Join Maggie Fedorov to talk about the experience of moving through her creative practice as a spiritual endeavor just as much as an artistic endeavor. Maggie dissects the Hermit archetype and what she means by "spiritual movement"; who would benefit from adding a spiritual element to their creative practice; and the ways that her unique spiritual care routines are now a fully enmeshed and invaluable part of her work acting not entirely unlike a creative catapult. In this episode Maggie also poses some very pointed questions for you about your spiritual hygiene and your spiritual & creative goals. What are you doing to propel your work forward? Listen now to hear Maggie's thoughts on all this and more.

P.S. Stick around for bloopers! xo

"By 'Spiritiality' I mean first and foremost that a person be inquisitive regarding what is referred to as 'the meaning of life.' That's at least a first step. A person who has asked that question can no longer fall below that level. They will already begin to improve. And secondly: The beautiful is hidden from the eyes of those who are not searching for the truth, for whom it is contra-indicated. But the profound lack of spirituality of those people who see art and condemn it, the fact that they are neither willing nor ready to consider the meaning and aim of their existence in any higher sense, is often masked by the vulgarly simplistic cry, 'I don't like it!', 'It's boring!' It is not a point that one can argue; but it like the utterance of a man born blind who is being told about a rainbow. He simply remains deaf to the pain undergone by the artist in order to share with others the truth he has reached. And finally: art must must carry man's craving for the ideal, must be an expression of his reaching out towards it; that art must give man hope and faith. And the more hopeless the world in the artist's version, the more clearly perhaps must we see the ideal that stands in opposition - otherwise life becomes impossible! Art symbolises the meaning of our existence." -Andrei Tarkovsky

Show notes:

Maggie's Instagram

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Youtube: Huberman Lab Podcast "Rick Rubin: How to Access Your Creativity"

Huberman Lab Podcast "Robert Greene: A Process for Finding & Achieving Your Unique Purpose"

Huberman Lab Podcast "A Science-Supported Journaling Protocol to Improve Mental & Physical Health"

We're flipping the script! Guest hosted by Sam Fedorov, today's interview gives us deeper insight into the inner workings of your usual host, Maggie Fedorov, of Seattle, WA to talk about her experience with moving through grief as a working artist. Maggie is the last of four artists in this series of episodes to discuss her experience with loss; the changes in her creative practice as a result of grief; the biggest hardships that emerged as she moved through loss; and the degree to which she is still impacted by it. In this episode Maggie also dissects what true strength in the face of grief looks like. Is it "weak" to be broken by your grief? Listen now to hear Maggie's thoughts on this.

"Death is the great equalizer of human beings. Death is the boundary that we need to measure the precious texture of our lives. All people owe a death. There is no use vexing about the inevitable degeneration and death because far greater people than me succumbed to death's endless sleep without living as many years as me." -Kilroy J. Oldster

Show notes:

Maggie's Instagram

Boone's Solace Candle Co. Instagram

YOUTUBE: In Memoriam: Darla Anne Boone-Durrant

ARTICLE: Burien Teen Drowns In Wenatchee River

ARTICLE: What's That Smell You're Reading?

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

In this episode Maggie is joined by another old friend of the podcast, Shane Izykowski of Los Angeles, CA to talk about his experience with moving through grief as a working artist. Shane is the third of four artists in this series of episodes to discuss his experience with loss; the changes in his creative practice as a result of grief; the biggest hardships that emerged as he moved through loss; and the degree to which he is still impacted by it. In this episode Shane also considers what it's like to use the grief experience to step outside of 'The Matrix' and live a more intentional and meaningful life and what that looks like in the scope of his creative practice. But the question I'm still thinking about?... "Will I ever fully process my grief? Is there an ending? A resolution?" Listen now to hear Shane's thoughts on this.

Show notes:

Shane's Instagram

Leviathan Goth Night's Instagram

ARC Gallery: Joshua Coffy In Memoriam

Dan Colonna's Instagram

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Maggie's Instagram

In this episode Maggie is joined by Devon Walz of Santa Ana to talk about the nuances and intricacies of moving through grief as an artist. Devon is the second of four artists in this series of episodes to discuss her experience with grief and loss; the changes in her creative practice as a result of grief; the biggest hardships that emerged as she moved through loss; and the degree to which she is still impacted by grief. In this episode Devon also considers the struggle over how to spend our time in the wake of a big loss. Is it weird to go to dance?

Show notes:

Devon's Instagram

Devon's Website

Devon's TikTok

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Maggie's Instagram

In this episode Maggie is joined by this year's Beautiful Bizarre People's Choice Award finalist, oil painter Jennifer Allnutt of Queensland, Australia to talk about the nuances and intricacies of moving through grief as an artist. Jenny is the first of four artists in this series of episodes on grief to discuss their experience with grief and loss; the changes that resulted in her creative practice as a result of grief; the biggest hardships that emerged as she moved through loss; and the degree to which she is still impacted by grief years later. In this episode Jenny also considers the surprising ways she was able to reconnect with joy and purpose in the wake of her grief.

Show notes:

Jenny's Instagram

Jenny's Website

ARTICLE: 'In the Studio With Jennifer Allnutt'

ARTICLE: 'A Short History of the Sublime'

EXCERPT: 'A Grief Observed'

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Maggie's Instagram

In this episode Maggie is joined by award winning Taxidermist and retired Federal Wildlife Biologist Matt Klope of Whidbey Island, WA to talk taxidermy. Matt discusses accessing the flow state and how to recover when you lose it; the role of creative vision in the art of preparation; real-world applications for taxidermy in research, conservation, and beyond; and the steep decline in the taxidermy community as it loses favor in the eye of John Q. Public. In this episode Matt also considers what else we stand to lose if taxidermy should become a lost art.

Show notes:

Matt's Instagram

Whidbey Island Taxidermy Website

INSTAGRAM: See how taxidermy is helping humans rehabilitate 'Ingo' for release in Germany

ARTICLE: 'Why Are Ducks Thriving as Other Birds Decline? Three Words: Investments by Hunters'

ARTICLE: 'What is Taxidermy? An Intimate Relationship Between Death and Maker'

Precious Creature Pet Taxidermy Instagram

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Maggie's Instagram

In this episode Maggs is joined by Evelynn Combs & Gerad Smith of Alaska, both Archaeologists as well as artists, to talk about how they're re-conceptualizing the ancient art of coppersmithing. Gerad and Evie discuss the cultural and historical significance of coppersmithing in the Tanana Valley of interior Alaska; what it's like to work with a creative collaborator; the joys and hardships of time away from the forge; and the value of creative diversity. Evie & Gerad also consider cyclical time and the profound and incredible ways humans have been living the same experiences as our ancestors for millennia through the lens of Traveler and his stories in the Dene oral traditions.

Show notes:

Gerad's Dene Atlas

Cambridge University Press Publication: "Innovation and Prestige Among Northern Hunter-Gatherers: Late Prehistoric Native Copper Use in Alaska and Yukon"

Gerad's Instagram

Evelynn's Instagram

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Leave a voice message for Maggie

Maggie's Instagram

In this episode Maggs is joined by

Show notes:

Jeff's Instagram

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Leave a voice message for Maggs

Maggs' Instagram

In this episode Maggs is joined by Arianè Kamps, a watercolor and oil painter from Alberta, Canada to talk about how art has evolved alongside humanity over the last several thousand years and how these observations manifest in her work. Arianè discusses the struggle of making art for the content machine; how she tries to cope with burnout while working a non-creative primary job to stay afloat; how her work ended up on the moon; and how being an artist is to constantly grapple with rejection and failure. Arianè also considers the question of whether being an artist is who you ARE or what you DO.

Show notes:

Arianè's Instagram

Arianè's Facebook

Arianè's Website

Arianè's YouTube Channel

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Leave a voice message for Maggs

Maggs' Instagram

Show notes:

Melissa's Instagram

Melissa's Blog: "Word and Image"

Melissa's Website

TOTALLY F#@!ING NORMAL Instagram

Leave a voice message for Maggs

Maggs' Instagram