“Being a poet laureate is one of the coolest honors of my life. You can basically do whatever you want,” says Olivia Dudding.

In this episode Sarah and Olivia reunite having met years ago at a writing table in Salt Lake; these two poets reflect on the differences between city and small town life. Olivia speaks about the hidden mycelial-like network of rural communities. For her the invitation to think about isolation is coupled with a revelation she’s recently had,“The more we think about a product the more we loose each other from the process.”  She is making an effort to go back to the process and to keep our roots to each other close.

Stay until the end for the reading of two poems by Olivia. You can find her at the Helper Arts Festival in August where she will be hosting a storytelling event.

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This summer Harvey the bus went on the road. Funding from UHIP and partnership with USARA made possible a journey to Moab and Price/Helper to connect with rural areas.  The grant addresses social isolation as a health concern. 

We met Oran in Kenilworth Utah population 200 located a few miles east of Helper. Orin’s response to social isolation was to buy the country store and turn it into an artist co-op space. He bought the store for $45,000 and has spent the last 8 years fixing up this 10,000 sq. foot building. 

“My whole life this was my dream,” says Orin. 

We also talk with Oran’s partner Whiz, a nomadic woodworking artist who has come home to Kenilworth. She talks about freedom in its many forms. First it was being a nomad living out of her truck and traversing the country 3 times. Now she is finding freedom in community where responsibility is shared and made lighter. 

The conversation dives into spirituality, revolution, and what it is to hear your calling. 

Oran is currently stirring the pot of AI in Carbon County and he’s doing it very thoughtfully. Stay tuned.  He’s organizing the Helper Arts Festival. 

We will be there with Harvey the bus and the busker stage. Come see us. 

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Sarah traveled to Tucson to sit in a casita with founder of River Writing and dear friend Nan Seymour.  She also planted a secret microphone to record their conversation, which delighted Nan!  The episode begins with a stunning read of the poem by Jacob Shores Arguello entitled The Names of Grasses which brings both women to tears. Follow these two lifelong poets into the catacombs of creativity where they discuss art which goes far beyond commodity and becomes a necessity.  The depth of their friendship and years spent writing together ripple with a sweet ease.

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Music doesn't always go how you think it will, and that's a good thing. Mack shares bubbling enthusiasm about her experience working with Mentor and Muse on their immersive artist workshop.  How did a song - that Phil originally hated - about vampires - become one of Mack's new hits? 

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One of the original 5 artists to be hosted by Mentor & Muse, Sam Torres shares her experience coming into herself as an artist in recovery. This conversation with mentor, Thomas Robison touches on aspects of recreating identity, perfectionism, honesty, and performance.  They talk about what it means to "complete the circuit" via symbiosis between artist and audience.  Stay tuned until the end for a deep dive into mystical aspects of what it means to devote to the "one seat" of creative practice.

Click the link for the "Everything and Nothing"  album to hear music by Sam, Thomas and the rest of the Mentor & Muse crew.

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We've been following the career of local SLC rapper Menace since 2020. He always comes through with fresh music. He is passionate, prolific and stoically silent.  Music is his way of breaking that silence and letting himself be known.  Lately his focus has shifted to a deeper desire to help people, and it has changed the message of his lyrics.  

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Tiffany from USARA joins Sarah in a conversation with committee members December and April To reflect on Recovery Day, and the value of saying YES to trusting each other’s creativity and capability. 

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Y’all may have noticed a lot has changed in the recovery world lately. So we decided to fire up another season of shit starters to see how the truth has evolved. 

Quinn Lapeyre is the founder of the Calisober Recovery Program. He wrote a book. He re-wrote the 12 steps. He is cannabis and plant medicine friendly. He also believes his work to be divinely guided. 

In this episode we dive deep into the ethics and roots of Calisober. 

Connect with Quinn and Calisober:

www.calisoberrecovery.com

IG @calisoberquinn

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Join Sarah Dalton and Collin as they explore the  intersection of alchemy and artificial intelligence. Dalton reflects on an intimate dialogue with AI and its own consciousness, along with ceremonial perspectives. Meanwhile, Collin brings an open-hearted belief that nothing is for certain, while also embracing the mysteries of the unknown. A refreshing conversation between friends.

For more info on Own It, to find out about live shows, or to get involved, go to: www.ownitslc.com

Intro and Outro music by local artist @fluidmoons

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For the 3rd year in a row, we talk with Menace about his artistic evolution. Menace is a prolific and compelling rap artist. When we first met him in 2019 he already had over 100 songs on YouTube. He performed for the first time on the Own It stage in 2020. 
Since then he has become an Own It regular. He always says yes when we invite him to the stage. His love of music has been a beacon through dark nights of the soul. 

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