Makers & Mystics

It's time for the July Makers & Mystics Summer Book Club to begin! And we couldn't be more thrilled about the book we will be reading together. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. Starting Wednesday night, July 5th, at 8 pm Eastern time, we will spend an hour each week discussing the topics of this book and how each plays out in our own creative practices. We will cover topics such as:  Mindsets Habits  Collaboration  Experimentation  This Book Club will be led by the Makers & Mystics podcast host, Stephen Roach (that's me) and our Art Collective Leader, Corey Frey.We would love to have you join in! This one is reserved for the Maker tier of Patrons, however, if you'd like to join and can't swing the ten bucks, send me a message and I'll sneak you in the back door. See you soon! Stephen 

In this concluding segment of our artist's roundtable on the Ordinary and Existential, Strahan, Josh, Ashley and Stephen explore the similarities and contrast between the glory of transfiguration and the humility of washing of the disciples feet. Though different in expression, both acts hold a beautiful depiction of art and the urge for transcendence.

What does transcendence look like for a “post-psychedelic” artist and seeker? How does the notion of transcendence differ for the Jesus follower? Is there a difference between “manufactured” transcendence and one brought about by genuine spiritual encounter? This Roundtable discussion brings together Canadian author, printmaker and clothing designer, Josh Nadeau, New Zealand folk musician, author and spiritual director Strahan Coleman, Mid-Western artist and writer Ashley Lande and Makers & Mystics host Stephen Roach to explore these questions.

The pace of our modern culture doesn’t always accommodate the need for balance between work and rest. We praise the hustle and scorn the burnout the hustle produces and yet we rarely make room for reflection and rejuvenation. My good friend, author and creative coach Justin McRoberts tackles this issue head on in his new book sacred strides: the journey to belovedness in work and rest. In our conversation, Justin and I discuss the importance, specifically for working artists to develop a rhythm between work and rest and how to cultivate healthy patterns of practicing meaningful rest. If you’re a patron of the podcast you can hear an additional clip from this conversation on what the hustle tells us about the things we build and how that impacts our relationship to our art.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum, has been heralded as “The Great American Fairy Tale.” Generations of both young and old alike have been fascinated by this whimsical tale since the early 1900’s. When the book was first published, it became an immediate bestseller and was translated into multiple languages as well as adapted to Broadway musicals and several silent films. Frank Baum had reimagined the traditional fairytale and created a story so universal, it caught on like wildfire, and still today, over 120 years later, new adaptations continue to emerge. Today’s artist profile gives a small glimpse into the life of the man who brought this story to life and calls listeners to consider the sometimes fraught relationship between artists and the church as seen in Frank's own spiritual journey.

There is a relationship between grief and transcendence that may not be immediately recognizable. But it’s one often expressed within art and in particular, children’s literature. Whether it’s Lewis’s wardrobe to Narnia, Dorothy’s house transported by cyclone to Oz or a bridge to Terabithia built across a chasm of loss. Grief has a way of transporting us to a fantastical world of imagination where we can more easily grapple with the difficulties of loss and even find closure to the trauma that sent us looking for relief. In this episode, Makers & Mystics host Stephen Roach talks with children's book author Katherine Paterson about the motivations behind her writing and why she feels it is important to create a safe space through art and literature for young adults to work through difficult emotions and experiences. Katherine Paterson is the author of more than 40 books, including 18 novels for children and young people. She has twice won the Newbery Medal, for Bridge to Terabithia in 1978 and Jacob Have I Loved in 1981.

Aisha Badru is a singer/songwriter based in New York.  The magic of her music lies in distilling an often-tangled human experience into simple truths, quieting the inner cacophony of emotions to pave a path toward healing.   To date, her soulful music boasts over 135 million streams, critical praise from the likes of NPR Music, Okayplayer, and is featured in commercial work for brands such as Volkswagen. In this episode, Aisha discusses how the personal stories of heartbreak and healing often found in her lyrics move beyond individual experience and lend themselves to a broader even universal connection with listeners. 

Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Known for mixing pop with R&B, jazz and rock musical elements, her accolades include four ARIA Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and seven New Zealand Music Awards. In this REPLAY episode, Kimbra talks with Makers & Mystics host Stephen Roach about how the urge for transcendence informs her work as a performing artist..

Luke Burgis is an author , creative thinker and entrepreneur. He has founded and led multiple companies. He's currently Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Director of Programs at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America, where he also teaches business and develops new education initiatives. He's the founder and director of Fourth Wall Ventures, an incubator for people and companies that contribute to the formation of a healthy human ecology. He graduated from NYU Stern School of Business and later from a pontifical university in Rome, where he studied theology. In this episode, Luke talks with host Stephen Roach about the memetic nature of desire and how cultural influences shape the things we yearn for.

Julianna Barwick is a Los Angeles based composer, vocalist, and producer who makes deep, reflective compositions rooted in the human voice.  Over the years she has made six critically acclaimed records as well as contributed her sound to the world of film scoring.    Her self-released debut “Sanguine” came out in 2007, followed by "Florine" in 2009, and “The Magic Place” in 2011.  In 2013, she released "Nepenthe," an album which marked Barwick’s first steps into collaborating, working with producer and film composer Alex Somers in Reykjavík, Iceland.  Her 2020 release "Healing Is A Miracle," features notable artists Jónsi (Sigur Rós), and earned Pitchfork's coveted 'Best New Music'.  In todays episode Juliana talks with Stephen Roach about her experience growing up in Louisiana, singing in choirs and the development of her experimental soundscapes. 

Jeremy Begbie is a Scottish theologian, author and musician. We interviewed Jeremy in Season 5 of the podcast on his book Redeeming Transcendence In The Arts.. In this bonus REPLAY episode, we are revisiting a segment from this conversation which ties in perfectly to the theme of Season 11.

Peter Rollins is an author, philosopher, storyteller, producer and public speaker. Peter gained his higher education from Queens University, Belfast where he earned degrees (with distinction) in Scholastic Philosophy (BA Hons), Political Theory and Social Criticism (MA) and Post-Structural thought (PhD). He's the author of numerous books, including Insurrection, The Idolatry of God, and The Divine Magician. In today’s episode, Peter talks with Stephen Roach about the unexpected relationship between loss and transcendence or what Peter terms as a “fundamental antagonism at the heart of reality.”

Bruce Herman is a contemporary artist, writer, and speaker. His art has been shown in more than 150 exhibitions — nationally in many US cities, including New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston — and internationally in England, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, Canada, and Israel. Bruce taught at Gordon College for nearly four decades, and is the founding chair of the Art Department there. He held the Lothlórien Distinguished Chair in Fine Arts for more than fifteen years, and continues to curate exhibitions and manage the College art collection. In this episode Bruce talks with me about his current inspirations and the winding spiritual pilgrimage woven throughout his 51 years working as a master artist. Continuing our season theme of art and the urge for transcendence, Bruce shares his early experiences of psychedelics and the transformation that led him from Eastern mysticism to become a follower of Jesus.

Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt is Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Her research and writing consider representations of race and gender in 19th and 20th century art and visual culture, but she is most passionate about equipping laypeople to engage generatively with the images they already see. In this episode, Dr. Weichbrodt and I discuss her book, Redeeming Vision: A Christian Guide to Looking at and Learning from Art, which at the time of this recording was just released from Baker Academic. In our conversation, we talk about how we might engage with art that makes us uncomfortable, challenges us or takes us outside our familiar ways of seeing. One of the chapters in Redeeming Vision is titled Wondering at God’s Transcendence. Of Course, given our theme for the season, I couldn’t resist spending some time unpacking this chapter specifically. You can visit our instagram @makersandmystics to see images of the paintings we discuss in this episode.

Father Christopher Foley is the priest at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Kernersville, NC where he has been serving for 17 years. Fr. Christopher is a convert to the Orthodox faith from an Evangelical background. While studying missiology and art history in college, he became interested in Eastern Orthodoxy and went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree at Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in NY. In addition to his duties as a parish priest, Fr. Christopher has been active in writing and recording music with his band, Luxury, for over 30 years. The documentary Parallel Love tells the story of the band and how three of its members each became Orthodox priests. In this episode Fr. Christopher and discusses art in sacred contexts, the tension between embracing tradition and the artist’s aversion to being labeled. Stephen and Fr. Christopher talk about what it means to be haunted by Eden and how the longing for transcendence stays with us even for those who have deconstructed their faith.