I think we should be listening to black leaders telling their history and their experience.  I think we should be curious about it and directing our attention to them, especially now.  Make them center right now.  They have a lot of important, meaningful, uncomfortable points to make about America.  They are points, that if we listen with a full and present heart, will teach us to grow.  They will teach us curiousity and compassion.  They will move us to a more just and equitable society and one that truly nourishes the human experience for all.

To say that you never really understood racism because you were raised to love all people regardless of color is a beautiful sentiment but it is not the point.  If you never understood racism, then that is the problem.  Racism thrives on this lack of curiosity. I say this with a full and loving heart but set the good intentions aside and be curious, open and listen.

In this episode, I share some of my history of being white.  I am very white. I have been ignorant. I’ve awakened. I’ve been active. I’ve been compassionate. I’ve been called a racist. I’ve been racist.  I’ve lifted barriers. I’ve witnessed trauma.  I’ve taken a break because the work is hard and I’m white so I get to do that. I don’t know everything about this complex puzzle, but I do have some stories to tell.

I share because maybe there is something in these stories that will help with your growth and discovery of what it means to be white in America. This is by no means a perfect account, I’m still learning and growing and pushing into this too.  But maybe it will help you listen to those black voices that need your compassionate and open heart available to them too.

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Resources: 

Black Lives Matter 

The King Center 

Rachel Cargle Instagram & Patreon

Barak Obama 

DefendBlackLives.org

Book: How to be an Antiracist 

Others

Minnesota Freedom Fund 

Black Visions 

What would it be like if we truly put what we value first?  Would it change the way we think about money and each other? Instead of measuring what we have and hoard, can we measure what we value by how we invest in it?  In this episode, I explore the evolution of my thinking about sustainability, culture, change, love, creativity, economy and hope.  I think we can create a system that truly supports and nourishes the human experience and it begins with hope in the present moment and all of our relationships.

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resources: 

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin – “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

Actually, it’s a bit of a mystery to me.  I haven’t thought of myself as a collector until recently.  Of course, I’m not just a maker and artist, I’ve always collected other people’s art for very meaningful reasons.  Art speaks an emotional language and  it marks major phases for me. The art I collect are tattoos of meaning in my life and time.  Realizing this, has prompted me to reflect; what is it about other people’s art that moves me?  How is that different than creating my own?  And why, now more than ever, am I committed to creating my own art collection and I’m soooo excited about it?

Take a listen.  Why do you collect art?

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Resources:

Jennifer Sanchez Art Gallery

The conversation about how this pandemic will change us will continue for awhile.  Personally, in a couple months, I’ve experienced profound shifts in my relationship with time, mindset, art, the artist as well as my self-worth.  At a baseline these shifts have taken me beyond what I thought was possible for me.  I’ve found growth and peace in places and moments that I haven’t expected.  And it all started when I decided to let this change me.  The moment I told myself it was okay to change, growth happened.  Have you ever had that experience?

I’m sure I’m not the only one.  These stories of change will likely pile up.  Let’s listen to them and see how we grow.  I’ll tell you mine here, then you tell me yours.  Take a listen.

I love it when you tell me what you think too.

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Relationships are complicated.  Aren’t they?  I find one of the greatest challenges is maintaining and nourishing the relationships I hold dear while doing all the other things.  Not to mention my desire to have even better relationships.  This podcast is all about some of the things I’ve been thinking about in this complicated process of love and friendship and how it relates to creativity.  Its a delicate balance and this is food for thought.  Take a listen.

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At night, I settle in and begin an intuitive watercolor painting.  It’s not a challenge to paint every day or a hard and firm commitment. I don’t want my creativity to feel like work.  I’m just painting as we my family winds down for the night.  Some days I feel like doing it and other times I stifle a groan as I pick up the paints. But then I paint and everything inside me settles.  Here are some lesson learned from doing it.  Maybe you could try it too?

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Resources:

Ross Gay: The Book of Delights 

“I don’t like what I create” is not an uncommon statement for artists to make.  There are many factors at play for why.  Do you like the process?  Or are you concerned about what others think?  In any case, sitting with this thought and asking yourself why you don’t like what you create can help you get to the roots of what kind of artist you really want to be.  More than anything, that is the point.  If you don’t like it, that is you telling yourself something isn’t right.  It’s you challenging you to move into the vision of the artist you want to be.  And that is totally exciting.

Take a listen.

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Resources: 

Ira Glass: The Gap