Vulnerability in life and art

It was fun (and somewhat nerve-wracking) to speak with my drawing teacher Corina Kennedy about making art, being a magpie, taking risks, and the story behind a lovely piece of hers called Work Force/Wind Force.

She reminds us of the importance of remembering what it's like to be a beginner and taking the chance to learn something new, allowing our work and ourselves to be seen.

I talked with Matthieu Cheminée about his journey to becoming a silversmith, his travels to New Mexico and West Africa gaining inspiration and insight into metalworking techniques and designs, being an artist versus an artisan, and what it meant for him to stop making work to please other people and instead create exactly what he wanted.

Be sure to check out his work at matthieucheminee.com and on instagram @mattieucheminee

There's a theme that runs throughout my conversation with C S McIntire - what it means to be seen and not seen. We talk about his work and life, coming out, balancing the soft with the rough, and deserving to create.

Be sure to check out his work at csmcintire.com and on instagram @csmcintire

As one of the tenth episodes this one is just me, sharing a story about being called a copycat and what it means to me now.

The title of the book about hawks is H is for Hawks by Helen Macdonald, and the intervening work by Ludwig Wittgenstein is The Blue and Brown Books.

I'd love to hear what you think about copycats and originality, and what your sources of inspiration may be.

Melza Harvey integrates multiple materials with her beloved clay to create provocative and playful pieces (I somehow figured out how to record my voice over her audio through an OG Walkman embedded in one of her sculptures).

Melza shares stories about gender fluidity, expressing herself through her work, making brave choices to pursue her passions as a person, artist, and parent, and the roles of determination and fear in her ongoing development. The take home message is to go after what fulfills you.

You can learn more about Melza and her work at melzaharvey.com and on ig @melzaharvey

The conversation opens with some tears, both in content and tone. Riel shares her experiences as a writer and performer, from growing up with parents in the arts, to touring with a horse and wagon travelling theatre company, to discovering and sharing her most integrated self on stage while learning to manage crippling stage fright.

You can see what Riel is up to on instagram @hahahahnsy and @i_see_voices

I talked with Susan Homa, wellness multipreneur, about her journey from traditional roles as interior designer and real estate broker to creator of Welmä Studio, a nurturing space for self-care, expression, and discovery.

As we move into a new year, consider what you may want to leave behind and what you want to welcome in 2024. And don't feel you have to stay in your lane.

Learn more about Susan and Welmä Studio by checking out welmalifestyle.ca and instagram @welmastudio

Observing without intent, to see what's truly there rather than what we think we see

The nature and purpose of collaboration, of creating collectively with others

Willingness to fail, as a greater opportunity for learning than success

Multidisciplinary artist Christopher Sicat goes deep into the nature of art, process and object, artist and subject, and self-expression. At heart, he is a poet and a dancer.

Be sure to check out his work on instagram @christophersicat

Susan Hensel is an experienced multidisciplinary artist working in media ranging from drawing with graphite to digital embroidery. I very much enjoyed our conversation, as we covered topics including the nature of beauty, the physics of light in triangular polyester thread, and just showing up, even if it's for only five minutes, as part of building a practice of competence and confidence.

Check out Susan's work online at susanhenselgallery.com and on instagram @susan_hensel_multimedia_artist

This is an odd duck of an episode. I intended it to be a review of H of H Playbook by Anne Carson. It turned into a bit of a ramble about Anselm Kiefer, Heracles, the Vulnerability Journal Project, and a walk between darkness and light.

I'd love to hear what you think. You can email me at [email protected]

Anne Carson is a Canadian classicist, poet, translator, and professor. She has written a wide range of books, including Eros the Bittersweet and Men in the Off Hour.

Anselm Kiefer is a German painter and sculptor who has been creating monumental work throughout his career to ensure our collective history is not forgotten.