The Artist In Me Is Dead

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Raheleh Filsoofi.

Raheleh is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Born in Tehran and raised during the post-Islamic Revolution era and eight years of war with Iraq that followed, she is a keen observer of the world, integrating the subtleties of experiences within her performances and art. 

When we spoke, Raheleh was in her third week of an artist residency at MacDo...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Sara Nishikawa.

Sara is based in Detroit, Michigan. Her sculptural practice coexists with a profession in nonprofit administration. Her approach to studio practice is one of desired balance, but also recognizing the peaks and valleys of creativity and life. As part of her creative practice, she hosts one-day baking residencies, known as Mostly Butter. Through...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Carmen Radley 

I met Carmen through the online writing community and newsletter, The Isolation Journals, where she serves as the managing editor and host of the monthly writing hour called The Hatch. In this conversation you’ll hear how Carmen became a co-collaborator with the founder, author Suleika Jaouad, and how The Isolation Journals has evolved in so ma...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Pam Kravetz. 

Pam Kravetz, “a mural makin’, street paintin’ quilt sewin’, yarnbombin’, curatin’, flashmobin’, tutu wearin’ rootin’ tootin’ art monster.” She is a regionally & nationally recognized visual artist with more than 50 art exhibits & installations.

Pam is the epitome of “come join me” for all the fun! Pam is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, where May 21st ...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Zahra Hooshyar 

Zahra is an interdisciplinary artist based in Northern California, who describes herself as constantly stuck in diasporic liminal spaces. 

Zahra and I met at Anderson Ranch Arts Center where she was working as a ceramics intern. She was my workshop assistant for a week-long terra sigillata workshop, which we can now fondly refer to as t-siggy t...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Emily Romens. 

Emily’s creative practice has evolved from that of art student to arts administrator to presently new mom. We discuss the importance of self-compassion when it comes to your creative practice and how to recognize when you might be missing or lacking your own creative motion. 

Emily shares ways artists can advocate for themselves when they are be...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Hannah Kane. 

Hannah moves through the world as an artist and wanderer. In our conversation, you’ll hear how she prioritizes wonder in her life. And then we meander through Hannah’s seeking nature and the teachers that have mentored her along the way, including the ocean.  Later we think about the ways in which our creativity is impacted by our romanticized b...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Jeremy Nordin-Berghuis. Jeremy has been working in clay for 20 years. His experience began as a teen at a production pottery business in Northern Wisconsin. Today, Jeremy is moving back to Wisconsin after 5 years in Boise, Idaho, where, as you’ll hear, his path was anything but clear and certain when he first arrived. 

Throughout our conversation, we circle b...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Jenn Angell. Jenn is an artist, glaze technician at a small handmade ceramic tile company, and a manager of a community clay studio. 

We talk about how science theory becomes science in practice through her clay and glaze work. She also shares how it can be difficult to prioritize time in her studio despite her love of working with clay. And how the pandemic ...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Jazmin Swanson.

Jazmin is a ceramic artist and teacher currently living in Oceanside, California. At one point after graduating from art school, she told herself “I’m never going to be an artist again,” because it felt safe to say this, but as you’ll hear that only lasted for a bit of time because her creativity and urge to make came back. 

We explore what it ...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Theresa Schneveis, a multimedia artist, arts educator, and arts administrator living in Virginia. Her connection and conversations with her creativity started at a very early age. You’ll hear about her early mentors and artist community and how community remains an important part of keeping her creativity full of vitality. As we are in real time emerging fro...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Olivia House, a Black designer based in Chicago. Social change is at the core of her practice, and Olivia uses design to teach, heal, and build community. 

You’ll hear how a realization prompted a summer-long research project that became so much more. She describes her immersive research approach to her project: Where are all the black designers? 

Olivia and R...

This episode features a conversation with host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Anders Dickson. During one of his artist residencies, there was a requirement to keep your door open on Tuesdays. In this episode, you’ll hear that while that was a physical rule, it’s also a great metaphor for his approach to art making and creative exploration. 

At age 20, Anders, an American, started a semester abroad experience in Germany and then remaine...

Hey There! Welcome to The Artist In Me Is Dead Podcast, I’m your host, Rhonda Willers. This week the podcast is on Spring Break! In the meantime, catch up on the first three episodes with Lisa Vang, Stephanie Lenertz, and Ira Elliot Corbett - you’re sure to find some inspiration in these conversations. 

I’ll return with a new episode next week. I’m so excited about the next set of conversations coming your way in the weeks ahead. Th...

This episode features a conversation between host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Ira Elliot Corbett. Ira is a nonbinary transgender artist living and working in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. 

In our conversation I was struck by their practice of asking themselves questions, such as what do they want to share from a happy place of making and exploration? 

You’ll also hear how BTS lyrics from their song, Black Swan, inspired Ira to ask, a...

In this episode, host Rhonda Willers and guest Stephanie Lenertz discuss Stephanie’s uninhibited and joyful approach to art making. She says, “If it doesn’t make you giggle, it’s useless!” We explore what it means to be an artist, where she finds inspiration and materials, and how she uses time intentionally, even while cleaning her studio. You’ll hear how during the pandemic, she decided to host her own art exhibition in…wait for ...

In this episode host, Rhonda Willers, and guest, Lisa Vang, discuss how Lisa's creative practice has changed since graduating with an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts. She shares how she explores her creativity today through food and culture and how she is reviving her inner artist by preparing a space for her art making to come back into her day to day. 

Find Lisa on Instagram: @l.h.vang
https://www.instagram.com/l.h.vang/

Studio Mi...

Hey There! Welcome to The Artist In Me Is Dead Podcast, I’m your host, Rhonda Willers, a visual artist, author, educator, and mother.  

On The Artist In Me Is Dead Podcast I have conversations with guests tracing their creative paths and exploring their current and future creative practices. We discuss the ebbs and flows of creativity and what we can do when we feel creatively stuck. Through these conversations I hope to encourage y...