Mary Ann Strandell and I hang out in the gallery in front of a large wall painting and a set of lenticular prints she created for the 'Solace' group exhibition in Chelsea, NY (Nov-Dec 2017).  She and I talk about how her ideas for wall paintings and room installations were influenced by 18th century chinoiserie period rooms.   Mary Ann shares about her childhood,  her entry into the art world, and how meditation and inner life have been important to her artistic growth. We end by talking about the more esoteric aspects of the creative process and what it means to get your art out into the world. See her work and find out more about this terrific artist here: https://www.maryannstrandell.com/ 

Michael Rees and I are friends from the early digital art days in NYC. He is an innovator in the integration of technology and sculpture experimenting with robotic marble carving, 3D modeling of inflatables, and AR activated imagery.  We discuss work from his ongoing exhibitions, the relationship of his work to the world, and then, of course, we talk about the creative process and what it means to make things in the digital world.    Michael's shows:  Grounds for sculpture: http://michaelrees.org/2018-synthetic-cells-site-and-parasite/ Aldrich Museum: http://michaelrees.org/aldrichonedge/ NermanMuseum: http://www.nermanmuseum.org/exhibitions/2018-08-02-michael-rees-pneumatopia.html   Silvana Veit: On the Sunny Side of the Street:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGt0AITYbaI

NEW PODCAST EPISODE #19 with John F Simon, Jr.  After interviewing Deborah J Haynes in episode #17 the conversation didn't stop! In this episode the tables are turned and Deborah interviews me. We talk about Color Panel v1.0 - a work of mine that is being shown at the Whitney Museum's 'Programmed' exhibition until April 2019 and then delve deeply into studio practice and the source of creativity. 

Poet, performer, and author of "New American Best Friend," Olivia Gatwood joins me for a discussion of poets on the road and the storytelling sources of her creativity. She is skilled in remembering and sharing personal details of her life and through them finding universal, emotional connection. The episode has three poetic interludes captured from live performances of her work. She begins a 26 city tour next Thursday, August 23rd, 2018, in Cambridge, MA and goes across the USA and back, through the northwest, Oregon, California, even Arkansas, and ending in Brooklyn on Sept 30th! Find out more about Olivia Gatwood and see the entire tour schedule at https://www.oliviagatwood.com/

Deborah J Haynes is a giant whose shoulders I stand on! Her experience and practice as a creative contemplative inspire me and show me the way to a deeply integrated and engaged studio. Deborah is both an artist and writer, about to publish her seventh book, "Beginning Again: Reflections on Art as Spiritual Practice"   Her creative work includes drawing and carving words in marble, while her writing addresses themes such as the cultural function of art and the role of the artist. She has so much to offer the DYOP community and I hope you will enjoy her interview.  https://deborahjhaynes.com/

  Donna Mikkelsen is an artist and educator living in Beacon, NY. She has been exploring ambidextrous drawing for over 25 years, developing her own unique style and turing her passion into a daily practice of drawing meditation. She has developed AMBIARTS, a practice of group symmetry drawing, into workshops for all ages.   Donna and I talk about drawing simultaneously with both hands, the healing power of daily practice, dance and intentional movement, and the experience of teaching ambi drawing to groups.    More about Donna here: https://www.ambiarts.net/  and follow her active Instagram feed at: donnamikkelsen.art to see videos of her creating ambi drawings 

Contemplative Artist Janine Ibbotson dives deep into Enso practice and shares her genuine love and respect for this ancient , creative, and meditative method of painting. We talk about paper, ink, and brushes, as well as the state of mind of the painter.  Janine will lead an online Enso discussion/workshop on June 7, 2018, at 9 pm EST as part of the DrawingYourOwnPath community - to join the Zoom conferencing room for the class go to: iclock.com/draw.  Find out more about Janine online:  http://www.janineibbotson.org/ And about purchasing her Enso paintings at her soon to be opened shop: http://www.janineibbotson.com

  Award winning documentary film maker and visual artist Amy Jenkins discusses the difficulties and joys that arise when intimately mixing art and life in her new release "Instructions on Parting"  Trailer and information here: http://www.on-parting.com/   This is an incredible film that follows, in a first person, cinema verité style, Amy's life over several years when her first child was born and close family members died.  Surprisingly detached and thoughtful while simultaneously throwing us in the emotional chaos of birth and death, Amy's accumulation of material and careful editing take us as observers to new levels of insight.    "Best Documentary Feature" award (2018) from the Athens International Film and Video Festival! http://athensfilmfest.org/2018-awards/   The upcoming 2018 screenings are:   Independent Film Festival Boston; Boston, MA,  Thursday April 26, Somerville Theatre, 7:00 PM http://iffboston.org   Montclair Film Festival, Montclair, NJ,  Sunday, April 29, 5:30pm Monday, April 30, 7:00pm Clairidge Cinema  http://montclairfilm.org/events/instructions-on-parting/   Greenpoint Film Festival Saturday, Mary 5th, 2 PM http://greenpointfilmfestival.org     For more screenings see:   http://www.on-parting.com/

I visit the Black Meadow Barn for a rollicking dialog with Joan Bankemper just days before her opening at Nancy Hoffman Gallery @ 520 W 27th Street in New York City.  The energy crackles as we dissect the work, her creative process, Julia Cameron's classic 'The Artist's Way', and the terror that precedes the premier of new work.  Find out more about Joan here:  joan-bankemper.com Nancy Hoffman Gallery - 520 W 27th Street, New York, NY  (212) 966 6676 

Artist and author Shelley Marlow and I discuss the finer points of creativity, gender identity, the writing process, and living in New York City that flowed together to make her novel,  "Two Augusts in a Row in a Row." This wonderful book, set in New York City in 2001, is a magical realistic spell of events and personalities and Shelly helps us unpack how she brought it to form.