A conversation with photographer Paulette Tavormina about her stunning, moody still lifes shot in the style of Old Master painters. She discussed learning the importance of authentic detail while making movie props (such as recreating Nixon’s resignation letter), why it can take as long as a week to stage a single photograph, the differences betwee…

A conversation with photographer and activist Brittani Sensabaugh about “the power of melanin” and her 222 Movement. She talks about using photography to document and celebrate an oppressed culture, mixing art and activism, and teaching young people not just creative skills but psychological strength. Brittani lives in Oakland, California, and trav…

A conversation with visual and sound artist Shawn Feeney about building a creative community in small towns and large cities, working with crime victims as a forensic artist, how his pumpkin carvings landed him a gig on a reality TV show, the relative benefits of attending art school versus learning on the job, and much more. Shawn earned his BA in…

A conversation with artist Alexa Meade about turning three dimensions into two, painting as a performance in front of thousands, avoiding the “uncanny valley” when making portraits, the publicity advantages of social media over traditional media, and how being helpful and handy can be the path to a woman’s heart. While Alexa works with traditional …

A conversation with classical composer Nathaniel Stookey about writing for children and adults, how to fight loneliness with artistic collaborations (and lots of time in local bars and cafes), finding joy in urban planning and other areas outside the arts, and bringing humor to the classical music world. First commissioned by the San Francisco Symp…

A conversation with theater artist Charlie Varon about the differences between storytelling and solo performance, artistic bravado versus artistic bravery, how writing and playing different characters helps him see the world better through others’ eyes, the “necessary narcissism” to create works of art, and much more. Charlie is a playwright, perfo…

A conversation with novelist and screenwriter Rafael Yglesias about the different pleasures in writing for the page versus the screen, growing up in a family of writers, the importance of patience, the best sources of input for revising one’s own writing, and why he considers autobiographical fiction more deeply honest than memoir. Rafael is a nove…

A conversation with Ian Boyden, a visual artist who works in painting, sculpture, land art and other media. He has a background and degrees in art history as well as East Asian studies and has spent years studying, making and exhibiting his art in Asia, much of it in Suzhou, China. He was recently named Executive Director of the San Juan Islands Mu…

Part One of a conversation with writer and artist Austin Kleon, author of two New York Times bestsellers, Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work!, as well as Newspaper Blackout and the forthcoming Steal Like an Artist Journal: A Notebook for Creative Kleptomaniacs. We discussed how he uses his own limitations as a source of creativity, how to enco…

Part Two of a conversation with writer and artist Austin Kleon, author of two New York Times bestsellers, Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work!, as well as Newspaper Blackout and the forthcoming Steal Like an Artist Journal: A Notebook for Creative Kleptomaniacs. We discussed why women artists are better role models for maintaining work-family b…

A conversation with photographer Travis Jensen, a well-known San Francisco-based street photographer who also shoots a wide range of editorial and commercial work. Other photographers Travis mentions in this interview include Brad Evans and Rasta Dave 52. Listen to the full interview: If your browser does not support streaming, you can download the…

A conversation with writer Ann Packer, the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Dive From Clausen’s Pier and Songs Without Words, and the short story collections Swim Back to Me and Mendocino and Other Stories. Her newest novel is The Children’s Crusade. Listen to the full interview: If your browser does not support streaming, you ca…