Creative Guts

Creative Guts
  • 4.7 (19)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Creative Guts is a podcast focused on the pursuit of creativity. This interview-style podcast will explore the roots of creativity, dive into the hearts of creators, and discover how creativity connects with the world around us.

  1. MAR 25

    Stacey Durand

    In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Laura Harper Lake and Becky Barsi sit down with Stacey Durand, a painter and gallery manager at the Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy, whose creative life blends artmaking, education, and community connection. Stacey’s artwork captures the quiet charm of New England neighborhoods through slightly abstracted, recomposed scenes inspired by real homes and streets throughout New Hampshire’s seacoast, southern Maine, and northern Massachusetts. Working in acrylic and collage on panel, Stacey transforms the familiar architecture of mill towns and coastal communities into vivid compositions that balance nostalgia and narrative. Learn more about Stacey and her work at www.staceydurandart.com, www.instagram.com/staceydurandart, and at Nachotta at https://nahcotta.com/collections/stacey-durand. You can also visit the Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy at https://exeter.edu/lamont-gallery/. Listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord, and subscribe to our Substack newsletter at creativegutspod.substack.com. If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Thank you to Kennebunk Savings Bank for being an official sponsor of the podcast! Thank you to our friends at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter, NH, and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in Rochester, NH, for their support of the show! Any views or opinions expressed by our hosts or guests do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Creative Guts.

    46 min

  2. MAR 18 ·  BONUS

    Tiny Art Exchange 2026!

    Creative Guts’ Have A Little Guts Tiny Art Exchange is back! For the sixth year, we invite creatives around the world to participate in an international art exchange. Participants will create an original piece of tiny art, in any medium, to send to another participant somewhere in the world. Everyone who participates will send and receive a piece of tiny art. This is a fun way to connect with one another and show off your creative guts! If you’d like to participate, please head over to www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com/tae for all the details. The deadline to sign up is Tuesday, March 31, 2026.. By April 7th, you’ll receive a mailing address in your inbox. We ask that you please mail your artwork to the address provided by Saturday, April 11, 2024.  The Tiny Art Exchange is free to join. While there is no fee to participate, you are welcome to make a suggested donation of $5 to Creative Guts here. PLEASE NOTE: Your name and mailing address will be shared with the person who is sending you art! The artwork you send may be shared by the recipient or Creative Guts on social media. Questions? Reach out to us at Hello@CreativeGutsPodcast.com.   If you’re a big fan of this program, check out our Tiny Art Exchange merch, including shirts, totes, mugs, and more at www.teepublic.com/user/creative-guts! If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.

    4 min

  3. MAR 11

    Arts + Advocacy: A Live Panel Discussion

    In this special live episode of Creative Guts, recorded in partnership with Mosaic Art Collective, we gather a panel of artists, organizers, and advocates to talk about something that feels especially urgent right now: the role of the arts in shaping our communities here in New Hampshire. Joining the discussion are Portsmouth artist Richard Haynes, Jr., activist mixed-media artist Brenda Noiseux, and Aimee Terravechia, Executive Director of 603 Equality and co-founder of the New Hampshire Cultural Review. Together we unpack the opportunities and challenges facing artists in the Granite State, the narratives shaping how communities value the arts, and the small but meaningful actions creatives can take to support advocacy without burning out. Moderated by Creative Guts co-host Joe Acone, this conversation leans into the messy, honest reality of advocacy work. Ideas are explored in real time, questions are left open, and the panel invites all of us to think a little more deeply about what it means to support the arts in our communities. Huge thanks to Mosaic Art Collective for hosting this event and to Kennebunk Savings Bank for sponsoring this episode. Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.  Any views or opinions expressed by our hosts or guests do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Creative Guts.

    49 min

  4. FEB 25

    Erin Sweeney

    In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Becky Barsi and Laura Harper Lake  sit down with Erin Sweeney, an artist, educator, and founder of BrickHouse Arts.  Erin’s practice bridges book arts, printmaking, fiber arts, and installation, with work rooted in storytelling and a deep appreciation for craftsmanship. In this episode we learn about Erin’s journey as a creative, and how teaching at Plymouth State University, running her creative studio, and connecting with her community fuel her artistic journey. Learn more about Erin and her work at www.erinsweeney.net, www.instagram.com/brickhousearts, and https://www.plymouth.edu/person/erin-sweeney. Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter at creativegutspod.substack.com.  If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax-deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.  Thank you to Kennebunk Savings Bank for being an official sponsor of the podcast! Thank you to our friends at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter, NH and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in Rochester, NH for their support of the show!  Any views or opinions expressed by our hosts or guests do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Creative Guts.

    48 min

  5. FEB 11

    Jihye Han

    In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Laura Harper Lake and Becky Barsi chat with Jihye Han, a South Korean ceramic artist and educator, as well as the recipient of the 2025 Piscataqua Region Artist Advancement Grant by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.  Jihye’s work centers on cultural memory, identity, and human connection. Our conversation includes the inspiration behind her current moon jar series, the technical process of her ceramics, and how her multicultural background, teaching, and being a parent all inform her creative practice. We also cover what it was like applying to the Piscataqua Region Artist Advancement Grant, and her reaction to learning the news she was the recipient! View Jihye’s art at https://www.jihyehanart.com/work. Follow her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/hjhalice. Learn about the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Artist Advancement Grant Exhibit featuring Jihye’s work at 3S Artspace at https://www.3sarts.org/aag-2026. Explore the 2026 Piscataqua Region Artist Advancement Grant at https://www.nhcf.org/how-can-we-help-you/apply-for-a-grant/artist-advancement-grant-program/. Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter at creativegutspod.substack.com.  If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax-deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.  Thank you to our friends at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter, NH and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in Rochester, NH for their support of the show!  Any views or opinions expressed by our hosts or guests do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Creative Guts.

    58 min

  6. JAN 28

    Gene Luen Yang

    In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Becky Barsi and Joe Acone sit down with award-winning graphic novelist, educator, and former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Gene Luen Yan. Gene is best known for groundbreaking works like American Born Chinese, Boxers & Saints, and Dragon Hoops, which have helped redefine what comics and graphic novels can do in classrooms. His stories blend humor, heart, and mythology with his own personal experiences and explorations of identity, belonging, and the power of storytelling. In this conversation, Gene reflects on his creative journey, the responsibility and possibility of making art for young readers, and how comics can act as a bridge between cultures, generations, and lived experiences. You can find Gene’s work at www.geneluenyang.com, and follow him on Instagram at www.instagram.com/geneluenyang. Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. Creative Guts recently moved our newsletter to Substack, and you can find us at creativegutspod.substack.com.  If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.  Thank you to our friends at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter, NH and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in Rochester, NH for their support of the show! Any views or opinions expressed by our hosts or guests do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Creative Guts.

    19 min

  7. JAN 14

    April Landry

    In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Laura Harper Lake and Becky Barsi chat with April Landry, a comic artist, writer, and the organizer of the Luna Moth Zine Festival. April uses digital and traditional art to help explain and deal with the world around her. In our conversation, we discuss using art to process emotions, zine making, the story behind the name of the Luna Moth Zine Festival, and much more. We also dive deep into one of April’s pieces entitled “Bird Laundry Thieves Cartoon ” that you must see for yourself!  Check out April's work at www.landrysesame.com and @landrysesame on Instagram, bluesky, tumblr, and ko-fi. Learn more about the Luna Moth Zine Festival at www.lunamothzinefest.com and www.instagram.com/lunamothzinefest. The 2026 festival will be on April 18 in Manchester, NH. Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter at creativegutspod.substack.com.  If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax-deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.  Thank you to our friends at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter, NH and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in Rochester, NH for their support of the show!  Any views or opinions expressed by our hosts or guests do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Creative Guts.

    42 min

  8. JAN 7

    Hosts Chat: Catching up on our creativity!

    In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Laura Harper Lake, Becky Barsi, and Joe Acone get cozy for a robust Hosts Chat. The three touch base on their own creative practices and goals, hot topics in the art world, and changes for the podcast.  They also share a fond-farewell to founding co-host of the podcast, Sarah Wrightsman. Please join us in thanking her for her many years of dedication, leadership, creative thinking, and passion for the mission of our podcast, nonprofit, and its community. Plus the many laugh snorts she and Laura shared over the years! Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. Subscribe to our newsletter at creativegutspod.substack.com.  If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax-deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.  Thank you to our friends at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter, NH and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in Rochester, NH for their support of the show! Any views or opinions expressed by our hosts or guests do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Creative Guts.

    40 min
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Trailer

4.7
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Creative Guts is a podcast focused on the pursuit of creativity. This interview-style podcast will explore the roots of creativity, dive into the hearts of creators, and discover how creativity connects with the world around us.

Information

  • Creator
    Creative Guts
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    288
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2019-2026 Creative Guts
  • Show Website
    Creative Guts

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