The Layered Onion--Empowering artists. Reimagining mental health.

The podcast episode takes us on a journey of reflection and self-discovery as the Von Bieker shares their profound realization about fully embracing their artistic identity. This transformation is portrayed as a pivotal moment of letting go of resistance and acknowledging the intrinsic connection between their artistry and personal fulfillment.

Furthermore, the podcast touches on the challenges arising from the absence of physical closeness, particularly in today's context. Von Bieker's sings his recently released heartfelt song, mentioning both a girl and a boy, emerges as a touching ode to his children, reflecting a desire to alleviate their struggles in a world laden with burdens. This poignant moment encapsulates the universal themes of self-acceptance, the profound impact of supportive communities, and the intricate dance of navigating familial and societal obstacles. The episode offers a rich tapestry of insights and emotions that resonate deeply with the human experience.

Jonathan Correa discussing his journey from being a chef to starting his own business during the pandemic. Food has been both an addiction and a means of expression for him, allowing him to reconnect with his culture. With the dream of starting his own business in agriculture, he seized the opportunity during the pandemic after losing his job, setting up a tortilla-making operation in a friend's bar.

An essential aspect of Jonathan's work is education and promoting authentic Mexican culture through his tortilla-making process. He values educating people about the traditional art of making tortillas, emphasizing the importance of fresh masa with simple ingredients. Jonathan aims to revive this dying art and dispel misconceptions about store-bought tortillas, highlighting the richness of flavor and nutrition in homemade versions.

This episode covers a discussion with Lauren Allen, who is completing her Masters in Fine Arts. The theme of her exhibition revolved around exploring past, present, and future selves, influenced by her childhood ADHD diagnosis. Lauren discussed how memories shape individuals and their interpretations change over time, using photography and woven structures in her exhibit to represent these ideas. The woven structures forced viewers to be present in the moment and navigate the space carefully, reflecting the experience of navigating new spaces that many neurodivergent individuals face. Lauren openly includes her neurodivergence in her art bio and finds a shared experience within the art world due to the acceptance of diverse perspectives.

Brittany Josie, a multi-talented artist, opens up about her artistic journey, showcasing her creative process and the diverse genres she delves into in her art. Brittany primarily utilizes acrylics in her art but occasionally experiments with organic materials like cinnamon for creating paints.

During the podcast, Brittany delves into her experiences in teaching arts and emphasizes the importance of overcoming the fear of creative inadequacy. She speaks about art interpretation challenges and the empowering nature of abstract art, equating it to a shared experience akin to cooking. Her journey into teaching arts was influenced by her background in writing and poetry, leading to art classes focused on healing and self-expression.

Reflecting on the impact of her teaching, Brittany discusses the therapeutic role of art, particularly in cognitive behavioral therapy, and how it has strengthened her passion for sharing artistic skills. One poignant moment she shares involves a young student, illustrating the transformative power of art for self-expression and self-discovery.

In this powerful episode, Steve Veasey fearlessly opens up about his journey, discussing the profound impact of mental health struggles on men. Steve candidly shares his battles with depression, a suicide attempt, and the challenges of living with epilepsy. Through his own experiences, he sheds light on the societal expectations that often pressure men to suppress their emotions, highlighting the importance of embracing one’s true self.

Drawing from their journey, Steve introduces his book “Thin Spaces,” which intricately weaves together elements of Celtic spirituality and the concept of “thin spaces” in everyday life inviting listeners to explore spirituality through creative assignments involving art and music.

Join us as we delve into this profound conversation, unpacking the layers of mental health struggles in men, and discovering the transformative power of embracing vulnerability and authenticity.

Elizabeth Donoghue delves into how their family found themselves presented with the opportunity to acquire a chocolatier business, from the retiring owners, Claude and Ellen. This journey involved numerous emotional hurdles, financial obstacles, but also instances of profound connection and empathy. As the new owners navigated the challenges, they showcased a deep understanding and provided openings for neurodivergent individuals, underscoring the essential need for workplaces to approach employees with compassion and inclusivity .

Pat's Gym hosts a free class twice a week for the food service industry to support mental and physical wellness. Pat Gilles spoke about how one of his chef clients led to an understanding of the unique challenges of creatives in the food service industry especially as related to alcohol and drug dependencies. These classes, while available to the Dane County food industry, identify a partnership of two industries that felt the pandemic in similar ways and needed to reinvent themselves through very difficult times.

Alex Lindenmeyer, co-owner of Short Stack Eatery, shares the struggles of the restaurant industry. Alex also sheds light on a culture that has long been intertwined with drug and alcohol dependency. Alex's honest discussion about changing the tipping wage to living wages for food service employees challenged our complicity.

Harper Hazelmare, is a non-binary, queer, disabled botanical artist, writer of cautionary tales, and keeper of a community apothecary. Harper discusses how diligence and process culminated in publishing their new book. Terms of Agreement, a sci-fi thriller, delivers a fast-paced punch of what education may look like in the future. 

Jennifer Schwarzkopf, culinary director and executive chef for Good Brothers Hospitality, followed the traditional path after high school, college, traditional job, marriage, and parent. After her world turned upside down personally, she realized she needed to reset professionally as well and pursue her creativity and Chilean and Southern culture to become a chef. Jennifer found that mental health challenges faced in a traditional setting became accepted and a strength in the fast-paced food service industry.

Alycia Smith is an artist and writer with schizoaffective disorder. Alycia spent time reflecting on the positive and challenging parts of mental illness. Alycia found themself thinking a lot about life and death. As a result, they volunteered at a hospice and learned about death doulas. After training to become a death doula, they combined their skills as a writer and artist to help serve those facing the close of life here on Earth. Our discussion was illuminating and inspiring.

Lacy Rude grew up watching her father make kombucha and touting all the benefits. She helped him make it but didn't drink it. Later, Lacy started brewing her own from items in her garden. Eventually, it led to Rude Kombucha after the death of her father. We had the opportunity to talk about grief, PTSD, ADHD, and how kombucha has helped her physically and mentally. We also got to talk about each one of our unique flavors featuring local, Wisconsin-grown ingredients.

Bailey Constas discusses how art has played a critical role in her healing journey. Bailey was always an artist but her current medium of watercolor, ink, and recycled media has allowed her to express emotions in a way other efforts did not. Bailey talked about how painting eases her anxiety and depression, and how using ink comforts her OCD and ADHD. Bailey also spoke about the evolution of her painting over time and place from urban to desert.

Ifasina talked about the evolution of their dancing from modern, jazz, and hip hop to liturgical and using dance in a healing, body-positive way. Ifasina combines their gift for teaching, spiritual empowerment, and dance to lift up communities often forgotten or marginalized. They discuss and challenge the messages that often make folks shy away from dance allowing all of us to feel the healing power of movement.

In a very personal conversation, Ruth shares how her sparse younger years led to immense creativity as she used whatever she could find to foster her art. Look closely at the backgrounds of her pieces and see that each color and texture is made from thousands of small circles that provide a meditative essence showing the healing capabilities of art.

TradeRoots is a Madison-based group of farmers and chefs with roots in Wisconsin and West Africa. Beginning in 2021, they began growing and cooking with crops of cultural relevance to the African diaspora in the Madison area. Their goal is to develop viable approaches to urban farming, cooking, food preservation, and value-added processing that are accessible to everyday people and help mitigate the increasingly severe economic hardship in our city.

Noah Bloedorn, Executive Director of the Dane County Food Collective and part of the REAP team, talks about his work in mental and physical wellness in the food system community. The Layered Onion and the Dane County Food Collective found many synergies in their efforts and have been coordinating on some projects.

Growing up in a politically active family, Noah developed an enthusiasm for learning about environmental, economic, and social justice issues. After working various jobs in the food industry throughout high school and college, he saw how our food system touched the topics he was passionate about and food systems quickly became his focus. Through these roles, he is excited to build community in our local food system.

Last year, we talked with Amin about fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban took over. Amin and his family were awaiting their P2 visa. After two years, they received news their visa was approved; but, that was just the beginning of a perilous trip. First, they had to go back to Afghanistan. Amin shares the details of the journey and their reactions to their new home.

Lauren shared how "celebrating mental health awareness and radical self-acceptance" led to embracing her art full-time. Lauren shares the origin story of their business name, Manic Pixie Dream Squirrel. Lauren uses glass and letterpress as her primary mediums, embracing these dichotomies—light and dark, high and low, joy and pain—to celebrate the full spectrum of what it means to be human. Pacific-northwest native and proud Peruvian, Lauren Bayer Echevarria has been creating since she had legs to stand on. (She literally started cooking at the age of 3—making eggs, of course!) Lauren spent 15+ years working in arts management before quitting her job in January 2023 to pursue her own art full-time. She is a strong mental health advocate who is open with her own struggles with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and cPTSD. Lauren holds a Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and a Master's degree in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Erin Smith Glenn, an Associate Professor of Art, talks about her lifelong creative nature and how she channels it into her portraiture and multi-media creations. She shares how challenging life experiences have allowed for prolific creations which she used to channel her emotions.

Kat Gibbons is a self-taught artist and Educational Therapist working with exceptional and at-risk youth through the arts. Kat Gibbons talks about how art has saved her life from depression, anxiety, and trauma. We also discuss how her sabbatical in Ireland with a community of artists helped her process her grief.

Chef and artist, Yusuf Bin-Rella, set out to learn more about his ancestorial roots and as a result founded, TradeRoots. TradeRoots mission is to connect people with the land, each other, and their roots. Yusuf's discusses how his trip profoundly changed his relationship with the foods he creates and eats and now shares with all.

For National Poetry Month, The Layered Onion hosted a poetry event with our poets from all over the world. Our event was Zoom bombed by those that had an agenda of hate speech to injure others. Avesha M was a poet that participated in the event and was targeted with horrific, vile comments. After much thought, Avesha and The Layered Onion want to take a stand against those with hate in their hearts to talk about the effects of such intolerance. The Layered Onion honors Avesha's courage and hope you stand with us against hate crimes.

Dee Rovetta is an artist currently residing in Raleigh, NC. She finds comfort and relief in experimentation with several mediums and bright, loud colors. Topics like existing with stress, anxiety, and internal pressure to feel happy are discussed regularly through her use of organic drips of paint, haphazard but intentional lines, fingerpainted bursts of color, and unruly marks with markers. A longtime advocate for mental health, is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Our discussion includes how taking a step back can help you take a step forward.

Avesha Michael is a ceramic artist, writer, storyteller, and healer. Avesha uses art to heal and connect with herself and others. We discuss the evolution of her ceramics and get an opportunity to listen and discuss her poetry.

Lauren’s work focuses on translating and reconstructing memories of their experiences as a neurodivergent person. She utilizes abstracted photographic imagery and fiber structures, and viewers are forced to confront ideas of weakness, fragility, and disposability while experiencing familiarity. Lauren talks about using antique and toy cameras that make every piece of film a surprise. From these surprises they create layers and complexity that remind us of our compelling stories.

Clara's favorite part about art is being able to visually share her ideas and concepts that she would have otherwise struggled to explain in words. In this way, here art is like a window into her mind and creative ideas. Clara discusses her digital art and being a part of The Layered Onion as a graphic artist intern.

Anum Farooq is an award-winning autodidactic artist and an alumna of Imperial College London. An internationally published artist, global educator, and mentor, Anum is fond of the creative links between the Sciences and the Arts. Anum’s art relates to exploring, dreaming, and discovering the world around us, educating ourselves with inner insights enlightened with natural perspectives, to enable a holistic art experience. We have an opportunity to discuss Anum's piece in The Shallot, the healing power of art, mental health, and the connection between art and science.

Brittany Josie is a poet and author of  Weatherveins: powers for every season. She writes openly about her mental health and the challenges of living with trauma. She expresses those big emotions in her writing. Her concise way of directly approaching taboo topics creates poetry with power. Brittany shares her pain without hesitation. Brittany shares the inspiration of the outdoors, poetry, and wisdom with us.

Mert Jones, from North Carolina, was twenty-two when she picked up a manual camera for the first time as part of an introduction to photography class at Central Piedmont Community College. Mert talks about alternative photography methods, particularly experimenting with wet cyanotypes and mental wellness.

Savannah is an image-based artist residing in Indiana. Her work playfully addresses image culture given the circumstances of the internet from a queer and feminist perspective. Savannah discusses their art and how they combine photography, installation, new media, and digital collage into colorful, multi-layered creations.

Margaret shares how art helped during a critical time in their life, handling mental illness symptoms and focus, creating a calm that continues to provide solace today. Margaret also shares how butterflies play a special role in each of their creations.

Loulou is a documentary filmmaker and poet from France. We discussed how living in England has brought them growth as a poet. Loulou recently released a book of poetry called Pink Goo and shares how the poetry came together.

Julie shares the evolution of her art from creating as a child to how illness brought her back to pursue art seriously. Julie, whose art graced the first cover of The Shallot, has created a popular adult coloring book, Cats Being Dicks.

Devon talks about everything from Climax, NC to her abstract art to their vivid color and texture. Devon shares the process behind their pieces and their marvelous sense of humor. 

Yas is a self-taught artist based in southeast London who also splits time in Spain. Yas is proud of her Spanish heritage. She works with ink, clay, and charcoal, using her lived experience as a key theme within the art. Yas shares why cobalt blue is a feature in many of her creations.

Anam Tariq is a poet, writer, and book reviewer from India. Anam shares her path to poetry and one of her poems from her recently published book of poetry, A Leaf upon a Book.

Sergey (no pronouns) is an artist living through the devastation of the war in Ukraine. Due to extremely challenging conditions, a normal interview was not possible. Sergey shares through a recording the difficulties mentally and physically of living and creating your art while living in a war zone. 

Harper Hazelmare shares their wisdom, creations, and the importance of community for artists with mental health challenges. Harper discusses their poem from The Shallot, using onion skins as a botanical dye, and keeping a community apothecary.  

The Layered Onion had a chance to find out how Luna Lovegood and lunar phases inspired Luna Hao and her photography and health. 

Seema Shah talks with The Layered Onion about the layers of her creations, and how writing led to multimedia visual art. Since 2017, Seem has searched for opportunities to share their work in ways that feel personally meaningful, including several group exhibitions specific to illness and disability, Outsider art, and collage.

Martina, a playwright, and author from Ireland shares her path to writing plays and how dark humor can be used to connect with the audience. Martina discusses how mental health can be challenging especially during hard times and some lessons learned.  

Dheeraj Kumar is a multi-media artists from Bangalore, India. Dheeraj discusses their work as a silent storyteller using art to allow us to visualize the beauty of the human body and its intersection with nature. Dheeraj talks about how mental health has influenced his work. 

Jenny is a multi-media creator who talks about the connection between mental health and art. Jenny discusses her piece in The Shallot called Derby Stance. If you ever had an interest in learning about how one learns how to be a roller derby skater, here's your chance!

John, a multidisciplinary artist from Calgary, Alberta, talks about schizoaffective disorder and how it influences their visual art, writing their book, We Make Clocks, Not Time, and their recent single, Walk. 

Note: Our opening podcast music is Walk. You can listen to it in full on Spotify.

Maggie Bowyer, a poet from North Carolina, discusses spoken word, life with chronic and mental health challenges, and the healing power of art.

Mohammad Amin Nayebi (Amin) shares how his work with a boy/girl scouting non-governmental organization (NGO) helped evolve his photography passion. Amin also talks about his life as a refugee from Afghanistan waiting for his immigration application to be approved.