Painting Your Path

Wendy Chen joins Clarissa to share the journey behind Calisto Tea House and its vision as a place to slow down, connect, and find community. They talk about Altadena, supporting local businesses, and making room for new beginnings. 

In this episode:

• Wendy’s path from nonprofit work to opening a tea house
• Creating community through tea, art, and gathering
• How to support local businesses as Altadena rebuilds
• Wendy’s advice for people considering a tea-house dream

Listen and share your biggest takeaway.

Connect with Wendy:

• Website: www.CallistoTeaHouse.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callistoteahouse

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What if creativity isn’t something you have to be “good at”—but a way to reconnect with yourself?

On this episode of Painting Your Path, I welcome Katie White, Heather Blackmon, and Miriam Zimms, speakers from the Creative Care Summit, for a conversation about creativity and well-being. They share how art and movement found their way into their lives, why it’s never too late to try something new, and what can happen when we let go of expectations.

This conversation is full of personal stories, thoughtful perspectives, and a glimpse of a future where creative practices are part of how we care for ourselves.

In this episode:

• Why adults may feel disconnected from creativity, and how to begin again
• The role of play, practice, and letting go of perfection
• How creative expression and movement can support well-being
• What the guests are bringing to the Creative Care Summit

Featuring: Katie White, watercolor artist and meditative painting instructor; Heather Blackmon, yoga and strength instructor; and Miriam Zimms, expressive arts facilitator and arts-and-health advocate.

Connect with Katie White:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiewhiteartist

Connect with Miriam Zimms:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encasawithm

Connect with Heather Blackmon:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherblackmonyoga

Connect with Clarissa:

• Free Virtual Creative Care Summit | Nov 9-12: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/creativecaresummit2026
• Wild Canvas Women’s Retreat | Peoria, AZ: https://www.cydniejocelyn.com/retreats/arizona/
• Join the Painting Your Path™ membership waitlist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art

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Creative care can start with one small act of curiosity. In this episode of Painting Your Path, I speak with Creative Care Summit facilitators, Casey Muze and Precious Burger, about how creativity, play, rhythm, and breath can help us reconnect with ourselves.

Casey shares how his work in mental health, music therapy, and trauma care informs his focus on cadence, breath, and rhythm, including a simple “micro reset” practice. Precious reflects on 30 years as an elementary art teacher and how embracing play, intuition, and the “messy middle” can help adults rediscover wonder.

The conversation also explores the pressure of perfectionism, the value of making art just for yourself, and the liberating practice of letting your voice out.

In this episode:

• What creative care means to Casey and Precious
• How adults can reconnect with play and childhood wonder
• How daily artmaking helped Precious reconnect with herself
• A preview of Casey’s summit session on the “micro reset”
• Practical creative self-care tools you might not have ever considered

Connect with our guests:

• Casey Muze’s book: https://bracednomore.online/
• Precious Burger:
  • Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/preciousburgerartist/ 
  • Website: https://www.preciousburger.com/ The Retreat is under Creative Offerings.
  • VIP Collector’s Mailing List: https://preciousburger.myflodesk.com/collectors-vault 

Connect with Clarissa:

• Free Virtual Creative Care Summit | Nov 9-12: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/creativecaresummit2026
• In-Person Vision Board workshop |Nov 4 Upland, CA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vision-board-workshop-dream-it-create-it-upland-ca-tickets-2003686263552
• Join the Painting Your Path™ membership waitlist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Wild Canvas Women’s Retreat | Peoria, AZ: https://www.cydniejocelyn.com/retreats/arizona/

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What do rusty nails, handmade kittens, and a community art fair have in common?

Meet SukiMoonPie, mixed-media artist, creative force, and co-founder of ALTA Arts Collective.

In this episode of Painting Your Path, Suki shares her wonderfully unconventional artistic journey, the unlikely beginnings of ALTA Arts Collective, and how a shared love of art has helped bring people together in Altadena.

Our conversation takes a heartfelt turn as we reflect on the Eaton Fire, the artists whose lives were forever changed, and the role creativity continues to play in rebuilding our community.

You’ll hear stories of friendship, resilience, unexpected opportunities, and what happens when people come together around a shared vision.

Plus, join us at the ALTA Art Fair!

Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 11 AM–5 PM

Fraternal Order of Eagles

455 E. Woodbury Road, Altadena, CA

Come meet local artists, explore their work, and participate in the final gathering of our Community Canvas Project.

Because sometimes art is about so much more than what we create. It’s about who we connect with along the way.

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Leah Ferrazzani, founder of Ferrazzani’s in Altadena, joins me for a thoughtful conversation about food, creativity, and the connections that make a community feel like home.

Together, we talk about finding a path that makes room for both work and life, the meaning of serving others, and how neighbors can support local businesses as Altadena rebuilds.

Listen in for a warm, honest conversation about making, belonging, and creating a life that feels like your own.

Ferrazzani's Pasta & Market: https://www.facebook.com/Ferrazzanis

Connect with Clarissa:

• Art of Becoming Masterclass: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/artofbecoming2026
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art

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What’s the idea you keep coming back to?

Maybe it’s written in more than one notebook. 😂
Maybe you’ve talked about it for years.
Maybe you keep telling yourself, “Someday…”

Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately: Some of the most meaningful things in my life started much smaller than what they eventually became.

And I definitely didn’t know where they were going when I began.

In this episode of Painting Your Path, I’m sharing a few stories about what can happen when we stop waiting to see the whole path and simply give an idea a beginning.

If there’s something you’ve been carrying around for a while, this one is for you.

And if you’re ready to take one of those ideas out of the “someday” pile, join me for my free masterclass:

From Someday to Started September 30th

Bring your idea(s). Bring the messy notebook. We’ll start there.

Connect with Clarissa:

• Sept 30th Free Masterclass From Someday to Started Masterclass: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/from-someday-to-started
• Join the Painting Your Path™ membership waitlist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard
• Painting Your Path Guide: https://clarissastudio.activehosted.com/f/7

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This season is dedicated to Eaton Fire Survivors, caregivers, and the community groups supporting Altadena and Pasadena. Even though Michelle isn’t from my area, her mentorship has been a steady, grounding presence as I’ve navigated my vocal condition, the grief of losing my dad, and the impact of the fire on my community.

In this conversation with abstract artist and mentor Michelle Armas, we explore what it really means to paint your path:

• How Michelle went from a high-pressure graphic design job at Landor to building a long-term abstract painting career, one small step at a time.
• Why she believes art is mostly inner work, and how that perspective has helped me keep creating in the middle of grief and uncertainty.
• The heart behind Paint Week and Catalyst Academy, and why those spaces feel so welcoming for people who’ve been told their creativity isn’t “practical enough.” 
• How making art can become both a sanctuary and a mirror when you’re healing from loss or moving through big life shifts.

I share a bit about how joining Michelle’s community and doing Paint Week gave me structure, play, and a sense of possibility at a time when so much felt heavy.

If you’re curious about abstract art, craving a creative community, or wondering if art could actually support your healing, this episode is for you.

👉 Listen now and, if it resonates, consider joining me for Michelle’s next Paint Week to explore your own creative path.

Connect with Michelle:

• Join me and Michelle in Paint Week Sept 21-25
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellearmas007

Connect with Clarissa:

• Sept 12th in-person Movement + Meditative Art at Buzzworthy Beverages in Claremont, CA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movement-meditative-art-tickets-1999131560312
• Sept. 20th in-person vision board workshop at The Hive, South Pasadena. Only $55. RSVP by email: [email protected]
• Join the Painting Your Path™ membership waitlist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard
• Painting Your Path Guide: https://clarissastudio.activehosted.com/f/7

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In this episode of Painting Your Path, I  sit down with award-winning arts educator, photographer, and advocate Gayle Nicholls-Ali.

Gayle shares her 33-year love story with Altadena, how her creative path evolved from oil painting and graphic design into photography, and how the Eaton Fire changed everything—destroying her home, studio, and a beloved collection of cameras.

From that devastation, Gayle founded Altadena Photographers, building community through resource sharing, creative education, and wellness-focused art practices. She talks about photography as a wellness practice, why she always makes sure there’s a therapist in the room for workshops, and how her zine-making sessions have helped fire survivors process grief, memory, and hope.

We also talk about community organizing—like taking a bus of Altadena residents to Sacramento to advocate for fire survivors’ rights alongside leaders such as Joy Chen, Founder of Every Fire Survivors Network—and what it means to rebuild a home and a life with intention.

This conversation runs longer than usual, and that’s intentional: these stories of hope, resilience, creativity, and wellness deserve time and space.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Gayle’s journey from Barbados to New York to Altadena, and why Altadena became home
• How she moved from oil painting and graphic design into a deep love of film photography
• The impact of the Eaton Fire on her home, studio, and extensive vintage camera collection
• The origin story of Altadena Photographers and what it offers the community
• Why Gayle sees photography and zines as therapeutic practices
• How zine-making workshops support healing, storytelling, and resilience for fire survivors
• Gayle’s advocacy trips to Sacramento and the fight for fair compensation and protections

About Gayle Nicholls-Ali

Gayle Nicholls-Ali is an award-winning arts educator, photographer, and advocate with over two decades of experience. A key architect of California’s arts education standards, she has received the CAEA Lifetime Achievement Award, NAEA Leadership Award, AME Leadership Award, and the 2025 Judy Chu Congressional Woman of the Year honor.

Following the Eaton Fire, Gayle founded Altadena Photographers to support photographers and artists through resource recovery, creative education, and wellness-centered programming. She co-chairs the Eaton Fire Collaboratory’s Arts & Culture Coalition of Altadena and facilitates community zine workshops that promote healing and resilience.

Connect with Gayle:

• Instagram: @altadenaphotographers
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Closed group “Altadena Photographers” (request to join)
• Sept 18-20th Retreat & event info: https://forms.gle/2y3EjKN6vBnaWRRk7

Connect with Clarissa:

• Sept 12th in-person Movement + Meditative Art at Buzzworthy Beverages in Claremont, CA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movement-meditative-art-tickets-1999131560312
• Sept. 20th in-person vision board workshop at The Hive, South Pasadena. Only $55. RSVP by email: [email protected]
• Join the Painting Your Path™ membership waitlist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

Mentioned in this Episode

• Altadena Photographers – community-based photography and arts organization
• Every Fire Survivors Network – founded by Joy Chen, supporting fire survivors and advocating for just policies
• Eaton Fire Collaboratory / Arts & Culture Coalition of Altadena
• “From Ashes We Gather” exhibition and community event
• Marinell nuns sanctuary in Monrovia – site of Gayle’s creative wellness retreat

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In this episode, I sit down with Reshma Syed, co‑founder of Amanah Senior Living, a six‑resident senior care home in Altadena, CA. We talk about how a lifelong commitment to service, family, and community turned into a calling to care for older adults.

If you’ve ever wondered what “good” elder care can look like, or you’re navigating care for an aging parent or loved one, this conversation will speak to your heart.

What You’ll Hear About

• The personal path that led Reshma and her husband to create Amanah Senior Living
• Why the word “Amanah” holds so much meaning for the way they care for elders
• How their small, home‑like model changes the experience of aging, for residents and families
• The role community has played in bringing Amanah to life in Altadena
• A powerful story about one special elder who’s already shaping the heart of the home

Plus, in a fun rapid‑fire round, you’ll get a peek into Reshma’s everyday life, from her favorite morning drink to the colors that inspire her creativity.

Connect with Reshma:

• Visit & virtual tour: https://amanahcares.com
• Location: 400 East Calaveras Street, Altadena, CA 91001
• Social: Instagram & Facebook – @AmanahCares

Connect with Clarissa:

• Sept. 20th in-person vision board workshop at The Hive, South Pasadena. Only $55. RSVP by email: [email protected]
• Join the Painting Your Path™ membership waitlist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

Support the show

What if clarity isn’t about finding a brand-new idea?

What if it’s about finally paying attention to the one that keeps coming back?

In this episode of Painting Your Path, I’m sharing a realization I’ve been having lately about some of the things I’m creating: from my Movement + Meditative Art sessions to the new Painting Your Path membership.

Sometimes the ideas we brush off as too small, too simple, or not “important” enough are actually trying to tell us something.

In this episode, I invite you to think about the idea, dream, or curiosity that keeps tapping you on the shoulder.

In this episode:

• Why some ideas keep returning
• What I’m learning from finally trusting a very simple desire
• The difference between a passing thought and an idea worth paying attention to
• A question to sit with this week

Connect with Clarissa:

• In-person Art + Fashion Pop-Up: Friday, August 21st 11am to 5pm. Atelier Pasadena, 3330 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA. Street parking all around.
• Join the Painting Your Path™ membership waitlist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.art
• Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboard

Support the show