Episode Summary: Sarey chats with the composer for The Winemaker, and accomplished musician, Grace Peters. Grace shares her journey from band life and touring to becoming a film composer and her experiences with balancing the highs and lows of creative work. They explore themes of artistic collaboration, individuality, and the power of showing up daily for creativity. Plus, Grace opens up about her personal practices, like trail running and acupuncture, that support her mental and creative well-being. Connect with Grace Peters: Composing website: grace-peters.com Mojave Bird: https://mojavebird.bandcamp.com/ PUNCH: punchpdx.com Mentioned in This Episode: Interstellar – The power of Hans Zimmer’s score The Grand Budapest Hotel – Alexander Desplat’s score Judy Sill and the documentary about her "Lost Angel" Manifestation workshops by Lacy Phillips' "To Be Magnetic" The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – A guide to overcoming creative blocks and unlocking inspiration Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert – Practical wisdom for living a creative life www.secretartproject.com sarey@secretartproject.com (I use AI to help draft show notes.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I’m joined by my longtime friend and former seminary professor, Dr. Kutter Callaway, to explore the fascinating intersections of art, theology, and psychology. Kutter, a double PhD holder in theology and experimental psychology, shares his insights into the ways art influences human cognition, fosters awe, and shapes our understanding of the world. We dive into topics like: The measurable effects of art on awe, gratitude, and transcendence—and what happens when those effects vary across different groups of people. Why the arts and religion have co-evolved in human history and the shared psychological roots that make them essential to our humanity. How art can both unite and divide, depending on the context and audience. Kutter’s research on how digital and physical art experiences differ in their impact on spirituality and connection. We also swap stories about Sundance Film Festival, the dynamics of personal branding, and why we feel restless when we can’t fit all our interests into one neat package. Highlights: [00:04:00] How journaling can reveal life’s patterns and why it’s worth revisiting your old entries. [00:07:00] Kutter’s unique perspective on combining creativity, theology, and psychology—and the throughline in his work. [00:29:00] What is aesthetic cognitivism, and how does it help us understand the spiritual power of art? [00:44:00] Surprising research findings: How awe can amplify prejudice in certain people. [00:55:00] Why early cave art might reveal the psychological roots of art and religion. [01:00:00] The allure of stand-up comedy as a real-time experiment in human behavior. [01:03:00] Lessons from a clown workshop: Loosening your jaw and acknowledging the audience. Connect with Kutter Callaway: Website: www.kuttercallaway.com Kutter's HORROR podcast Mentioned in the Episode: Books: My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok, Awe by Dacher Keltner, After Method Films: Sing Sing Join the Conversation: What’s your secret art project this week? Why are you making it? Share your thoughts with me on social media or via email—I’d love to hear about your creative journeys. Follow Me: Instagram: @secretartprojects BlueSky: @secretartproject Letterboxd: @sheologian Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show. Thanks for listening! (I use AI to help write show notes.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week feels like sludge to me. Y tu? sarey@secretartproject.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I connect with novelist and illustrator Skelly Harrington for a conversation on art, identity, and transformation. Skelly, an improv teacher at Curious Comedy Theater in Portland and author of a dark fantasy trilogy, opens up about their journey from a religious, off-grid upbringing to an artist embracing their queer identity. We discuss Skelly’s path to self-discovery through art, the challenges of promoting personal work online, and the balance between audience expectations and artistic authenticity. Episode Highlights: Theology Beer Camp Reflection: Sarey shares the experience of screening a trailer for her sci-fi short film The Winemaker for an audience of 600. Skelly’s Artistic Evolution: Raised in an isolated, religious household, Skelly explains how improv helped them connect with people and embrace community-focused art. Dark Fantasy Trilogy: Skelly’s 15-year journey writing a trilogy about a girl possessed by an ancient entity reflects personal themes of autonomy, mental health, and self-discovery. Exploring Gender Identity: Skelly shares how their agender identity shapes their writing, with diverse queer characters adding depth to their stories. Navigating Online Visibility: Skelly talks about balancing authenticity with audience expectations, including the challenges of self-promotion as a queer artist. Art as Healing and Connection: For Skelly, art transforms personal pain into shared empathy, connecting people across boundaries. Quotable Moments: "Art has an incredible power to transcend the limitations of language, allowing us to relate to and understand experiences far removed from our own." "It’s about transforming personal pain into something constructive that blooms and connects with others." Find Skelly’s Work: Website (Books): www.sooliebeetch.com — Skelly’s dark fantasy trilogy is available here. Website (Illustration): www.skellyharrington.com Instagram: @skellyharrington — Follow for illustrations and more insights into Skelly’s artistic journey. Join Sarey on Letterboxd: @sheologian. www.secretartproject.com Instagram: @doctormonalisa & @secretartprojects https://substack.com/@secretartproject Listen, Subscribe, and Leave a Review: If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Follow us for more inspiring stories and deep dives into the journeys of artists and creators. (I use AI to help me write shownotes.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this Episode: Tripp & Sarey cohost "Sing Sing: Humanity Beyond Bars" with director, Greg Kwedar, and actor, Sean San Jose. Tripp Fuller's website: trippfuller.com Kevin Kelly's 1,000 True Fans In this episode, we sit down with Tripp Fuller, the creator of Homebrewed Christianity, to explore his journey from casual theology pub discussions to building one of the most successful theology podcasts out there (5M+ downloads last year). Tripp shares how his early inspirations, technology, and a desire for community led him to the world of podcasting back in 2008. This episode is packed with insights on podcasting, community-building, and navigating online content creation while staying true to your passion. Episode Highlights - I use AI to help me write these show notes: The Origins of Homebrewed Christianity: Discover the humble beginnings of Tripp’s podcast, how a group of theology nerds in pubs inspired him, and the technological shifts (remember iPods and rewritable CDs?) that made it possible. Theology Beer Camp: Tripp introduces us to Theology Beer Camp—his unique blend of summer camp nostalgia, deep theological conversations, beer, and karaoke. Find out why he believes this fun, engaging atmosphere is key to fostering a rich, meaningful community. Evolution of Podcasting: Learn how podcasting has evolved since the early days and the challenges creators faced when monetizing and explaining the medium to the masses. Sustainability in Content Creation: Explore Tripp’s philosophy on podcast longevity, building relationships with a niche audience, and staying motivated as a creator. He shares tips for avoiding burnout and creating content that is both fulfilling and sustainable. Audience Growth and Engagement: Tripp offers insights into how his audience grew organically, shares download stats, and explains how long-form content plays a role in connecting with listeners. The Branding Challenge: With increasing negativity around the term "Christianity" in the public sphere, Tripp discusses the dilemma of rebranding Homebrewed Christianity and why he’s committed to reclaiming the term. Social Media and Algorithms: Tripp opens up about his complicated relationship with social media, how algorithms have impacted his engagement, and why he’s now focusing more on authentic community-building over viral popularity. Advice for Content Creators: Whether you’re starting a podcast or building a platform, Tripp shares his best advice for finding your niche, building genuine relationships, and keeping the joy in your creative work. Handling Criticism and Trolls: Learn how Tripp deals with negativity, hate mail, and online trolls—and how he sets boundaries to protect his mental energy and keep his focus on the positive side of community engagement. Kevin Kelly's "A Thousand True Fans": Tripp reflects on the idea of building sustainable success by focusing on a smaller, dedicated audience and how this has shaped his strategy for long-term growth. Subscribe & Follow: Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Secret Art Project! In this episode, we're diving into the world of clowning, which is probably weirder and darker than you are aware, with none other than the incredible Anne Zander, an actor, performer, and mother (not to mention a RADA grad!). Content Warning: In today's episode, Anne and I discuss our birth stories in detail, including topics like emergency C-sections, postpartum experiences, and motherhood. If these topics are sensitive for you, please feel free to skip this one. That conversation starts around 27:07. NOTES: Last week's guest, Kevin Max, just released a brand new EP called Horror—it's a collection of spooky cover songs, perfect for Halloween. You can grab it on Bandcamp for just $7. I'll play a little sneak peek at the end of this episode. Anne Zander is a talented clown and performer with a unique artistic approach to exploring human emotion through clowning. She shares her personal journey from studying theater in France and the UK. We talk about: How Anne’s childhood love for performance evolved into her career in clowning. The connection between failure and comedy, and how the clown always "fails" in a way that is deeply human. The creation of her one-woman show, Mother, which touches on the challenges of postpartum life and explores the physical and emotional tolls of motherhood in a contemporary clown style. Insights into how motherhood has shaped Anne’s artistic identity and the balance between being a mother and a creative. If you're in the Pacific Northwest, be sure to catch Anne's show Mother on October 25th in Olympia, Washington! Visit her website annezander.com or follow her on Instagram (@initialsAZ) for more details. If you're in Portland, consider taking one of her clown clinics—trust me, they’re transformative! Closing Thoughts: This conversation with Anne was such a special treat. If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, feel free to email me at sarey@secretartproject.com. And if you're interested in deep dives on topics like motherhood, creativity, or just want to geek out about art, let me know what you'd like to hear on the show. Thank you all for tuning in this week, and a big shoutout to Kevin Max! I’ll leave you with a snippet of Into the Night from his new EP Horror. Check it out on KevinMax.Bandcamp.com. Yes, I use AI to help me write show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surprise! The Secret Art Project podcast is back! After a long break, Sarey returns with major life updates, including a trip to Brazil, starting a new business, and working on a sci-fi film, The Winemaker. Sarey interfaces with musician Kevin Max, formerly of DC Talk, exploring themes of creativity, mysticism, and art. Discussions touch on Max's music career, his pivot to painting, and broader conversations about art and spirituality. The episode also highlights upcoming plans for a unique event, Theology Beer Camp, where Max will perform. Kevin Max Website Kevin Max Painting Theology Beer Camp (Discount Code: SAPSAREY24) Link to new Secret Art Project Substack 00:00 Welcome Back! 00:17 Life Updates and New Beginnings 00:45 Podcasting Challenges and Breakthroughs 02:21 Introducing Kevin Max 04:14 Theology Beer Camp and Upcoming Events 05:34 The Winemaker: A Filmmaker's Journey 08:50 Substack and Future Plans 13:04 Kevin Max: Art, Music, and Personal Journey 36:06 Morrissey Anecdotes 41:02 David Lynch's Upcoming Release 42:23 Creative Process and Cosmic Influence 46:13 Under the Skin and Artistic Inspiration 51:52 Spiritual Journey and Mental Health 58:45 Reflections on Evangelical Fame 01:04:42 Conclusion and Farewell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I talk about quitting my day job to start my own business, the underwhelming orgy scenes in Eyes Wide Shut, a Winemaker movie update, and I interview Anna Zlokovic! Anna is a filmmaker who wrote and directed the new body horror film on HULU called, “Appendage.” Watch it today! We also talk about her own struggle with anxiety, navigating film industry bigwigs, and her tarot practice.  More about Anna Zlokovic:  Anna Z’s website: https://www.annazlokovic.com/ Appendage on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/movie/appendage-5dee6ffc-dfb6-425e-b3b2-d665241e99b4 www.speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Anna. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. Love, Sarey Secretartproject.com  TidyCoCreative.com  Lorem Ipsum by TidyCo Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4CYaYusPnTw1MfpR6votq8?si=f1a0a2e106b94f7e  Also, Seed Probiotics! ...and TheologyBeer.Camp! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here I talk about why there haven't been any episodes for two weeks, the latest on The Winemaker, and the plan for future episodes. If you've listened to at least 2 episodes of this show, please click here to be entered to win a prize! It's a short listener survey to inform the plan for Season 2. https://forms.gle/qd1ukb7EVxeuEUKU7 As usual, feel free to email me at sarey@secretartproject.com. Head to secretartproject.com to add yourself to the mailing list and stay in the loop in between podcast seasons. Intro music is "Lawless Flawless" by OMNIFLUX (studioomniflux.com) -Sarey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I talk about location scouting at wineries, my new mindful way to think about envy, and I interview an interesting dude named Josh Hasty… Josh finds a way of getting into the lives of his heroes, like Rob Zombie and David Lynch! We talk deeply about getting what you wish for and how transcendental meditation has cleaned the cobwebs out. More about TM and Josh Hasty:  Join his free meditation group at the DLFLA - joshhasty.com/meditate  Learn about the David Lynch Foundation - davidlynchfoundation.org Find a TM center near you - tm.org Josh’s production company - relavox.com www.speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Stevo. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. Sarey Secretartproject.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I talk about dreams and visions, struggles at SXSW, and how I met my husband. Speaking of husband! He’s also my guest this week! I interview Stephen Cervantes about growing up between the U.S. and Panama, and how these identities connect and bring meaning to his filmmaking. Stevo is an award-winning filmmaker and graduate of NYU’s Tisch. He’s also the father of my child. Peace! More about Stevo Cervantes here: https://vimeo.com/stephencervantes www.speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Stevo. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. Sarey Secretartproject.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re listening to this in the days that follow its release, my body is in Austin, TX. You’ll hear me talk about the personalities of artists, my partner Stevo’s Panamanian film experience, issues around using the G-O-D-word, and interview my friend Dr. Thomas Jay Oord. Tom is a lifelong photographer and also a philosophy/theology professor. We talk about who gets the credit when we make good art (and likewise, the bad art), and what “the muse” could possibly be… Enjoy! More about Thomas Jay Oord here: thomasjayoord.com And Amazon Author's Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thomas-Jay-Oord/author/B001H6OGWE WinemakerMovie.com Questions for me or Tom: www.speakpipe.com/secretartproject Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. A Big 5 Personality test: https://www.personalityassessor.com/ipip-120/ Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. studioomniflux.com -Sarey www.secretartproject.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Folks I am one sleepy mama today - I asked a valet man to give me my keys please, when I was already holding them. WTF. Anyway, this episode tells all about the trials and tribulations of 11 inches of snow, negative self-talk, and how spiritual you have to be to like this podcast. It also contains one shiny interview with Zoe Cooper, who worked her ass off to pivot from acting to screenwriting over the course of a few years, and did it quite successfully. She's now got "killer" gigs writing for film and TV, in her genre of choice (horror)!  More about Zoe Cooper here: https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/reflections-on-3rd-annual-black-list-women-in-film-feature-writers-lab-de06e6c8f7a4 FOLLOW, PLEDGE, and SHARE - 24 hours left to contribute: https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-winemaker#story speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Zoe. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. -Sarey www.secretartproject.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vivi Ton is the first guest I've had who I didn't know at all before interviewing here, and she's a personal finance content creator--weird, right?! She tells the story of her big career pivot and about shifting into a nomad lifestyle in the last couple of years. I also talk about if it's important to wake up early to be productive, being an artist AND an entrepreneur, and the local film festival coming up this week. More about Vivi here: instagram.com/vivitron instagram.com/personalfinanceclub https://www.personalfinanceclub.com/start-here/ https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-winemaker#story to FOLLOW, PLEDGE, and SHARE. speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Vivi. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. -Sarey www.secretartproject.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn about how PYD made a hardcore career pivot from being a professional musician to producing about a million short films within a couple years. He also likes to send me a lot of Korn and nu metal memes. We also talk about not waiting for gatekeepers to tell you that you deserve to pursue the things you want, you can open the gate yourself, bro!  In my intro, I talk about getting suckered into Frozen 2 and something weird that happened in my meditation practice that had never ever happened before!  Learn more about Phillip Yaw Domfeh: cosmicotterproductions.com / https://www.instagram.com/philipp_yaw/ https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-winemaker#story to FOLLOW, PLEDGE, and SHARE. speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Phil. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. -Sarey secretartproject.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we talk about how waking up early can affect creativity, how I fell on my ass in improv class, and the story of a formerly depressed rockstar’s spiritual awakening. Oh yeah, and why I’m already thinking about post-production for the movie I haven’t shot yet. Everyone's favorite woowoo rockstar from Santa Barbara, Kyle Nicolaides tells the story of experiencing radical transformation from one ayahuasca ceremony, which eventually led him to become an author. Find out why he believes couldn’t get out of depression, even as all his dreams were seemingly coming true. “Thank God For Depression" on both paperback and audiobook is out now. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPW62QWN?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 Learn more at www.kylenicolaides.com https://www.instagram.com/kylenicolai/  https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-winemaker#story to FOLLOW, PLEDGE, and SHARE. speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Kyle. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. Intro music is “Lawless Flawless” by OMNIFLUX. -Sarey secretartproject.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am so tired today, guys... but it's a happy tired... How to make meaning when things are going really well in life? Like, when your short film is getting funding from some of the most unexpected connections... Do you have to get stoked on fundraising in order to fundraise? Do you have to really believe in yourself to make it "work"? Am I "manifesting"? Or maybe "incarnating"?  We're joined by audio-visual artist Mahsa Zargaran. After having a successful music career, touring nationally with her own music project and supporting internationally-known artists, she uncovered a new layer of her creative calling as a sculptor. We talk about the practices and dreams that led her to that point, what's up with "fear of success", how to deal with criticism, and how to cultivate a creative practice. https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-winemaker#story to FOLLOW, PLEDGE, and SHARE. speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Mahsa. Learn more about Mahsa http://studioomniflux.com/ and her awesome Patreon program http://www.patreon.com/omniflux/   Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. -Sarey secretartproject.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The episode starts with some storytelling about how I got started working in the entertainment industry at age 19—working for Madonna… kinda? My guest today is filmmaker Aaron John Tao, who is part of a directing duo with his twin brother, Winston. He shares the bad religious ideas he’s had to shed in order to grow, heal from trauma, and make better art. The Tao Brothers’ films have been Vimeo staff-picked and won multiple awards at film festivals. Their feature script, “Goodbye, Hurricane”—about growing up with a mother diagnosed with schizoaffective bipolar disorder—is Blacklist Recommended. https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-winemaker#story to FOLLOW, PLEDGE, and SHARE about The Winemaker. speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or any of my guests. About The Tao Brothers: https://thetaos.work/about Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. -Sarey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the pilot episode of the podcast, I talk about my next film project, The Winemaker, and about the psycho-spiritual self-care routine that’s preparing me for crowdfunding (lol). This episode features a conversation with filmmaker and puppeteer, Raymond Carr. He tells the story of his humble beginnings, homeschooled by church-clowns, to touring the world with giant robot dinosaurs and working on the Jim Henson lot. winemakermovie.com to FOLLOW, PLEDGE, and SHARE. speakpipe.com/secretartproject to submit a question for Sarey or Raymond. ninjapuppetproductions.com for more about Raymond Carr. Email sarey@secretartproject.com to connect about anything. -Sarey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices