Vulnerability in life and art

Andrew Fedynak is a highly talented and committed fine art documentary photographer, as well as the publisher and designer of Zatara Press

We talked about storytelling and workflow, analog and digital photography, wabi sabi, photos not taken, artists and creatives, and the influences of social media

Check out www.fedynak.com and www.zatarapress.com to see what Andrew has accomplished. You can also visit @zatarapress on Instagram to learn more

Candice Nixon talks about graphic design, glass art, and the natural power of art to heal both the artist and those of us fortunate enough to experience her pieces

Be sure to check out her work @meltingpotstudio.ca on Instagram and www.meltingpotstudio.ca

And if I ever use the word 'pretty' again in reference to a work of art, please put me out of my misery!

It's not just that Micah Perry describes himself as a passionate, limitless person and artist.

You can see it in his pieces themselves, whether tattoos, paintings, sculptures, or photographs - there's a strong sense of movement and life in his work that is captivating.

We talked among other things about the nature of vulnerability, and Micah makes an interesting distinction between feeling vulnerable and being vulnerable.

After several days sick in bed, I thought more about what we see and don't see - and even more importantly, what we're not able to see, trying to tie together some reflections on self-knowledge and vulnerability.

I really enjoyed my conversation with Kristina Troske. Among other things, we talked about puppetry, storytelling without words, collaborating with others, and what it means to call oneself an artist.

I had never before properly appreciated the artistry of puppetry, and the ways in which it can reach adults as much as it does children.

Be sure to check out her work on instagram @kristinatroske because the experiences she creates through her art are wonderful.

Debe Arlook is a photographer, educator, contributing editor, and advisor, and she also offers printing services for fine art photographers

I really enjoyed our conversation and the range of topics we covered, from control and flow, to meditation and the viewer's experience, to happy accidents

Be sure to check out Debe's work - including her project one, one thousand... - on instagram @debearlook and at debearlookphotography.com

I tried something different... I was reading a great book over the weekend and decided to share some of the authors' ideas in this episode. Let me know what you think: [email protected]

The book, Art as Therapy, was written by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong and published in 2013. They explore various functions of art and then suggest organizing museums and galleries to enlighten us about core meaningful themes - such as Love or Nature - rather than the places or periods in which artworks happen to have been created

They believe that, from a therapeutic perspective, art inspires us to be and do better - and that ultimately, our goal is to carry these virtues forward into our real, day-to-day lives

Born in St Petersburg Russia and living now in Dubai, classically trained mezzo soprano Yana Mann writes, performs, and produces music in collaboration with artists around the world.

As she says with a laugh, "All my life is a big risk." But she has never let that stop her from experimenting with different styles of music and creating incredible experiences throughout her career, from performing opera as a young girl in Russia to her world premiere debut at Carnegie Hall earlier this year.

Learn more about Yana and her work @yanamann_ on instagram and online at yanamann.com, and be sure to listen to the beautiful performances on her youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@yanamann

I enjoyed a lovely conversation with TJ Dawe, theatre writer, performer, and educator. He shares wonderful insights into his work through autobiographical monologues, which are based on his awareness and willingness to share who he is and the stories he tells about himself

Be sure to check out more about TJ at tjdawe.ca and on instagram @tj_dawe

And definitely watch his show Medicine on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47MoQTDJ3wQ&t=1s&ab_channel=TJDawe

As TJ says, and we do well to remember, we're all in this. Be compassionate, with yourself and with others

Joy Coutts worked in financial services in the UK until she decided to leave that world behind and become a writer, freelance copy editor, and facilitator of a group for women who want to learn what it means to write

That's the kind of brave choice her characters make in her first novel, A Missing Mother

Among other things, we talked about finding one's voice, creating safe spaces for others, and the value of sharing what we create

Be sure to check out her profile on instagram @thejoyfuljotter