The Creative Spirits Podcast

Art has healed me in more ways than one. In this episode I share how art can heal you as well by tapping into that inner creative child.

I was inspired by watching a reel on Instagram by architect and artist David Best and how he makes priceless art and doesn't sell any of his work. In fact he burns them after he is done at a festival called Burning Man. I always found the act of burning art very intriguing and love the spirituality and meaning behind it. Please listen for more details and inspiration.

In this episode I talk about an inspirational true story of Diana Nyad and 3 key lessons I learned from her. In 1978 Nyad first attempted a Cuba-to-Florida crossing, which was some 110 miles (180 km) across the Straits of Florida. She swam with the aid of a shark cage, but rough seas forced her to abandon the effort. After turning 30, she gave up swimming to focus on a career in broadcast journalism, but decades later she decided to take another shot at the goal that had eluded her. She failed twice in 2011, both times without a shark cage: in August she was forced to quit after some 29 hours because of an asthma attack, and in late September her swim was cut short after 40 hours when she sustained painful jellyfish stings. A lightning storm and other obstacles foiled her fourth attempt, in August 2012, after she had spent 60 hours in the water.

The following year, at the age of 64, Nyad made yet another attempt, aided by a 35-person support team that included Bonnie Stoll, her coach and former partner. After 52 hours 54 minutes 18.6 seconds, Nyad completed the epic swim on September 2. In the ensuing days, however, some critics faulted her for not following strict guidelines known as the English Channel rules, which forbid distance swimmers to ever make contact with another person or a support boat. While Nyad acknowledged being touched by members of her support team as she donned or removed specialized gear that protected her against dangerous jellyfish stings—gear that she deemed “a lifesaving necessity”—she insisted that such contact was incidental and that she never touched a boat during the swim.


Nyad was the author of several books, including the memoirs Other Shores (1978) and Find a Way (2015), the latter of which focuses on her historic swim. She was also the subject of the documentary The Other Shore (2013) and the biopic Nyad (2023), which starred Annette Bening in the title role and Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll. Nyad was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978 and the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

When you declutter your space, magic happens! You clear out the old energy to bring in the new, more vibrant energy🌟. Here are 3 tips to have a cleaner and more organized space. Don’t forget to leave a review, subscribe and like!

Check out Part 2 of the latest episode where I was interviewed by Jessica Schiller, the host of The ALIVE Podcast. These are her words: Your inner child longs to come alive in your creative spirit. Yet we live in a world that overemphasizes the power of form and technique over living in the play, or creating just for the sake of the person you become along the way.

In this episode, Sheryl Benjy shares how her art is more than just the tangible piece she creates, but more of a moving meditation and a process that invites play through creativity and emoting the experience.

In the emoting, Sheryl helps people heal through trauma and challenging life experiences in both the creative process + by immersing in the piece as a divine reminder that the spirit always remains.

I personally connected with Sheryl through a painting of one of the hostages following the events on October 7th and was so deeply moved by how she uses her art to express what cannot be put into words, and evokes this same feeling in both the families of the victims and the entire community at large who feels so helpless in such a tragic time.

She also speaks so beautifully to the dynamic of being both Iranian and Jewish, and how this interplay of ancestral experiences continues to influence her artistry in a way that moves others to become more resilient and feel peace amidst the chaos.

Check out Part 1 of the latest episode where this time I was interviewed by Jessica Schiller, the host of The ALIVE Podcast. These are her words: Your inner child longs to come alive in your creative spirit. Yet we live in a world that overemphasizes the power of form and technique over living in the play, or creating just for the sake of the person you become along the way.

In this episode, Sheryl Benjy shares how her art is more than just the tangible piece she creates, but more of a moving meditation and a process that invites play through creativity and emoting the experience.

In the emoting, Sheryl helps people heal through trauma and challenging life experiences in both the creative process + by immersing in the piece as a divine reminder that the spirit always remains.

I personally connected with Sheryl through a painting of one of the hostages following the events on October 7th and was so deeply moved by how she uses her art to express what cannot be put into words, and evokes this same feeling in both the families of the victims and the entire community at large who feels so helpless in such a tragic time.

She also speaks so beautifully to the dynamic of being both Iranian and Jewish, and how this interplay of ancestral experiences continues to influence her artistry in a way that moves others to become more resilient and feel peace amidst the chaos.

Day 5 out of 5 of your daily dose of inspiration! 555 is a magical number and that’s what came to me during a meditation. So I decided to apply it to my podcast and creat 5 episodes for 5 days with 5 quotes. Each quote is from my Creative Spirits group on Facebook. Please join, would love to see you there!

Day 4 out of 5 of your daily dose of inspiration! 555 is a magical number and that’s what came to me during a meditation. So I decided to apply it to my podcast and creat 5 episodes for 5 days with 5 quotes. Each quote is from my Creative Spirits group on Facebook. Please join, would love to see you there!

Day 3 out of 5 of your daily dose of inspiration! 555 is a magical number and that’s what came to me during a meditation. So I decided to apply it to my podcast and creat 5 episodes for 5 days with 5 quotes. Each quote is from my Creative Spirits group on Facebook. Please join, would love to see you there!

Day 2 out of 5 of your daily dose of inspiration! 555 is a magical number and that’s what came to me during a meditation. So I decided to apply it to my podcast and creat 5 episodes for 5 days with 5 quotes. Each quote is from my Creative Spirits group on Facebook. Please join, would love to see you there!

555 is a magical number and that’s what came to me during a meditation. So I decided to apply it to my podcast and creat 5 episodes for 5 days with 5 quotes. Each quote is from my Creative Spirits group on Facebook. Please join, would love to see you there!

Marie Kondo is a organizing guru from Japan that has 6 tips for decluttering that will help you with your studio space and home. I have followed these tips myself and found them so useful. Start the new year clutter free so you can create better and create a better energetic space!

Roxanne Baird likes to refer to herself as a wanderer. She is lit up by roaming and experiencing the beauty of this earth and has always had an innate curiosity about exploring the energetics and workings of the inner world. For her, often these two types of journeys are the same. She’s been a teacher in different forms in the work world for over 25 years, and most recently as a writer, she uses her words to connect to the experience of being human.

You can follow Roxanne’s current #50to50 project on FB or IG

FB: Roxanne Baird (www.facebook.com/rocky.bee.1213)
IG: @rocky8bee (www.instagram.com/rocky8bee)

Elisabeth is one of my collectors and a mother like myself. Elisabeth became a dear friend of mine after meeting her at a moms retreat. I was so moved by her and her story. Little did I know that I would one day be asked to create a painting in honor of her son Graham. I was touched and it was one of the most beautiful and emotional experiences I ever had. I am so grateful for Elisabeth, for having the courage to be on my podcast and share her story. Fentanyl poisoning is on the rise and there needs to be more awareness. Let’s prevent another tragedy and share her story. This podcast is dedicated to the memory of Graham.

In this episode I share lessons and quotes from the book The War of Art. I talk about resistance, fear and procrastination. Let’s get through these limitations so you can be creative your were meant to be.

Time to let go of all those THINGS that are causing congestion and stagnation in your studio space. I realized a long time ago the importance of letting go of material things to clear the energy of my space and bring in new energy. Everything is so much lighter and just better. We can live happier, simpler, and more conscious lives as creatives just by being more minimalistic.

Ashley Graf is an Oil Painter and Muralist from Southern Utah. She has a love for creating and she has explored art her whole life. Ashley has a fascination with “Big Art”. Creating murals and large scale paintings have her heart. Her work is inspired by the feminine, bright colors, nature and of course- all things bohemian which is why you can find her on all social platforms by @bohemiandesertdweller. The Desire Map: A Guide to Creating Goals with Soul https://a.co/d/fZXE8vr