Marcos Lutyens draws upon his expertise and curiosity in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, artificial and animal intelligence, ecological systems, bacterial interaction, and many kinds of indigenous knowledges to create art. As he says, “art needs to be in the world and of the world”. His artistic practice also targets the psychic and emotional well-being of audiences by inviting participants into meditative and hypnotic experiences that affect the deepest levels of their psyche. His works take form in installations, sculptures, drawings, short films, writings and performances and have been shown at a dizzying list of locations, including the Miró Foundation, the Frye Museum, the Guggenheim, MoMA, LACMA, the Royal Academy of Arts, the National Art Museum of China, the Pompidou in Paris, as well as biennales in Liverpool, Istanbul, Havana, and Venice.
In this episode, recorded in May 2020, Marcos reads from ‘Mount Analogue’ by René Daumal.
Casey Schreiner is the founder of the most popular hiking blog in the western United States, Modern Hiker, visited by more than a million people every month. He’s written three books. His second, ‘Discovering Griffith Park’ condenses years of meticulous research into a pocket-sized guidebook for the largest urban parkland in the United States. In 2018 he received a Certificate of Appreciation from the US Congress for connecting communities to outdoor spaces around Los Angeles. Casey is a seasoned TV writer and producer, and when Good Morning America, NPR, REI or the Associated Press need an expert on hiking and the great outdoors, Casey is who they turn to.
In this episode, recorded in May 2020, Casey reads ‘Fuck The Bread. The Bread is Over’ by Sabrina Orah Mark.
The artist mallewi is an autodidact, multidisciplinary artist from Baltimore, now based in Los Angeles. From a young age, mallewi used creativity to transform limited resources into boundless expression. At just 12 years old, the City of Baltimore commissioned mallewi and a few local artists to create a ceramic mural of Billie Holiday for the grand opening of the Eubie Blake Cultural Center. This early achievement was a precursor to a lifelong journey of artistic exploration. In high school, mallewi earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma with a concentration in visual arts. Ever resourceful, teenage mallewi sold handmade art pieces in their neighborhood to purchase a tape recorder, which became a pivotal tool for self-taught musical training. This diligence laid the foundation for mallewi's music career, where art became both a form of personal healing and a medium to connect with others. Poetry was mallewi’s initial outlet during challenging times, which evolved into songwriting, singing, and eventually music production. In 2019, mallewi released their first EP, THE GARDEN, a folk-soul exploration of personal growth. The following year, mallewi released RETINA, an alternative project that peaked at #21 on iTunes’ Top 25 alternative album summer releases. Their upcoming project, APOLLO, set to debut in 2025, will blend neo-soul, pop, and R&B, diving into themes of love, loss, sexuality, existentialism, and renewal. Through their work, mallewi fosters connection and reassurance, crafting songs that offer solace and remind listeners that they are understood, safe, and resilient—even during life’s toughest moments.
In this episode, recorded in June 2020, mallewi reads ‘For My People’ by Margaret Walker, as part of a special Black Lives Matter lineup curated by Meredith Lancaster.
Dr Ehssan Sakhaee is an educator, engineer, cartoonist, author, philosopher and poet. Ehssan is passionate about cultivating the next generation of leaders to build a happier and more sustainable tomorrow. He teaches leadership and project management, uploads dance videos to YouTube, and interviews thought leaders across the world to educate his students and a broader public audience. He holds a swag of qualifications including positive psychology coaching, higher education, telecommunications engineering, and social entrepreneurship, and is described by students as a pure delight and infinitely approachable. In his hometown of Sydney, Ehssan founded the art project Street Poet with an ambitious ten-year vision to eradicate homelessness.
In this episode, recorded in August 2020, Ehssan reads ‘The Alchemy of Love’ and ‘Chickpea to Cook’ by Rumi
Meredith Lancaster, MA, MLIS, (she/her) is the Curator at the Compton Art & History Museum, where she combines her expertise and passion to celebrate Compton’s rich history and artistic heritage. With over a decade of experience as an art historian and art curator, Meredith has organized exhibitions for institutions such as the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Gallery Michael, Woman Made Gallery, and MW Galleries. By prioritizing inclusivity and community collaboration, she has helped establish the Compton Museum as an essential hub for cultural enrichment. Meredith is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and challenging traditional narratives through innovative programming. A natural storyteller, she brings a keen eye for emerging talent, a passion for mentorship, and a deep belief in the transformative power of art. Her work at the Compton Museum focuses on creating immersive experiences that foster curiosity, dialogue, reflection, and a deeper appreciation for Compton’s dynamic artistic and cultural landscape.
In this episode, recorded in November 2020, Meredith Lancaster reads from ‘The Cure at Troy’ by Seamus Heaney.
Josh Shayne loves dachshunds, bubble tea, and backyard swimming pools. His company, Good Worker, produces original story-driven content, including a superb web series, ‘Storylines’, in which comedians tell travel stories illustrated in animation and sound design. It’s brilliant, and when released during pandemic lockdown it proved to be a welcome substitute for all the travel that wasn’t possible. With his wife Robin, Josh founded Creative Neighbors - a monthly meetup in Los Angeles where creatives drink beer and enthuse about creativity, down by the LA River at Frogtown Brewery.
In this episode, recorded in September 2020, Josh reads ‘Frog and Toad Tentatively Go Outside After Months in Self-Quarantine’ by Jennie Egerdie.
Dr Sara Spike (she/her) is a cultural historian of rural communities and coastal environments in Atlantic Canada. She is an instructor in the History Department at Dalhousie University and a member of the Executive Committee of NiCHE (the Network in Canadian History & Environment). She lives in rural Nova Scotia, part of Mi'kma'ki , the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq. Her research uses a range of unconventional perspectives to explore the historical worlds of rural Canadians, illuminating and recuperating overlooked aspects of rural culture and knowledge. She is currently writing a book about the history of fog in Atlantic Canada, which explores how the perpetual presence of fog has shaped life and culture in this coastal region, offering a new entry point into histories of science, settler colonialism, seafaring, and daily life.
In this episode, recorded in June 2021 and guest curated by the Network in Canadian History & Environment | Nouvelle initiative Canadienne en histoire de l'environnement, Sara reads from ‘The Closing Down of Summer’ by Alistair MacLeod.
Jessica is a writer, editor and permaculturist from Sydney who sees book manuscripts as complex ecologies and brings a holistic, permaculturalist perspective to all she does, including editing, community gardening, sustainability, and human rights. She has edited books that won accolades such as the Prime Minister's Prize, Premier's Literary Awards, The Age Book of the Year and many others. She spent the pandemic in her element, baking, cooking, saving and raising seed, and (remotely) helping communities transition to more holistic ways.
In this episode, recorded in November 2020, Jessica reads ‘We Were Made for These Times’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.
Krysta Gonzales (she/they) is a queer Los-Angeles based actor, voiceover artist, playwright, and podcast host of Black American and Mexican American descent. She earned her BFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Experimental Theatre Wing and was a Diversity Scholar at The Groundlings School. Her recent credits include Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” and “Elemental,” “Quarter Life Poetry” on FX, and her play Más Cara was the flagship production for the FuturX 2019 Theater Festival in Austin. They’re a current member of Dan Froot & Company, which creates theater pieces, podcasts, and community gatherings that foster dialogue around hunger, race, the gun debate, and other pressing social issues. She also serves as a board member for The Michael’s Daughter Foundation, which provides free and low-cost enrichment programs to youth and families in underserved communities, including creative writing workshops, creating original plays, monologues, and short films along with documentaries and music. They are also committed to providing resources such as financial wellness workshops, emergency funds, and scholarship money for college students impacted by incarceration and/or having a loved one behind bars. Krysta’s podcast “History Around You,” produced by Jett Road Studios, focuses on family stories that shed light on significant historical events and is available on Apple and Spotify.
In this episode, recorded in September 2021, Krysta reads from ‘Intimations’ by Zadie Smith
Jennifer Bernstein holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Case Studies in the Environment, published by UC Press, and adjunct environmental studies faculty at Tarleton State University. She is a Senior Fellow at The Breakthrough Institute. Previously, Jenn was on the faculty of University of Southern California, the University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College, and Hawaii Pacific University. She researches and publishes on the diversity of environmental attitudes and values, paying particular attention to social justice issues. Her first book, published by Emerald Press, is 'Responsible Consumption and Production: A Revolutionary Challenge for the 21st Century'. Her work has been published in academic journals including the Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Environmental History, and Nature Climate Change. Her popular writing has been featured in the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, and The Conversation. She was a Training and Retaining Women in STEM (TRELIS) Fellow in 2020, and winner of the University of Southern California Undergraduate Mentoring Award in 2022.
In this episode, recorded in October 2022, Jennifer reads from ‘Loss and Wonder at the World’s End’ by Laura A. Ogden.
Michelle Matthews was born in Iran to a Chinese/Vietnamese mother and a Black/Caucasian father, and her family was among the last ones to be airlifted from Iran during the Islamic Revolution in February of 1979. Her father, once a minister from North Carolina, is a retired technical writer who wrote manuals for the B2 Bomber and Apache helicopter and taught her how to use Ventura Publisher when she was eleven. She grew up in Hawthorne, California. Traveling back and forth between her home and her high school in West Los Angeles, Michelle noticed how the quality of the landscape impacts the quality of life. A creative leader Michelle Matthews is an artist, designer, and photographer and has a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and MFA from the University of Southern California. She has spent most of her professional career working as a designer at nonprofit, cultural and advocacy institutions such as the ACLU, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Sundance Institute, host of the Sundance Film Festival and is founder of the Urban Ecology Conservatory.
In this episode, recorded in October 2022, Michelle reads from ‘In Search of the Lost River’ by Henry Cherry.
Tina Orduno Calderon is a Culture Bearer of Gabrielino Tongva, Chumash, Yoeme & Chicana descent. She is wife, mother, grandmother, sister and auntie to many. Tina is a singer who also enjoys creative writing and composing poems and songs. To date she has composed over two dozen songs in her ancestral languages of Tongvé and Chumash. Additionally, Tina is a traditional dancer and storyteller who strongly believes in honoring her ancestors by sharing their history and educating others about Indigenous truths. Tina works with many youth groups, environmental organizations and schools and she serves on several Boards and holds advisory positions in the educational and environmental fields in order to give voice to the lands, waters and sacred elements and to encourage others to be good relatives.
In this episode, recorded in October 2022, Tina reads ‘The River’ by Kathleen Jessie Raine.
Aspen Leavitt is an illustrator, multimedia artist, and all-around life enthusiast! Aspen graduated from Woodbury University 2022 with a BFA in Animation, and now joyfully works freelance with organizations and individuals alike on a variety of ideas. In the Summer of 2024, he published his book, “Happy Here,” a collection of self-illustrated poetry that plays with themes of growing up, nostalgia, and optimism! He can’t WAIT for the next big art project! Aspen joins the Storytime family thanks to an introduction from another Storytime for the Apocalypse alum, Mike Sonksen, who read in 2020 in a special episode celebrating the life and legacy of Lewis MacAdams.
In this episode, recorded in October 2022, Aspen Leavitt reads ‘Ode to the Los Angeles River’ by Mike Sonksen.
Storytime for the Apocalypse is a collection of mini podcasts for your listening pleasure. In each one, you will hear from one reader, bringing you a well-measured dose of read-aloud medicine. Hosted by Tilly Hinton and produced by Sëan Tretheway. Season Two arrives on New Year's Eve 2024, ready to fortify your spirits and ours in 2025.
Tom Griffiths is a beloved historian whose books and essays have won prizes in literature, history, science, politics, and journalism. His true stories are about fire and ice, climate and culture, forests and deserts, and the haunting relationship between the past and the present. His books include Hunters and Collectors, Forests of Ash, Slicing the Silence, Living with Fire and The Art of Time Travel: Historians and their Craft. Tom is an Emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University and in 2014 received Australia’s highest recognition for outstanding achievement and service when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his work in education, history, and literature. He’s been to Antarctica more than once, was an important voice in the Australian bushfire crisis last summer, and has for years been a mentor and an inspiration to environmental humanities scholars across the globe.
Bonnie Foster is an award-winning writer/director working in documentary, narrative film, and music videos. Her original films have won over 21 awards and played in more than 30 festivals worldwide, earning accolades including Best Director at the London Independent Film Awards, Best Screenplay at Santa Monica International Film Festival, and Best Performance at Malibu International Film Festival. She’s also a puppeteer and writer, and has interviewed Sean Lennon and Jerry Hall, among many other impressive achievements.
Read more about Bonnie at: https://www.bonniefoster.com/
Brooke Macbeth is a lifelong Californian and devoted Angelena. She is a silversmith, an occasional research scientist with a focus on entomology, a mother, and she loves to cook. She cherishes neighborhood walks, and flowers, and lives life with maximum levels of both curiosity and kindness.
Tim Ottman has an unparalleled knack for crafting beautiful things from foraged and forgotten objects. As Production Designer for the film DUSTWUN, he wrangled discarded electric objects and building materials to create a visually captivating 55-foot-long film set in Arizona and years ago he remodeled an abandoned couch so that actors in a Dali-esque play could vanish and re-appear through its cushions. He served in the military in Japan, and was for two decades Quentin Tarantino’s personal handyman. His neon artistry at the all-night dublab at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions was described as “perfect”. He filled a former Hollywood Boulevard mortuary with neon for the West Coast Ensemble and takes care of vintage neon signage in place and in his collection. In the 1980s, Tim acted in more than a hundred plays here in Southern California, and he and Tilly became friends when he inadvertently impersonated a doorman at an event they both attended.
Meredith Lancaster is a curator, art historian, archivist, and social media maven. She serves on the Black Alumni Board of Directors at the University of Oregon and is a member of the Society of American Archivists, the Black Caucus American Library Association, and the American Library Association. Meredith, who calls both Los Angeles and Chicago home, imbues her work with diversity, accessibility, and inclusion, particularly focussing on women and people of color. Her 2018 exhibition at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, “Don’t Touch My Hair: Expressions of Identity and Community,” used text and photography to explore how hair upholds and questions our sense of otherness and autonomy. Meredith is a plant mama, a member of the storied Los Angeles Breakfast Club, and harnessed her pandemic angst to earn a second Master's degree, in LIbrary and Information Science.
Read more about Meredith at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithelancaster/
Michael Mobbs’ house was recreated for an exhibition at one of Australia’s premier museums: the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (the fancy name for the place we all know and love as The Powerhouse) in Sydney Australia.
What does it take for a home to be museum-worthy, you ask? Well, in 1997, Michael, then an environmental lawyer and now an esteemed sustainability consultant, overhauled his inner-urban terrace house to be profoundly sustainable - independent of city water, sewage, and power.
His book ‘Sustainable House’ documents this remarkable achievement, and tens of thousands of people have toured his home to see what’s possible.
For his second act, Michael wrote ‘Sustainable Food’ which is just as revolutionary, and more recently has designed coolseats - an elegant and engaging solution to urban composting and closing the loop on urban food waste.
You can read more about Michael Mobbs at: https://www.sustainablehouse.com.au/.