"Portrait Series"

21 -  May / June 2022
 Julie Crouse, modern witch & library supervisor | Greensboro, NC 

In this two-part episode, Jessie interviews Julie Crouse, a modern-day witch and library supervisor who tells us how she came into her practice as a crystal & tarot reader and the difference between the two types of reading as a map to the questions that are asked, and what our higher self already knows in the universe. They also chat about witchcraft as an alternative therapy and how Julie unites yoga with the craft.

Julie's tarot & crystal readings:  www.crystalgridritual.com

20 -  April 2022:
Maggie Brown, singer, spoken word artist, actress, and producer | Chicago IL

In this episode, Mia talks with Chicago-based singer, spoken word artist, actress, and producer Maggie Brown about growing up with creative luminaries as family members and intersecting creative practices with teaching and activism. 

Check out some of Maggie's performances here

19 -  February 2022:
Amy Wu, journalist, women in agrifoodtech | Hudson Valley, NY   

In this episode, Lucille interviews author Amy Wu, journalist & storyteller whose book and documentary titled ‘From Farms to Incubators’ spotlights more than 30 portraits of women in agrifoodtech. She chats to us about her drive to tell the stories of women who have created sustainable and socially responsible innovations despite challenges of culture and lack of financial funding for women & women of color.   

From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food Is Grown by Amy Wu

18 - January 2022:
Bianca Orellana, author & librarian | Winston Salem, NC   

Hello from Winston Salem! In this episode, Jessie interviews author and librarian Bianca Orellana about her writing journey, how she writes to live, and the ups and downs of publishing a book. She also shares her inspirations and goals with us and gives great insights to those new to writing. 

 We Are Eternal by Bianca Orellana

17 - November 2021:
Leigh Pettus & Martha Nelson, old-time musicians | Asheville, NC  

A first, a chat between two creatives! In this episode, we welcome Martha Nelson and Leigh Pettus who are both old-time musicians from Western North Carolina. Martha and Leigh share with us their journey into playing stringed instruments and how old-time Appalachian music is a strong community of musicians. They also share with us the spaces they feel creative in and how they connected with each other and music during covid-19.

Leigh & Martha’s book recommendations for creative journaling:
The Artist Way by Julia Cameron

The Listening Path by Julia Cameron

16 - October 2021: 
Hannah Bonecutter, Chicago actress, spoken word artist, and filmmaker 

In this episode, Mia talks with Chicago actress, spoken word artist, model, filmmaker, educator, and public health professional Hannah Bonecutter about how traveling the world influences her, about her faith, about being an agent of change in a range of different careers, and about the urgent problems we face in the world today.

15- September 2021:
Estefanía Morlette, Mexico City based cultural and artistic manager

This week on the Portrait Series' first episode from Latin America, Sara has a chat with Mexico City’s own Estefanía Morlette, an Art and Cultural Patrimony expert about what it means to her to be a creative, about how no matter what she does she just can’t get away from art and also some interesting places you might want to explore in Mexico City.  

14- August 2021:
Dorian Sylvain, Chicago based painter, curator, and educator

Join Mia as she talks with Chicago native painter, muralist, curator, educator, and community planner Dorian Sylvain about her inspirations and her creative ties to the city, about all the different aspects of her life and career as an artist, educator, and creative Black woman, about the importance of giving back to our communities and the beautification of our spaces.

13- July 2021:
Dr. Sarah Mannle, Asheville based nurse practitioner

 Join Kaitlyn as she talks with Dr. Sarah Mannle, an emergency medicine nurse practitioner in Asheville, North Carolina as she tells about her journey into medicine, creating a course in medical humanities for nurses as a way to bridge patient and medical staff connection, and her experience working in the ER during the Covid pandemic. We would like to thank Dr. Sarah Mannle for her role as advisor for Women Imprint.
 
Books from the episode:
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman 

12 - June 2021:
Alanna Morris Van Tassel, Brooklyn-born dancer

Join Jana as she talks with Brooklyn-born dancer, choreographer, educator, and artist organizer Alanna Morris Van Tassel about their upbringing and early dance education, finding their own artistic voice, about all the different aspects of their career as an organizer, educator, and creative person, about the importance of community and the language of dance. 

11 - May 2021:
Minori Hinds, Atlanta based comedian

Join Kaitlyn as she talks with Minori Hinds, a comedian based in Atlanta, Georgia. Minori chats with us about her journey as a creative, the perfect audience, and how the quote by Cesar A. Cruz, ‘Art Should Comfort the Disturbed and Disturb the Comfortable.’ illustrates her comedic process.

10 - April 2021:
Suzie Candell, Liechtenstein based singer-songwriter

Join Jana as she talks with singer-songwriter Suzie Candell about the beginnings of her career, her home in Liechtenstein, a small country next to Switzerland, country music, and her new album that came out a year ago right before the pandemic hit.

9 - March 2021:
Mary Thompson, Cherokee N.C. basket weaver

Join Kaitlyn as she talks with basket weaver and potter Mary Thompson at her shop in the Big Cove Community in Cherokee, North Carolina. A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Mary tells us about her journey and also shares techniques and history of Cherokee baskets and more. 

8 - February 2021:
Amelia Legare, New York based gardener and business owner

Join Jana as she talks with gardener and business owner Amelia Legare at "The O Zone", a sustainability center in Red Hook NY, about her journey, her inspiration and influences and her vision for her community and for our planet.

7 - December 2020: 
Martha Nelson, Black Mountain based potter 

Join Kaitlyn as she talks with potter Martha Nelson in her ceramics studio in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Martha talks about her family’s pottery traditions and how the practice of yoga can share similar philosophies to ceramic traditions.

6 - November 2020: 
Melora Kuhn, New York-based artist 

Join Jana as she talks with the artist Melora Kuhn in her studio in Upstate New York about the creative process, inspiration, nature in the Hudson Valley, and her national and international exhibitions.

5 - September 2020:
Maxx Feist, Asheville based painter and mural artist
 
Join Kaitlyn as she interviews Asheville, North Carolina based artist Maxx Feist about their journey to becoming a working artist, painting during the pandemic, and their current inspiration on social media.

4 - August 2020 (Special):
Kaitlyn interviews Jana about her newest book that came out in July

Kaitlyn and Jana chat about Jana’s anthology “Denkräume”, a book about spaces of thinking, which she edited with the sociologist Simone Jung. They discuss the process of creating an anthology, spaces of creativity, and how “Denkräume” relates to their project Women Imprint.

3 - July 2020: 
Ivna Žic, Vienna based theater director and writer

Join Jana as she talks with Vienna based theater director and writer Ivna Zic about her upbringing in Croatia and Germany, the role of women in theater, and her prize-winning debut novel.

2 - June 2020:
Lisa Nance, Asheville based painter and poet

Interview with Lisa Nance, an Asheville North Carolina based painter and poet. Kaitlyn and Lisa talk about marshmallows, the value of art, and the unfettered process of poetry. 

1 - May 2020: 
Iman Humaydan, Paris based writer and scholar 

Join Jana as she talks with writer Iman Humaydan about her work as a writer and scholar, the status of women in Lebanon and in France, and writing in times of the Covid-19 pandemic.