Artists for Joy

Merideth Hite Estevez
  • 5.0 (126)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Semimonthly

More than a hobby or a hustle, creativity can be a deeply resonant spiritual practice that connects us to ourselves, to each other, and to the sacred. If you're stuck or uninspired or if you're curious about how the creative life might bring you deep satisfaction, healing, and even joy, pull up a chair. Juilliard-trained oboist, author, and coach Merideth Hite Estevez helps the self-proclaimed artist and the creatively curious discover (or recover) the joy of making. New episodes go live every Friday!

  1. 2d ago

    276: Through Art's Open Door: Maria Bowler

    Maria Bowler—author, coach, and host of the Make Human podcast–is back for the third time! This time our conversation focuses on creativity, embodiment, and the sacred work of becoming more fully human.  Maria shares her journey of launching a new medium, the transition from writing books to podcasting. She also reflects on the difference between creating from the mind and creating from a place of deeper presence, sharing how movement, conversation, and community have become essential parts of her creative practice. Maria introduces a poem that met her during a season of heartbreak and spiritual upheaval. Christian Wiman's "And I Said to My Soul, Be Loud" became a companion that invited her beyond fear, control, and self-reliance into a deeper awareness of God's presence.  Together we remember how works of art often find us exactly when we need them most, becoming unexpected gateways to healing, hope, and transformation. Resources & Links: Podcast: Make Human Book: Making Time by Maria Bowler Poem: "And I Said to My Soul, Be Loud" by Christian Wiman Website: www.mariabowler.com Leave a review of Art Is How God Loves Us on Amazon and Goodreads Book Launch Events I'd love to hear about the works of art that have become thin places in your own life. In fact, we are doing a call for guest-post submissions over on Substack. You can learn more and submit yours by visiting: https://artistsforjoy.org/artsopendoor

    276: Through Art's Open Door: Maria Bowler

  2. Jul 17

    275: Through Art's Open Door with Heather Lanier

    Heather Lanier is a writer, poet, memoirist, speaker, and professor. She is also my friend! Heather returns to the podcast to discuss the profound connection between creativity and spirituality.  From the meditative discipline of centering prayer to the "forgetting of self" that occurs in the flow state, Heather shares how writing can serve as both a craft and a spiritual practice. We explore the concept of "ultimate reality," the power of art as a spiritual "thin place," plus the intersection of motherhood, creative momentum, and the joys of the mundane. Whether you're a writer, an artist, or simply someone longing to experience more wonder in everyday life, this conversation is an invitation to slow down and step through art's open door.  Resources & Links Music: "White Horses" by Darlingside Art Exhibit: Selected History of the Space-Time Continuum by Rachel Sussman Books: Art Is How God Loves Us by Merideth Hite Estevez  Raising a Rare Girl by Heather Lanier Psalms of Unknowing by Heather Lanier  Beyond Anxiety by Martha Beck Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler Connect with Heather Lanier: Instagram: heatherklanier Substack: The Slow Take Website: https://heatherlanierwriter.com Upcoming Event: Join Merideth and Heather for a live event in the Philadelphia area! Date: July 25th Location: Chadds Ford, PA Details: This is a free event featuring lively conversation and a musical salon exploring creativity as a spiritual practice. Join us as we explore creativity as a spiritual practice and discover how being present to beauty can ground, heal, and transform our everyday lives.  Please register here to attend.  I'd love to hear about the works of art that have become thin places in your own life. In fact, we are doing a call for guest-post submissions over on Substack. You can learn more and submit yours by visiting: https://artistsforjoy.org/artsopendoor

    275: Through Art's Open Door with Heather Lanier

  3. Jul 11

    274: Through Art's Open Door: Don Pape

    Literary agent Don Pape joins me for a conversation about a lifetime in the publishing industry, the sacred work of shaping stories, and how creativity shows up in both the books we write and the ordinary rhythms of our everyday lives. Don shares what it really looks like to walk alongside an author as they steward their message from a rough draft to a published work. We explore the tension between the "striving" of the industry and the "stewarding" of a creative calling, and why art is ultimately an invitation to see God's love in the world around us. Don also shares a deeply personal "thin place" experience: simple pieces of artwork made by his granddaughters—pieces that have become a doorway into prayer, presence, and love. Whether you're an aspiring author or simply someone looking to reconnect with the joy of creating, this conversation is an invitation to trust the process. Resources & Links Pape Commons Order: Art Is How God Loves Us Leave a review of the book on Amazon and Goodreads Share your story: We are doing a call for guest-post submissions on Substack. You can learn more and submit your own essay about a time art opened a door for you by visiting: artistsforjoy.org/artsopendoor I would love to hear about the works of art that have become thin places in your own life. You can share them by submitting to our guest post series via the link above.

    274: Through Art's Open Door: Don Pape

  4. Jul 7

    Bonus: A Launch-Day Reading from "Art Is How God Loves Us"

    It's officially launch day! Art Is How God Loves Us: The Sacred Beauty of Created Things is finally out in the world today. To celebrate this milestone with you, I wanted to skip the usual book-launch chatter and invite you straight into the heart of the book itself. In this special bonus episode, I'm reading an excerpt from the introduction.  Whether you consider yourself an artist or simply someone trying to keep a tender heart in a heavy world, this episode is an invitation to stop striving, open the door, and listen to the spiritual song all created things are singing. Thank you for being on this journey with me. Art Is How God Loves Us is available wherever books are sold today! Links  Order the Book (Hardback, Kindle, and Audio Available now) Grab the Pre-Order Bonus Audio Companion  Leave a review on Amazon Leave a review on Goodreads

  5. Jul 3

    272: Through Art's Open Door: Lisa Kloskin

    Lisa Kloskin is the Editorial Director at Broadleaf Books and the editor of Art Is How God Loves Us. Lisa  joined me for a delightful conversation about the sacred work of editing. She shares how walking alongside authors through the creative process has become a form of accompaniment, listening, and care.  We explore the vulnerability of writing, collaboration, the art of shaping a book, and the stories that have the power to transform us. Through Art's Open Door, Lisa shares a novel that has profoundly shaped her faith and imagination: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Whether you're a writer, artist, or simply someone who loves books, this conversation offers a beautiful glimpse into the unseen partnership behind every published work. Resources & Links:  Preorder Art Is How God Loves Us  Mostly What God Does is Love You by Savannah Guthrie  The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell Broadleaf Books Lisa Kloskin I'd love to hear about the works of art that have become thin places in your own life. In fact, we are doing a call for guest-post submissions over on Substack. You can learn more and submit yours by visiting: https://artistsforjoy.org/artsopendoor

    272: Through Art's Open Door: Lisa Kloskin

  6. Jun 26

    271: Through Art's Open Door with David Gungor

    This week on the podcast, musician, songwriter, producer, and pastor David Gungor joins me for a conversation about creativity, spirituality, and the surprising relationship between craftsmanship and inspiration. Known for his work with The Brilliance and The Good Shepherd Music Collective, David reflects on art as a path of transformation, the role of play in the creative life, and why some of our most meaningful work emerges through community.   Through Art's Open Door, David shares Leonard Cohen's song "Suzanne," a work that continues to shape his understanding of beauty, patience, and the spiritual life. We explore what it means to slow down, embrace mystery, and trust that creativity is born not from necessity, but from love.   If you've ever wrestled with perfectionism, burnout, or the tension between making art and enjoying it, this conversation offers a refreshing invitation to rediscover wonder, play, and the mercy that meets us exactly as we are.   I also give you an update from the tour, so listen to the end!   Resources & Links Preorder Art Is How God Loves Us Suzanne by Leonard Cohen This Table is Yours by Good Shepherd Collective The Brilliance Good Shepherd Collective I'd love to hear about the works of art that have become thin places in your own life. In fact, we are doing a call for guest-post submissions over on Substack. You can learn more and submit yours by visiting: https://artistsforjoy.org/artsopendoor

    271: Through Art's Open Door with David Gungor

  7. Jun 19

    270: Through Art's Open Door: Mara Eller

    Writer, editor, book coach, and podcast host Mara Eller joins me to explore the spiritual dimensions of writing, self-reflection, and creative partnership.  As the developmental editor who walked alongside me through the drafting of Art Is How God Loves Us, Mara offers a unique perspective on the ways creativity can become a gateway to deeper self-knowledge, connection, and encounter with the divine. We discuss the trust between writer and editor, the importance of spaciousness in the creative process, and how writing can help us uncover what Thomas Merton called the "true self." Through Art's Open Door, Mara brings Denise Levertov's poem To Live in the Mercy of God. Through imagery of towering forests and a waterfall crashing endlessly against stone, the poem offers a striking vision of divine love as an overwhelming force of mercy that continues to pour itself out despite our resistance. The poem invites us into awe, reminding us that the spiritual life is not always comfortable, but it is always held within a love larger than ourselves. If you're feeling spiritually dry or creatively stuck, Mara offers two simple invitations: spend time noticing something beautiful in nature, and revisit a song that mattered deeply to you when you were younger. Through attention, memory, and reflection, these small practices can help us reconnect with beauty, integrate our stories, and step once again through art's open door. Resources & Links Preorder Art Is How God Loves Us  To Live in the Mercy of God by Denise Levertov New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton The First Nations Version of the New Testament Maraeller.com The Soul and Science of Great Writing podcast I'd love to hear about the works of art that have become thin places in your own life. In fact, we are doing a call for guest-post submissions over on Substack. You can learn more and submit yours by visiting: https://artistsforjoy.org/artsopendoor

    270: Through Art's Open Door: Mara Eller

  8. Jun 12

    269: Through Art's Open Door: Jennafer Newberry Peery

    In the first installment of Through Art's Open Door,  I chatted with Broadway actress Jennafer Newberry Peery, who plays Glinda in Wicked on Broadway.  Jennafer shares what it's really like to perform in one of the most beloved musicals in the world while balancing family life, motherhood, and the demands of eight-show weeks. We explore art as a spiritual practice, the courage it takes to remain tender in a world that rewards efficiency, and why changing our minds may be one of the bravest acts of justice available to us. Jennafer reflects on the works of art that have become thin places in her own life–from film and poetry to sunsets, theater, and holding her daughter in her arms. Whether you're an artist, a parent, a person of faith, or simply someone longing to reconnect with wonder, this conversation offers an invitation to notice the beauty that is already speaking to you. Works of Art Mentioned Arrival (2016) Hamnet "There Is Something" poem by Ted Loder "On the Nature of Daylight" by Max Richter Resources & Links Preorder Art Is How God Loves Us  Follow Jennafer Newberry Peery on Instagram: Instagram  Sacred Salon: An Evening of Music and Conversation in New York City Other launch events I'd love to hear about the works of art that have become thin places in your own life. In fact, we are doing a call for guest-post submissions over on Substack. You can learn more and submit yours by visiting: https://artistsforjoy.org/artsopendoor

    269: Through Art's Open Door: Jennafer Newberry Peery
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About

More than a hobby or a hustle, creativity can be a deeply resonant spiritual practice that connects us to ourselves, to each other, and to the sacred. If you're stuck or uninspired or if you're curious about how the creative life might bring you deep satisfaction, healing, and even joy, pull up a chair. Juilliard-trained oboist, author, and coach Merideth Hite Estevez helps the self-proclaimed artist and the creatively curious discover (or recover) the joy of making. New episodes go live every Friday!

Information

  • Creator
    Merideth Hite Estevez
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    276
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Merideth Hite Estevez, Artists for Joy. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Artists for Joy

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