A Brush With Life

Susan Waughtal
  • 5.0 (2)
  • ARTS

Casual conversations with artists, musicians, farmers and so many other creative, fascinating folks from southeast Minnesota. Let's find out how they got here, what inspires them, what challenges them and how they work.  A Brush With Life is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

  1. Happy Holidays, Dear Listeners!

    DEC 5 · BONUS

    Happy Holidays, Dear Listeners!

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! It has been so much fun creating these podcasts, interviewing so many fascinating folks, and sharing the conversations with you!  I appreciate you, all of the guests, and the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council, who awarded me a grant to launch this podcast.  Fr the next month I will be taking a little break over the holidays, putting down A Brush With Life and picking up my paintbrush and my pastry brush to do a little creating and holiday baking and celebrating with friends and family.  Please stay tuned for the return of A Brush With Life after January 1st! I have some amazing interviews lined up that I am eager to share with you!  Thank you and Happy Holidays! Susan

    1 min
  2. #20 - The Road to Crossings at Carnegie - with Marie Marvin

    NOV 13

    #20 - The Road to Crossings at Carnegie - with Marie Marvin

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! With plenty of guts and gusto, Marie Marvin turned an old Carnegie Library in  Zumbrota, MN, into a hub of creativity.  The building was bursting with art, whimsy, artists working, children learning, sometimes even people doing yoga. At night it  hummed with fabulous music concerts, artist openings, and poetry readings.  Marie has a way of encouraging the artist inside everyone. The road to Crossings was not an easy or obvious path. Listen in as Marie shares her story, and how after a lifetime of trying to find what she was meant to do with her life, she finally found it. After 16 years of showcasing and celebrating the arts in Zumbrota, Marie retired two years ago to focus on family and her own personal pursuits. Crossings was sold to Virginia Cooper, who carries on the arts legacy as "Crossings Art Center."

    35 min
  3. #19 Siren Songs - Of Trombones & Mermaids, with John Sievers

    OCT 22

    #19 Siren Songs - Of Trombones & Mermaids, with John Sievers

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! John Sievers is not one to toot his own horn, but he does let it slide. John is a trombonist who plays in many bands, a poet who writes a haiku a day, an English professor, and Rochester's most enthusiastic music booster.  In this episode, learn how John developed his lifelong partnership with the trombone, how he juggles his busy creative life, and what makes him most proud. This episode of A Brush With Life closes with 'Trombot," a joyful tune composed by John for the band Loud Mouth Brass.  John Sievers FB Loud Mouth Brass Watch "Horizons" music videoThe D'Sievers       Watch "Mermaid Shuffle"Jagged Ease Watch "Jump, Jive an' Wail"Amateur Listen to "More to Me"

    32 min
  4. #18 Enamored by Enamel, with Amy Johnson

    OCT 9

    #18 Enamored by Enamel, with Amy Johnson

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! Amy Johnson is an enamel artist who creates copper and silver jewelry with gorgeous, colorful glass designs fused to the surface. Amy tells us how she  discovered this art form, her process, and how making art helped her survive and heal from  tragic life events. View Amy's work: Website: https://www.amyjohnsonenamels.com FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/amyjohnsonenamels Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyjohnsonenamels/

    40 min
  5. #17 - Little Homestead in the City - with Heidi Kern

    SEP 23

    #17 - Little Homestead in the City - with Heidi Kern

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! As a young girl, Heidi Kern was inspired by "Little House on the Prairie" and dreamed  of creating a self-sufficient life where she grew all her own food and sewed her own clothing.  As an adult, she wound up living in the city but she and her husband Chris have transformed their cul-de-sac lot into an urban farmstead.  Growing vegetables, fruits, herbs and chickens, Heidi  produces most of the food for her family and generously shares her skills with the community. She leads the group "Backyard Bounty Urban Homesteading" and co-founded the Rochester Seed Library at the Rochester Public Library. Visit the Backyard Bounty Urban Homesteading site to learn about their upcoming events and see gorgeous photos of Heidi's garden bounty.

    40 min
  6. #16 - Well-Versed in Community - with Jean Prokott

    SEP 10

    #16 - Well-Versed in Community - with Jean Prokott

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! Jean Prokott is Rochester, MInesota's Poet Laureate!  As the community's official artistic wordsmith, she writes poems for community events and creates an annual poetry event for the public. She is also a teacher of English and Philosophy at Century High School.  Her  book of published poems is titled "The Second Longest Day of the Year."  American Couplets (4th Fest) Claiming Light (4th Fest) The Second Longest Day of the Year

    33 min
  7. #15 - It's a Big World -with Oliver Books

    AUG 26

    #15 - It's a Big World -with Oliver Books

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! Oliver Books is  passionate about all things sound.  He is a singer-songwriter who performs solo and in a 7-member band called Oliver Books and The Big, Big, World.  He has worked in music production and movie production. in the past year, he and colleague Alex Ortberg produced The Rochester Mash-Up, a compilation music album of 20 diverse  local musicians. Currently, Books and Oliver are launching a new recording studio.  Listen to Oliver's music at:  https://oliverbooksmusic.bandcamp.com/ FInd  more information about  Oliver Books & The Big Big World at: https://www.facebook.com/OliverBooksMusic

    38 min

  8. AUG 13

    #14 - Raising Her Voice - with Leann Eriksson

    Please leave me your feedback and ideas here! LeAnn Eriksson speaks softly but carries a big voice.  Music has always been a huge part of her life, beginning with growing up on an Iowa farm, playing the flute in school and singing in the Lutheran church choir.   Since then she has become a citizen of the world and lived, worked and sung in many countries. She discovered crystal singing bowls and learning "toning" and polyphonic singing - singing in more than one tone at the same time - and now leads meditative sounding experiences. You can hear some of LeAnn's music here: Wavegarden -singing, crystal singing bowls Deep Wild Stillness - spontaneous meditational music with Judith Maria Günzl:  My Body Knows - song and video for Monthlies

    35 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Casual conversations with artists, musicians, farmers and so many other creative, fascinating folks from southeast Minnesota. Let's find out how they got here, what inspires them, what challenges them and how they work.  A Brush With Life is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Information

  • Creator
    Susan Waughtal
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 A Brush With Life
  • Show Website
    A Brush With Life