Episode 27: Jen Hewett on Craft, Community and Connection

Welcome to The Lisa Congdon Sessions: The Lisa Congdon Sessions is a podcast for creative folks about living and working with more intention, curiosity, and joy. Most interesting to Lisa is what happens at the intersection between life as an artist and life as a human, with all our baggage, aspirations, hopes and dreams. From big questions to practical ones about business, social media, time management, and finding your way through the winding creative path- each episode Lisa will share stories, tips, insights, and conversations from the heart. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

2 min listen

Episode 1: Lisa's Story: I decided to launch the podcast with an episode that sets the stage with my story - context for who I am and how I came to be a working artist and champion of the creative path. My story is different than most because I didn’t actually pick up a paintbrush until I was 32 years old, and I didn’t begin life as a professional artist until I was nearly 40. I never studied art or design in school. So, as you can imagine, one of the most common questions I get is: how did I go from an adult who had zero artistic aspirations or experience to someone whose life 20 years later is defined by art and an interest in the creative path? This first episode is that story, with lots of juicy bits, including my 13-year-old celebrity crush! -Lisa Congdon by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

35 min listen

Episode 9: On Taking Small Actions and Exercising Boundaries with Artist Jen Hewett: This week’s podcast episode is a special one, because it includes my very first interview! And the interview is with one of my favorite people in the world, artist, print maker and author, Jennifer Hewett. Jen and I have been best friends for almost a decade, and I am thrilled to have her on the podcast. At the time of this recording Jen has just moved across the country from San Francisco to the Hudson Valley in New York, and in this episode she shares how she came to move her life and her art practice at age 46 across 2600 miles. We also talk about one of our other favorite topics: boundaries! How to have them, how to keep them, and why they matter. Jen is wise, immensely talented, and what I call “a practical visionary.” I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

62 min listen

Episode 14: It's Not Equal at All - Bicycling Magazine Editor Bill Strickland on Committing to Increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Cycling: Episode 14 is an interview with Bill Strickland, Editor-in-Chief of Bicycling Magazine. Bill’s equal passions for cycling and writing have led to several books, award winning stories, and leading the magazine into the future, most significantly in transforming the magazine to more accurately reflect the diverse community of cyclists in the world. While many organizations made such pledges in 2020 but quickly abandoned them, Bicycling is living it. In this episode, I talk to Bill about leading the magazine through this process, and what that has been like for him personally and professionally. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

47 min listen

Episode 4: Being Creative in Stressful Times: Being creative during times of stress, whether it’s a personal crisis or a global pandemic, is akin to running in hot humid weather. You can do it, but it requires so much more effort than it does on a clear, dry day. What normally might feel easy or enjoyable feels slow and sluggish. This week’s episode is all about being creative in stressful times. From a little science about creativity and stress to suggestions for getting your mojo back, this podcast episode is for anyone who has struggled with creative flow. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

19 min listen

Episode 15: Grace Bonney on Celebrating the Collective Wisdom of Women Over 50: I had the pleasure of interviewing Grace Bonney, legendary former editor of DesignSponge, about what she’s been up to since she closed DesignSponge in 2019 and about her latest book, Collective Wisdom. Collective Wisdom is a collection of interviews, conversations, and intimate photographs of over 100 trailblazing women over the age of 50, who describe the ups, downs, and lessons learned while forging their unique paths. It is also a tribute to the importance of intergenerational connections between women, with interviews conducted by daughters, friends, mentors, and colleagues. I am so delighted to be included in the book and to have gotten to turn the mic on Grace to ask her what inspired her to make this book. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

50 min listen

Episode 6: What it Means to Have an Artistic Voice (Part 2): Do you ever find yourself asking or thinking: "Who am I creatively?" or "I feel like my art is all over the place!" If so, you are not alone. Honing your artistic voice is a process that takes years and years both exploration and disciplined, sustained practice. But what does it really mean to have a creative voice? Is voice the same as style? Or is it something entirely different? In Episode 6, I continue to break down the components of your "voice" and suggest ways of thinking about your voice so that you can more easily deepen and develop it. If you haven't listened to Episode 5 yet, start there! by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

26 min listen

Episode 2: Own Your Story: This week’s episode is all about Owning Your Story. In this episode, I talk not only about owning your experience as valid (no matter what it is), but also about embracing the less attractive parts of your story as a way to bring your full self to your creative practice and make your work richer and more interesting. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

22 min listen

Episode 3: Practice: Have you ever had an idea in your mind for something you wanted to make and then tried to go make that thing, and it didn’t come out like the vision in your brain? That’s because our ideas of what we want to make are often far beyond our skill level. When this happens, many of us give up, because we think, “I can’t do that, so I why try?” When, in fact, doing anything well usually requires hours and hours and hours of practice. Practice is so central to being an artist that what we do is called our “Art Practice.” This week’s podcast episode is about just that: PRACTICE—what it looks like, how to get in a better habit of it, and how it can propel us to the next level in whatever we are doing (including athletics, writing, music, sewing, etc). by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

18 min listen

Episode 5: What it Means to Have an Artistic Voice (Part 1): Do you ever find yourself asking or thinking: "Who am I creatively?" or "I feel like my art is all over the place!" If so, you are not alone. Honing your artistic voice is a process that takes years and years both exploration and disciplined, sustained practice. But what does it really mean to have a creative voice? Is voice the same as style? Or is it something entirely different? In Episode 5, I begin to break down the components of your "voice" and suggest ways of thinking about your voice so that you can more easily deepen and develop it. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

26 min listen

Ask Lisa Anything #1: In this episode, Lisa answers her first set of ASK ME (LISA) ANYTHING (aka "AMA") questions, moderated by her wife, Clay. Questions in this episode range from "Do you believe in a higher power?" to "Do you believe in love at first sight?" to "What is your favorite procreate brush?" and everything in between! More of these ramblings to come in the future. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

57 min listen

Episode 7: Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Journey: Are you a person who is very sensitive to the accomplishments or progress of other folks on a similar creative path? Or maybe you are someone who routinely compares yourself to others? In this episode, I talk about the emotional danger you put yourself in when you are hyper focused on others and strategies for staying focused on AND honoring your own journey. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

21 min listen

Episode 11: On Adventure, Community and living a Full Life with Gravel Cyclist and Designer Sarah Sturm: Sarah Sturm is an incredible cyclist and a creative. Her cycling resume is impressive, but what’s even more inspiring is her attitude and approach. She doesn’t train in the traditional way most endurance athletes do with strict training plans and an attachment to a heart rate monitor. Instead, she relies on her intuition and love for cycling as her training motivator. Sarah also prioritizes community over competition and works as a coach to kids in her hometown and as a positive force in the sport for inclusion. When she is not training and racing, she runs a successful graphic design firm from her home in Durango, Colorado. She sees having a balanced life as the key to happiness. Join us for a conversation between friends, artists and cyclists Lisa and Sarah! by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

69 min listen

Episode 8: From Your Comfort Zone to the Wild Unknown: In this episode I tell a story about how I said YES to a professional opportunity I was unsure about, and how I learned so much along the way, mostly about surrendering to the unknown. I hope you enjoy it! by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

31 min listen

Episode 17: Ask Lisa Anything #2: Lisa answers your questions! In this episode we cover everything from "not caring" what other people think, to the leap from analog to digital art, to social media (the ups and downs), to what to do when you have too many ideas (and get overwhelmed), to career dreams, insecurities, and how I got started in illustration AND MORE. Moderated by Lisa's wife Clay. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

47 min listen

Episode 16: The Power of Understanding and Living Your Values with Andreea Niculescu: In this episode, Lisa chats with Andreea Niculescu about how the simple act of understanding our own core values has the capacity to completely change how we approach our lives, run our businesses and make choices in our everyday lives. Andreea and Lisa are both so passionate about sharing with other folks how transformational understanding core values can be that they created a deck of illustrated values cards (The Live Your Values Deck!) which you can use to narrow down your own set of core values. In this conversation Lisa and Andreea talk about how they came together to create the deck and the power of living a values driven life. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

67 min listen

Episode 13: Working Through Anxiety in the Creative Process: In this episode, Lisa talks about the relationship between fear (which we also call anxiety) and the creative process. Fear and creativity are so inextricably linked that we almost cannot separate them. And, yet, they constantly feel at war with one another. And that conflict gets in the way of the making and the doing. So what do we do? The answer is simple, but it requires work and patience and a new perspective. Take a listen to learn more about mind shifts you can make when anxiety keeps you from moving forward. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

31 min listen

Episode 18: Exploring the Gifts of Boredom with Artist Kyle Steed: In this episode Lisa interviews artist Kyle Steed about one of her favorite topics: boredom. Kyle just published a fantastic book for kids about boredom, called, aptly A Kids Book About Boredom (which is part of a wonderful, growing series). This book illuminates a key belief about boredom that Kyle and Lisa share: that boredom is an opportunity and, ultimately, a gift – especially when it comes to creativity. Mundane activities and moments are gifts, because our minds get free reign. We are not beholden to anything except our imagination. We hope you enjoy this episode! by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

58 min listen

Finding the Kind of Work that Brings You Alive: A Conversation with Jonathan Fields: In this conversation with renowned entrepreneur, podcaster and author Jonathan Fields, we dive into the question: what is your unique imprint for work that brings you alive? We also discuss the groundbreaking assessment Jonathan has developed to help us answer this question. We all want to do work that brings us a sense of meaningfulness, where we are in the flow, where we feel energized, where we are allowed to express the greatest amount of potential and have a strong sense of purpose. How do we figure out what that "work" is? And how has the global pandemic pushed many of us to ask and answer this question? by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

59 min listen

Episode 19: Artist Courtney Ahn on Using Her Creativity and Platform to Build a Better World: In Episode 19 Lisa chats with one of the most important voices on social media today: Courtney Ahn. Courtney – or “Courn” as she is known by her friends and fans – is a Korean American multi-disciplinary designer and illustrator and anti-racist, anti oppression activist and educator. Courn uses her platform and design chops to create beautiful, educational, hard hitting guides and other messaging to speak out about racism, oppression, among other important topics. She is dedicated to dismantling white supremacy and systemic oppression through her design practice. Courn exemplifies the spirit of Gen Z: a passion for change and speaking truth to power. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

40 min listen

Episode 25: Rae Senarighi on Finding Joy and Purpose in Activism, Work and Everyday Life: In this episode, Lisa Talks with the ever-inspiring and light-filled Rae Senarighi, trans fine artist, designer and muralist, activist, and cancer survivor whose work centers around accurate and celebratory representation of the trans community. They chat about Rae's work and life and what it means to be working toward trans liberation at a time when trans rights across the US and parts of the world are being threatened. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

70 min listen

Episode 20: Holding Boundaries Without Guilt: This episode Lisa talks about holding boundaries without guilt. Boundaries has become one of her favorite topics because she has struggled with having them for nearly her entire life. In the past few years, she's been making major progress in holding boundaries and she shares what she's learneing (and unlearning). by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

14 min listen

Episode 29: A Conversation with photographer Sophie Gamand on the Power of Intention by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

68 min listen

EPISODE 21: Lindsey Murphy on Fear, Risk and Experiencing Life Fully: In this episode Lisa interviews Lindsey Murphy, known to many as "Crazy Aunt Lindsey". She is the award-winning creator + host of The Fab Lab With Crazy Aunt Lindsey, YouTube’s most beloved kids science web series that takes everyday science concepts and turns them into fabulous DIY projects children can do at home with their families. Known for her inspiring, unconventional life path and her accrual of and ability to dispense wisdom, Lindsey is a regular guest on television shows, conference stages, and has been invited to speak at Harvard University and Google Inc. to talk about creative media in science communications, Diversity in STEM, fundraising, entrepreneurship, being brave, having courage, branding and marketing in the digital age. In this episode, we learn more about Lindsey’s incredible life so far with a focus on fear, risk, and experiencing life fully. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

62 min listen

Episode 24: Lisa Olivera on Embracing Our Complete, Flawed Humanity: Some of you may know Lisa Olivera from her popular Instagram feed - and that’s how Lisa discovered Lisa and her work. Lisa Olivera is a font of wisdom and compassion. Through her own inner work unlearning false beliefs she had about herself --- many of which stemmed from learning she had been abandoned by her mother as a newborn – she has become a trusted teacher to those who follow her and therapist to her clients. She writes about self worth, radical acceptance, community and living in our full humanity. Lisa Olivera has just published her first book, Already Enough: A Path to Self Acceptance. In this new book, she explores how our stories affect us. She guides us through reframing the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what we deserve so we can remember that we are already enough, just the way we are. Through the book, she guides us toward healing. The book is tender, hopeful, and inspiring, -- and it’s by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

53 min listen

Episode 37: A Conversation with Ruth Chan on the Power of Story Telling: Ruth Chan is an acclaimed children’s book illustrator and author and, more recently, she has become known for her comics for adults which she shares regularly on her Instagram feed. Ruth’s first graphic memoir will be released next year – and her personal work (which takes shape mostly in her comics and upcoming graphic memoir) perfectly mix deep vulnerability and humor. Our conversation revolves around our mutual love for story telling – and how story telling can heal, educate and connect us to others. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

49 min listen

Episode 22: Ask Lisa Anything #3: This week is the third installation of the ASK LISA ANYTHING series! In this episode we cover a myriad of topics, including work/life balance (and does it really exist?), Lisa's favorite tools, how she deals with a lukewarm reception or criticism of her work, where she finds inspiration, staying inspired and so much more! Moderated by Lisa's wife Clay. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

52 min listen

Episode 26: Brandi Cheyenne Harper on Unapologetic Joy and Radical Self Care: This episode features artist, knitter and author, Brandi Cheyenne Harper. Lisa and Brandi spend an hour talking about being unapologetically joyful, self care as a radical act, and integrating self care into creativity and business. If you don’t know Brandi already, you are in for a treat. In addition to being immensely wise, she is also incredibly talented. She designs patterns and writes books on how to make handmade knitwear. She’s worked with Purl Soho, A Verb for Keeping Warm, Vogue Knitting, Etsy, West Elm, Better Homes and Gardens, and Country Living. Her new book, Knitting for Radical Self-Care, offers tips and suggestions for carving out time for creativity, alongside beautiful patterns to try yourself. The book includes ten original patterns inspired by revolutionary women of color, and Brandi speaks to these women and their immense impact on her life and our world. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

49 min listen

Episode 23: In Conversation with Legend Debbie Millman: In this episode Lisa talks with her friend, design legend, Debbie Millman -- about her latest book, her award winning podcast Design Matters and radically transforming her life in her fifties. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

59 min listen

Episode 31: A Conversation with Bridget Watson Payne on Passion: I am so thrilled to share with you my conversation with Bridget Watson Payne. Bridget is Executive Editor for Art Books at Chronicle Books, and is herself also a writer and artist. Bridget is also my longtime editor at Chronicle. Bridget and I start our conversation by talking about her role as an editor – how she got there, what her job looks like and how she finds new talent. But we center our conversation on the topic of passion – she posits that passion is at the heart of most long term creative endeavors. Writing books requires it, having a creative career requires it, and engaging in months or years long creative projects requires it. We talk about what passion is, the benefits and pitfalls of passion, and what to do when your passion wanes. by The Lisa Congdon Sessions

60 min listen

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Episode 27: Jen Hewett on Craft, Community and Connection

Episode 27: Jen Hewett on Craft, Community and Connection

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