I’ve been dying to share this episode with you! My podcast guest today is Bisa Butler, a New Jersey based artist who, “paints with fabric”. Looooove! I wrote about her jaw dropping, life-size portraits, made entirely from bits of beautiful colorful patterned fabric, a few months ago {posted below} … and then immediately reached out to invite her onto the podcast. We cover everything from being a child of the rainbow {that will make sense in a minute} and flirting with Tupac, to how she found her way to quilting and eventually to where she is now… which is an incredibly exciting place to be. As we speak, she has just arrived in Chicago for the opening of her exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago! WHAT!? Anyway, we’ll get into all of that and more. You can listen right up there underneath Bisa and “Dahomey Amazon,”, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts / Spotify.

First, the pieces I wrote about a few months ago. Again, THIS IS ALL FABRIC:

Allllllll fabric!? Stunning. And her subjects? They tell the African American side of the story about American life, because as Bisa’s artist statement says:

“History is the story of men and women, but the narrative is controlled by those who hold the pen. My community has been marginalized for hundreds of years. While we have been right beside our white counterparts experiencing and creating history, our contributions and perspectives have been ignored, unrecorded, and lost.”

I love that she has chosen to tell these stories in bits of vintage fabric. Here is the first story she ever told that way, during her Masters program in 2001:

The second piece is the rework from a year later. Look how much she’d honed her skills! This is a portrait of “Grandpa Zakani”.

Next, “A New Dawn, 2020”, which features the young boy Bisa talked about:

So beautiful in so many ways… his repaired overalls, bare feet covered in a pair of Converse, the WWII airplanes on his pants, all of it. Oh, and I had to throw in a sample of  “Devaluation” so you could see what Bisa was referring to. She hasn’t used this fabric in any of her pieces yet, but it’s ready and waiting.

Ummmm, how did we not talk about either of these huge career milestones? :

The cover of TIME Magazine, and a feature in the New York Times! Clearly I’ll have to have her back on so we can discuss this properly. That fabulous shot of Bisa from the Times article was taken by @gioncarlovalentine.

Up next… oh you know, just a giant show at The Art Institute of Chicago that happens to include an absolutely huge piece {144″ x 108″}, titled “The Warmth of Other Sons”. Bisa spent seven months making this. Take a peek:

Gah! She just posted this jumping-for-joy photo to Instagram! Oh my word, can you even imagine seeing your work like that? I would sob. I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU, BISA! She also included this caption with a sneak peek of the exhibit and I just have to share:

“I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to share my work at such a beautiful institution. I was told today that not only am I the first African American woman to exhibit in the 2nd floor European Painting galleries, but I am the first living artist in the museums 141 year history. I walk in the path left by the African American artists who have come before me, and I hope to leave a path for others to follow.”

I’m not crying, you’re crying. Oof. Okay, deep breath. Back to that insane work… I mean, seriously, the amount of detail in that one piece alone is staggering. And where does this magic happen? In her dining room, of course:

Yep, that’s Bisa’s crazy sewing machine… I kinda wanna take it for a spin around the block, don’t you?

And finally, let’s wrap things up with these two stylish graduates:

Ha! I had to, because Grad 91 RULES! Thank you to Bisa for hanging out with me for so long, sharing all of her stories, and for emailing me her graduation photo!

Isn’t it kind of wonderful that a little girl who started school at “Children of the Rainbow” is now creating artwork filled with colorful, rainbow-hued people? I think that’s exactly how this was meant to play out. Bisa, if you happen to be reading this from Chicago, have an amazing time! What an incredible, well-deserved moment for you. And of course, huge thanks to all of you for listening. There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend. ~ Danielle

Other links:

1. Bisa on Instagram
2. Claire Oliver Gallery, Harlem
3. Howard University
4. AfriCOBRA / Jeff Donaldson
5. A Big Important Art Book – Now With Women 
6. Simone Leigh, Venice 2022
7. Montclair State University
8. Dutch wax fabric
9. Natalie Baxter {textile guns}
10. Art 1-54 Fair
11. Art Institute of Chicago: “Bisa Butler – Portraits” Nov 16, 2020 ~ April 19, 2021

Well, here we are. It’s Friday November 6th, and I thought we’d know who the 46th President would be. But we don’t. I’ll wait though. COUNT EVERY VOTE. My guest today is Diana Weymar, an American artist based in Canada who happens to be the woman behind the Tiny Pricks Project. It’s a public art project that “counterbalances the impermanence of Twitter and other social media, and Trump’s statements by using textiles that embody warmth, craft, permanence, civility, and a shared history.” Yep, this episode is gonna be political, because that’s the entire point of Tiny Pricks. If you’re not familiar with the project, listen to this episode! And if you do know about it, listen to this episode! You can hit play right up there under Diana at her 2019 show at Lingua Franca, NYC, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

First, not only did Diana create this ongoing project, she also kicked it off with her own work, AND continues to make new pieces. Here are just a handful of my favorites:

Sigh. These are all documented quotes. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.

Now, Diana also uses her needle and thread to capture other important moments, quotes and people. Enter these three beautiful works in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

RIP RBG ♥

So, this project is now up to almost 5000 pieces that have been contributed from people all over the world! Again, here is just a small sampling {artists Instagrams listed below}:

Artists shown above:  1. @justine.twina  2. @notyoureverydaymary  3. @lazygalmartha  4. @jlsully25  5. @valbee  6. @mldugan1  7. @peggyearle8  8. @jlillywerth  9. @yoginigb {nasty woman} 10. @artphotogirl {i’m speaking}  11. @daniellekrysaart  

Look at that pile of mail… those boxes and envelopes are full of work! Ah-mazing. And, as I promised her at the end of the episode, I made a piece too! That’s mine just above the pile. “MOVE TO CANADA” – right after the first debate between Trump and Biden, I read that “move to Canada” was the most searched phrase on Google. Well, as a proud Canadian, I’m not surprised at all. ; )

Speaking of proud Canadians, here’s our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau receiving an embroidered piece from Diana, delivered via the guys from CBC’s “Infoman”:

It’s a combo of two things Trump said about Justin… “He’s two faced / He’s a nice guy.”

Next up, the big, beautiful ‘Tiny Pricks Project’ show hosted by the Lingua Franca shop in New York. The entire space was literally wall-to-wall with embroidered quotes:

So, so, so good! And, to wrap things up, I had to share this personal piece Diana made for me. Apparently I said this on a podcast at some point, and she messaged me to ask if she could embroider it:

Obviously I said yes! But wait, then she took it one step further… she asked me to write the quote on a piece of paper and email it to her. I did, and voila, my handwriting was embroidered onto one of her grandmother’s lace handkerchiefs. What? Yes! She mailed it to me, and it now hangs in my studio. Amazingly wonderful, yes? Thank you to Diana for this beautiful, personal work AND for being on the podcast today; thanks to you for listening, and I’ll see you back here next Saturday with more ART FOR YOUR EAR.

Other links:

1. Participate in the Tiny Pricks Project
2. Tiny Pricks on Instagram
3. Diana Weymar on Instagram
4. Lingua Franca, NYC
5. Late Night with Seth Meyers
6. The Smithsonian

You might know her as @mrsciccoricco on Instagram… that’s how I knew her for years before we finally met in person! My guest today is California based, Dutch artist Natalie Ciccoricco. Obviously we’re going to talk about her insanely beautiful/poetic “Nesting” series {born during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic}, but we’ll also cover important topics like day jobs, motherhood, qualities that make for a perfect stick, and the reasons why she loves David Lynch. Oh, and at one point she ended up interviewing me about my latest book, but I quickly got things focused back on Natalie! You can listen right up there under “Nesting No.64”, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

First up, a few images I posted of Natalie’s “Nesting” pieces, fairly early on in the series:

I mean, COME ON! I love them all so much. And can’t you picture little Lou finding sticks for his mama on their daily walks? So crazy cute. This is just a fraction of the pieces in the series at this point. Personally, I think Natalie has struck creative gold. Speaking of striking gold, did we discuss the circular paper she sourced?

Yeah. ROUND RAG. Ah-mazing! {I can’t remember if we talked about this, but had to include a few images. Clearly.}

Next up, the really big commission Natalie just completed earlier this fall:

Chunky cross-stitch + found drift wood = LOVE.

Moving along to this dreamy series… ‘Color Holes’. This is what Natalie was working on before COVID hit:

Beautiful… the work, and Natalie standing in front of this series at Rasmussen Gallery in California.

Now, I was wracking my brain before we chatted because I could not picture the work she did before the color holes! Ahhh, the mixed media fairies, of course:

So lovely. That shot in the middle is from “Plus One”, a show Natalie invited me to be part of. Each artist from The Main Gallery chose their “plus one” from outside of the gallery to show with, and Natalie picked me! So there we are, up on the wall together in the summer of 2016. Ah yes, simpler times.

Now, I asked Natalie to send a photo of her embroidery thread, because I wanted to see if she really is organized. She is. I, however, have a slightly different storage system for my thread collection:

Hm. Well at least my collage cutouts are organized… really! THEY ARE!

And finally, a little touch o’ Halloween to end the episode. Sadly, Natalie does not have a picture of herself as a singing banana, so instead please enjoy these photos of my first ‘trick or treating’ experience:

A 2 year old bride? Okay. The ‘after’ picture is actually my favorite … the sorting is always the best part! Thanks so much to Natalie for coming on the podcast, and huge thanks to you for listening. Have a safe and happy weekend, and I’ll meet you back here next Saturday for a brand new episode of ART FOR YOUR EAR.

Other Links:

1. Natalie on Instagram
2. Natalie’s Shop
3. #30DayArtQuarantine {that has become a never-ending art quarantine}
4. Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch {the book Natalie loves}

You guys… ART FOR YOUR EAR is back! Yep, here we are at the beginning of Season No.5, and I could not be more thrilled to be kicking things off with this talented, insightful, soft-spoken artist. American artist Ronald Jackson is my very first guest back… after a much longer than planned break. I’m sure you’ll recognize his work as I’ve written about him before, but hearing his self-taught story {he had a 20 year career in the military before becoming a painter!?} makes me admire him more than I already did. Ready? You can listen right up there under “Some Wore the Skin of Invisible Men”, or subscribe right here.

First, a few of his most recent paintings, along with a shot of Ronald in the studio so you can, A. see the man behind the voice, and B. understand the scale of these masked beauties:

Gasp! So. Good.

I thought I’d include his work from 2018 as well. This is what he was doing when I first reached out to him about being on the podcast:

Yep, those are all stop-you-in-your-tracks gorgeous, too. And yes, that’s NOLA based artist Ashley Longshore with two pieces of Ronald’s that she now owns. LOVE!

Now, what did his work look like before he started adding masks to his subjects? I’m so glad you asked:

Again, so beautiful, but isn’t it so interesting to see the evolution? Speaking of which, here are the narrative paintings he was working on before that big show that required a lot of BIG work:

So different, yet you can absolutely see his hand in these paintings too. I wonder if he’ll head back in this direction at some point? We’ll have to keep an eye on that!

And finally, this is his painting that was recently acquired by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas:

“In a Day, She Became the Master of Her House”. Beautiful, on so many levels.

But wait! Before you go … I found this photo on Ronald’s Instagram feed and just had to include it… he’s 1 of 11 children! Can you spot him? Hint: he’s the baby of the family:

Awww, so cute! Thanks so much to Ronald for taking the time to share his stories with me, and thank YOU for coming back for season no.5 … there will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

Yep, as promised today’s guest is LA based artist, cartoonist, writer and graphic novelist Mimi Pond. I had so many questions for her – from her early days in New York, to a hamster show in California – and lucky for us, she had all of the answers. Mimi’s comics and graphic novels are filled with crazy stories, mostly from her own life, so you know she’s a good story teller! Listen right up there under Mimi’s self portrait, or subscribe right here.

First up, two gigantic projects… her first two graphic novels, “Over Easy”, and “The Customer is Always Wrong”:

I had to include that Instagram post with her book mug in the shot… A. because that mug is kinda perfect, and B. her hilarious captions about things like killer blueberry bread is just one of the many reasons I follow her!

Next, a bunch of her earlier illustrated books. They’re, like, totally awesome:

Hilarious! Speaking of hilarious… Mimi’s currently in progress graphic novel, featuring her latest obsession:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Time for a little #workinprogress #wednesday – thought I would let you see a little of me lettering. I actually like lettering. I find it soothing and the least nerve-wracking of all the processes. This page finally gets us up to Nancy Mitford’s grand awakening via HER GAYS! #mitfordsisters #nancymitford @mitfordjessica @mitfordsociety

A post shared by Mimi Pond (@mimipondovereasy) on Apr 29, 2020 at 4:39pm PDT

Ahhhh, I love it all. The stories, the illustrations, that lovely blue, and oh my word… the hand lettering! I’m not sure when this fabulous Mitford Sisters book will be out, but I’ll keep you posted.

Alright, this is a little random, but I purposely asked Mimi about this in the Not-So-Speedy-Speed-Round so that I could include a few snippets from this weird ‘n wonderful real life adventure. “A Squeak From The Void”, 2013:

Hahahaha! But there’s more. The whole story is right here.

And finally, a little look through the Pond/White family album, starting with Mimi in high school:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

It’s the Monday edition of #Mabelbrown and her #stickoftheday – no one loves a little flair more than Miss Brown does! #labradorretriever #worldsbestdog #dogsofinstagram

A post shared by Mimi Pond (@mimipondovereasy) on Feb 3, 2020 at 8:29am PST

Oh, Mabel Brown ♥ … that is a really, really great stick! Thank you so much to Mimi for doing this with me {thanks to Wayne for asking her for me}, and of course, thanks to you for listening. I will be taking the summer to recharge and get more interviews lined up for SEASON FIVE of ART FOR YOUR EAR starting in September! ~ Danielle xo

Other links:

1. Mimi on Instagram
2. Mimi’s books
3. Drawn & Quarterly
4. Wayne White on AFYE, Episode no.176

Oh my goodness, this episode. So, this weekend was supposed to be the last episode of the season featuring my interview with artist and writer Mimi Pond, but given the events of the past week I recorded one extra episode. Mimi will be up next weekend, but today I’m talking to LA based artist Calida Rawles. Honestly when I first saw her work, I thought ‘Wow, these photographs are stunning’. Turns out, they’re paintings. Beautiful, powerful, almost poetic, hyperreal, figurative acrylic paintings. I found her a few weeks ago in Amy Sherald’s Instagram feed, because crazy small world… they went to art school together! Anyway, we’re going to get into all of that, and a whole lot more. Listen right up there under “Radiating My Sovereignty”, or subscribe right here.

Okay, but wait! Before we go too far, go back up and look at that first painting. Do you see the two stars at the tip of her finger? Yes, the first hidden gem of many! Alright, now we can keep going. Here are the images I posted when I wrote about Calida earlier this week:

I mean, seriously. I just can’t believe how beautiful these are. Abstraction and realism living in perfect harmony.

Next, this is “In the Light (For Stephon Clark)” 2018, 48″ x 72″:

This is such a powerful piece, and even more so after hearing Calida tell the story behind it. I included the closest closeup I could find… do you see the galaxies? Beautiful, heartbreaking, and so powerful. I am so glad Calida shared all of the hidden bits of beauty to look for in her paintings. I was already emotionally invested, but those secrets took things to a whole new level.

Next, here are paintings that began her love affair with water. Vulnerable? Um, yes:

“Chrysalis”, “Converge”, “Blow It Out”, and “Holding It In – Pressure”. Wow. Brave, and so beautiful.

Next, more water. Here are the paintings Calida did for her longtime friend, and author, Ta-Nahisi Coates‘ first fiction novel, “The Water Dancer”:

Oh and look at that… there’s Oprah reading it. Yes, Ta-Nehisi’s book was Oprah’s 2019 pick for her book club… and there are Calida’s paintings on the front and back of it. Ah-mazing.

And finally, I had to include photos of her working, especially now that I can picture her up on that scaffolding listening to audio books for twelve hours at a time:

Gasp! Stunning… the paintings and Calida herself.

Saying ‘thank you’ doesn’t seem like enough. This conversation meant so much to me, especially right now. I pray that June 2020 will go down in history as an epic moment of change. I told Calida at the end of the episode that I almost cried a couple of times, and to be totally honest, I did cry after we said goodbye. I felt so inspired by her work/process, enlightened by her insights, and embarrassed by how much more I still have to learn. But I will. There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

Other links:

1. Bio image above from W Magazine / Photograph by Max Farago; Styled by Rebecca Ramsey
2. Calida on Instagram
3. Various Small Fires, LA {Gallery}
4. Amy Sherald, Artist / Amy on AFYE, Episode No.127
5. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Writer / The Water Dancer {Book}

Oh, HELL yes! The power of vulnerability displayed as brass knuckles topped with some very beautiful / badass quartz. Do you remember this “ring”? I wrote about it waaaaay back in 2011… and now it’s in the Smithsonian! Yep, American sculptor Debra Baxter is my guest today. I’ve been following her ever since that first post, so it’s about time I had her on the podcast. You can listen up there under that stunning piece of wearable art, or subscribe right here.

Ok, let’s start off with a quick reference. For some of you, this will be a trip down memory lane… and for you youngins, an education. I give you Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, 1978:

Sigh. I was in love with him. Anyway, yes… those crystals! Clearly this would have an impact. How, after seeing this as a kid, could Debra not start making art that looks like this:

Oh, boy. The crystal brass knuckle collection… and this isn’t all of them! I know this is older work for Debra, but damn, it’s just too good not to show! It’s like having the Fortress of Solitude on your frickin’ hand!

But wait, there’s more. Here are the absolutely stunning pieces you can find in Debra’s jewelry collection:

Gasp! Absolutely stunning… and the reason for the rustling sound at the beginning of the episode. Hey, totally worth it!

Next up, the #30DayArtQuarantine. Oh my word, these are just a few of the pieces Debra made every day for 30 days:

See? How on earth could I ever pick a favorite? It’s impossible. A few of these pieces are being released TODAY via Form & Concept Gallery in Santa Fe…  Here’s an interview she did with them about this series, and a link to the 5 available pieces.

Next, a little look at the two-person show Debra did last year, with Vancouver based artist Rebecca Chaperon, at Roc La Rue Gallery in Seattle. This is the post I did for that show:

Aren’t they perfect together? Dreamy, mystical, all of it.

And finally, THE PAPER BAG. I have to put it in all caps because I cannot even begin to imagine carving something like this:

… and it’s not even finished yet! Keep an eye on Debra’s Instagram feed for #WIPs of this beauty. Thank you so much to my fellow sculptor {I’m manifesting this} for chatting with me, and thanks to YOU for listening to us. See you next week for a new episode of ART FOR YOUR EAR.

Other links:

1. Debra on Instagram
2. Debra’s jewelry: DB/CB
3. Upcoming jewelry collab. partner: Susanna of Mineralogy Project 
4. Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle
5. Form & Concept Gallery, Santa Fe / 30day sculptures in their shop

A ‘rags to riches stories’? Nope, this is a ‘dentist to artist’ story! Yep, Pakistani artist Sara Shakeel was one exam away from becoming a dentist, and now she’s covering everything from stretch marks to dining tables in crystals. Now, before you hit PLAY, I have a technology disclaimer. We had a bunch of wifi issues but we did our best with all of the glitches, and stops n starts, redials and trying to remember where we left off when the call dropped. Huge thanks to my producer, and handsome husband, Greg for making this sound like one call. Ok, let’s get this sparkly party started. You can listen right up there under the most fabulous hand-washing ever, or subscribe here.

First up, a few of my favorite pieces from Sara during this global pandemic. And yes, her very popular ‘toilet paper’ is starting things off:

Love. It. All.

Ok, popping back in time a little bit for these next images. These are some of her first pieces… the images she created while locked in her room after returning home from dentistry school:

Ahhh, so fun! And, yes, those are the diamond lipsticks that added 15,000 new followers to her Instagram feed… over night.

Next up… a few of her beautiful, powerful and, of course, sparkly @glitterstretchmarks :

Hell YES.

Okay, so how about taking a whole bunch of Swarovski crystals into London’s NOW Gallery in order to create “The Great Supper” {and I had to include the toast and egg that started that train}:

Oh my word. Can you even imagine attaching alllllll of those crystals onto alllllll of those objects… in 28 days?! I’m dizzy just thinking about it.

From playing around with an app on her phone, to showing in galleries and collaborating with brands… here is the cover Sara recently did for Grazia Magazine, oh, and a little album cover she just did too:

Um, yeah… Chance the Rapper, hanging out on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, showing off the album that Sara created the artwork for. Damn!

I also had to include these pieces too, for obvious reasons:

I wonder how much your dentist bill would be if you did this? Hm.

And finally, let’s finish things off with this lil beauty:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sara Shakeel (@sarashakeel) on Apr 21, 2020 at 12:18pm PDT

Looooove! And now I want a bling-covered fruit salad. Thank you so much to Sara for taking the time to do this with me, thanks to Sugar Alykmi for supporting this episode {check out her workshop right here}, and thanks to YOU for listening! There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

ps. If you wouldn’t mind leaving a rating/review of the podcast on iTunes, I’d be very appreciative. I got a 1 outta 5 the other day {because I had the audacity to bring up politics} and I’d love a little help getting bumped back up. Thank you!

He’s back! [insert fan-girl screaming here]. LA based artist Wayne White was on the podcast almost five years ago – episode no.30 to be exact – and I could not be more thrilled to have him back. Wayne is one of my favorite artists of all time for a whole bunch of reasons which, of course, we’ll cover during this episode. The really big reason though? He got me making art again. Not just dabbling, but truly finding my way to do the work I want to do, the way I want to do it. During episode 30, he had two words for me… just two, short but very impactful words that squashed a long held belief I’d allowed an old art school professor to plant in my head decades ago. I’ve told this story before, and it’s actually a huge part of the TED talk I was supposed to have done in Nashville in March {they’re rescheduling so hopefully I’ll still get to tell this story standing on that red dot on a big stage}, but today I got to tell that story to the man himself! Listen right up there under that Cheap Bastard, or subscribe here.

First, one of my favorite films ever / my favorite moment from said film:

Seriously, if you watch Beauty is Embarrassing on a plane you will lose it. I cried so much when Ms. Stoddard showed up in Chattanooga to get her book signed. Such a special moment… that Wayne almost ruined.

Okay, wipe away the tears because “it’s tiiiiiime for PEEWEE’S PLAYHOUSE”:

Soooo, I popped the theme song in here so you could see a bunch of Wayne’s work in action, but side note: I can still sing that entire theme song. Wow. I guess that’s permanently in my brain. Good to know.

Okay, moving along. These word paintings on found thrift shop paintings were my first introduction to Wayne years ago, and I still love them oh so much:

Beautifully painted and ridiculously funny… perfect combo, if you ask me. But, as he said, sometimes he gets bored of the thrift shop paintings, so here’s a look at his latest oil paintings. Clouds. Look at these unbelievable clouds:

Stunning! I loved listening to him talk about how and why he decided to paint clouds for this series. Poetic. Here’s a peek at them in progress on his easel:

I mean, come on. Gorgeous.

Ok, drumroll please…. introducing Wayne’s newest baby:

The Wayne White Puppet Show! *Bear played by Mimi Pond. Here are links to the first two episodes { Ep. 1  /  Ep. 2 }, but keep your eye on his Instagram feed for upcoming puppet shows!

And finally, since we started off talking about Wayne as a kid growing up in Tennessee, please enjoy this:

Seriously, how could I not post that? Hey, he put it up on his Instagram feed, so I figure it’s fair game! Thank you so, so much to Wayne for doing this with me again; thanks to the Thrive Network for supporting the episode; and thank YOU for listening. Let’s have Wayne play us out, shall we …

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Wayne White (@waynewhiteart) on Apr 2, 2020 at 10:27am PDT

Other links:

1. Wayne on Instagram
2. Beauty is Embarrassing {film}
3. Maybe Now I’ll Get the Respect I So Richly Deserve {book}
4. Joshua Liner Gallery, NYC
5. Richard Brautigan, Poet
6. Esther Pearl Watson / Mark Todd
7. Big Time, Peter Gabriel {video}
8. Tonight Tonight, Smashing Pumpkins {video}
9. Wayne drawing with both hands
10. Thrive Network

Ahhh, an artist in her happy place. I am so excited about today’s interview. As you might notice this episode is going up a day late – then again, you probably have absolutely no idea what day it is anyway, so I’m just gonna pretend this is going up on time! I really wanted to talk to this painter and poet, but she’s been in and out of the hospital. So, earlier this week, when she said she could talk on Saturday morning, I seized the opportunity. Megan Krzmarzick is my guest today. You might know her as @messengerbird on Instagram… that’s how I’ve known her for years, but today I finally got to talk to her about her journey. I had so many questions for Megan, and her answers were a cocktail of inspiration and chills. Listen right up there under Megan in the desert, or subscribe here.

Okay. First up, Megan’s ‘lemons into lemonade’ is a little more dramatic than what most of us have had to face. So, when life gave her cancer {for the second time}, Megan made an art residency for herself. In the hospital:

How inspiring is that!? Yep, I may have posted most of her Instagram feed… but how could I not? Studies drying on the hospital window sill? Working on a large-scale abstract while in the middle of a chemo treatment?! I mean, seriously. I do not have an excuse not to be in my studio right this very second. Dang. She’s amazing.

Speaking of amazing, here is a little peek at her first self-published book of poetry, followed by her latest {which is an e-book}:

Running away. Sigh. I wish she could run away to Italy or Paris right now… and I’d also wish I was going with her!

Finally, Megan was not kidding about the way she tries to feel as normal as possible, which of course is part of her daily ritual for staying positive. Even in the hospital, she gets up, has a shower, puts on makeup and a spritz of perfume… and you’ll notice, there ain’t a hospital gown in sight:

Damn🔥 Take that, cancer. Megan, thank you so much for doing this with me. I wish you light and love and strength and healing… FIGHT! And to all of you, thank you for listening. Also, start a daily creative ritual… even if it’s only 15 minutes a day. There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend. ~ Danielle xo

Other links:

1. Megan on Instagram, aka @messengerbird
2. Running Away From Home, Vol 2 {download}
3. Frida {2002 movie}
4. Great British Baking Show