romance (and heartbreak) of friendships, to taking leaps of faith by following your instincts, to learning how to live in the grey.

This is one of my favorite conversations - on or off the podcast - ever. Maybe it’s because Rachel is so raw and vulnerable (which allowed me to be the same), maybe it’s because we cover topics that are heavy on my mind lately, or maybe it’s just because Rachel is so darn wonderful. I know you’re going to love her (and all the wisdom she shares), too!

Where to find Rachel:

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Morning. Theme music by Heather Maloney.

Peter Mulvey is a folk singer-songwriter and all around wonderful human. He is a deeply curious person who loves poetry, so I already knew we’d be fast friends and have a lot to talk about!

We got a chance to sit down together in San Francisco, and we cover a lot of ground during this conversation.

He tells us about a time he was living alone in an empty house in a little town, and the profound encounter with a fox he had during that time that led to beautiful lyrics. He talks about the important distinction between solitude and isolation, and I love how he unpacks the feeling of grief.

He talks about what tools have helped him get through darker times, including being as he describes a “very persistent half-assed meditator”, nature, community, and looking after other people. I’d like to add an exclamation point on that last bit: if you’re going through a hard time, I can’t emphasize enough how useful it is to do something - however small - to make someone else feel better when you’re down. When I’m going through it, this is the one thing that consistently helps me get out of a funk. And I was happy to hear Peter say it too.

He also tells us some of the writers and musicians whose creativity moves him. And wow - I got goosebumps all over when he describes his favorite memory – it’s a good one.

Everyone I know who is friends with Peter says he’s one of the best humans they know, and I can see why.

**Where to find Peter: **

Instagram

Website

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Morning. Theme music by Heather Maloney.

In this episode, I’m talking to my good friends Daniel Ellsworth and Beth Mathews.

Beth is a graphic designer but also spends her time working on many impactful social justice projects, including The Mom Bag, a non-profit she started to help refugee mothers.

Daniel is a musician in the band Daniel Ellsworth

We touch on so many topics throughout this conversation - everything from dogs, their creative inspirations, to feelings of guilt, and anxiety. And speaking of anxiety - Beth has a super awesome “anxiety manual” she created to help those who struggle with it, and you should check out - it’s definitely helped me!

There are so many nuggets of wisdom throughout this chat as I knew there would be, because Dan and Beth are two of the best people I know.

Where to find Daniel and Beth:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethmathews/ and https://www.instagram.com/danielellsworth/

Websites: https://www.bethmathews.com/ and https://danielellsworthandthegreatlakes.com/

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Moring. Theme music is by Heather Maloney.

Meera Lee Patel is an illustrator and writer, whose work is focused on mental health and helping people feel more connected to themselves. She is the author of My Friend Fear: Finding Magic in the Unknown, and two beautiful journals: Made Out of Stars, and Start Where You Are.

In this episode, we chat about pushing through fear, and the freedom that comes from both being wholly yourself and learning that not everyone is for you and that’s OK.

She tells her story about when she realized most of her time was being spent in a way that wasn’t meaningful to her, at the same time she found herself feeling free in paining and writing. She shares her journey on how she moved towards her creative vocation full time.

We talk about physical and emotional scars and the ongoing process of being brave enough to show them to the world. And I love how she notes that talking about her own scars “brings me closer to myself but also to other people.”

Meera also speaks about how the artist process is so similar to the human process, what it is about reading both fiction and non-fiction that help her through a hard time, and much more.

I loved getting to know Meera a bit through this conversation and I know you’ll find her to be a beautiful person just as I did!

**Where to find Meera: **

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meeraleepatel/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/meeraleepatel

Website: https://www.meeralee.com/

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Moring and theme music is by Heather Maloney.

Emily Katz of Modern Macramé is an artist (in many forms!) based in Portland, OR.

This conversation is woven with so many nuggets of wisdom from Emily. She tells us about her beautiful creative story, and I really loved how she calls out that even though on the outside it might look like everything “just happened” and fell into her lap, that while yes there was a kismet magic to her story, that it’s all about what you do with it. And she really has done so much.

She also shares some of her coping mechanisms for when she’s going through a rough day including her go-to activity to lift her spirits. She speaks about those moments that happen to all of us - as she puts it “even if you have everything that you imagine and dreamt up, you can still feel terrible” - and about learning to forgive yourself when you do feel that way, remembering that we all do sometimes.

We cover a lot of ground in the episode! I think Emily is so inspiring and lovely, and I know you are going to really enjoy hearing her story.

Where to find Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily_katz/ and https://www.instagram.com/modernmacrame/

Websites: www.emilykatz.com and www.modernmacrame.com

Griff Goldsmith is a Los Angeles-based musician in the band Dawes. In this episode, we chat about his life as a touring musician, and his love of books and dogs.

He shares how introspection and mindfulness help him get through moments of stress or unease. We also talk a lot about the mind-body connection and how being mentally unhealthy can manifest itself into the body. He tells his own story about what he describes as a “revelatory experience” around his back pain.

He also shares the invaluable lesson his brother Taylor has imparted on him, and a whole lot more!

Where to find Griff (and Dawes):

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawestheband/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dawestheband

Website: https://dawestheband.com/

Misty Boyce is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She is part of the band Lord Huron and has an incredible solo career to boot! Her latest album is called "Get Lost" and touches on the hard stuff in life including tragedy and loss, depression, and what can be the emptiness of fame.

In addition to her solo career, Misty has performed and toured with many notable artists including Sara Bareilles.

I got a chance to catch up with Misty in her home studio in LA and I loved this conversation so much. Misty is a new friend, but someone I connected with instantly. We talk about getting through the lowest of lows. Moving from devastation to freedom. On tackling body image issues as women. On pushing through fear, and as she so perfectly says, “When you tackle the heavy, dark things, they become light...do not run away from them.”

She also talks about her incredible path in music (which started when she was nine!), shares some special musical moments (like being in the vocal booth with Sting!), how meditation has been life-changing, and so much more.

Plus, she shares her “favorite” list, including her go-to song to sing in the shower!

Where to find Misty:

Instagram

Twitter

Website

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Moring.

Theme music by Heather Maloney.

Sara Forte is the creator of the award winning food blog Sprouted Kitchen, as well as the author of two cookbooks - James Beard nominee Sprouted Kitchen and Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon. She is based in Southern California.

I first stumbled onto her blog some years ago and before I even tried any of her recipes I fell in love with her writing, and the way she wrote so truthfully about life stuff. In this episode we talk about her love of journal style writing, and how she writes more of the story of the “why” behind the food rather then “just about the tomato sauce”.

I really loved her response to my “how do you move through a bad day” question where she talks about pivoting towards an action step to move out of it.

She also shares her story on being self-employed as a creative, what it’s like being spouse, co-parent and creative partners with her husband, and we gush about why Trader Joe’s in so awesome.

She tells us what she likes in her salads, some of her favorite people, places and things, and a lot more!

Where to find Sara:

Instagram

Website

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Moring.

Theme music by Heather Maloney.

Oh Pep! are indie-folk/pop duo Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs.

They are from Melbourne, Australia but we were able to catch up in person while they were on tour in the US (with our mutual friend Gregory Alan Isakov) in support of their new album called "I Wasn't Only Thinking About You".

We cover a lot of ground in this conversation (with lots of giggling along the way!).

They share the story of how they came together as a band, and tell us about something outside of music that they both want to do.

We talk about the grounding nature of journaling, the beauty and romance of handwritten letters, and some of the challenges (and benefits!) of a life on the road.

They also share some “favorites” including their musical and personal inspirations, though Liv so beautifully adds that to her, it’s “more that there are moments that are really inspirational than people.”

I so enjoyed catching up with these two wonderful friends and I know you’re going to love getting to know them a bit!

Where to find Oh Pep!:

Instagram

Twitter

Website

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Moring.

Theme music by Heather Maloney.

Eric D. Johnson is a songwriter, musician and producer. He has been in The Shins, Califone, and his current musical project is Fruit Bats.

He’s also a really great guy, and I feel lucky to call him a friend!

In this episode, Eric gives some solid advice to young artists, and tells us why failing (“hopefully not spectacularly”) can be a really good thing.

We talk about the good and bad of social media. He also shares some great tour stories, talks about the differences between joining someone else’s band as a “side guy” (as he did in The Shins) vs. doing his own thing, fan interactions (and how he wants to make a graphic novel about this! - I can’t wait), the book that had a major impact on him, and a whole lot more.

Where to find Eric:

Instagram

Twitter

Website

This episode was audio produced by Aaron Moring.

Theme music by Heather Maloney.