The Friendly Unknown

In this episode, I chat about community with fellow San Francisco based creative Lindsay Stripling. Lindsay is an artist, illustrator, muralist, teacher, and she hosts an amazing series on her instagram called Lunch Club, where she has really wonderful conversations with fellow artists.

We discuss how community has shaped Lindsay’s life and career, how having a creative community to tap into can accelerate your path and feel like therapy, how to build your own community (even if you’re shy), and how important it is to surround yourself with supportive, like-minded people.

Lindsay also shares a super useful map she uses (and teaches) to help navigate the ups and downs of a creative project. 

Talking to Lindsay was so fun and insightful. She’s a ray of sunshine and I hope this conversation makes your day a little brighter.

You can find out more about Lindsay by following her on instagram, or find her online at lindsaystripling.com.

In this episode, I chat with Brooklyn based artist Grace Miceli. Grace works across multiple mediums including illustration, animation, comics, product design, murals, and she’s recently added published author to that list. She has an amazing new book coming out on May 4th, called How to Deal: With Fear, Failure, and Other Daily Dreads.

Grace has worked with an impressive roster of clients including The New Yorker, Apple, Nike, Warner Bros., The New York Times, Urban Outfitters, Instagram, Adidas, MTV, Adobe, and the list goes on...

Her work explores life’s deeper topics with a colorful, humorous, and nostalgic approach. Viewing her work almost feels like you’re secretly reading through her diary. It’s very specific to her experience and at the same time, so universal. 

I’m so thankful that Grace was brave enough to explore the topic of fear with me. We talk about the fear involved in forging your own path as a creative, how personal growth and healing is often painful but ultimately rewarding, how fear can be a sign post pointing us in the right direction, how we can learn to live with fear, what it’s like to write a book and the fears that come along with that process, and much, much more. This was such a wonderful conversation and I’m really excited to share it with you all.

You can find out more about Grace by following her on instagram here, or find her online at gracemiceli.com. And be sure to check out her new book as well. 

Resources Mentioned:

• Pema Chodron
• Tara Brach
• Dharma Punx
• Mental Health Happy Hour podcast

In this episode, I chat with the wonderful Morgan Harper Nichols. 

Morgan is an artist, poet and musician. Her process for creating work is really unique and amazing. People submit their stories to her and she creates artwork for those individuals, and then shares those pieces daily on her social channels. Although each piece is created for one person, they deeply resonate with the larger collective as well. So much so, that Morgan currently has 1.7 million followers on Instagram. And honestly it isn’t surprising, her presence feels like a breath of fresh air in a world that can often feel so overwhelming. 

Morgan shares her journey from being a musician first to becoming a visual artist, and the winding road she had to navigate to get here. 

We dive into the topic of “growing”, both in our personal and professional lives. Growth is a theme Morgan often explores in her work, and she has a really wonderful perspective on the topic that I hadn’t considered going into the interview. 

Morgan also has a beautiful new book coming out on April 27th titled How Far You Have Come. Be sure to check it out, and if you aren’t already, follow Morgan on instagram here, or find her online at morganharpernichols.com

In this episode, I chat with the enlightened duo behind Slimy Oddity, Cherie and Tim. Slimy Oddity is an art collective brought together to spread love and light into the world. Their work focuses on sharing insights from timeless wisdom found in spirituality, philosophy and the human experience. They have a friendly and playful style that makes these deeper topics fun and approachable.

We dive into the theme of awakening in this episode. Awakening to your life, the magic in the world, your gifts and your purpose, and even to the awareness of a world beyond our senses. 

Awakening is an overarching theme for Slimy Oddity, and we dive deep into it. Cherie and Tim also generously share their own personal awakening journeys. 

This dynamic duo are also incredible musicians. Their band Kekko is releasing their debut single titled “Within You” mid March on Spirit Goth Records. Stay tuned to the end of the episode where we’ll be playing it for you. I love this song and I’m so excited to share it with you guys.

To find out more about Slimy Oddity, you can follow them on instagram here, or online at slimyoddity.com.

In this episode, I chat with Brooklyn based creative studio and dynamic duo, Wade and Leta. Wade and Leta do it all, they’re graphic designers, art directors, photographers, public speakers, they do event design, branding, sculpture, book design, type design, retail design, film, and more. If there’s something they haven’t done, they want to try that too. 

They’re a duo who personifies today’s topic of “Taking the Leap”. They’re constantly pushing themselves into new directions and mediums. They love a good challenge, they see constraints as opportunities, and they thrive on intensity. This drive has led them to create work for a truly impressive roster of clients that include Gucci, The New York Times, Herman Miller, IBM, Instagram, Facebook, Adobe, Airbnb, Target, and the list goes on. 

We discuss the lessons they’ve learned on their journey so far, how they’re able to continually “take the leap” into new directions and opportunities, how keeping an open mind and fresh perspective is key, how important it is to ask for help and learn from others, their pursuit to continually “level up”, what their dream project is, and much more.

This conversation was really inspiring to me. Wade and Leta are always striving to create their best work and it’s hard not to be in awe of them. These two have such wonderful energy and a refreshing perspective on life and career. I hope you’re just as inspired by this one as I am.

To find out more about Wade and Leta, you can follow them on instagram @wadeandleta, @wadejeffree, @letasobierajski or online at wadeandleta.com.