It's just me today! I'm trying out solo minisodes to be able to share what's going on in my own creative journey and be honest about my struggles with my creative practice. Instead of trying to be the expert, which my silly brain has been trying to convince me that's where I'll offer the most value, I'm going to lean in to my natural nature of being a seeker and just share with you what I'm playing around with and where I'm stuck. Right now, where I've been getting stuck is avoiding my bigger creative goals because I'm scared to be a beginner again or to suck as something that I've built up in my head. Sound familiar?  I hope that my journey makes you feel a little less alone when you too are stuck avoiding things and feel like you'll never move the needle.  Be sure to follow me on Substack (@lorealexander) [https://substack.com/@lorealexander] where I'll be migrating my online presence to try to exit the Meta-verse and connect with others in a different way and more deeply with myself. And come hang out with me in person in Tacoma on the second Wednesday of each month at Crafty AF [https://craftyafstudio.com/products/let-it-out-junk-journaling]! Let's junk journal together. Resources Maria Bowler [https://substack.com/@mariabowler]Tacoma Night Market [https://tacomanightmarket.com/]Off the Grid Podcast [https://offthegrid.fun/podcast]

In this episode, I'm joined by Jamie Madden (he/sé), author of Bittersweet Lane: Creating Home(s) in the American Affordable Housing Crisis. In his book, he talks about growing up in affordable housing and how that influenced his current life's work to make sure price restricted housing continues to be built for the next kid--with all the restrictions of our current system. Growing up in that environment, perfection is required for upward mobility. Jamie discusses some of the ways he experienced perfectionism and how he encourages himself out of perfectionism through music and making watercolor art with his daughter.  We also discuss themes of resistance and how art helps us remember our past and fight for the future. #FreePalestine You can buy Jamie's book here [https://bookshop.org/p/books/bittersweet-lane-finding-home-in-the-american-un-affordable-housing-crisis-jamie-madden/22449916?ean=9798991642897&next=t&affiliate=13171]or wherever books are sold! References: Blindboy Boat Club [https://shows.acast.com/blindboy] The Mountain Goats [https://www.mountain-goats.com/] Row House Publishing [https://www.rowhousepublishing.com/]

Content warning: there is mention of SA and death of a grandparent in this episode. EJ Crocker grew up loving sounds, making noise, singing, and has been finding her way to music ever since. From childlike wonder through honing a craft and making a living with her music.  We talk about how being a "professional" can take the joy away from our art, and EJ is navigating that world beautifully and returning to childlike wonder and reckless abandon with her music. She has learned to rely on the people who inspire her and relish the small connections that keep her close to the music and to herself. I hope you enjoy this precious, vulnerable conversation that is graced with birdsong from EJ's rooftop. References: Andrea Gibson: "I Sing the Body Electric; Especially When My Power Is Out"

In this episode, I'm joined by Brigitte, a systems and self-care witch for neurodivergent creatives, to chat about how structure and process don't have to mean limitations on your creativity and can instead be "enabling constraints" to move you forward into creativity. We chat about Brigitte's path from not seeing herself as an artist to eventually seeing the real picture of becoming and inhabiting the life of an artist instead of wrestling with the picture she had in her head. Sound familiar? If you're a neurodivergent creative with a million ideas you can't seem to organize, definitely check out Brigitte's coaching offerings! You can find her on her website [https://www.brigittemarieenergydesign.com/]as well as her YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJCxe5yTl4en99GiH5GkM5A]. References: Yet another shout out to The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron "Enabling constraints" shout out to Christine Garvey with A Mighty Practice [https://www.instagram.com/amightypractice/] Kyra Sutherland with Joyful Divergent [https://www.instagram.com/joyfuldivergent/]

In this episode, I'm joined by Ania Pilch (she/her) to discuss her journey toward a creative life through her platform, Not the Creative Kind. Ania grew up believing she wasn't a creative person; if art doesn't seem to come naturally to us, sometimes it's just easier to not go there, allowing stasis and status quo to run the show. There came a point when Ania realized she wanted to change up her lifestyle, and when she pictured her ideal life, there was always art involved--but why have a music studio if you're not playing music? She decided it was time to explore a what a "creative life" meant to her. Thus began her quest to engage in a more creative life. She challenged herself to try one new hobby every month, and Not the Creative Kind was born. Check out the community she's building on IG [https://www.instagram.com/not.thecreativekind/]and WhatsApp [https://chat.whatsapp.com/BGxBSutITisK9qdUdZQKLP]! References: CreativeMornings Field Trips

In this episode, I'm joined by Jade Monroe (she/her), a community builder and musical artist, for a special conversation about how creativity can be an avenue to a higher purpose. Today, we chat about how we can all find courage to act through fear by developing trusting connection with ourselves rather than chasing after the shiny things and flashy attention we're taught to want when thinking about putting our art out into the world. What can we find here on the grittier, messier interpersonal side of community when we focus wholeheartedly on reclaiming our power, standing together in solidarity, and creating art that speaks to our souls? Jade is a container of multitudes. By day, she develops food waste reduction policies for a sustainable future. By night, Jade hosts a songwriter club, powerlifts with determination, and shares her soul through music with her ultra-talented bandmates. She has been actively involved in helping organize the local chapter of 50501 Protests and encourages us all to stand together and speak out, as is our right, to create the world we want to live in and stand up to authoritarianism. You can see her band, Sweet Marilyn, play at the Frontier Lounge on April 25 here in Tacoma! See more of their event dates and purchase their latest album at https://sweetmarilyn.art/ References: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond Porchfest: https://tacomaporchfest.org/

In this delightfully imperfect and serendipitous episode, I'm joined by Alyssa Ryann (she/they), local Tacoma artist with a passion for making art more accessible to the general public. We met at a holiday artist market and I was immediately drawn to her apparently limitless styles. Today, we ended up talking about our shared philosophy that saying yes to yourself is the most self-loving thing you can do--including saying yes to making terrible art--as well as how important art is for survival, resistance, and revolution. Alyssa even made a t-shirt specifically from our conversation today which you can purchase through this link: https://alyssaryannart.etsy.com/listing/1856937802 using the code UGLYART for 20% off! You can follow along Alyssa's journey on IG @alyssaryannart [https://www.instagram.com/alyssaryannart/]. They'll even host a paint and sip for you if you'd like!

In this episode, I chat with Meagan Mahaffy, founder of ArtGurl and fellow bad artist. We've both caught the ugly art bug, and yes, it is contagious because people like us have made it our mission to spread it as far and wide as possible. At different points in our lives, we both experienced the deep pit of despair of realizing that the life we chose wasn't the life we wanted, leaving us with a giant question of what on earth we were supposed to do now. Making ugly art allowed our intuition to grow louder each day, slowly unveiling our inner worlds and exposing the self beneath the masks.  Together, we also discuss how art can be used as a wellness tool for self-expression, allowing us to take up space in the world and process the emotions and trauma that get buried beneath stagnation and comfort. While doing this work to get in touch with ourselves and heal can be painful (and just might ruin your marriage *ahem*), the end result is you getting to live more fully into who you really are and who you want to be. That's a pretty great tradeoff!  You can learn more about Meagan's work on Instagram @ artgurl_ [https://www.instagram.com/artgurl__/]. She does in-person workshops in NY, has an online art club [https://artgurl.rexengine.com/auth/signin?callbackUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fartgurl.rexengine.com%2Fclubs%2Fartgurl], and is also running a virtual program called Art Gurl Academy [https://www.artgurl.org/pages/join] where participants learn to use art to transform their life.

Join me and Andrea [on-dray-uh] Reeves (she/her), the neurodivergent mind behind Type C Creative, as we discuss the ways self-help isn't so helpful. How do we get out of that external feedback loop of trying to constantly improve ourselves and instead find a place of radical self-acceptance with our art and ourselves. We discuss finding systems and routines that work for you without attributing a story that you're failing or being a bad person as well as the beauty of embracing intentional inconsistency: accepting that you'll be inconsistent and de-shaming those habits that might be less than habitual. You can find Andrea at typec-creative.com [https://www.typec-creative.com/] and sign up for her Substack, Rebellious Systems [https://typeccreative.substack.com/].

Today I'm joined by Kyra Sutherland (they/them), joy and confidence coach for autistic and ADHD folks, to discuss how neurodivergence impacts creativity and how practicing imperfection can help us expand how we view creativity and how we view ourselves. As a kid, Kyra was a creative writer until puberty took hold and the comparison monster made creating too scary. As an adult, they have redefined creativity and how they express it through their business, gender expression, and relationships. You can learn more about them at joyfuldivergence.com [https://www.joyfuldivergence.com/] and follow them on social media!  References: "Multipotentialite [https://puttylike.com/terminology/]" You Are an Artist [https://bookshop.org/p/books/you-are-an-artist-assignments-to-spark-creation-sarah-urist-green/12998476?ean=9780143134091]by Sarah Urist Green

In this episode, I'm joined by Tacoma artist Jamie Fiano (she/her). Jamie and I discuss how creativity is more than putting color to a page; it's how we live and how we interact with each other. And in that interaction, we open ourselves up to new ways of being. Creation can be a path to freeing ourselves from old trains of thought that no longer serve us; it can give us a safe place to practice embracing the void and imagining new paradigms. As Jamie so beautifully puts it, "Creativity is the creation of space which is safe, secure, and sacred." You can find Jamie at local Tacoma events through Cascade Music Alliance [https://www.instagram.com/cascademusicalliance/], Creative Colloquy [https://www.instagram.com/creativecolloquy/], and open mic nights  at Soulberry Coffeehouse [https://www.instagram.com/soulberrycoffeehouse/]. References: Short story I couldn't remember the name of about "derivative art": Melancholy Elephants by Spider Robinson [https://www.spiderrobinson.com/melancholyelephants.html] Dimension 20: Fantasy High [https://dimension20.fandom.com/wiki/Fantasy_High] "Palimpsest" Definition of "palimpsest" [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palimpsest]

In this episode, I talk with local Tacoma-area artist, Skye. Skye and I met the way most artists do...by overhearing the other talking about art and staring like a weirdo until it's too awkward to NOT introduce yourself and ask about their art...that's how it's done, right? Well, I'm glad I was weird because now I have this episode and a friend to show for it. Sky shares about how these past few years motivated her to set aside distractions and start taking her art more seriously. We talk about how art can communicate our subconscious needs and desires, how scary it can be to put that final touch on something, and making art with zero expectations. In the end, making art is all about meeting ourselves in new ways and introducing ourselves to the world.  You can find Skye's art on her Instagram @divine.reflections333 [https://www.instagram.com/divine.reflections333/]  References: Lauren Cutts [https://www.instagram.com/laurencutts.art/] Art

In this episode of The Ugly Podcast, I speak with Dani Abernathy (she/they), an Enneagram teacher and Author Accelerator book coach, and we reflect on how our creativity got lost in the shuffle of adulthood, stifled by self-judgment and the pressures of fitting into religious norms. We discuss how stepping away from religion and being honest about who we really are—especially when it comes to gender and sexuality—opened up space to create without fear or the need to prove anything. We talk about how isolating it can be to hide parts of yourself and how freeing it feels to just be real, even if that means embracing the darker or more complicated parts. Exploring and expressing our true identities has made life—and creativity—feel a lot more authentic and fun. This episode also showcases the first ever live ugly art exercise! Don't know how we got this far without one, but so glad we're here! Learn more about Dani at daniabernathy.com [https://www.daniabernathy.com/]and take their Untapped Superpower Quiz [https://www.daniabernathy.com/quiz] to discover your writing superpower and receive tools to help you on your writing journey. Follow them on Instagram: @daniabernathyauthor [https://www.instagram.com/daniabernathyauthor/]

In today's episode, I talk with Sarah Henn Hayward about her experience writing Giving Up God, a memoir about leaving religion. We talk about how she didn't feel very creative before writing her memoir, but the process of writing it awoke her creativity and led her to continue writing children's books and fiction. Long story short, if you say yes to your ideas and get started, you might find that you have way more up in your brain than you ever thought possible! Check out Sarah's website to learn more about her work! https://sarahhennhayward.com/ References FFTs: Fucking First Time by Brené Brown [https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-on-ffts/]

Heather Buchanan is back! In this episode, we talk about Heather's new book, Blame the Stars [https://bookshop.org/p/books/blame-the-stars-a-very-good-totally-accurate-collection-of-astrological-advice-heather-buchanan/20598813?ean=9781797226392], based on her totally accurate and divinely channeled IG page Horror Scoops [https://www.instagram.com/horror.scoops/], and the intense process she went through to bring this incredibly goofy book to her readers. We discuss working with the inner critic and being willing to draw the goofy things that pop into your brain--like beans!--and saying yes even when your inner critic is telling you no. You can buy Heather's book anywhere books are sold, and we highly recommend going to your local bookstore! Follow along for weekly horror scoops on IG @horror.scoops and check out more of Heather's work at heatherbuchanan.ca [https://www.heatherbuchanan.ca/] References: Manhunt [https://bookshop.org/p/books/manhunt-gretchen-felker-martin/17086522?ean=9781250794642]by Gretchen Felker-Martin Tara Brach RAIN method The Artist's Way [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-artist-s-way-30th-anniversary-edition-julia-cameron/6665657?ean=9780143129257] by Julia Cameron

In this episode, I'm joined by Kaighla Rises, Pushcart Prize Nominee and award-winning author of Evryn, The Light [https://bookshop.org/p/books/evryn-the-light-kaighla-rises/19964668?ean=9798218167462], to talk about returning home to ourselves through creativity.  There is no one path to healing, but connecting with creativity, getting help for mental health, listening to our inner child, and leaving harmful religious structures and relationships have all brought Kaighla and I closer to ourselves. Get to know Kaighla's work at kaighlarises.com References: The Artist's Way [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-artist-s-way-30th-anniversary-edition-julia-cameron/6665657?ean=9780143129257] by Julia Cameron Things That Shatter [https://www.amazon.com/Things-That-Shatter-Kaighla-Dayo/dp/1796406333] by Kaighla Rises Wellspring [https://www.amazon.com/wellspring-kaighla-rises-ebook/dp/B091V6GMHT/ref=sr_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UNhojSwSPpMahRqBcNJnzLbZQL3MtuyK0vwJMhUZh043Ly15VvCIfArfCM5oaGhn.1JJ3URfkL-YWR2rWFCXMzpALs8cn2C_SG5IwgCdAM7Y&dib_tag=se&qid=1710860072&refinements=p_27%3AKaighla+Rises&s=digital-text&sr=1-4&text=Kaighla+Rises]by Kaighla Rises Emotionally Healthy Spirituality [https://bookshop.org/p/books/emotionally-healthy-spirituality-it-s-impossible-to-be-spiritually-mature-while-remaining-emotionally-immature-peter-scazzero/9985431?ean=9780310348498] by Peter Scazzero [Image description: Photo of a woman in her mid-thirties with short pink hair, green eyes, wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf around her neck against a black background. She's smiling warmly and looking directly into the camera.]

My guest this week is Toni Nagy, stand-up comedian, content creator and interpretative dancer extraordinaire. Toni shares her unexpected path to accepting the "ugly" in her life and how this led her to embrace her own style of dancing, the importance of finding that deeper motivation to be creative, and embracing cringey feelings as fertile ground for transformation. We also chat about one of my favorite topics–art as a tool for liberation! Specifically, strengthening our imaginations and deepening the connection we have with ourselves, the earth, and each other. This episode marks the first installment of a new segment, listener questions! Today's question focuses on how to show up when making anything feels overwhelming. If you have a question you'd like to hear on the podcast, email me at lauren@scribeandsunshine.com.  For more laughs and existential dance-musings, follow Toni on Instagram @toninagy [https://www.instagram.com/toninagy/]and check out her link tree [https://linktr.ee/toninagy] for shows, her Patreon, and more goodies! References: The book I forgot the name of: Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler [https://www.perfectionistsguide.com/]

Today's guest, April Fitzpatrick (she/her), aka "The Pineapple Lady," is an art therapist whose work centers art as a process that allows people, particularly those who've experienced racial trauma, to reclaim agency over their personal narratives. April and I talk about the impressive symbolism of the pineapple for both the therapy process and the human development process, and a broad overview of what happens from a neuroscience perspective when we engage in creative acts. We also discuss the benefits of prioritizing the healing and creative processes rather than chasing after unrealistic performance culture standards. In the midst of so much global grief and ongoing trauma, one thing I know for sure is the importance of having an inclusive mental health framework to help us all work toward healing. You can learn more about April's work at pineappleswithpurpose.com [https://www.pineappleswithpurpose.com/meet-april] or on Instagram at @pineappleswithpurpose [https://www.instagram.com/pineappleswithpurpose/]. You can see some of her work featured in Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee International Airport, Canvas Rebel, Artful Infrastructure, Black Superwoman Chronicles, ArtPlace America, Black Minds Mag, Art Seen: The Curator's Salon Magazine, and ART4EQUALITY x LIFE, LIBERTY, PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS Exhibition Catalog. 

In this episode, I talk with fellow editor and book coach, Sabrina Estudillo Butler, about standing in our values and saying the quiet part loud. We discuss how it feels in our bodies when we step out of our comfort zones and speak up about injustice and the inner criticism that inevitably pops up when we are new or feel like an imposter. We touch on the issues in publishing as a white, cis, straight, able-body-centered industry, and why it's so important to speak about these topics to effectuate change. Whenever we dare to say something important and lean into our values, I firmly believe we make the world a little better. And it's scary to do that! Which is why I wanted to have this conversation with Sabrina to talk about doing the scary thing anyway and how it feels in the moment, amid the transformation. You can learn more about Sabrina's work on her website unpolishedwords.com [https://www.unpolishedwords.com/] and follow her on social media for more: @unpolishedwords [https://www.instagram.com/unpolished.words/] on Instagram and Sabrina Estudillo Butler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinaestudillobutler/] on LinkedIn. References: Juno Creative [https://junocreative.studio/] PEN America Report: Reading Between the Lines [https://pen.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Reading-Between-the-Lines.pdf] Open Letter Criticising PEN America's Stance on Israel-Gaza War Reaches 500 Signatures [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/feb/12/open-letter-criticising-pen-americas-stance-on-israel-gaza-war-reaches-500-signatories]

Today's episode is all about the importance of queering up the creativity process and I am lucky enough to be joined by M Eifler (they/them), a San Francisco-based artist who uses art and technology to explore disability as a hotbed of innovation. M and I talk about the way their disability has helped them evolve their creative approaches, including their #ArtSchoolFromBed series, the importance of starting where their body is rather than a level of skill, and how their disability actually means they do not have the energy for perfectionism. M also shared how they use a scientific-method-type approach to creativity as a way to invite and welcome the messy and ugly (!) results. You can find M's work on their website blinkpopshift.com [https://www.blinkpopshift.com/] and you can support them on their Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/BlinkPopShift]and possibly host of their incredible pieces by becoming a patron. References: Art 21 [https://art21.org/series/art-in-the-twenty-first-century/] Activist affordances  [https://bookshop.org/p/books/activist-affordances-how-disabled-people-improvise-more-habitable-worlds-arseli-dokumaci/18380531?ean=9781478019244] Ugly Laws [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugly_law]