Issue 9 Writer Spotlight | Saroj Kunnakkat
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Saroj!
SK: I am a neurologist who focuses on epilepsy. Writing (and visual art) have been a part of my life since early childhood. They are and have always been ways to think in ways that are less concrete. So much of what I learned through these media have been incorporated into how I approach my career as a physician.
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
SK: Motherhood at its start was a period of profound doubt. In a way, I've come to embrace the doubt as part of the journey, and taking stock in each moment, what goes well, what makes my child feel safe and secure.
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
SK: Success is really when whatever ideas I have percolating somehow make it out into the world as something tangible.
C+B: What do you think makes a creator or their work impactful?
SK: When art stirs up emotions and forces us to think, this is when it has the greatest impact.
Find and support Saroj here:
IG: @sarahjococonut
Me in 3 words: Quirky, surprising, and stubborn. I think I am a bit of an oddball, my tastes are varied and usually unexpected (like the fact that I am a fan of both metal and South Indian classical music styles). I wouldn't have become a physician if I wasn't so stubborn, so set on this path despite the road that lay before me all those years ago.
My favorite creator of all time: Atul Gawande, as a physician and author he embodies so much of what I hope to emulate in both spheres.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: Watercolor, because of how gentle and subtle it can be. Really the sheer reason I haven't tried it is because I have a toddler running around.
Issue 9 Artist Spotlight | Sara Bailey
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Sara!
SB: I'm a rising senior at Converse University. I got into art because I've always loved storytelling, and I try to bring that into all of my work. Outside of art, I'm a big music nerd and I enjoy going on walks with my girlfriend.
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
SB: I dealt with a lot of doubts when trying to decide if I should go into the arts professionally. I spent a long time considering backup plans and more "careful" options, but I ultimately felt like I owed it to myself to see this through. Art has always been my identity, and it would be a shame to back down now.
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
SB: In my first year of college, I won best in show at our student juried exhibition with a painting I did over the summer before actually attending. I chose my school because of so many of the students were incredible artists who I looked up to as a high schooler, so for my work to be considered among theirs was really mind-blowing.
Find and support Sara here:
IG: @sarabailey.art
(In The Moments, oil, 18 x 24, ©Sara Bailey)
Me in 3 words: Dedicated, scatterbrained, nostalgic. I love art and I love putting my all into it. However, I have a tendency to jump from project to project or to change the course of a piece halfway through because I had a better idea. There have been many times where I restarted a series of work halfway to the deadline because I had a different vision I wanted to follow. Additionally, most of my work focuses on the past. I think a lot about who I was when trying to shape my future.
My favorite artist of all time: My favorite artist of all time is Dana Terrace, who is an animator and showrunner. She's gone through so much in her career and has faced so many obstacles, but she always gets right back up and creates such killer artwork. When I feel low, she inspires me to persevere and work harder.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: I grew up very inspired by fashion, so I think textile art would be fun to explore. With my art however, I like to be spontaneous and free, so I struggle with mediums that require a lot of forethought.
Issue 9 Writer Spotlight | Huma Farid
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Huma!
HF: I am an obstetrician gynecologist both by day and by night (babies have their own timelines) and have always loved writing since I was a kid.
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
HF: I have doubted myself every time I have written something. Is this piece good enough? Will this resonate with others?
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
HF: Publication of a piece is of course the ultimate validation and mark of success, but what is even more important is to look at your own work and recognize the beauty and truth of that, even if no one else does.
C+B: What do you think makes a creator or their work impactful?
HF: What makes an artist impactful is when our values align with our art.
Me in 3 words: Motivated; curious; bibliophile. The one constant in my life is my motivation to continually grow and challenge myself. Being curious about others' experiences and thoughts is what makes us human and relatable. I love the written word in general (I was the kid who would read the cereal box at breakfast because my mom forbade me from reading at the kitchen table) and books in particular.
My favorite creator of all time: Cliched answer, but I love Jane Austen. I read Pride and Prejudice at 14 and still own that copy of the book nearly 30 years later. She captured the flaws in her society so precisely and with such vivid description that I felt like I could understand 19th century England. Despite the constraints of societal norms at that time, she was a feminist who subtly pushed back on expectations for women. From her, I have learned to write even when things feel hard.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: Painting! I always love looking at other people's artwork and find it (theoretically) relaxing to paint. I am a terrible artist but feel like abstract painting could be better for someone like me who has no artistic talent.
Issue 9 Artist Spotlight | Anna Ruby Whitmire
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Anna!
ARW: I have many passions and interests, but the two things that have always stuck out to me are Art and Horses. The two have always intersected to some degree, as horses are my favorite thing to draw and paint, but only recently have I found a way to integrate them fully into a professional body of work. In addition to making art about horses, I love riding and working with them too. I find the practice of horsemanship deeply fulfilling and important to my artistic process. Outside of art and riding, I’m the type of person who is always busy doing something creative. I love to read, write, travel, and spend time outdoors.
2025 is a very special year because I am transitioning from an undergraduate student to a graduate student! I have just graduated from Converse University with my Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education. This Fall, I will be attending Florida Atlantic University to pursue an MFA in Visual Art with a concentration in Painting.
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
ARW: During my junior year of college, I made the decision to try and include horses in my assigned artwork for a drawing class. I told my professor about my desired trajectory of becoming an artist that “does horses.” She was supportive of it, but as I was first creating the work, I realized that being an equine artist was going to be a challenge. I wanted to create “horse art” that was not kitschy or cliche, and was relatable to everyone, not just horse lovers. I had to develop a concept and a visual language that was more than just “I like horses. look at this majestic horse.” Plenty of doubt, failed work, and a couple of embarrassing critiques later, I was unsure if I should continue. To overcome this hurdle, I chose to look to my other interests beyond horses: architecture, nature, and dreamlike landscapes. Once I brought all of these things together, with a little help from my professors and classmates, everything just clicked!
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
ARW: As a result of that big switch in trajectory, I developed a body of work which includes the art being featured in Clover + Bee. I always knew that art would be a lifetime practice for me, but at the beginning of that journey, I did not believe that I had much of a place in the professional art world. However, as I was making the work during my senior year, everything started to fall into place. My professors and classmates were loving the work, so I proposed for a solo show through my university, and was accepted. I named the show “Hoofstep Odyssey” to represent the journey one takes to regain awareness and connection in a chaotic world, depicted through horses in otherworldly landscapes. I applied to many exhibitions and other opportunities, just to see what would happen, with surprisingly positive results. Two of my paintings were accepted to my university’s juried show, and one received best in show. I then used the work to apply to Graduate school, fully aware of the possibility of rejection. Two of the three schools I applied to rejected me, but one accepted. After my show was over, I chose to commit to Florida Atlantic University, continuing this fulfilling and exciting new journey! Creating Hoofstep Odyssey was so impactful because it allowed me to achieve things I never thought I could, and has taken my passion for art to new heights.
Find and support Anna here:
IG: @horseandherondesign
Website: horseandherondesign.weebly.com
(The Torchbearer, oil and acrylic on canvas, 10” x 10” ©Anna Ruby Whitmire)
Me in 3 words: I am an authentic, fanciful hippophile! I value authenticity because being my most genuine self in everything I do is essential not only to my art, but to my whole life. I am fanciful because of my active imagination, romantic view of the world, and fascination with dreamscapes and worlds beyond our own. And finally, a hippophile is simply a lover of horses!
My favorite artist of all time: My favorite artist right now is Walton Ford. I love how his animal paintings don’t just glorify the animals, but criticize how people have interacted with them. They are both beautiful and impactful. This taught me that it is possible to develop such a concept within my own work. I also find ample inspiration in the surrealism movement, from artists like MC Escher and Leonora Carrington.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: I have wanted to try large-scale mural painting for a while now. This desire stems from my love for painting, which grew tremendously throughout my time in college, and how much fun I had creating large-scale paintings. Why not try doing something spectacularly huge, and seeing what happens? The only thing holding me back is a lack of materials and space to paint. Once I can locate the right materials, and an unsuspecting wall, I’ll be unstoppable!
Anna Ruby Whitmire
Issue 9 Writer Spotlight | Jeffery Allen Tobin
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Jeffery!
JAT: By day, I work as a political scientist and professional researcher, focusing on issues such as U.S. foreign policy, democracy, national security, and migration. I spend a good deal of my time analyzing systems of power, reading field reports, and trying to make sense of complex, often contradictory realities.
In my spare time, I read a lot. I dig both fiction and non-fiction. I often lean toward classic literature—Hardy, Eliot, and the Brontës are among my favorites—and I listen to a wide range of music, especially jazz, classical, and Americana. I find that poetry and fiction speak where data and policy can’t: they reach the ineffable corners of experience.
I became a writer because I needed a language that could hold more than argument. I’ve been writing for more than thirty years, across genres—poetry, fiction, essays—not to escape my professional life, but to complement it. Stories and poems let me explore the same themes I study—loss, power, ambiguity, justice—but from the inside out. My background straddles two disciplines: the analytical and the lyrical. I try to make them speak to one another.
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
JAT: I doubted myself most after taking a break from my doctoral work. What was supposed to be a short pause to regroup turned into a longer stretch of silence, and in that silence, the old doubts crept in—was I still cut out for this kind of thinking, this kind of writing? Had the moment passed?
What got me through wasn’t some flash of inspiration—it was a return to rhythm. I started walking again, reading poetry again, writing sentences with no purpose other than to hear the cadence click into place. Slowly, the gears turned. I remembered that doubt is part of the process, not proof you’ve failed. You don’t overcome it by waiting to feel brave. You just keep going, one page at a time.
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
JAT: Success is a slippery concept. I’ve felt it exactly three times: once when I finished a poem and didn’t hate it the next morning, once when an editor I admired said yes instead of ghosting me, and once when my dog fell asleep while I read him a draft—which I took as high praise.
But honestly, the moment that sticks with me most wasn’t about publication or praise. It was during a late-night writing session when everything finally clicked—the rhythm, the tone, the strange emotional logic of the piece. I sat back, blinked at the screen, and thought, "Well, that didn’t suck." For me, that felt like winning the Pulitzer. Which is probably why I’ll never win one.
C+B: What do you think makes a creator or their work impactful?
JAT: I think impact happens when an artist tells the truth in a way that feels both familiar and completely unexpected. Not the truth in some grand, definitive way—but a truth that rings out like a tuning fork in your chest. Art becomes impactful when it names something you didn’t know needed naming, or when it holds up a mirror you weren’t quite ready to look into.
It doesn’t have to be loud, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. But it has to be honest—emotionally, structurally, spiritually. The best work sneaks up on you. It lingers. It rewires something. And then it quietly dares you to make something that might do the same.
Find and support Jeffery here:
IG: @jefftobin11
Website: jefferyatobin.com
Substack: jefftobin11.substack.com
Jeffery Allen Tobin
Me in 3 words: Curious. Disciplined. Restless. Curious, because I’ve never outgrown the urge to ask why things are the way they are—and why they shouldn’t be otherwise. Disciplined, because both writing and research demand persistence, even (and especially) when the path forward isn’t clear. Restless, because I’m always chasing the next question, the next sentence, the next way to tell the truth.
My favorite creator of all time: Probably Tom Waits. Or maybe Edward Hopper. One of them painted loneliness in oil, the other growled it into a microphone—and somehow, both taught me more about storytelling than most books ever did.
Waits showed me that beauty doesn’t have to wear clean clothes. His songs stagger and mutter and bleed, and yet there’s poetry in every line. He made me realize that voice matters more than polish, and that strangeness—when it’s honest—is a gift, not a flaw.
Hopper, meanwhile, mastered the unsaid. His scenes feel like the moment just before someone speaks, or just after they’ve left. I write toward that space now—the charged quiet, the unresolved tension. From both of them, I learned that restraint can say as much as revelation, and that sometimes, the most powerful art is the kind that just . . . waits.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: Pottery, without question. There’s something deeply appealing about shaping something with your hands—something that isn’t words or ideas or abstract arguments. Just clay, pressure, and patience. It feels primal and grounded, the opposite of staring at a blinking cursor and hoping for a decent sentence.
What’s stopping me? Honestly, time. Also the mild suspicion that I’d make lopsided mugs no one wants and accidentally invent a new form of ashtray. But maybe that’s part of the appeal—it doesn’t have to be good. It just has to be made. One day, I’ll sign up for a class and let the mud do the talking.
Issue 9 Artist Spotlight | Chris Potts
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Chris!
CP: Currently I'm an IT Systems Engineer during the day for the Washington D.C. transit authority! I help all of our citizens get around D.C. with our intelligent transit systems.
In my spare time I of COURSE love painting. Recently I've been into tattooing, and learning how to build my own miniature studio in my condo.
My background is a bit eclectic. I grew up being poked and prodded for years in scientific experiments for neurodivergent medicinal testing groups. I struggled with being an "outcast" (I prefer hermit😆) since I was very young. It's been incredibly hard for me to talk about that stuff because of how traumatic and painful it was being hooked up to machines and having needles shoved into my arm every week, being intensely scrutinized, tested, and told I had a genius level IQ of 147 at the age of 10. I couldn't handle that very well. I made few friends because I just think so differently it put the other kids off. This all built up over years, so I turned to drinking when I got into college. Drinking freed me from social pain, but shackled me to another.
By some miracle, and with more than a few social, emotional (and physical) scars from crippling addiction, I graduated college. Being an atypical thinker, and a bit of an outcast, I left college with very few friends. For a long, lonely time, I drank and suppressed my feelings of shame, guilt, and pain.
Then, one of my very closest friends died of a DUI related car crash, and one month later another of my closest friends (both of whom lived with me) died of an overdose.
To say I was obliterated was a grave understatement. I never made many friends, and the friends I have truly understand and know me. We are loyal and powerful with each other, and losing them hurt more than I could describe.
So, desperate and mortified with a side of PTSD I started painting.
And I SUCKED!
I just kept on being really really bad, and painting. I read and watched and listened and learned about painting from every source, any source!
I just kept trying and trying, practicing every day. Then, one day a really awesome couple invited me to join in on their magazine Clover & Bee!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to introduce myself to you all🤘🏼
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
CP: I doubt myself every time I pick up my paintbrush. There's just simply no way around self doubt for me! I have had to learn that painting, and art for me in general is an exercise in religion and prayer. I am communicating with my inner self, and my "God" if you will when I make art. I'm not religious, but deeply spiritual, and my prayer is my artwork.
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
CP: I just started painting in 2020, and I'm fortunate enough to have been invited to participate in multiple local or regional art shows every year after I began. It just keeps getting more and more successful! It's incredibly impactful for me because my sobriety informs my art, and my art informs my spirit. I am feeling fulfilled on a level I never dreamed of as a kid just doodling comics on his lecture notes.
Find and support Chris here:
IG: @chrispottsart
Website: https://www.chrispotts.com
(Millennial Life, acrylic, 36 x 48, ©Chris Potts)
Me in 3 words: Curious, sensitive, strong; I am incredibly inquisitive by nature, and due to my neurodivergence my emotions, senses, and perception are extremely heightened. Emotions play across my mind and heart like the aurora borealis.
My favorite artist of all time: One of my favorites is Hilma Af Klint. She's an insanely talented spiritual painter. Some methods she used are so powerfully resonant with me. I feel she was able to communicate with her inner spirit and really bring out some universal archetypal knowledge with her work. Absolutely mesmerizing.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: So far I've tried a lot of different painting mediums, but tattooing is drawing me in very strongly. It's a way of canvas painting that is innately impermanent. We do not usually save the canvas of a person. That impermanence reminds me of our mortality and drives the messages I'm trying to spread.
Issue 9 Writer Spotlight | Mark Blackburn
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Mark!
MB: I was a shoe-seller and property expert in London until I escaped to the countryside and started writing. When I'm not writing, I'm likely to be driving around in old cars and hoping they don't break down!
I used to write before the world of work got in the way; I started evening classes in creative writing towards the end of my professional career and soon began having stories published. Now I'm writing more or less full-time and loving it!
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
MB: When did I ever not doubt myself? I think the change came for the better when I started writing and became the person I wanted to be rather than the person (Ifelt?) others wanted me to be. The more you are your 'authentic' self (sorry for that word!) the easier it becomes to prosper, in the widest sense.
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
MB: When I was runner-up in the Interact Ruth Rendell Short Story Prize. I attended the ceremony and my story was read by a professional actor. The judge, Dame Margaret Drabble, told me personally how much she related to and loved my story. I did feel that day that if Dame Margaret loves my writing, what else do I have to prove!
C+B: What do you think makes a creator or their work impactful?
MB: Relatability. When they can somehow identify and communicate some aspect of the human condition and render a potentially cathartic or inspiring take on it.
Find and support Mark here:
IG: @mdhblackburn
Website: mark-blackburn-writer.sumupstore.com
Me in 3 words: Older, liberal, resilient - I started writing seriously in my 50s and I'm getting over prostate cancer!
My favorite creator of all time: David Bowie, not just for his creative content but for the person he was. Even he said that as you grow older you become the person you wanted to be, and that does encourage and inspire me.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: I would like to engage with screenwriting or some form of writing for performance. But my current writing efforts use nearly all my time and energy.
Issue 9 Artist Spotlight | Terri Yacovelli
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Terri!
TY: I am a full-time artist specializing in encaustic—hot wax painting. Before dedicating myself fully to my practice, I spent many years as a studio art teacher and adjunct professor of art. Teaching a diverse range of students, from young people to adults at the college level, has reinforced my core belief that art is a universal language. We are inherently creative beings, yet we are hesitant to fully express ourselves. I am passionate about guiding others to use their creativity as a means to discover and amplify their voice and improve their well being.
C+B: Describe a time when you doubted yourself. Explain the scenario and how you were able to work through it.
TY: When I was around thirty, I lost quite a few people in my life within a few years of each other, some tragically. It really affected me; I had sort of an existential crisis. At that time I was painting realistic portraits in oil paint. Suddenly I lost the desire to paint anything, especially images of people. I thought, What's the point? Eventually, to distract myself from my doubts and grief, I decided not to 'make anything", just get out watercolors and mix colors and listen to music. I just pushed paint around. My art really helped to calm me during a most difficult time.
The freedom of playing with materials and working intuitively led to experimenting with mixed media to create colorful abstracts works. Themes of transition and symbols such as passages and portals emerged. The series was not a conscious decision; the work evolved on its own. Focusing on mark-making and color exploration gave me space to process things; it was very healing. I have recently been revisiting this theme with my encaustic work, so things have come full circle.
C+B: Describe a time when you felt successful in your creative pursuits. Explain the scenario and what was so impactful for you.
TY: There was an instance where I had finishing a rather large encaustic painting, and while I felt it was good, it lacked something. Other artist friends told me not to touch it, that it was a good piece and it was finished. It continued to bother me and I ended up reworking it. I took my blowtorch and went at it, taking away areas and then adding more layers on top of the entire surface. This gave the piece an ephemeral, atmospheric quality. Although altering something already complete was uncertain, the process brought new life to the work. Later that year , that painting won an award in a juried exhibition. This experience reminded me to embrace risk and trust my instincts as a creator.
Find and support Terri here:
IG: @tyacovelli
Website: terriyacovelli.com
Terri Yacovelli
(Navigating the Blue, 24x24, encaustic, ©Terri Yacovelli)
Me in 3 words: Creative, Spiritual, Silly. Creative because so much of my time is spent making things, not only physical artwork, but decorating, gardening and cooking.
Spiritual: My work is rooted in a deep sense of connection and purpose, reflecting my belief that we are guided by our inner knowing.
Silly: I embrace playfulness and believe we can find humor in most things.
My favorite artist of all time: That's a tough question! I have many artists I admire, but if I have to choose it would be the American artist Fairfield Porter (1907-1975). He was a painter and an art critic, and his work is elegantly simple but technically complex at the same time. His paintings are representational, they show his life through domestic scenes, portraits and landscapes. Each piece has a beautiful sense of color and gestural abstraction. He was very interested in the physical properties of paint and the joy of painting, sometimes allowing his work to be slightly 'unfinished' in areas. It's a good way to emphasize the materials and the artist's experience of the act of creating. I love that, and believe that the process is just as important as the end product.
A medium I’ve never tried but want to: When I was an educator, I was responsible to learn many mediums so that I could then teach them, so I have experience with many fine art materials. I have to say that working with encaustic is satisfying because it has endless possibilities. Encaustic paint can be polished to a high gloss, carved, scraped, layered, dipped, cast, modeled, textured, and combined with oil paints. Many artists use encaustic combined with printmaking, cloth, collage, and to create sculpture. I am open to new mediums, but this one will keep me busy for a very long time. There is always a new technique for me to explore with wax.
Issue 8 Artist Spotlight | Olga Nenazhivina
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Olga!
ON: Art is my work, and it’s also what I prefer to do in my free time. The ocean inspires me; it gives me strength and energy.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
ON: To me, art is a transformative force. It has the power to make people better, opening up new dimensions within them and revealing facets of their personality they might not have known were there. Art connects us to something deeper, inspiring self-discovery in ways few other things can.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
ON: When you start drawing at three years old and keep going without stopping, you have a significant momentum built over decades. A multitude of forms and ideas constantly buzz in your head; it’s like a big wave coming at you, and you’re always riding its crest.
Find and support Olga here:
IG: @olganenazhivina
Website: nenazhivina.com
(Unity, ©Olga Nenazhivina)
My ideal creative workspace: It’s an art studio built from solid wood on the shore of a warm ocean.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: That would be two artists. My father, sculptor Valery Nenazhivin, and my sister Irina. My father taught me two main things: to be fearless and to work every day. My sister Irina was an exceptional painter and had a unique way of seeing color.
My creative legacy: Today, a woman bought my painting as a gift for a child’s first birthday. She said she wanted it to be the first piece in his art collection. By 2075, that person will be 52 years old. I imagine he’ll have a significant collection of art by then and will remember which painting started it all. This feels deeply human and meaningful.
Issue 8 Writer Spotlight | Saroj Kunnakkat
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Saroj!
SK: I am a neurologist who focuses on epilepsy and seizure management at Montefiore Medical Center. Aside from writing, I love creating visual art, cooking, and spending time with my husband and my toddler daughter (not in that order!).
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
SK: Art is coaxing beauty out of the mundane, giving form to the shapeless, and wings to the earth-bound.
C+B: What is something you've learned as a creator, that you would want to pass on to younger creators?
SK: Writing can exist alongside other careers and can bring new perspective.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
SK: When I've had new ideas for pieces or thoughts, it's usually when I am otherwise focused on something else. Oftentimes this is in the car in bumper-to-bumper traffic and there is little else to do but ponder. Usually some idea or revelation pops into my head about a potential piece. When I get home, I end up heading straight to my computer when I get home to lay down those thoughts before they disappear.
Find and support Saroj here:
IG: @sarahjococonut
My ideal creative workspace: A room that doubles as both my office but also has a section set aside for quiet writing and art. Perhaps a couch in the corner for reading new books, an easel for paintings, and storage space for art and writing supplies.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: There are so many choices but the one that comes to mind is Dr. Abraham Verghese. As someone who is a physician and whose family also traces its roots to Kerala, he represents what is good about writing as well as medicine. I would love to learn how he draws from medicine when he approaches writing and vice-versa.
My creative legacy: I would love my work to not only give readers an escape from their day-to-day activities, but also remind people that they are not alone as they go about their routines and wade through the difficult parts of their individual journeys.
Issue 8 Artist Spotlight | Ana Salazar
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Ana!
AS: I’m Ana, a Portuguese artist, mother, and partner building a life filled with creativity, family, and inspiration.
After over a decade in the UK, where I became a mother and discovered my love for art, I returned to Portugal to deepen my practice. My partner, Prash, and I met on an online dating site back in London—a fun beginning that turned into a beautiful journey together with our now five-year-old son, who keeps us grounded and always learning. Prash is an artist himself and has been my biggest supporter, encouraging me every step of the way to explore and express my creative side. I’m deeply grateful for the life we’re building together and the art we bring into each other’s worlds. My family and I share a love for music and enjoy escaping into the mountains, grounding ourselves in the landscapes that surround us.
My love for textile arts has roots in my childhood, watching my great-aunties and grandmother knit and crochet while I played nearby. Their intricate work stayed with me, and those memories resurfaced after I became a mother, sparking a deep creative pull toward textiles. It felt like reconnecting with a part of myself I hadn’t yet explored.
I draw inspiration from the landscapes surrounding my small hometown, where the mountains, rivers, and ever-changing scenery provide a constant source of creativity. Nature’s textures and rhythms shape my work, offering both grounding and freedom as I explore each piece with the fluidity it deserves. Beyond nature, it’s the quiet moments and genuine connections with people that leave a lasting impact—small interactions that remind me of the warmth and resilience we each carry. My art blends the organic beauty of nature with the intricacies of human experience.
Something most people don’t know about me is that I actually began studying civil engineering but left it in my third year. Its rigid structure just didn’t suit me; my creative process thrives on fluidity and organic growth.
Before fully dedicating myself to art, I worked in luxury retail and hospitality in London, with places like Harrods, Selfridges, and Apple, where I loved the team energy and connecting with clients. Now, alongside Prash, I’m lucky enough to create art that feels personal and impactful, exploring each piece with a fluidity that allows every design to unfold naturally.
Something that might surprise you is that until last month, I created all my art—both small and large—from my living room! It was a cozy setup, but now with my new studio space, I’m excited to have room to explore and expand my creative process even further.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
AS: To me, art is a tangible expression of emotion, thought, and experience—a language without words that connects people across time and culture. It serves as a vital outlet for my inner world, allowing me to explore and convey complex feelings. My art practice is mindful and essential for my mental health; it provides a space for reflection, grounding, and peace amidst the chaos of life.
Creating art is not just a process for me; it’s a meditative practice that helps center my thoughts and emotions. Through my work, I aim to communicate a sense of tranquility and serenity, inviting viewers to find their own moments of peace within the pieces. I believe that when we engage with art mindfully, it has the power to inspire connection and reflection, creating a shared space for understanding and healing.
Find and support Ana here:
IG: @anasalazar.atelier
Website: anasalazaratelier.com
(Kintsugi 002, textile, 50cm x 50cm, ©Ana Salazar)
My ideal creative workspace: My ideal workspace would be nestled a bit outside the center of my hometown, offering breathtaking views of the mountains that inspire my art. I envision a glass house with a 360-degree view of the stunning landscape, allowing me to immerse myself in nature while I create. This connection to the outdoors would help me slow down and find peace, which is essential for my creative process.
In the center, there would be a compartment to store my materials, doubling as a display wall where I could showcase and photograph my pieces. This setup would not only keep my workspace organized but also provide a visually appealing backdrop for my art.
Additionally, I’d love to have a calming lounge area where I can welcome friends and clients. A small kitchenette would be perfect for offering beverages and snacks, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for visits. Surrounding the space, I’d install speakers for an immersive music listening experience, further enhancing the creative vibe of the studio.
This dream workspace would not only serve as a creative haven but also as a space for connection, collaboration, and inspiration—both for myself and those who visit.
Wow, this question got me dreaming!
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: Vanessa Barragão, a very talented Portuguese textile artist known for her vibrant and sustainable creations. As a fellow Portuguese artist, I find her journey particularly motivating, especially coming from a small country where establishing oneself in the art world can sometimes be challenging. Her success serves as a beacon of hope and encouragement for emerging artists like myself, reminding us that it is possible to carve out a meaningful space in the industry.
Vanessa’s commitment to environmental sustainability resonates deeply with me. She utilizes waste materials and discarded textiles in her work, creating stunning pieces that not only showcase her artistic talent but also raise awareness about the environmental impact of the fashion and textile industries. Her message about the importance of sustainability in art aligns with my own values, encouraging me to be mindful of my materials and the resources I use.
Seeing her beautiful art and hearing her story inspires me to persist in my creative journey while embracing the responsibility we have as artists to advocate for a more sustainable future.
My creative legacy: I hope my work is remembered for its ability to evoke a sense of peace and connection. I aspire for my art to serve as a sanctuary for viewers, offering them moments of reflection and grounding in an increasingly fast-paced world. I want my pieces to be seen not just as decorative objects but as invitations to slow down, engage with nature, and connect with our shared human experience.
Additionally, I hope my commitment to sustainability and the use of organic materials will inspire future generations of artists to embrace eco-friendly practices in their work. I envision my art contributing to a larger conversation about our relationship with the environment, encouraging mindfulness and appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us.
Ultimately, I want my art to be recognized as a bridge between past and present—a celebration of personal and collective memories that resonate across time. I hope that through my creations, viewers will feel empowered to explore their own stories and experiences, fostering a sense of community and understanding that transcends cultural boundaries.
Issue 8 Artist Spotlight | Renée Ferro
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Renée!
RF: I work full time as a brand designer. I spend almost all my free time at the pottery studio. One of my favorite things to do lately is go see an old movie without reading a synopsis/watching the trailer beforehand.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
RF: Anything that a human produces that is motivated by joy and curiosity.
C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.
RF: I shift my energy to practicing the mechanics of my craft. I will throw and throw and throw on the wheel with zero intention of getting an end result. When I do have inspiration it’s easier to produce because I’ve been practicing the technical part of ceramics.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
RF: I wanted to be in illustrator for the past seven years or so, but I found practicing that art daunting and exhausting. I didn’t make any work for close to a year. I decided to take a wheel throwing class on a whim and fell in love. I love practicing the art of ceramics and I had a realization of ohhhhh this is what it feels like to truly love to do something. I was just in love with the idea of becoming an illustrator, not the process. Loving the process is key.
Find and support Renée here:
IG: @renee__ferro
(Aftermath, ceramic, ©Renée Ferro)
My ideal creative workspace: Organized chaos with a view.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: I don’t really have any idols, but I do have coffee chats with a lot of my artist friends in the studio. They’ve taught me everything I know. Shout out to the Bitter Root Pottery gang AKA the basement rats.
My creative legacy: Bringing some curiosity to an ancient and traditional art form. I want people to look at my work and think “how did they do that?”. Maybe that question will lead them trying ceramics themselves.
Issue 8 Writer Spotlight | Divya Benezette
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Divya!
DB: Currently, I am a full-time graduate student at Towson University studying professional writing with a creative writing track. This past May, I completed my Bachelor's degree in English, also at Towson University. In my spare time, unsurprisingly I love to read and write. I read from a plethora of genres but my favorites are memoirs, fantasy, and literary fiction. When it comes to writing I, of course, love poetry but I also find so much joy in literary analysis and creative non-fiction. I also love to spend time outside and am so blessed to live in a wooded area where I see so many deer, foxes, raccoons, bunnies, birds etc. every day. Growing up around wildlife and having cats since I was four has definitely played a part in me becoming a creative, and my love for animals/nature shows in my poetry quite often. I also love fashion and often find that dressing up can be a form of empowerment. When I choose to dress up in hyperfeminine aesthetics and/or my ethnic wear in academic spaces I acknowledge that others might perceive me as lesser, but also that it is none of my business what people think of me. What matters is that I am dressing up in the way I dreamed of when I was a little girl all while accomplishing her dreams of being a writer, and I am doing it with excellence. The little girl in me would also be happy to know I am still a huge swiftie -after all, she is who inspired me to start writing in the first place. In regards to my ethnic wear - in the past year, I've made the decision to stop saving my Indian clothes for church or special occasions and to wear them to class, to go shopping, to see my friends, really anywhere and I am beyond happy that I did. I feel the most beautiful them and they make me feel like myself more than anything, so I have stop worrying about whether or not that makes people around me uncomfortable. It's more than just pretty outfits to me, it's my culture and it took me a long time to be okay with celebrating that even in small ways. Prior to submitting my poem "Fungus Gnats" to Bardics Anonymous, I had changed one line talking about my dream outfit to say "blush lehenga" instead of "blush ballgown" and it means so much to me that I chose my true voice over something palatable, even if it's just one line, in what became my first publication.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
DB: To me, art is any form of creative expression. It also must come from a place of passion, love, and good intentions. That's mostly all there is to it, art can be created by anyone of any background the only difference is opportunities and recognition.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
DB: I noticed a huge change in my creative process recently as I have gone back and revised poems I wrote in high school as a graduate student. I write much better than I did when I was younger because I have become much more well-read and improving as an academic has helped me sharpen my creative skills, too. I write like myself now, too, instead of catering to an audience and it has paid off. I find myself writing with a huge sense of joy that I didn't always have when I was younger that has come with immersing myself in my faith, my work, my hobbies, and surrounding myself with better friends. The difference between my original pieces and my revisions is astonishing.
Find and support Divya here:
IG: @whatsdivyareading
Website: chillsubs.com/users/divyabenezette
Divya Benezette
My ideal creative workspace: My mind immediately goes to forests and gardens. One space in particular is the Lalbagh Gardens in Bangalore - my family and I visited on our last, nearly annual trip to India in 2019 and it was one of the most memorable experiences for me in all our years of visiting. I've since learned there's a weekly book club hosted there and it seems like a great space to write in peace for a little while.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: I would have tea, but I absolutely want to have a little cafe date with Taylor Swift. I have been a huge fan since I was a kid and it would be so fun just to chat over warm drinks and I would love to ask her about her creative process. The few poems she has published are absolutely incredible and, to me, so many of her songs are just poetry put to music.
My creative legacy: I hope my work is remembered for its feminism and roots in nature. I hope that people feel captivated by a catalog of work that is both demanding and gentle, a reminder that the hyperfeminine is a symbol of intelligence and strength rather than naivety. And I hope that my work will have encouraged people to be kind to the earth and its animals.
Issue 8 Artist Spotlight | Donald Medley
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Donald!
DM: I am a BFA Studio Art candidate at Converse University. I enjoy photography on my spare time, and I find myself to be inspired by music. Music allows my mind to be more imaginative. It allows me to experience visual narratives that feed into my art. Which is funny because I have a twin brother who produces music.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
DM: I define art as expression, creation or performance that can be for an audience or one's own viewing.
C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.
DM: Creative block for me is a form of perfectionism. Often times I fear making something that isn't good or amazing, and wait for "inspiration" to come to me. I work through this by intentionally making something bad. I release expectation for good and aim for carelessness or a lack.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
DM: My sophomore year, I created lots of portraiture work. Through this I neglecting my backgrounds and realized that I wasn't really fond of super realistic representation. I took a printmaking course the next semester. Here I was able to work with materials that I wasn't familiar with. This stretched my comfort zone and allowed my work to have much more exciting backgrounds as well as more abstract figural representation.
Find and support Rachel here:
IG: @byrachelsotak_
Website: byrachelsotak.com
(Self Wanderer,15in x 22in, multimedia, ©Donald Medley)
My ideal creative workspace: My ideal creative space is a garage type space with a nice view or some kind of nice outside with a storage, table, and a desk.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: I would sit down with Kehinde Wiley. He is a big inspiration for my creative work. I would want him to critique my artwork and give me his thoughts.
My creative legacy: I hope that people can be inspired by what I do. That the people behind me can understand that they can create and do great things. I also want people to be able to relate and feel heard through my work.
Issue 8 Artist Spotlight | Jena Thomas
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Jena!
JT: I am a Painting and Drawing Professor. I love to travel and hike, that is when I collect most of my images for my work.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
JT: I try not to...
C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.
JT: I just keep showing up. It also helps me to have multiple things going at once, paintings, drawings collages, so I can move around depending on my mood. Most importantly, I keep showing up, there is always something in the studio to be done.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
JT: This seems to happen when I have completed working on a body of work. I try not to filter my direction too much, rather just sit back at the end and look at whats been done. When I moved back to Florida (I am currently in South Carolina) I had a moment of realization when I looked around at the artificial landscape and I just found it to be so bizarre. It took moving away and coming back with fresh eyes to see how strange it was to me. This has fuled my body of work for many years now.
Find and support Jena here:
IG: @jenathomasart
Website: jenathomasart.com
(Beautifully Dirty, ©Jena Thomas)
My ideal creative workspace: I am not too picky...No windows so I can control the light and a lot of good ventilation. A big door for moving stuff in and out is great too.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: There are so many! I had a wonderful professor in grad school, Walter Darby Bannard, he passed away several years ago, I feel like I have store of questions I would like to ask. He seemed to bestow wisdom so easily and willingly.
In 2075 I hope my work is remembered for: Strange but familiar landscapes with interesting color and varied surface textures.
Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Rachel Sotak
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Rachel!
RS: I'm an illustrator, muralist and graphic designer based in Concord, NH. I have worked as a solopreneur designer for 5+ years, but I've always thought of myself as an artist. I'm often know for whimsical and playful work, always using unique textures, layering, and vibrant color palettes.
I enjoy using both analog and digital mediums, but I'm always looking for an excuse to not stare at a screen, so I often sketch from coffee shops and park benches. I even took my sketchbook up to Cadillac Mountain for sunrise at Acadia National Park!
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
RS: To me, art = expression. In high school I did a presentation on creativity, showcasing how different artists throughout time (DaVinci, Mary Cassatt and Jackson Pollock) found their own means to harness it. My hope was to remind people that creativity is uniquely yours, just like your fingerprint. By sharing your work, it opens up possibilities for connection and emotional growth.
C+B: What is something you've learned as a creator, that you would want to pass on to younger creators?
RS: Start a sketchbook and keep it even after it's full. This is a great way to see your progress as an artist over time, and to also find new inspiration when you're feeling blocked.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
RS: In college, I took an art class just about color - color relationships, color symbolism, and how to pair colors together in unexpected ways. This opened my mind to how I personally see color and use it to express emotions.
Find and support Rachel here:
IG: @byrachelsotak_
Website: byrachelsotak.com
(Pigtails, 5in x 7in, digital illustration, ©Kristine Narvida)
My ideal creative workspace: I love big spaces with lots of sunlight. While I love the idea of being in nature and with a beautiful view, I often fill my cup by connecting with people and people watching (ha).
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: In the design world, I would love to meet with Paula Scher. Her impact on the design world has been transformative to the industry. I'd love to just pick her brain!
I'd also love to meet Monet - I love how he used color, and would love to work along side him.
My creative legacy: I recently took the first steps to create a creative space full of classes and workshops. While it's currently on hold, I hope to make it happen one day. I want to make art approachable with a community of people who inspire and encourage one another.
Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Lydia Kinney
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Lydia!
LK: I'm a recent full-time artist after several years in manufacturing-- and really enjoying it! In my now more substantive studio time, I've returned to regularly reading through audiobooks, and I'm finding a lot of inspiration in fiction works like Severance, When We Cease To Understand the World, Breasts and Eggs, and My Year of Rest and Relaxation, or nonfiction work like In The Dream House, Except for Palestine, and Debt. Maybe not the most uplifting reading lists, but it's certainly given me a lot to chew on!
C+B: What is something you've learned as a creator, that you would want to pass on to younger creators?
LK: So many creators say this, because it's very important: keep making. Keep making to stay in the habit of working, to stay in dialogue with the work, to improve for one's own standards. Keep making in the wake of rejection. Keep making in the wake of an accomplishment. Keep making to preserve the drive to make the work. Keep making as long as it makes sense to keep making.
C+B: Imagine it's 2075. What do you hope your work is remembered and recognized for?
LK: So much of my artwork is about radical imagination---in part because I struggle to imagine 2075 full stop. I've put my studio practice where I may have otherwise committed to a conventional family, a conventional job, a house, a deliberately apolitical outlook. As such it seems likely to me that looking back on this work in 2075, it will look like a resigned liberation of creative capacity. I hope to be caught in a post-zombie-formalism wind: that the work will retain some reflection of possibility. If nothing else, I hope not to be a huge pain to future conservators.
Find and support Lydia here:
IG: @l.m.kinney
Website: lydiamkiney.com
Lydia Kinney
(Yellow, 30in x 24in, acrylic on canvas, ©Lydia Kinney)
My ideal creative workspace: My current studio, which I've been in since 2018, is a true gem, and with some mindfulness is spacious, reasonably lit, quiet, and very much mind. I need the space to be a true goblin for hours at a time and this space affords it. Ideally, over time, I would find ways to make studio visits / dialog a bigger aspect of my creative environment.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present): It might be Prince! I recently watched a live version of It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night and I'm still stunned by the orchestration it takes to perform at that scale. Being able to hold that many intersecting concepts of song, dance, theatrics, crowd work, and collaboration is mind-blowing to me. It would take me years to make a painting as complex as Prince (and a dozen other performers, crew, etc) accomplishes in so little time, with such unflinching conviction.
Of course I'd want a peek behind the curtain. There's a mystique added to Prince as a creative, in part because he was so innovative, and it takes away from his work as an excellent collaborator.
Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Gabriella Giaconia
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Gabriella!
GG: I am an art teacher at a public school in New York City. In my spare time, I love to check out galleries and exhibits around the city, go to the beach, try different Italian restaurants around the city with my friends, and take figure drawing classes. Being by the ocean inspires me. It is where I feel the most clear minded.
C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.
GG: Morning pages have been life changing for me. Since I started doing them a few years ago, ideas and dreams that have been brewing for so long have come to fruition. So being consistent with those always helps me though a creative block. And I always feel clearer after spending time at the beach by myself.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
GG: I remember I was looking through an artists Instagram account that I found through a gallery she had work in. I saw she was also an art teacher around my same age and was actively showing her work at group shows in galleries and I became so inspired. During that time that I found her profile I felt as if something was missing from my life, like teaching was not my sole purpose, and I had recently started creating my own work again. So I really believe this was divine timing. It really motivated me to start putting my work out into the world.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
GG: I've recently been seeing a quote floating around my Instagram by actress Helena Bonham Carter that reads: "I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art." I think this sums up art perfectly- it is for everyone, all the time. Art is everything, not just old paintings hanging in museums, and I think the more people can adopt this concept the better!
Find and support Gabriella here:
IG: @gabriellagiaconiastudio
Website: gabriellagiaconiastudio.com
(Last Ones on the Beach, 24in x 36in, mixed media, ©Gabriella Giaconia)
My ideal creative retreat workspace: I imagine a very light and airy studio with windows that look out over the ocean, with a lot of open space. Lots of plants, disco balls, salt lamps, and art books. It would be the perfect mix of cozy, inspiring and calming. It ideally would be in Sicily!
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: The first person that came to my mind is Leah Kirsch. She's such an inspiration for me creatively and as a business woman. I've followed her for awhile and it just seems like she trusts herself and her ideas and the process so much that it just unfolds organically. I really admire what she's built so I'd love to pick her brain about creative entrepreneurship, showing up on social media and her creative journey in general.
Something I’ve learned as a creator that I want to pass on to younger creators: Just start the project or whatever your dream or idea is and share your work because it will eventually reach the right people. I have spent a lot of time planning and ruminating over ideas and projects but really the most helpful thing is just doing it and figuring things out as you go through trial and error.
My creative legacy: To have lived a creative life, not just had a creative career.
Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Sarah J. Schwartz
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Sarah!
SJS: By day, I'm a product designer at Apple, which I love balancing with my art practice. I think that my worlds between design and art often influence each other and inform how I approach the practices. Something that often inspires me is being around other creative people and seeing them doing what they love. I also want my art to inspire others to jump in and get creative in their own way.
C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.
SJS: I think of my practice as having different parts and components to it. When I'm truly blocked, I am either cleaning up my studio space, stretching new canvases, or even painting base layers over old paintings that no longer resonate with me. And sometimes I need to simply get out of the studio, so I’ll go to a local thrift store and collect some second hand frames.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
SJS: I had a breakthrough a couple years ago, where I noticed how much I loved using non-traditional supports and found objects to create my work. I enjoy using items that speak back to me as I work. Sometimes the ‘message’ comes to me as I’m working through a piece that started off with thrifted material and I’ve learned that it’s okay to ‘not know what I’m doing’ because I’m simply enjoying the process of creating itself.
C+B: Describe a negative experience you have had (relating to your work). How did you move forward?
SJS: There was one week about a year ago where I kept comparing myself to other artists on instagram. I was comparing my style to theirs, the likes, the followers, everything. I had to remind myself that everyone is on their own track and timeline. Some days it's super easy to internalize that message, and other days, it feels like I'm back in that really tough week all over again.
C+B: Imagine it's 2075. What do you hope your work is remembered and recognized for?
SJS: That I enjoyed and learned from the journey along the way. I think my mental health has always been something I have to learn to cope with and art has been this incredible outlet for me to understand myself better, and work through some darker moments. I want people to look at my art and see that it was a way for me to process what it has meant to me to be human.
Find and support Sarah here:
IG: @sarahjaclynschwartz
Website: sarahjschwartz.com
(License to Live, 36in x 36in, mixed media, ©Sarah J. Schwartz)
My ideal creative workspace: I dream about having a space that’s open, airy, and filled with natural daylight. It would be incredible if I didn’t have to worry if I got the floors, ceiling, or walls messy.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: Robert Rauschenberg. I have always been inspired by his work ever since I learned of him in my high school art history class. I'd want to learn about what continued to inspire him and how that changed over time, where he sourced his materials, and what gave him the courage to keep creating even when he may have doubted himself.
Something I’ve learned as a creator that I’d like to pass on to younger creators: Remember that it's about having fun. If something starts to no longer feel fun, take a break, put down the materials, and come back to it later.
Sarah J. Schwartz
Issue 7 Writer Spotlight | LeeAnn Love
C+B: Tell us about yourself, LeeAnn!
LL: In addition to furthering my writing and fine art career, I am a long time trained art and expressive therapist and newly beginning somatic coaching practitioner in training.
I LOVE to be outside as much as humanly possible: writing, painting, hiking, kayaking, tending fires, hugging trees, and talking to the moon.
I absolutely love to dance. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Three things I bet most people do not know about me: I am a newbie banjolele player.
I won my first writing contest when I was in 7th grade.
I started out in college as a math major. I made it to my third calculus class, and I was bored out of my creative mind. Needless to say, the year after I quit math, I studied art abroad in Italy for a summer term.
C+B: How do you define the word "art?"
LL: The word "art" to me is very broad -- in my mind, it is honestly any creative act. I believe all people are inherently creative, although many do not believe this. Art can be through cooking, designing your home, what you wear, a computer program you created, or a stone cairn you created in the water when playing by the sea.
C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.
LL: Last summer, I took a radical leap, paused my art therapy business and headed to Scotland, the land of my ancestors, for a four-month sabbatical. As I landed, with very few plans established, other than where I was staying, so many creative opportunities came my way. I wrote every single day, and my two poems in Clover + Bee came from this season of writing. I also found local artists who walked in nature and created plein air art in community. I joined an artist group at the local hub in town, and I made playful work inspired by other artists and their work. If found the deep importance for me of working creatively in community, and then heading back into the studio to create my own body of work. I had forgotten my need for this; as an expressive therapist, I had gotten so focused on other's creative processes rather than my own. The both/and of communal and solitary creative process is the perfect balance for my creative practice, both in writing and artmaking.
C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.
LL: In expressive therapy graduate school, my professor spoke about the intermodal shift: changing materials, media, or modalities of creativity to explore concepts more deeply. I have found in my own work that when I am stuck, if I create a haiku poem, or start with a list of words, try a differing artist medium, dance what I am trying to create, or even just hop on my banjolele, things will often get flowing again. In the creative process, there are also just times of ebb and flow. In those times, if I can travel, play in the woods or the sea, read poetry, go to art exhibitions, explore a new art supply shop, watch a film, or attend a creative event, these experiences can bring inspiration when my work is in ebbing phases.
C+B: What’s your creative legacy?
LL: As a childless woman, a woman who wanted children but was unable to have them, legacy is a tender topic. I have thought of this a lot in recent years, and I realize what a profound legacy I have, even without children. As an art therapist, I have supported children and families of many races, cultures, gender and sexual identities, socioeconomic classes, physical and mental abilities over the years. I have worked with hundreds of those in recovery from mental health and substance abuse issues helping them find joy and healing in the art process. I have taught art skills to children, teens, adults, since I was a teenager. I taught college students about arts and healing, expanding ideas beyond cultural beliefs. I continue to supervise upcoming art therapists, supporting them in their practices of holding compassionate and creative spaces with those who are suffering. I have completed many murals, paintings, exhibitions, writings, and have a book in progress.
And even with all the people I have impacted and accomplishments I have met, I am most proud of my legacy that is seen in my beloved nieces and nephews. While they are all are dearly loved, currently, a few of them embody part of my creative legacy. I had never really considered how much my creativity had impacted my nieces and nephews, until after the passing of my nephew, Adam. His friends told me that he believed he "got his artsy side from me." My niece, Lauren, is a force of nature as an artist, moving and shaking the intersection of social action with Presbyterian theology. She inspires and humbles me daily. My other niece, Lindsay, who mistakenly calls herself the "noncreative one" is providing all kinds of creative opportunities for her son Pax, who is a natural artist and singer. She is truly passing on my families' creativity and my creative legacy to the next generation.
LeeAnn Love
My ideal creative workspace: I love to write in a fully sunlit room, with floor to ceiling windows. With colorful pens, journals of recent years, and a keyboard, as I am in the generation which bridged analog and digital writing. I enjoy lots of cozy pillows, blankets, a sturdy table and desk, and a cuppa hot herbal tea.
Something I’ve learned as a creator that I would want to pass on to younger creators: Trust your creativity. The Western world will continue to tell you not to create. It isn't wise. You can't survive financially. You aren't talented enough. It is frivolous. The more I fought my own creativity (e.g. started out as a college math major), the more creativity sought me and will seek you. It is in your bones and in all of our ancestral stories. Creativity is the epitome of the human experience. It is your medicine and healing for you and for the world. Once you no longer resist yourself, embracing the creative path is the most terrifying, exhilarating, life giving way to live.
If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: Mary Oliver, Beth Kempton, Glennon Doyle. Each of these women embody some part of the writing process that I greatly admire and inspires me. Mary Oliver has such a rich way of bringing nature and simplicity to the greatest depths, down to the bones. Beth Kempton is so authentic, honest, inspiring, and truly present in her human experience. Glennon Doyle is a firecracker of a soul, moving and shaking in her work, in advocacy, and in truth telling.
Find and support LeeAnn here:
IG: @leeannlovestudio
Website: leeannlove.com