Makers & Mystics is a podcast for artists and spiritually curious people who seek truth and embrace a creative life. Host Stephen Roach explores the intersection of art, faith, and mystery through conversations and reflections. The show is aimed at listeners who want to live with adventure, imagination, and deeper spiritual awareness.
Episodes
Black Elk: Lakota Visionary, Healer, and Mystic
Black Elk (1863–1950) was an Oglala Lakota medicine man, visionary, and spiritual leader whose life unfolded during one of the most turbulent periods in Native American history. In this Artist Profile, Stephen Roach explores Black Elk's extraordinary life, from his childhood visions and initiation as a medicine man to his travels with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and his growing interes
Toward Union with God: A Conversation with Stasi Eldredge
In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with author Stasi Eldredge to explore the contemplative journey toward union with God. Drawing on biblical imagery and themes from her book, The Ladder of Love, Stasi describes a series of rungs that invite us into an increasingly intimate relationship with our Creator, from clay being formed by the hands of God to a beloved child wh
The Monster Revealed: Art, Horror, and The Christian Imagination | Dr. Kutter Callaway
**This episode contains sensitive subject matter**Can horror become a means of redemption? What might the stories that frighten us reveal about ourselves, our faith, and the world we inhabit?Can people of faith engage horror as a legitimate artistic practice? In a culture that often encourages us to avoid discomfort, the darker dimensions of art can challenge us to confront realities we might othe
This Is a Door: Storytelling, Meaning-Making, and The Search for Identity | Daniel Nayeri
Why do we need stories? And what if the purpose of art is not simply self-expression, but a way of helping us understand what it means to be human?In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with acclaimed author Daniel Nayeri to explore the relationship between storytelling, meaning-making, and identity. From the stories we tell to make sense of our lives to the narratives th
Our Daily Breath: How Contemplation Feeds The Creative Life | Kayla Craig
Contemplation is the inhale, and creativity is the exhale. Author and spiritual director Kayla Craig shares how we can make space for both.Her devotional, Our Daily Breath, guides readers through contemplative prayer practices designed to renew creative energy in a loud, distracted world. Stephen Roach and Kayla explore why cynicism comes so easily, and how stillness opens the door to compassion,
Memory Is a Musical Place with Composer Michael Anderson
What if memories were real entities that inhabit places, and what if music could give those places a voice?In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with composer Michael Anderson to explore the strange and beautiful relationship between memory, time, place, music, and faith.Michael's latest work, Hallov, is a 24-piece musical journey through birth, pain, joy, death, an
Art As a Spiritual Gateway: Classical Music and Rediscovering Creative Joy
What happens when the art form you once loved becomes a way of proving your worth?For oboist, educator, and author Merideth Estevez, classical music began as a source of joy and wonder. As a child, it was even a language through which she experienced God. But somewhere along the way, the pursuit of excellence became entangled with perfectionism, achievement, and the need to prove herself.In her bo
The Art of Slow: Making Things That Last with Jake Weidmann
We live in a world of fast content, instant communication, next-day shipping, and things designed to be quickly replaced. But what happens when an artist chooses to work against the grain of social norms? Jake Weidmann is one of only nine Master Penmen in the world, but his work extends far beyond calligraphy. A multidisciplinary artist working in drawing, oil painting, sculpture, wood carving, an
Seeing Through The Tropes: How Art History Shaped Women's Identity | Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt
How do the images we see shape the way we understand ourselves and one another?In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with art historian and author Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt to explore her new book, Look Like a Lady: Five Visual Tropes of Womanhood and How to See Ourselves Differently.Drawing from centuries of art history, Elissa identifies five recurring ways women have b
Strange Glory: A Case for Unconventional Art
What does it mean to glorify God through art?For many artists, the desire to glorify God can become an expectation that their work should communicate an explicitly religious message. But what happens when that expectation begins to constrict the artist? What if our attempts to make art that clearly communicates faith actually prevent the art from becoming genuinely transformative?In this solo medi
The World Needs Your Art: The Spiritual Roots of Why Artists Suffer | Stephen Roach
Every great artist from Caravaggio to Frida Kahlo has fought the same invisible war, and Stephen Roach makes the case that it is not a coincidence.In this solo reflection, Stephen traces a decade-long question that has haunted him: why does creative expression seem to attract so much internal and external opposition? Drawing on scripture, church history, and the lives of artists who battled addict
Evelyn Underhill: Mother of Modern Mystics
Evelyn Underhill: The Mother of Modern MysticsArtist Profile Series 40Who was Evelyn Underhill, and why does her work continue to shape the modern contemplative movement more than a century later?In this Artist Profile episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach explores the life of Evelyn Underhill, writer, spiritual director, retreat leader, and one of the most influential voices on Christian
Making Room at the Table: Art, Justice, and The Stories That Shape Us | Steve Prince
What if art isn't simply something we admire, but something that asks something of us?In this episode, Stephen Roach sits down with acclaimed printmaker, educator, and storyteller Steve Prince for a conversation about the vocation of the artist. Drawing from history, faith, family, and lived experience, Steve shares how his work seeks to preserve memory, confront injustice, and create spaces
Missionaries of Beauty: An Antidote to a Cultural Crisis with Sacred Artist Kate Capato
Can beauty change a person? A community? A culture? Sacred artist Kate Capato believes it can.In this bonus episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with Kate to explore why authentic beauty has the power to heal, awaken wonder, and draw people into the presence of God. Together they discuss the modern crisis of beauty, the vocation of the artist, and how sacred art becomes an invi
One Last Monster: Gene Kim on Animation, Storytelling, and the Art of Human Transformation
Animation has a unique ability to carry profound truths beneath colorful worlds, unforgettable characters, and compelling adventure. Beneath the spectacle, the best stories invite us into questions of identity, grief, hope, and transformation.In this episode, Stephen Roach sits down with animator and storyboard artist Gene Kim, whose career has included work with Pixar, Blue Sky Studios, and major
Threads of Beauty: On Fashion, Fabric and Theology
In this bonus episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach revisits The Pace of Beauty series with artist and designer Jennifer Sturrock. Drawing from her background in couture, contemporary art, and theological study, Jennifer shares how fabric and materiality have become a framework for exploring deeper questions of identity, mystery, and communion with God. What begins as a conversation about
The Problem with Beauty: From The Grotesque to The Sublime
Beauty is one of the most celebrated words in art and faith conversations, but it may also be one of the most misunderstood. Is beauty simply what pleases the eye, or is it something deeper? Can beauty exist alongside suffering, loss, and the grotesque? And what happens when we settle for beauty that comforts us while avoiding the realities that transform us?What if beauty requires darkness, myste
The Beauty of Vulnerability | Zan Fiskum
What does it cost an artist to tell the truth? Singer-songwriter Zan Fiskum has built her entire creative life around finding out. In this episode, host Stephen Roach sits down with Zan to explore how her most personal songs, about a toxic creative relationship, a fractured friendship, and a complicated bond with her mother, became anthems for strangers carrying the same quiet weight.This is a con
Beauty As Survival: Breath, Embodiment, and The First Instrument
Beauty As Survival: Breath, Embodiment, and The First Instrument A conversation with Whitney LynnIn this episode, I sit down with embodiment coach, creative director, and longtime Breath and The Clay collaborator Whitney Lynn to explore the intersections of breath, beauty, embodiment, and the creative life.Whitney’s work centers on “returning the body to the body,” helping people come home to them
Make Your Home In This Luminous Dark: Contemporary Art and The Path of the Mystics with James K. A. Smith
Make Your Home In This Luminous Dark A conversation with James K. A. SmithIn this episode, I sit down with philosopher and author James K. A. Smith (Jamie) to explore the mystical tradition as a living pathway into deeper faith, creativity, and presence.Jamie shares how his journey into mysticism began not through abstract theology, but through personal crisis, an experience of depression that exp
Taking Up The Tale with Malcolm Guite
What can ancient stories teach us about creativity, courage, and our own place in the modern world? In this episode, Stephen Roach welcomes poet and priest Malcolm Guite back to Makers & Mystics to explore his poetic retelling of King Arthur and the Holy Grail. Malcolm reflects on how these stories shaped him from childhood and why myth still carries moral and spiritual weight in a disenchante
Making Space for Meaning: The Renewal of Myth and Storytelling with Jonathan Pageau
In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with cultural critic, writer, and iconographer Jonathan Pageau to explore the state of contemporary storytelling and the enduring power of myth.Pageau, creator of The Symbolic World, explains how symbols operate beneath conscious awareness to shape imagination and culture. Together, they discuss why traditional narratives appear depl
The Ethics of Beauty with Dr. Timothy Patitsas
In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach continues the series The Pace of Beauty with Dr. Timothy Patitsas, author of The Ethics of Beauty.Focusing on Chapter Six, The Mystical Architect, they explore the inseparability of beauty and goodness, the cruciform nature of the artist’s journey, and how trauma has shaped modern art’s uneasy relationship with beauty. Together, they consider
REPLAY: Beauty As Prophetic Vision with Brian Zahnd
This replay episode features excerpts from a 2017 conversation with author Brian Zahnd, exploring his insights on Christian aesthetics and the role of beauty in faith. The discussion centers on Zahnd's book, "Beauty Will Save the World," and his argument for understanding Christianity through the lens of beauty rather than relying solely on truth claims and moral arguments. Send us
On Beauty And Repair with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
What does it mean to repair what has been broken, and can there be beauty in that work?In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach is joined by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg for a thoughtful conversation on repentance, accountability, and the demanding work of repair. As part of our ongoing series on beauty, this episode explores repentance not as performance or apology, but as a process of tr
The Beauty of Authenticity with songwriter John Van Deusen
The Beauty of Authenticity — John Van DeusenSongwriter John Van Deusen joins Makers & Mystics to explore the beauty of authenticity in art, faith, and vocation. In a creative landscape that often rewards certainty and success, John reflects on the cost—and freedom—of making honesty the point.At the center of the conversation is his latest album, As Long As I Am In The Tent of This Body I Will
Beauty and Resistance with Jonathan P. Walton
What if beauty isn’t an escape from the outrage and exhaustion of the world—but a form of resistance against it?In a culture overrun with anxiety and uncertainty, turning toward beauty can feel almost defiant. In this episode of Makers & Mystics, host Stephen Roach is joined by theologian, poet, and cultural critic Jonathan P. Walton to explore how beauty forms us for resilience, integrity, an
How Beauty Will Save The World with Winfield Bevins
What role does beauty play in a fractured and hurried world—and what might happen if we allowed it to slow us down?This episode marks the beginning of a new Makers and Mystics series, The Pace of Beauty, exploring how beauty invites us into a more attentive and spiritually grounded way of living.In this opening conversation, Stephen Roach is joined by Winfield Bevins, author, artist, and founder o
The Pace of Beauty
Moving at the Pace of BeautySeason Introduction — Makers & Mystics PodcastElaine Scarry writes that “beauty quickens. It adrenalizes. It makes the heart beat faster.” Beauty is immediate in this way. It strikes us unaware and de-centers us, throwing us off balance and ushering us into a moment of euphoria. Beauty comes to us in a flash, a sudden recognition, or a moment of beholding; however,
The Person and The Persona: Mental Health, Fame, and the Artist’s Soul
In this episode of Makers and Mystics, host Stephen Roach is joined by Jared Farley of Porter’s Call, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the emotional and mental health of touring artists and their families.Together, they explore the tension between persona and person, stage life and home life, and the unique pressures artists face when identity becomes brand. The conversation examines the impact
Making Space for Creative Community: Behind the Scenes of Breath and Clay 2026
In this episode, Stephen Roach sits down with creative collaborators Justin McRoberts, Whitney Hancock, and Corey Frey for a conversation about the art of building authentic creative community.From introducing their new online offering, "The Light Between," to a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Breath and the Clay 2026 event, themed "Making Space," this conversation explo
Creating Monsters: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein and the Horror of Unchecked Ambition
In this inter-seasonal episode, Stephen Roach is joined by returning guests Paul Anleitner and John Mark McMillan for a discussion of Guillermo del Toro’s new Frankenstein adaptation. Together they explore del Toro’s visual storytelling, the spiritual and theological roots of Mary Shelley’s original vision, and why horror remains one of the most powerful vehicles for truth in our modern age.What W
S15 E15: Resistance and Flow (Season Finale)
In this season finale, Stephen Roach closes out our exploration of creative flow with a rich conversation with several artists from the Makers & Mystics Patreon community. Joining the discussion are artist and educator Angela Houk, writer and branding expert Steve Brock, and poet and visual artist Corey Frey.Together, the crew explores the interplay between resistance and flow—how creative blo
S15 E14: Sound Symbols: Foley Art in Film with Ronnie Van Der Veer
Behind the curtain of cinema lies a hidden language, spoken not in words, but in sound.In this episode of Makers and Mystics, Stephen Roach interviews Foley artist Ronnie Van Der Veer, exploring the intricate world of sound design in film. Ronnie shares his journey into Foley art, the importance of creating realistic sound effects, and the techniques he employs to enhance the cinematic experience.
Simeon Stylites: Ascetic, Mystic, and Radical Witness
What can the life of a bizarre fifth-century monk teach us about prayer, attention, and the way we live in the modern world?Simeon Stylites was a fifth-century Syrian Christian ascetic who became famous for an extraordinary act of devotion: he spent 37 years standing atop a pillar, turning his unusual life of prayer into a public witness that drew the attention of people from across the ancient wo
S15 E13: Confessional Transcendence with Poet and Actor Amy Leigh Wicks
Amy Leigh Wicks is a poet, actress, and educator from New York City. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand and an MFA from The New School in New York. She recently served as Dean of Performing Arts at Bethel Conservatory of the Arts and is the author of The Dangerous Country of Love and Marriage (Auckland University Press, 2019) and Orange Juice
S15 E12: The Ghost Life with Prasanta Verma
As artists, we live our lives between worlds, the one in which we imagine and the one in which we must survive. But what do we do when the life we imagine and the life we live are incongruent? Often our lives look much different on paper than they do in our dreams. Joining us for this conversation is author, speaker, and public health professional Prasanta Verma. Prasanta's first book, Beyon
S15 E11: Urgency and Intimacy with Julian Davis Reid
“How do we hold both urgency and intimacy in our creative practices? How can an artist become a vessel of divine presence — not only in churches, but on club stages, in studios, and in everyday life?”In today’s episode, I’m joined by jazz and gospel pianist Julian Davis Reid — a Chicago-based artist-theologian whose work sits at the crossroads of sound, spirit, and scholarship. Julian is a foundin
S15 E10: The Art of Becoming: Jon Guerra on Music, Imagination, and Spiritual Formation
How does imagination shape not only our art but our spiritual formation? And what does it mean to hold space for play, growth, and even disappointment within our creative process?In this episode, Stephen Roach is joined by Jon Guerra — a singer, songwriter, and film composer based in Austin, Texas, whose work is marked by its devotional nature and spiritual depth.Jon shares the inspiration behind
S15 E09: Ecstatic States and The Artistic Impulse P2
In this concluding segment of our Artist Roundtable, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Donna Matthews continue their conversation on ecstatic experiences, flow states, and the artist’s impulse through a Christian lens. This episode explores ecstatic states in both Pentecostal and Orthodox traditions, highlighting the shared hunger for transcendent encounter across streams of faith. The discussion als
S15 E08: Ecstatic States and The Artistic Impulse P1
In this Artist Roundtable, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Donna Matthews explore the concept of flow states, ecstatic experiences, and their intersections with art and faith. They discuss how creative processes can lead to profound spiritual encounters, the importance of vulnerability and surrender in accessing these states, and the role of discernment in navigating spiritual experiences. This Two
S15 E07: Recasting The Familiar with Faith Bryant
Overfamiliarization can blind us from recognizing the beauty and power of certain truths. When we think we have heard the story before or believe we already know what a particular truth has to offer, we lose the curiosity that opens us to deeper revelation. The work of the artist is to disrupt that familiarity, make the known strange again, and the familiar unfamiliar again, so that we see the wor
S15 E06: Sacred Impressions with Visual Artist Elizabeth Bowman
Elizabeth Bowman is a self-taught impressionist painter based in Charlotte, NC. Her work is steeped in imaginative renderings of biblical stories and visual meditations on the life of faith.In this conversation, Elizabeth shares how motherhood and prayerfulness give shape to her art, the importance of rest and reflection, and how she finds creative flow amidst the demands of everyday life.http://w
S15E05: A Resonance Across The Ages with Barbara Hannigan
Barbara Hannigan is a world-renowned conductor, soprano, and performer whose work pushes the boundaries of classical and contemporary music. Known for her fearless interpretations and deeply expressive performances, Barbara has built a career that defies convention and celebrates the transformative power of sound.In this episode, Barbara and I discuss her recent album Electric Fields, which offers
S15 E04: Imitate The Ocean: A Dream, A Poem & An Encouragement with Stephen Roach
In this episode, Stephen Roach explores creative flow as a generative, life-giving way of being. He highlights the need for trust in the process and the vulnerability that comes with sharing one's art. Stephen encourages listeners to embrace rhythms of rest and rebirth and imitate the ocean. Join the Makers and Mystics Creative Collective Support the podcast with a one-time donation. Send us
S15E03: The Discipline of Inspiration
I would imagine most of us think of inspiration as a sudden flash of insight that hits us out of nowhere and compels us create. It’s not something we control. The wind blows where it wishes and we don’t know where it comes from or where it goes. But what if inspiration were a discipline? Brooklyn-based author and artist Carey Wallace has written an incredible book titled, The Discipline of Inspira
S15E02 | The Faraway Nearby with Leah Song of Rising Appalachia
Leah Song is a storyteller, song-catcher, musician, poet, and community builder. She’s best known as the front-woman of the beloved band Rising Appalachia, which she leads alongside her sister Chloe.As a solo artist, Leah draws from the rich traditions of Southern soul, the diasporic sounds of the Celtic Isles, and her deep studies of folk music from across the Americas.In this episode, Leah talks
S15E01: Tuning The Room with Stephen Roach
Flow begins with attentiveness. In this episode, Stephen Roach shares how tuning the room became a creative and spiritual practice.Welcome to Season 15 of Makers & Mystics. In this opening episode, host Stephen Roach invites listeners into the unfolding journey of Finding Flow—not just as a creative high, but as a sacred rhythm and intentional spiritual practice.Anchored in a story from his ex
Finding Flow | An Introduction to Season 15
Have you experienced those moments when the grind gives way to an effortless grace? When a poem or painting tells you what it wants to become, or when a melody sings itself into being? This state of creative flow is one that artists and athletes, saints and mystics alike, each aspire to attain. It is a state where time bends low and reveals a slice of eternity. When our minds are absorbed, the w
BC25 | Risk Art vs. Shock Art
In this final conversation of our BC25 introductions, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Dr. Marie Teilhard discuss the complexities of art that challenge conventional boundaries. They explore themes of heretical art, the distinction between shock art and risk art, and the importance of trust and exploration in the creative process. **Trigger Warning: This episode deals with sensitive subject matter s
BC25 Presenter | Amanda Cook
Amanda Cook is a writer/musician/lover of books whose music explores the intersections of faith/doubt, love/loss, hope/despair, and fun/notfun. In this episode, Amanda talks with Stephen Roach about her latest EP Survey: Part 2 along with her thoughts on reconciling faith and art and the motivations behind her creative process. This episode continues our introductions to the presenters who will be
BC25 Theme | The Integrating Center of All Things with John Eldredge
What role does contemplative prayer have in healing the fractures of our modern culture and those of our own fragmented lives? And how can our spiritual and creative practices offer an antidote to the chaos of contemporary life?In today’s episode, we’re exploring these questions with best-selling author, counselor, and teacher John Eldredge. Drawing insights from his latest book, Experience Jesus.
BC Presenter | Kendra Adachi | The Art of Compassionate Time Management
Kendra Adachi is the New York Times bestselling author of The Lazy Genius Way, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, and The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like A Lazy Genius. As an expert in compassionate time management, Kendra helps others stop doing it all for the sake of doing what matters. She Kendra hosts the nationally-ranked The Lazy Genius Podcast and lives in North Carolina with her husband and three kids.I
BC25 Presenter | John Mark McMillan | Technology, AI Jesus and Meaning Making
"Technology does a really good job of floating us past all of these inconvenient blessings." - John Mark McMillan Today on the show, singer-songwriter John Mark Mcmillan joins me to talk about his new music, technology's impact on the arts, confessing to an AI Jesus, and recovering a sense of meaning in our disenchanted world. If you’ve listened to the Makers and Mystics podcast or
Makers and Mystics | Live In Boulder, Colorado
This episode offers a preview of the types of panels we'll be hosting at The Breath and The Clay 2025. It includes a live conversation with Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Victory Boyd, gospel recording artist Leeland Mooring, visual artist and curator Corey Frey, and podcast host Stephen Roach.This conversation was recorded live at the Resound Creative Arts event in Boulder, Colorado.
BC25 Presenter | Theopoetics and Comic Book Mythology with de'Angelo DIA
In this series of conversations, Makers and Mystics will highlight several of the presenters and themes for the BC25 creative arts gathering, March 21-23, in Winston Salem, NC. Today’s guest is Theo-poet and mystic Dr. de’Angelo DIA. The conversation explores the intersections of poetry, theology, and personal experience. DIA discusses how his early exposure to literature and comic book mythology
S14 Reclaiming Wonder Finale with Stephen Roach
In the season 14 finale of Makers and Mystics, Stephen Roach reflects on the theme of reclaiming wonder. Drawing from personal stories, spiritual insights, and the wisdom shared by this season’s guests, Stephen examines how we can rediscover awe and beauty in our everyday lives, even in a world that often feels disconnected from the miraculous.Stephen closes the episode with a thought-provoking in
S14 E22: Etiquette of The Wild with Martin Shaw
Myths and storytelling have been a part of human culture since ancient times. From the oral traditions of indigenous peoples to the epic tales of gods and heroes, stories have shaped our understanding of the world, our place in it, and our deepest desires.For artists, these narratives offer more than a glimpse into the past—they are a source of guidance, inspiration, and meaning. In this final con
S14 E21: An Unexpected Doorway with Mirabai Starr
The new year is a time of reflecting, looking back over the lengths I’ve come, evaluating what has transpired in my life and in my inner life, and then looking ahead, seeking clarity and direction for where I will place my time, resources and attention for the months to come. I find that a large part of transitioning from one moment in time to another involves letting go of the past, often grievi
S14 E20: Beauty Is Oxygen with Wesley Vander Lugt
Wesley Vander Lugt is a pastor, theologian, writer, and arts advocate. He teaches theology and directs the Leighton Ford Center for Theology, the Arts and Gospel Witness at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte North Carolina. Wes holds a PhD in Theology, Imagination and the Arts from the University of St Andrews, and his latest books are Beauty is Oxygen: Finding a Faith that Breathes
The Breath and The Clay 2025!!
The Breath and The Clay is returning to Winston Salem, NC!! Join us March 21-23rd, 2025, for our annual creative arts gathering!This event will feature musical performances, an immersive art gallery, keynote talks, various workshops, and community discussions. Participating artists include Sho Baraka, Kendra Adachi, John Mark McMillan, Molly Parden, Justin McRoberts, and many, many others. You ca
S14 E19: A Long Curiosity with Rob Bell
Rob Bell is the New York Times Best-Selling author of fourteen books and plays, which have been translated into 25 languages. His visual art can be seen on Instagram @realrobbell. His band is HUMANS ON THE FLOOR, and his podcast is The RobCast. Today on Makers and Mystics, Rob and I are talking about his Interplanetary tale of love, loss, and bread, his sci-fi fantasy novel Where’d You Park Your S
S14 E18: Awakening Wonder In An Anxious Age with author Katherine May
Katherine May is an internationally renowned writer, podcaster and speaker whose work touches on nature, spirituality, slow living and neurodivergence.Her hybrid memoir Wintering was a global bestseller, adapted as BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week, and shortlisted for the Porchlight and Barnes & Noble Book of the Year. Her most recent title, Enchantment became an instant New York Times bestselle
S14 E17: Heavy Hope with Film Director Thomas Torrey
The question of when it is time to let go of a dream haunts most creatives at one time or another. Living out our sense of fidelity to a creative vision shifts and changes over time, just as the demands of life shift and change over time. But finding a way forward can be challenging, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Film producer Thomas Torrey has tackled this question in his recent musi
S14 E16: The Gift of The Elders with Petra Bagust
Makers and Mystics has teamed up with New Zealand's Sunday Sanctuary Podcast for a special collaborative episode.For the November 10th episode of Sunday Sanctuary, Stephen Roach joins host Petra Bagust for a chat about poetry, creativity, and the different ways that noticing the small wonders of the world can reopen, restore, and change our lives.In this segment of the conversation, Petra and
S14 E15: Contours of Enchantment with Cheryl Bridges Johns
For many people, and perhaps even for some of our listeners, the Bible elicits a very different response from one person to another. For some, it is a source of comfort and spiritual nourishment, even a great source of creative inspiration, while for others, it brings up difficult questions or even negative emotions and uncomfortable associations. But as we’ve talked this season about disenchantme
S14 E14: Catharsis with Lacey Sturm
Lacey Sturm is a Grammy-nominated queen of hard rock who secured a place in rock history as the first solo woman to top the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart with her debut album Life Screams. With a career spanning songs like “All Around Me,” “I’m So Sick,” “Again,” “Impossible,” “State of Me'' and most recently “Awaken Love,”Lacey Sturm has proven herself as one of the most powerful and
S14 E13: Van Gogh Has A Broken Heart with Russ Ramsey
Russ Ramsey is an author and pastor with a passion for uniting art and faith. He has been in vocational ministry for more than twenty years and currently serves as the lead pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church’s Cool Springs location. He holds an MDiv and ThM from Covenant Theological Seminary, and is the author of six books, including Rembrandt is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eye
S14 E12: Sitting With The Muse featuring Nick Leng
Nick Leng is a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and producer known for his abstract blend of electronica, classical piano and ambient soundscapes. Nick’s music is hard to categorize but evokes a sense of musical synesthesia, which he describes as a kaleidoscope of emotions turned into sounds. Nick's musical journey began in his early years growing up in South Africa,
S14 E11 LIVE: Embodied Faith and The Art of Edward Knippers
Edward Knippers is a visual artist whose large-scale body of work spans 50 years of practice and explores various genres, including figurative, expressionism, abstraction, and cubism. His work has been displayed in museums, galleries, and private collections worldwide and centers on the human body. His paintings often depict scenes from biblical narratives and invite us to consider the goodness,
S14 E10: Dreamscapes with visual artist Chalom
Melbourne-based visual artist and electronic musician Mike Lane creates under the name Chalom, a name spoken to him in a dream. His practice consists of visually expressing dreams and meditations, with mostly found materials, embedded bible pages, penciled notes, and spray paint. Beyond the haphazard backgrounds of his paintings, brushes or tools are rarely used in the making, just hands and finge
S14 E09: The Poetic Eye with Stephen Roach
In this episode, podcast host Stephen Roach takes listeners on a journey into the world of ecstatic poetry. Drawing from the wisdom of Trappist Monk, Thomas Merton and author/scholar Michael Edwards, Stephen highlights poetry as mankind’s first language. He tells us, the meaning of a poem is not found in what a poem is about, but rather what effect the poem has on it’s hearer. Through reciting sev
S14 E08: Reclaiming Your Voice with author Shannon K. Evans
Our voice is one of the most uniquely defining qualities of our person. For artists and writers, finding our voice is a foundational and often painstaking process of search and discovery. For many, finding the courage to acknowledge, I am an artist. I am a writer. I am a musician, takes a lot of courage. Speaking it out for the first time can be an act of bravery and overcoming self doubt, impost
S14 E07: Nature As Metaphor with Enneagram Coach Stephanie Spencer
Stephanie J. Spencer is a visual artist, author, nature-lover and an Enneagram coach who is not afraid of hard questions. She loves moving towards the struggles of the human experience to help people find new ways forward. Stephanie has spent years coaching individuals and teams from around the country, from major universities to local churches, from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. Time
S14 E06: Learning To See with Paul J. Pastor
When we think of wonder or beauty, we might be inclined to think in terms of an external appearance, a scene of nature or an attractive person. But what if wonder is something that grows from the inside out? What if wonder is way of seeing? And what if wonder is an interior force, one that begins in the hidden recesses of our perceptions? Today, on the show I’m talking with Oregon based, poet, wri
S14 E05: Postures of Attentiveness with Mary McCampbell and Joe Kickasola
Philosopher, Simone Weil said that attentiveness is the heart of prayer. In this episode, we discuss postures of attentiveness as gateways to wonder.Guests: Dr. Mary McCampbell is an author, educator, and speaker whose publications span the worlds of literature, film, and popular music. She is the author of Imagining Our Neighbors as Ourselves: How Art Shapes Empathy.Dr. Joe Kickasola is a Profess
S14 E04: Sacred Service Of The Actor with Cleo Rinkwest
Cleo Rinkwest is a South-African actor who has worked with the likes of Samuel L Jackson, The Walking Dead's Callan McCauliff, and Game of Thrones, Charlotte Hope. Through her acting, she seeks to perform stories that go beyond entertainment and enlighten her audiences to values of human flourishing. Her current film projects follow themes of justice and mercy, capital punishment laws in Sout
S14 E03: How Do We Find Home? with Cody F. Miller
One of the more powerful aspects of visual art, is when a single image encapsulates an entire narrative, or when viewing a painting or illustration, the viewer’s imagination is invited to fill in the gaps and finish the tale. I recently came across an artist whose work embodies this narrative quality. I found myself going back to his images and studying what story was being told through the char
S14 E02: The Gifted State with Donna Matthews
Donna Matthews is a musician and creative artist. In the 1990’s she played lead guitar in Elastica and lo-fi, DIY band Klang, and in subsequent years devised and facilitated creative workshops for people in recovery from addiction. She is currently in her final year of a practice-based PhD in Music at the university of Glasgow. Interested in issues such as poetic intuition, inspiration, and gift,
Da Vinci or Dionysus? A Meditation on The Olympic Opening Performance
When we lack wonder, we settle for the evening news. When we lack spectacle, we settle for shock art. When we can’t see the burning bush, we set the dumpster on fire. By this point, the Olympics’ opening performance has been discussed ad nauseum. Most of us have grown weary of the vitriol and moved on. Therefore, I hesitate to add another voice to the fire, but as one who leads a community of mos
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