Secret Architecture: the process of process

Failure, follow-through, frivolity and the philosophy of solitude. The manifestation of a dream, of many dreams and the waiting game associated with such fantasies. Are hopes worth the effort of hope? Isn't that what hope is about - an effort of faith? What is the value, if any, of comparison? When do you answer the call of the wild?

Laying claim to all that we put into the world and claiming what we don't yet have is the stuff of process. Loving something because it isn't quite perfect, makes it, well - quite possibly perfect.

The term "gatekeeper" has been in much use these days and can sometimes raise a few hairs. HOWEVER, my guests this week are singularly focused on the equitable and generous dissemination of resources, tempering the term with generosity. Meet Madison Cario and Nikki Estes, rare breeds in the radical world of arts funding.

Join us as we discuss the rewards of artistic communities that thrive when collateral success is achieved. Encounter how genuine compassion becomes much-needed, healing medicine.

The Mimosa Piduca plant is that ferny plant that shields itself by curling up when touched by human hands. Who's to say if that is a good or bad thing? What I do know is that the more an artist shies away from mentorship and feedback, in their own way, they are closing up. While artistic guidance may sometimes sting, it's the kind of love we grow to crave, an honest voice in your ear that suggests – you've got this.

 Legendary dancer and teacher Endalyn Taylor shares space with the vibrant and hungry Raianna Brown to discuss growing up through and among the arts. We try to measure the immeasurable value of mentorship. Turns out, unlike that plant, there is no need to hide from it.

Can we access the value of deep reflection while encountering something meaningful? Or is that a hard-learned lesson? Does something endure because we have a fond memory of the first encounter with it? Or is staying power baked into the things we love?

Passionate art lover and dedicated seeker of beauty Avery Kastin joins the ever-prolific and imaginative Sam Ross in a discussion about endurance, both personal and artistic. If this is what a 17th century French Salon would have been like... you and I would quite possibly be hooked. 

Patience is a virtue and within a quickly moving world, it becomes challenging to engage with subtle transformation. So much so, that the opportunity to reflect, re-work and reclaim could be deemed a privilege. For as much patience as is needed to modulate work, just as much, if not more, is required to live inside and experience a shift.

Choreographers, dancers and educators Vincent E. Thomas and Christian von Howard discuss agency inside craft and identity inside social activism.

Philosophers are often close at hand, whether it is a family member, a favorite author or a colleague. Guests, Ursula Payne and Edisa Weeks provide insights into how these voices in their formative years shape the artists that they are now. By reflecting on honoring history and inner wisdom, these two women prove that by remembering and listening, we can find comfort in unfamiliar territories.

"That Rib Does Not Look Good on Me" is a heartfelt journey into the lives of two women who find agency in male dominated environments.

The search for community is often an ongoing endeavor. As we meet new people along the way to wherever we are going, we amass populations that provide a sense of home, escape, belonging and grounding. Throughout the quest, if we reflect upon boundaries, truth, prophecy and abundance we can significantly shape how we see our histories and sit in the present moment. 

Nicholas Goodly and Jasmine Hearn are tender souls, powerful movers, compelling writers and sensitive thinkers. They share their ideas on the value of trusting creativity and training hopefulness and suggest that the answers are as close as we'd like them to be.

It's said that imitation can be deemed a form of flattery, yet when does it cross the line and begin to intrude upon cultural history and identity? CiCi Kelley and Dr. Theresa Howard join me to discuss the ways history, experience – and blood, unite cultures in ways that can only be understood by its descendants. Amidst the openness each provide into their own experiences, they likewise celebrate the act of sharing, which can transcend time, space and lineage - without misappropriating.

You'll also discover how  "Watchmen" on Netflix and hot combs have something in common!

The anachronistic pull of negotiating the past, feeling confounded by the present, and visualizing a near and/or distant future is the stuff of inspiration ...or agony, depending. What role does love play in our interpretations? How does hate fuel or stunt change? Nietzsche has some dramatic things to say about this - as do my guests.

Esteemed creators and thinkers Tanya Wideman-Davis and Thaddeus Davis join me to discuss how love, power and "moving on" can catalyze a noble future.

When called upon to describe a person, place or thing, it's sometimes easier to say what it's not. Perhaps we grow closer to ourselves and our ideals when we experience what we later determine as “not being our cup of tea”. Can knowing the "no" direct us closer to the "yes"? 

Atlanta-based artists Anna Bracewell Crowder, Jimmy Joyner and Chrystola Luu join me to discuss how we can use the gift of time to challenge and alter our own perceptions.