Creativity Found: Finding Creativity Later in Life
- Episodes
- 156
- Released
- every two weeks
- Latest episode
- Nov 9, 2026
About the podcast
Real-life stories of finding or returning to creativity in adulthood.
I'm Claire, and I re-found my creativity after a time of almost crippling anxiety. Now I share the stories of other people who have found or re-found their creativity as adults, and hopefully inspire many more grown-ups to get creative.
I chat with my guests about their childhood experiences of creativity and the arts, how they came to the creative practices they now love, the barriers they had to overcome to start their creative re-awakening, and how what they do now benefits their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Contributors
Episodes 156
Sunflowers, Survival and Storytelling with Oksana Kukurudza
With Oksana Kukurudza
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Oksana Kukurudza felt called to do far more than protest – she realized her creative voice could serve as a powerful bridge between history, personal family memory …
Show notes
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Oksana Kukurudza felt called to do far more than protest – she realized her creative voice could serve as a powerful bridge between history, personal family memory and global advocacy.
This episode was first released in November 2024.
From writing handmade books of fairy tales in second grade, to spending over thirty years in public accounting, business school and global management consulting, Oksana Kukurudza gave up her early artistic passions to secure financial independence. Decades later, an invitation to contribute a chapter to a business anthology reignited her love for creative writing.
In this episode, Oksana shares the emotional journey of writing her debut narrative nonfiction book, Sunflowers Bend But Rarely Break.
We explore her parents’ harrowing experiences as teenage labourers in Germany during World War II, the long-lost 1989 school paper that unlocked her mother’s hidden past and how storytelling can hold corporations accountable, inspire generational resilience and drive active support for Ukraine today.
We discuss:
- The 2022 Invasion and History Repeating: How the outbreak of war in Ukraine prompted Oksana to protest and advocate, recognizing chilling parallels between modern news footage and her parents’ World War II trauma.
- Uncovering Wartime Journeys in Germany: Researching the individual wartime journeys of her mother (aged 17 in 1941) and father (aged 20 in 1941) – from wartime displacement to enduring severe labour conditions in Germany.
- The Lost 1989 Paper and Narrative Nonfiction: How her sister rediscovered a long-lost high school interview paper from 1989, allowing Oksana to blend secondary historical research with immersive, character-driven narrative nonfiction.
- Corporate Responsibility and The Resilience of the Sunflower: Why sunflowers symbolize unbroken endurance, how Oksana connects historical wartime labour to modern corporate ethics and social responsibility, and her advocacy work on Capitol Hill supporting Ukrainian rebuilding.
You might also like:
Poetry and Positivity in Troubled Times with Andrea Carter Brown
Sitting with Pain and Healing Through Creativity with Samantha Mackay
Painting Peace Leads to Finding a Voice with Jaime Townzen
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Choirs, Copywriting and Confidence with Caroline Buist
With Caroline Buist
‘Failure is not the end of the world. Failure is just feedback – it’s just information to help you tweak your journey and what you do.’From accidentally becoming the kid drummer in a family rock band, to …
Show notes
‘Failure is not the end of the world. Failure is just feedback – it’s just information to help you tweak your journey and what you do.’
From accidentally becoming the kid drummer in a family rock band, to navigating corporate burnout, home staging and seven years on a construction site, Caroline Buist proves that the road to creative fulfilment is rarely linear.
In this episode, Caroline joins Claire Waite Brown to discuss how she reclaimed her voice in midlife – trading corporate micromanagement for running her own virtual assistant and copywriting business, performing on stage with community choir Funky Voices and publishing her debut book, Sing Like No-One’s Listening.
We explore the power of group singing, how a major wake-up call in 2015 reminded Caroline that life is too short to stay stuck in unfulfilling jobs and why lifelong learning became her bridge from administrative support to creative storytelling.
From supporting Paul Carrack at the Royal Albert Hall to creating a ‘motivational mixtape’ memoir that inspires adults to pursue long-held dreams, Caroline shares why failure is never final – it’s simply data for your next step.
- The Accidental Kid Drummer: Growing up in a musical family, forming a family band with her siblings and cousins, and learning to play drums by ear without formal lessons.
- The 2015 Wake-Up Call and The Construction Site: Navigating corporate redundancy, burnout and an isolated home-staging startup before a life-changing realization inspired her to leave build a virtual assistant business while working on a construction site.
- Finding Harmony with Funky Voices: Stepping into a Funky Voices community choir taster session and experiencing the thrill of singing pop mashups, competing and performing at the Royal Albert Hall with zero solo pressure.
- Copywriting and Finding Other People’s Voices: How taking a copywriting course to market her own business unlocked a love for voice, storytelling and content strategy for fellow business owners.
- Sing Like No One’s Listening and Failure as Feedback: Writing a part-memoir, part-motivational mixtape book featuring chapter soundtrack songs and practical coaching journals, encouraging adults to believe that it is never too late to fulfil your dream.
You might also like:
From Banking to Broadway with Norman Calvo
Thrilling New Chapters with Michael Wendroff
Painting Peace Leads to Finding a Voice with Jaime Townzen
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Dice, Dramas and Danger in Iceland with Hem Brewster
With Hem Brewster
My players are my plot twists. You never know what you're going to get until you play it – it's chaos, but it's the good kind of chaos.From childhood radio plays recorded on a tape recorder to …
Show notes
My players are my plot twists. You never know what you're going to get until you play it – it's chaos, but it's the good kind of chaos.
From childhood radio plays recorded on a tape recorder to navigating a whirlwind of survival day jobs, Hem Brewster has worn almost every hat imaginable. In this episode, Hem joins Claire to discuss how she brought her life full circle by stepping into full-time creative production at Blighthouse Studio, an Icelandic audio production hub dedicated to creating escapist fiction podcasts, audio dramas and actual play shows.
Hem shares how she uses real-world Icelandic settings to ground dark audio fiction, how continuous creation serves as a vital anchor for her mental health, and what it takes to trade 16-hour corporate workdays for full-time storytelling. From the emotional finish line of a ten-year Dungeons and Dragons campaign to launching Varúd, a 48-episode winter zombie apocalypse series set across Iceland, Hem demonstrates that pursuing your creative passion is worth every leap of faith.
In this episode we explore:
- From Caregiving to MRI Coil Engineering: Hem discusses taking care of her parents and working in nursing roles, before pivoting to a five-year mechanical engineering apprenticeship designing gradient coils for MRI machines while teaching herself sound editing on the side.
- Belugas, Electricians and the Icelandic Pivot: The wild journey of moving to Iceland, managing operations at the Beluga Whale Sanctuary and pulling electrical wires with her electrician husband to buy time for podcasting.
- The Craft of Actual Play and ‘My Players Are My Plot Twists’: How role-playing games use dice rolls to generate spontaneous drama, and why a game master must always be ready for when players ‘invent a skylight’ instead of taking the door.
- Mental Health and ‘GM Blues’: How storytelling keeps depression at bay and the emotional release of completing a 10-year podcasting campaign.
You might also like:
Rom-Com Lessons for Real Life with Sheila Kazan
Puzzled About Everything with Monica Marlatt
Satellites to Stationery with Florrie de Havilland
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Tunes, Tradition and Teamwork with Tara Connaghan
With Tara Connaghan
‘I realized I was playing what I thought was expected of me, rather than playing music because I loved it.’Irish traditional folk musician Tara Connaghan shares how inheriting her late sister’s fiddle sparked …
Show notes
‘I realized I was playing what I thought was expected of me, rather than playing music because I loved it.’
Irish traditional folk musician Tara Connaghan shares how inheriting her late sister’s fiddle sparked her musical path, how a blunt wake-up call from her teacher cured her ‘lazy practicing’ habits, and how a semester abroad in Finland reminded her never to let her repertoire slip.
We explore the social rules and unspoken courtesies of traditional Irish music sessions, the fear of embarrassment that holds adult learners back and how a profound conversation with traditional music elder Danny Meehan inspired Tara to stop playing for approval and start enjoying her own music.
Tara also introduces her project and podcast, In Tune with Tradition, created to help adult learners navigate session etiquette, overcome performance anxiety and find community in group music-making.
- The 60-Second Practice: Trying to fake practice during 60-second car rides and how her teacher’s tough love sparked a fierce, lifelong dedication to mastering tunes.
- University Repertoire Shock and The Finnish Pub Session: Feeling like ‘the weakest link’ during her early days at university, going on a 20-year quest to learn every tune, and how a St Patrick’s Day gig in Finland taught Tara that unused tunes quickly evaporate.
- From Construction Company to Creative Calling: Parachuting in to manage her late father’s essential electrical services construction firm for ten years before stepping away to preserve her sanity and return to music.
- Danny Meehan’s Wisdom and Playing Your Own Music: How a gentle observation from an 80-year-old traditional fiddle legend helped Tara realize she was playing to meet external expectations rather than for pure joy.
- Demystifying Session Etiquette and In Tune with Tradition: Why adult learners are risk-averse to embarrassment, and how Tara’s podcast and framework help musicians understand the unspoken customs, courtesies and teamwork of session playing.
You might also like
Strings, Spirituality and Stillness with Jennifer Roig-Francolí
Purpose, Piano and the Goosebump Compass with Steve Goldberg
Healing Through Song with Alexandra Walker
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Performance, Processing and Pepli with Sharon Pierre-Louis
With Sharon Pierre-Louis
'Actors are emotional athletes. Taking on all this emotion and processing it in a safe container is like an emotional shower for the soul.'Actress and American Sign Language interpreter Sharon …
Show notes
'Actors are emotional athletes. Taking on all this emotion and processing it in a safe container is like an emotional shower for the soul.'
Actress and American Sign Language interpreter Sharon Pierre-Louis (Django Unchained, Switched at Birth) joins Claire to discuss her journey through the performing arts, from church plays in her Haitian-American upbringing to Hollywood sets and Deaf theater.
Sharon shares how a sixth-grade crush initially led her to the stage, how learning ASL to communicate with her brother opened new career pathways, and how she navigated systemic barriers as a Black actress in university and Los Angeles.
We explore the therapeutic power of acting as an emotional release, the challenges of balancing motherhood, self-tapes, and industry strikes, and what happened when Sharon realized her 'joy reservoir' was running on empty.
Sharon also introduces Pepli, a digital platform she created as a 'LinkedIn for creatives' to help artists collaborate, book work, and build genuine community without chasing social media algorithms.
Bridging Worlds with ASL: Discovering her deaf brother as a child, learning American Sign Language, and later combining her passions on camera in Switched at Birth and on stage with Deaf West Theater.
Breaking Casting Barriers: How Sharon proactively sought out auditions at FAMU (a historically Black university) while at Florida State to ensure she was never limited by industry stereotypes.
The 'Emotional Athlete' and The Joy Reservoir: Why acting acts as an emotional shower for processing complex feelings, and how stepping away during motherhood inspired Sharon to replenish her creative energy.
Pepli: A Digital Haven for Artists: The story behind Sharon's new app designed for performers, visual artists, and arts organizations to collaborate, find auditions, and share their artistic process without bottomless feeds or algorithm pressure.
Find Pepli in the App or Play Store, or find out more at pepliapp.com.
You might also like:
When Law Isn't Right, But Theatre is with Tara L Lacey
Silence and the Creative Spark with Marneta Viegas
Science to Sound with Liz Drury
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Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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From Banking to Broadway with Norman Calvo
With Norman Calvo
A conservative New York mortgage banker turns his hand to performing cabaret solos and tap-dancing in Manhattan's Times Square. In this episode, Norman Calvo shares how a devastating childhood choir …
Show notes
A conservative New York mortgage banker turns his hand to performing cabaret solos and tap-dancing in Manhattan's Times Square.
In this episode, Norman Calvo shares how a devastating childhood choir audition silenced his voice for decades, and how an unexpected encounter with an opera singer client in his 60s allowed him to find his voice once more.
We explore the power of starting from scratch as an adult, the vulnerability of freezing during your first public solo, and how embracing a creative outlet can completely redefine your social life and personal identity.
Norman also offers advice for anyone afraid of putting themselves out there, emphasizing that when it comes to finding joy in retirement, you truly have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
The Choir Audition Scar: Norman shares the devastating childhood experience of being rejected from his seventh-grade choir, which sidelined his artistic confidence for decades.
The Hand-Written Mortgage Magic: How a face-to-face meeting with opera singer clients in his 60s sparked a late-in-life journey into singing lessons at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Falling on Your Face to Learn: Norman recounts freezing on stage during his first-ever solo and explains why making mistakes is the ultimate way to grow as an adult.
Tuxedos, Top Hats, and Tap Dancing: From a conservative Wall Street uniform to performing 'Putting on the Ritz' with a cane, Norman describes the pure fun of adding physical performance and tap lessons to his creative toolkit.
The Holistic Banker: How performing cabaret completely transformed Norman's social life, broadened his conversations, and led to a heartwarming joint talent show with his granddaughter.
You might also like:
Dirty Blues and Dorothy Fields with Suzanne Noble
From Corporate Career to Paris Playwright with Cecilia Poullain
From Serving Fries to Performing Stand-Up with Rabiah Coon
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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From Outer Space to Inner Place with Justine Guillermou
With Justine Guillermou
Engineering a life of colour.Justine Guillermou transitioned from a rigid career in space engineering to the vibrant world of professional interior design. In this episode Justine shares how her childhood …
Show notes
Engineering a life of colour.
Justine Guillermou transitioned from a rigid career in space engineering to the vibrant world of professional interior design.
In this episode Justine shares how her childhood experiences of home renovation in France planted the seeds for her future, despite being pushed towards more traditional academic paths.
We explore the therapeutic benefits of colour, Justine’s experience as a contestant on a Channel 4 interior design show, and how embracing a creative outlet helped her manage the challenges of living with endometriosis.
Justine also provides insight into her signature Rainbow Shaker style, and offers advice for those who believe they lack a creative spark, emphasizing the importance of the process over the final outcome.
You might also like:
Dreaming, Planning and Painting with Annie Sloan
Art You Can Touch with Furrah Syed
Making Creatures Great and Small with Emma Brassfield
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
The Care Manager's Canvas with Lora Arbrador
At the intersection of medicine and masterpieces.Lora Arbrador is a nurse and artist who uses the ancient technique of egg tempera to explore profound human experiences. In this episode Lora shares her …
Show notes
At the intersection of medicine and masterpieces.
Lora Arbrador is a nurse and artist who uses the ancient technique of egg tempera to explore profound human experiences.
In this episode Lora shares her childhood memories of art lessons in New York, her experience of the counterculture movement in Berkeley during the 1960s, and how her career in nursing – specifically during the height of the AIDS crisis – became the catalyst for her most significant works.
Lora and I discuss the meticulous nature of egg tempera, the emotional weight of painting stories of loss and immigration, and Lora's decision to document her life and art in her memoir, Art and Love. Lora also reveals her unique 'adoption' approach to finding homes for her large-scale paintings and explains why she chooses to embrace a slow, deliberate creative process in her 70s.
You might also like:
Medicine and Mysteries with Tammy Euliano
Problem Solving in Science and Art with Claude Larson
Policy Advising and Portrait Painting with Sally Ward
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Thrilling New Chapters with Michael Wendroff
With Michael Wendroff
Turning a lifelong dream into a published reality.Marketing-consultant-turned-thriller-writer Michael Wendroff shares his fascinating journey of being raised within a literary family – surrounded by manuscripts …
Show notes
Turning a lifelong dream into a published reality.
Marketing-consultant-turned-thriller-writer Michael Wendroff shares his fascinating journey of being raised within a literary family – surrounded by manuscripts and legendary authors like Robert Ludlum – before carving out his own successful career in marketing.
He discusses how the pandemic finally provided the opportunity to overcome a lifetime of procrastination and pen his debut novel, What Goes Around.
Michael offers invaluable insight into the traditional publishing process, the essential role of literary agents, and the importance of perseverance when receiving editorial feedback.
We explore the 'self-actualising' power of fulfilling a lifelong creative dream and the positive impact it has on mental and physical wellbeing, while Michael also provides practical advice for aspiring writers, from exercising the 'writing muscle' daily to the necessity of self-promotion in the modern publishing landscape.
Buy books by Creativity Found guests here.
You might also like:
From Nomad to Novelist with Douglas Robbins
Blending Fact and Fiction with Shirley Novack
Medicine and Mysteries with Tammy Euliano
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Rom-Com Lessons for Real Life with Sheila Kazan
With Sheila Kazan
"I know what it feels like to be the bird in the cage that doesn't sing. I know that feeling and I don't want to go back to that again."Sheila Kazan, creator of the podcast Small Talk with Sheila …
Show notes
"I know what it feels like to be the bird in the cage that doesn't sing. I know that feeling and I don't want to go back to that again."
Sheila Kazan, creator of the podcast Small Talk with Sheila chats with me about navigating the expectations of her Iranian immigrant parents – who envisioned her becoming a lawyer – and her own desire for creative expression.
From discovering the power of acting in a sixth-grade English class to dropping out of law school and working in the heart of Hollywood, Sheila discusses the 'messiness' of a creative life.
Now balancing a career in tech with her passion for storytelling, she explains why we should give ourselves the same grace we afford our favourite rom-com characters and why perfectionism is the greatest barrier to artistic fulfilment.
The Law School Dropout: Sheila recounts the 'messy and dark' moment she realized she was living someone else's life and her bold move to Arizona to discover who she actually was.
Creativity in Corporate Spaces: How Sheila carves out room for her expressive self while working for tech giants like Meta and Slack.
The 'Bird in the Cage' Warning: A powerful discussion on the emotional price of suppressing your creative side and why 'just doing it' is the only cure for perfectionism.
Ambition vs. Burnout: Practical advice on managing the 'pendulum swing' of a multi-passionate life and recognizing when you’re steering towards a crash.
You might also like:
From Serving Fries to Performing Stand-Up with Rabiah Coon
Cakes, Crochet and Connecting in the Metaverse with Shawna Curee
From Law to Literature with Mary Adkins
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Science, Silver and Staying Awake with Ruth Chipperfield
'I was unaware that it wasn't normal to fall asleep when you're sat still.'This episode was first released in April 2023.Ruth Chipperfield, a goldsmith and jewellery designer, had always …
Show notes
'I was unaware that it wasn't normal to fall asleep when you're sat still.'
This episode was first released in April 2023.
Ruth Chipperfield, a goldsmith and jewellery designer, had always experienced excessive tiredness, but didn’t think anything more of it until a chat with a friend at uni revealed to her that not everyone struggled to stay awake at their desk in the same way she did.
With the advice of her great uncle in Australia – where the condition was more recognised – Ruth was diagnosed with narcolepsy, an autoimmune disease that affects the brain’s ability to regulate the sleep-wake cycle: when wanting to sleep a sufferer can wake up every second, and when awake they will want to sleep.
At its worst for Ruth this meant collapsing up to 30 times a day, and needing constant care from her husband and mum.Ruth took time out from studying chemistry at university to apply for funding for the medication she needed to improve her life – with the help of her mother – and then to get used to it and the fundamental physiological and emotional effects that had on her.
During those three years Ruth was able to visit antique fairs – always accompanied, for obvious reasons – where she was inspired to take her childhood love of junk modelling to new heights, and taught herself to work with precious metals and gems, as well as how to solder, make moulds, cast metal, and more, to create her own jewellery designs.
Ruth was determined to return to uni, and completed her chemistry degree and Masters, which she is rightly very proud of, even though she had already decided that jewellery designing was the field she wanted to pursue.
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Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day Trips
Artworks: Emily Portnoi emilyportnoi.co.uk
Photo: Ella PalletFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Songwriting at 70 with Dennis Welch
With Dennis Welch
The transformative power of words and music.Singer-songwriter Dennis Welch shares his journey from a Texas childhood filled with libraries and country music to a creative renaissance that has earned him …
Show notes
The transformative power of words and music.
Singer-songwriter Dennis Welch shares his journey from a Texas childhood filled with libraries and country music to a creative renaissance that has earned him multiple Grammy ballot considerations in his 60s and 70s.
We discuss the pivotal teachers who changed his life path, the moment he almost walked away from music forever, and how dinner with friends in a Mexican restaurant reignited his passion for recording.
Dennis offers heartfelt advice on why adult creators should ignore cultural expectations regarding age, the benefits of creative pursuits for mental wellbeing, and the importance of perseverance in the face of uncertainty.
You might also like:
Purpose, Piano and the Goosebump Compass with Steve Goldberg
Strings, Spirituality and Stillness with Jennifer Roig-Francolí
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Fuzzy Sharks Reimagine Marine Conservation with Jessica Adanich
With Jessica Adanich
Merging professional expertise with a lifelong passion for ocean conservation.Jessica Adanich shares her journey from a childhood immersed in creativity to founding Fuzzy Sharks and Sharkapalooza, a non-profit …
Show notes
Merging professional expertise with a lifelong passion for ocean conservation.
Jessica Adanich shares her journey from a childhood immersed in creativity to founding Fuzzy Sharks and Sharkapalooza, a non-profit art and conservation festival in Florida.
Jessica chats with Claire about the challenges of art school, the resilience required to pivot careers during economic downturns, and the importance of separating personal identity from professional critique. We touch on the scientific theory of biophilia and how Jessica's 'fuzzy shark' soft sculptures help people connect with misunderstood marine life.
Hear about the bravery involved in moving across the country to follow a dream, the realities of balancing a design agency with passion projects, and why taking a chance on yourself is the ultimate creative act, as well as:
- How art can hit differently than verbal communication in conservation efforts.
- The transition from corporate marketing at Mace to launching an independent design studio.
- Overcoming the fear of failure and the importance of pushing out of your comfort zone.
- The growth of Sharkapalooza from a microbrewery event to a city-wide festival featuring major aquariums and OSEARCH.
Connect with Jessica here.
Find Fuzzy Sharks here.
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Ancient Worlds and New Chapters with Neil Laird
With Neil Laird
Blending filmmaking and fiction: Neil Laird is a veteran documentary filmmaker and television executive who rediscovered a new creative spark in midlife through writing fiction. In this episode Neil shares his …
Show notes
Blending filmmaking and fiction: Neil Laird is a veteran documentary filmmaker and television executive who rediscovered a new creative spark in midlife through writing fiction.
In this episode Neil shares his journey from a small steel town in Pennsylvania to directing documentaries for the Discovery Channel and National Geographic, and eventually finding the courage to self-publish his own novels at the age of 50.
Inspired by the fearless reinvention of David Bowie, Neil discusses the transition from the 'tedious' corporate side of television back to the joy of making things up.
He delves into his Prime Time Travelers series of novels, which blends his deep knowledge of ancient history with satirical takes on the chaos of TV production, and offers inspiring advice for adults looking to reignite their own passions: stop waiting for the stars to align, don't be afraid of the first 'rubbish' draft, and surround yourself with cheerleaders rather than naysayers.
- Finding Inspiration in the Unexpected: Neil recounts how a period of unemployment led him to the New York Public Library, where a chance encounter with a book on ancient history completely shifted his creative trajectory and led to his first documentary on the Great Sphinx.
- The Midlife Creative Shift: Turning 50 served as a catalyst for Neil to explore fiction. Inspired by the fearless innovation of David Bowie, he decided to move beyond the constraints of documentary filmmaking to imagine historical worlds with a fresh coat of paint.
- Blending Expertise with Satire: After struggling to find an agent for a traditional historical novel, Neil found his unique voice by blending his professional background with fiction in his Prime Time Travelers series – a satirical look at a film crew messing up history.
- The Power of Creative Independence: Neil discusses his decision to self-publish, allowing him to maintain creative control over his characters and storylines, including diverse and LGBTQ+ representation that might have been lost in traditional publishing.
- Advice for Aspiring Creatives: Neil emphasises the importance of starting now, surrounding yourself with cheerleaders rather than naysayers, and not being afraid of the inevitable first draft being a load of rubbish.
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Puzzled About Everything with Monica Marlatt
Monica Marlatt is a Toronto-based puzzle influencer who rediscovered her love for jigsaw puzzles while navigating the challenges of the empty-nest stage. In this episode Monica shares how she transformed a …
Show notes
Monica Marlatt is a Toronto-based puzzle influencer who rediscovered her love for jigsaw puzzles while navigating the challenges of the empty-nest stage.
In this episode Monica shares how she transformed a solo, traditional hobby into a vibrant creative practice by mastering stop-motion animation, hosting location shoots across her city, and even launching puzzle-themed cruises with Royal Caribbean.
The conversation explores the importance of lifelong learning, the global speed puzzling phenomenon, and practical advice for adults looking to fill the void after their children leave home.
- Preparing for Life Transitions: Monica discusses the unexpected emotional toll of the empty-nest stage and the importance of proactively finding new interests to fill the space left by growing children.
- Innovating a Traditional Hobby: By embracing technology, Monica uses stop-motion reels and location shoots across Toronto to present jigsaw puzzles in creative, artistic ways, building a following of over 17,000 people.
- Lifelong Learning and Social Connection: The episode highlights how engaging in creative pursuits in adulthood provides essential mental stimulation and social interaction, whether through global speed-puzzling competitions or online communities.
- The 'Boutique' Puzzle Movement: Discover the shift from mass-produced puzzles to high-quality, artist-led boutique brands that offer diverse textures and materials like wood, cork, and acrylic.
- Advice for Finding Your Passion: Monica encourages listeners to experiment with different hobbies without the pressure of perfection or perseverance. Trying something new provides valuable life experiences and conversational starting points, even if it doesn't become a long-term commitment.
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
From Corporate Stress to Creative Success with Bonny Snowdon
With Bonny Snowdon
How coloured pencils changed Bonny's life.World-renowned artist and teacher Bonny Snowdon shares how a stressful period in her life and a gift of coloured pencils from her daughter led to a profound …
Show notes
How coloured pencils changed Bonny's life.
World-renowned artist and teacher Bonny Snowdon shares how a stressful period in her life and a gift of coloured pencils from her daughter led to a profound creative awakening that helped her manage anxiety and navigate personal challenges.
We explore Bonny’s horse-mad childhood in North Yorkshire, her early experiences in the advertising and graphic design industries, a challenging '360' management review and her transition into executive coaching. Bonny discusses the 'leap of faith' required to turn her artistic passion into a thriving business, including the launch of the Bonny Snowdon Academy.
We discuss the importance of self-belief, Bonny offers insight into her restorative daily rituals involving journalling and sketching, and provides encouraging advice for anyone looking to start their own creative journey.
In this episode:
- The role of creativity in Bonny’s childhood and her early love of horses.
- Navigating the shift from traditional graphic design to managerial roles.
- How coloured pencils provided a meditative escape during difficult times.
- The transition from executive coach to full-time professional artist.
- Building a successful creative membership and online academy.
- The importance of daily journalling and sketching for mental wellbeing.
- Practical advice for beginners: starting small and embracing the learning curve – don't be afraid to produce 'rubbish' work while you learn.
You might also like:
Blossoming in Art with Bianca Giarola
Medicine to Masterpieces with Dr Vasu Tolia
The Listening Eye with Ashton Rodenhiser
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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From Blueprints to Brushes with Emily-Jane Sarroff
With Emily-Jane Sarroff
Finding a balance between career and creativity. Have you ever built a "successful" career only to realize it was draining the very creativity you intended to nurture? Artist Emily-Jane Sarroff spent a decade …
Show notes
Finding a balance between career and creativity.
Have you ever built a "successful" career only to realize it was draining the very creativity you intended to nurture?
Artist Emily-Jane Sarroff spent a decade navigating the worlds of architecture and high-level business consulting before realizing that her most important work was the art she made for herself.
Emily-Jane shares her journey of deconstructing the "societal programming" that linked her worth to her career and explains why she recently pivoted to real estate to provide her nervous system the safety it needed to create again.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The "Disappointment" Narrative: How the internal pressure to succeed led Emily-Jane away from her creative roots after high school.
- The Architecture Trap: Why a "creative" degree can sometimes feel more technical than expressive, and the brave decision to "leap" away from a career that wasn't fuelling her soul.
- Choosing Self over Scale: Why Emily-Jane closed a successful, six-figure business to stop "proving herself" and start living from a heart space.
- “Weird and Woo Woo” Art: A look into Emily-Jane’s spiritual, abstract style and why she prioritizes creating for her own healing and expression rather than for commissions.
- Practical Creativity: How to set up a permanent art space (even in a garage corner!) and the importance of scheduling “buffer zones” to transition your brain from logical work to creative flow.
You might also like:
Rediscovering the Inner Artist with Kerry Lyons
Peonies, Paint and Personal Growth with Sally Jean Fox
Society, Stereotypes and Sparkle with Jessie Elliott
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Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Painting Peace Leads to Finding a Voice with Jaime Townzen
With Jaime Townzen
Physiological peace and rewiring a creative soul. Creative pursuits helped my guest, Jaime Townzen, to overcome years of grief and caregiving stress to complete and publish her first novel, but it's not …
Show notes
Physiological peace and rewiring a creative soul.
Creative pursuits helped my guest, Jaime Townzen, to overcome years of grief and caregiving stress to complete and publish her first novel, but it's not all about writing!
In this episode Jaime shares her journey from high-achieving, people-pleasing pre-med student to embracing her passion for storytelling, a transition sparked by a pivotal moment of encouragement from a college professor.
A period of caregiving and loss stalled Jaime's writing career, but a spontaneous decision to try watercolour painting during the pandemic provided her with a sense of physiological peace that years of traditional self-care could not reach, while also serving as a bridge to transport her back to writing.
Her Masters' thesis became the springboard for her novel, Absorbed, a coming-of-age story that explores themes of 1990s nostalgia, teen identity and the complexities of consent.
The conversation also touches on the importance of granting oneself grace during seasons of emotional exhaustion and the value of following the 'spark''of excitement to reignite inspiration.
Jaime’s story serves as a powerful reminder that creative outlets are not just hobbies, but vital tools for navigating life's most difficult transitions.
You might also like:
Blossoming in Art with Bianca Giarola
Tech, Translations and Storytelling with John Guiver
Adventures in all Dimensions with Gina Farrar
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Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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From "What If?" to "Why Not?" with Kathy Kyle
With Kathy Kyle
From statistics to sustainability via collaboration, community and creativity. Kathy Kyle is an illustrator and entrepreneur who successfully pivoted from a 25-year career in marketing and statistics to …
Show notes
From statistics to sustainability via collaboration, community and creativity.
Kathy Kyle is an illustrator and entrepreneur who successfully pivoted from a 25-year career in marketing and statistics to launching her own sustainable art business.
In this episode Kathy shares her journey of finding her creative voice later in life and the courage it took to prioritize joy and beauty over utilitarianism.
Throughout our conversation, we explore:
- The intersection of data and art in effective communication.
- How a background in statistics and sociology informed Kathy’s approach to community building.
- The personal and professional catalysts for her move from the US to the UK.
- Overcoming stress-related health challenges by returning to a childhood passion for painting.
- The creation of her brand, featuring hand-painted silk scarves and sustainably sourced products.
- The importance of collaboration and supporting women-owned independent businesses.
Kathy offers a professional perspective on why it is never too late to "bet on yourself" and how embracing creativity can lead to a more fulfilling and relaxed lifestyle.
You might also like:
Tricia Duffy: Planning for Creativity
Rachel Peru: From Retail to Runway
Joanne Robinson: From Armed Forces to Art Classes
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Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Purpose, Piano and the Goosebump Compass with Steve Goldberg
With Steve Goldberg
Creativity as a necessity in the age of AI. Steve Goldberg is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in a rapidly changing world, and in this episode he shares his conviction that finding meaning and …
Show notes
Creativity as a necessity in the age of AI.
Steve Goldberg is a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in a rapidly changing world, and in this episode he shares his conviction that finding meaning and purpose beyond professional life will become increasingly vital as artificial intelligence reshapes the future of work.
Steve, a former tenured professor and global consultant, shares his philosophy of "following my nose" and staying "awake to possibilities," which has led him down some truly "magical and unexpected paths".
In this episode, we explore:- The Power of Synchronicity: How a spontaneous bicycle ride led Steve to a Harvard scholarship, and how an overbooked flight resulted in him meeting Nelson Mandela the day after his release from prison.
- The Late Bloom: Steve’s journey to becoming a composer of "healing piano for a noisy world", despite being convinced for decades that he "did not have a creative bone in my body". He didn't start playing the piano until he was 50 years old.
- The Goosebump Compass: Steve reveals his unique method of improvisation and composition – working without reading music and instead relying on his "goosebump compass" to guide the emotional impact and structure of his work.
- Leaving Stability for Opportunity: Why Steve resigned from a tenured college position at age 28 to pursue a consulting job that took him "literally around the world" for four decades.
- Creativity as a Necessity, Not a Luxury: Steve argues that with artificial intelligence accelerating job changes and disappearances, creative expression and finding purpose outside of professional life will become vital for society.
- Languishing or Blossoming: Discussing the concept behind Steve’s book, which encourages people to choose a continuous "blossoming" process over a fixed mindset, particularly in the face of life's challenges.
Find Steve's music and book here.
You Might Also Like
- Rich Chambers Keeps Rocking
- Piano à Deux: Music, Marriage and Modern technology
- Suzanne Noble – dirty blues and Dorothy Fields
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Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Regina Linke: Traditional Training Unlocks Modern Creativity
With Regina Linke
Cultural heritage, a challenging mentor and the bridge between free expression and disciplined practice. Regina Linke is an illustrator and writer dedicated to celebrating traditional Chinese art and philosophy …
Show notes
Cultural heritage, a challenging mentor and the bridge between free expression and disciplined practice.
Regina Linke is an illustrator and writer dedicated to celebrating traditional Chinese art and philosophy in a modern way.
Regina's childhood interest in drawing was initially stifled by rigid instruction, and she went on to study business in college followed by a career in international development. It wasn't until a move to Taiwan, her parents' homeland, that she reconnected with her artistic passion.
In Taiwan, Regina immersed herself in traditional Chinese brush painting. Despite an initial struggle with the structured learning environment, she credits her critical teacher with pushing her to develop a unique artistic voice, one that blends her Western upbringing with Eastern aesthetics.
This fusion led to the creation of The Oxherd Boy, an online comic that grew from her desire to explain complex philosophical concepts to her young son. Regina discusses the evolution of The Oxherd Boy into published books, and the challenges of adapting her deeply personal work for diverse audiences while staying true to the core message.
In this episode Regina offers invaluable advice for aspiring creatives: find joy in the process, but also embrace the discipline of practice and the humility to learn, while illustrating how unexpected paths can lead to profound artistic expression.
Key Takeaways
- Embrace structured learning to build foundational skills, even in creative fields, as it deepens your understanding and respect for the art form.
- A challenging or critical mentor can be instrumental in pushing you beyond your comfort zone to discover your unique artistic voice.
- Blending diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives can lead to a richer, more distinctive creative style.
- Consistent creative practice is essential for growth, even when inspiration wanes; it keeps your skills sharp and fuels further development.
- Be open to the evolution of your work when collaborating with others, understanding that adaptation can broaden your reach and create new stepping stones for your message.
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Silence and the Creative Spark with Marneta Viegas
With Marneta Viegas
Mime, movement and the Relax Kids revolution. Marneta Viegas, founder of Relax Kids, was the "fame school" student haunted by self-doubt who went on to become a pioneer of accessible children's relaxation …
Show notes
Mime, movement and the Relax Kids revolution.
Marneta Viegas, founder of Relax Kids, was the "fame school" student haunted by self-doubt who went on to become a pioneer of accessible children's relaxation. In this episode she details the emotional toll business growth had on her, and how she now fiercely guards her creativity.
- From Self-Doubt to Mime: Marneta shares her supportive, yet complex, childhood, including attending ballet and tap classes where she struggled with self-esteem. Despite graduating with a degree in performing arts (and crying daily over the music requirements), constant rejection from the children’s TV industry led her to pivot to the "silent way," studying mime. She funded this non-verbal training by entertaining children as a clown.
- The Accidental Birth of Relax Kids: While working as a clown Marneta noticed a critical drop in children’s concentration, and using accumulated skills (breathing, drama, mime, silence), she created her unique seven-step system and made relaxation for children "acceptable" by turning fairy stories into meditations, drafting her first book in just three days.
- The Struggle: Losing the Creative Spark: As Relax Kids grew, the administrative burden took over, and Marneta experienced a loss of creativity, as well as feeling physically sick and struggling with "dark days".
- Creativity Found and Fiercely Guarded: There is, of course, a happy ending, and Marneta explains how she was able to find her path back to creativity, and how she now prioritizes new creative channels, including performing unique standup comedy, mindful movement, and forest bathing.
Marneta's story is about the power of silence, stillness, and childlikeness to feed the soul and fuel creative liberation.
Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Joseph Bolton: The Soldier, The Shawl and The Trickster Animals
From combat engineer to creative conjurer, discover how Joseph Bolton merges magic, ancestry and the northern lights in his new-found love for writing folklore and fantasy.Joseph joined the US Army straight out …
Show notes
From combat engineer to creative conjurer, discover how Joseph Bolton merges magic, ancestry and the northern lights in his new-found love for writing folklore and fantasy.
Joseph joined the US Army straight out of high school, and in his 25 years of service graduated from West Point and Ranger School and worked as a combat engineer (a role that involved building bridges and blowing things up), an infantry officer, and even a space operations officer.
After the passing of his younger brother from ALS in 2013, Joseph felt a profound need to reflect on the value of time and growing older. This led him first to an expressive blog and eventually to the highly unusual creative project that would define his next chapter.
The Old Grandmother’s Tree collection of stories began life as a charming French Canadian folktale about farm animals (who surprisingly 'smoke cigars and drink wine'), and soon became a series of highly illustrated tales rooted in Joseph's ancestry and featuring magic, ghosts, and trickster animal characters – a magic shawl with the colour of the northern lights was a feature of the first short story and later became the genesis for the entire series.
Joseph is a highly visual writer who sees stories unfold 'as a movie within my mind', and collaborates with artists Masami Kiyono and Natasha Pelley-Smith to create this unique hybrid format – a series so heavily illustrated it features close to 700 images across its first three volumes, blurring the line between a traditional novel and a graphic novel.
This episode offers a compelling look at how creativity can emerge in unexpected moments and how personal loss can spark artistic expression. It's a must-listen for anyone interested in family history, creative late-blooming, and the surprising ways our life experiences shape our storytelling.
Find the Old Grandmother's Tree books here
Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day TripsFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
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Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Strings, Spirituality and Stillness with Jennifer Roig-Francolí
With Jennifer Roig-Francolí
Jennifer Roig-Francolí shares her journey from a young violinist finding solace in her art, to a place of spiritual exploration and self-discovery. We discuss the challenges she faced in her artistic life …
Show notes
Jennifer Roig-Francolí shares her journey from a young violinist finding solace in her art, to a place of spiritual exploration and self-discovery. We discuss the challenges she faced in her artistic life, including a pivotal moment when she realized she was not using her creativity in a healthy way, and the profound neck pain that changed her path. Through the Alexander Technique, Jennifer found not just relief from her physical discomfort, but also a new way to reconnect with her creativity.
Jennifer discusses her creative childhood, Suzuki training and meteoric run of competitions and solo work, before the ambition dissolved, orchestra life set in, and her relationship with music dimmed.
When no treatment could alleviate her stubborn neck pain, a friend urged Jennifer to revisit the Alexander Technique. Within a few lessons, the pain vanished and something deeper shifted – mood, movement, and a sense of ease that didn’t require effort.
Together, we unpack what Alexander work actually is beyond posture, and Jennifer shares a simple on-air exercise that anyone can try in seconds, demonstrating how noticing without fixing often melts strain and steadies the voice.Jennifer is the creator of the Art of Freedom Method built around five pillars – purpose, mind, body, spirit, artistry – to help musicians and non-musicians create from presence rather than pressure, and author of Make Great Music with Ease: The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life.
Find out more about The Art of Freedom and Jennifer here
creativityfound.co.ukResearched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day TripsFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Medicine to Masterpieces with Dr Vasu Tolia
With Dr Vasu Tolia
Discovering and sharing the healing power of art.What happens when a distinguished physician with over 150 published papers walks away from a 40-year medical career? For Dr Vasu Tolia, an unexpected artistic …
Show notes
Discovering and sharing the healing power of art.
What happens when a distinguished physician with over 150 published papers walks away from a 40-year medical career? For Dr Vasu Tolia, an unexpected artistic awakening filled the void.
Dr Tolia's story begins in Calcutta, where she grew up in an academically-driven household with little exposure to the arts. Her path to medicine was serendipitous, influenced by a friend who convinced her to take biology despite her inclination toward humanities. This "accidental doctor" went on to build an impressive career as a paediatric gastroenterologist in the United States, mentoring over 20 fellows and serving as principal investigator in more than 50 clinical trials.
When a toxic work environment forced her to leave medicine, Dr Tolia faced a profound identity crisis: "I had been a doctor for more than 40 years and then suddenly I was no one."Her journey into art began tentatively, with early frustrations as she compared her beginner efforts to accomplished artists. Everything changed during the pandemic when she found her voice through abstract and semi-abstract painting. Recognition followed swiftly, with her work being selected by the Washington Post among the nation's top 20, and solicited by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) for journal covers.
The connection between her two careers runs deeper than coincidence. Dr Tolia's medical training taught her to observe "the body's incredible capacity for renewal," an energy she now captures in flowing forms and organic shapes that echo natural healing processes. She explains how art triggers the release of dopamine and reduces stress hormones, providing neurological evidence for creativity's healing power.
Today, Dr Tolia creates "visual sanctuaries" that promote wellness in hospitals, corporate spaces and homes while supporting causes like women's empowerment and autism advocacy. Her message is clear: don't wait for burnout to engage in creative practices that can heal your mind and spirit.
Explore Dr. Tolia's artwork and download a free creativity resource for Creativity Found listeners athttps://www.vasutolia.art/mindfulartforrenewal
and discover how your own creative awakening might be waiting just around the corner.
Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day TripsFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Healing Through Song with Alexandra Walker
Outward success can mask profound inner turmoil.Alexandra Walker talks to me about her path from mathematical prodigy to trauma-informed coach, revealing along the way how creative expression can be hindered by …
Show notes
Outward success can mask profound inner turmoil.
Alexandra Walker talks to me about her path from mathematical prodigy to trauma-informed coach, revealing along the way how creative expression can be hindered by psychological struggles, but also become a pathway to healing.
From an early age, Alexandra displayed dual talents in mathematics and creative arts. A perceptive art teacher recognized abilities she couldn't see in herself, encouraging her artistic development alongside her academic pursuits. This duality continued at university, where she performed Grieg's Piano Concerto with the University Symphony Orchestra and wrote a musical while completing her mathematics degree.
Despite her accomplishments, Alexandra struggled with insomnia and two types of OCD that stifled her creativity for years. 'When you're dealing with problems, they can just become so all-encompassing,' she explains. Through counselling, Alexandra gradually recognized these mental health challenges stemmed from childhood emotional abuse – a reality her mind had carefully shielded her from acknowledging.
The healing journey took an unexpected turn when Alexandra and her husband relocated to Scotland during the pandemic. What began as a temporary move became permanent as she found space to process her experiences and envision a new path forward. This transformation led to the creation of Damsel Not In Distress, her trauma-informed coaching business helping others 'sing after the storm' of difficult life experiences.
Perhaps most powerfully, Alexandra discovered that songs she'd written sporadically over the years formed a chronicle of her healing journey – from fear to hope, caterpillar to butterfly. These creative expressions now inform her coaching work and upcoming book, embodying her realization that 'we can't just solve everything with logic... I also needed more of the creative side, expressing emotions.'
Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day TripsFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Satellites to Stationery with Florrie de Havilland
What happens when a satellite engineer's hands stop working, and how can creativity emerge from constraint?For Florrie de Havilland, a period of debilitating ill health meant reimagining her entire career …
Show notes
What happens when a satellite engineer's hands stop working, and how can creativity emerge from constraint?
For Florrie de Havilland, a period of debilitating ill health meant reimagining her entire career and discovering unexpected joy in the delicate art of calligraphy and the mechanical precision of letterpress printing.
Having had a successful career in mechanical engineering, including testing satellites for space missions, Florrie's neurological condition – affecting her hands and arms – forced her to eventually reconsider her career path and find a new way to balance her energy.
During a two-year recovery period, Florrie had turned to watercolour painting and calligraphy, finding that these artistic pursuits offered something her illness had taken away: control.
The conversation reveals fascinating parallels between Florrie's engineering background and her current creative practice. The same precision and problem-solving mindset that helped her test rocket thrusters and solar panels now informs her approach to calligraphy and her operation of "Penelope," a 1.25-ton vintage printing press from 1960 that dominates her studio.
Today, Florrie creates bespoke wedding stationery that tells each couple's unique story, and beyond the commercial aspects of her business she finds profound fulfilment in volunteering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, creating materials for children's wish events.
Perhaps most touching is Florrie's description of finding her tribe among fellow letterpress enthusiasts: "When you meet some letterpress friends it's fantastic because they're just as crazy as you are."
Florrie's story reminds us that creativity isn't just about making beautiful things – it's about finding new paths forward when traditional ones become inaccessible, and discovering community in unexpected places.
Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day TripsFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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Poetry and Positivity in Troubled Times with Andrea Carter Brown
Escaping the horrors of 9/11 on foot, and coming to terms with the experiences through poetry.First released in September 2021What happens when tragedy collides with creativity? Andrea Carter Brown's …
Show notes
Escaping the horrors of 9/11 on foot, and coming to terms with the experiences through poetry.
First released in September 2021
What happens when tragedy collides with creativity? Andrea Carter Brown's journey from accountant to acclaimed poet was forever altered by the events of September 11, 2001, when she fled her apartment just one block from the World Trade Center.
Growing up in a home without books or art, Andrea never imagined becoming a writer. "I am the first artist in my family ever," she reveals, crediting her mother for nurturing her love of reading despite not being a reader herself. Though poetry spoke to her unhappy teenage self through Emily Dickinson's words, Andrea followed her natural talent with numbers into bookkeeping, building a successful business career that left little room for creative expression.
The turning point came unexpectedly at a New York poetry reading where "the dam broke" and Andrea began writing poems about her experiences in East Germany. But the most profound chapter in her creative journey began on 9/11 when she witnessed the unthinkable. "I knew I had to flee," she recalls, embarking on a 12-hour odyssey through New York and New Jersey while her husband feared she was dead. The trauma of that day – including respiratory disease from toxic dust exposure – created a profound writer's block that took years to overcome.Fast forward and Andrea has published a number of poetry collections, including one about her experiences of escaping on 9/11, and the effects of that experience on her and her community in the 20 years in between the event and her publishing the collection, entitled September 12.
In this episode Andrea also reads one of the poems from September 12, that she chose specially for us at Creativity Found.
CreativityFound.co.uk
Instagram: @creativityfoundpodcast
Facebook: @creativityfoundpodcast and Creativity Found group
YouTube @creativityfoundpodcast
Pinterest: @creativityfound
Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day Trips
Artworks: Emily Portnoi emilyportnoi.co.uk
Photo: Ella PalletFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Planning for Creativity with Tricia Duffy
With Tricia Duffy
Cruise ships, corporate climbing and a creative philosophyFrom a young age, Tricia Duffy was immersed in the arts, singing and writing poetry. Leaving school at 16 with no qualifications, Tricia found a way to …
Show notes
Cruise ships, corporate climbing and a creative philosophy
From a young age, Tricia Duffy was immersed in the arts, singing and writing poetry. Leaving school at 16 with no qualifications, Tricia found a way to fulfill her dream of going to America by working on cruise ships, where her passion for entertainment blossomed.
On returning to the UK Tricia transitioned into the television industry, where she faced the challenge of working in a male-dominated environment that often sidelined women's creative contributions. She recounts how her successful career in television left her feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from her creative self.
After experiencing burnout and personal loss, Tricia started her own consulting business, which provided her the flexibility to reconnect with her love for music, as she joined a choir, a covers band, and began writing her own songs.
Tricia applied the philosophy of the 10-year plan, something she had used in corporate environments, to plan for her own creativity, and turned her love for research, and helping others make time for creativity into a podcast called In 10 Years Time: How To Live a Creative Life.
Tricia’s story encourages listeners to challenge their own self-doubt and pursue their passions. As she prepares to embark on a PhD journey, she emphasizes the significance of continuous learning and the joy of living a life dedicated to creativity.
This episode is not just a personal narrative; it’s an inspiring call to action for anyone feeling stuck in their creative pursuits, reminding us that it’s never too late to reclaim our artistic identities and live a fulfilling life.
Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day TripsFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
Peonies, Paint and Personal Growth with Sally Jean Fox
With Sally Fox
How age and life experiences can reignite artistic passions long buried beneath the weight of societal expectations. For this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Sally Fox, a once-aspiring artist turned …
Show notes
How age and life experiences can reignite artistic passions long buried beneath the weight of societal expectations.
For this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Sally Fox, a once-aspiring artist turned leadership consultant. After years of letting grades and external validation dictate her creative identity, Sally bravely broke free from the chains of self-doubt. Now in her 70s, she revels in her creativity, embracing art, writing, and performance with newfound vigour.
We discuss the pivotal moment during a flight from Japan that sparked her artistic renaissance, as she realized that her creative essence could no longer be suppressed.
Our discussion also touches on the barriers many face in reconnecting with their creative selves, particularly the pressures of childhood and societal norms that often stifle artistic expression. Sally reflects on her own childhood, where the judgement of others led her to abandon her natural artistic inclinations. Through her narrative, she emphasizes the importance of nurturing creativity in later life, encouraging listeners to reclaim their artistic identities regardless of age. Sally’s insights not only inspire but also challenge us to consider how we can cultivate a more creative existence in our daily lives, reminding us that creativity flourishes when we allow ourselves the freedom to explore, play, and express without fear of judgement.
Whether you’re an artist at heart or someone who has yet to find your creative outlet, this conversation is a gentle nudge to embrace your inner artist and explore the vibrant world of creativity waiting to be unlocked at any age.
Instagram: @creativityfoundpodcast
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Facebook: @creativityfoundpodcast and Creativity Found group
YouTube @creativityfoundpodcast
Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown
Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day Trips
Artworks: Emily Portnoi emilyportnoi.co.uk
Photo: Ella PalletFollow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram
Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here
Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout
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