Process Piece Ruby Josephine Smith

Ella Frances Sanders is an internationally-bestselling author and illustrator of three books: Lost in Translation, The Illustrated Book of Sayings, and Eating the Sun. In this conversation we speak about topics such as why and how she feels that asking questions is her love language, the constant connections she finds between words and images and how that relates to her book-making process, distilling down huge, universal ideas and scientific matter, perfectionism versus the inevitable chaos of the world, and quite simply, miracles.

Farida Hughes is an abstract artist working in mixed media, oil, and resin paint on panel. She developed her mixed media style after many years of painting with oil paint and experimenting with oil painting mediums. She studied Studio Art and English at Fordham University in New York and received an MFA in Painting from the University of Chicago. Her work is exhibited widely in galleries and art centers and is included in several private and corporate collections, including Target, United Health Group, and Chesapeake Capital. Farida is a 2013 recipient of an Artists’ Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and has worked with many arts outreach groups and grass-roots community arts endeavors. She currently maintains her studio in Baltimore, Maryland.

In this conversation we get deep into her process- both technically and thematically. We discuss what drew her to abstract art and how she has developed her ever growing body of work, her multicultural background as a leading force in defining her artistic voice, and being comfortable with having a different perspective of the world.

Graduate of the National Circus School in Montreal, Antonia Dolhaine spent the last 4 years touring the world teaching and performing with the likes of Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, and Celebrity Cruises among others. Recently she ran away from the circus to run back to herself. Now a trauma-informed Breathwork facilitator and somatic practitioner in-training, Antonia has returned to academia to pursue a joint degree in Psychology and Religion at Queen’s University. Empowered by her own journey of recovery from childhood trauma, her purpose is to help others to reconnect with themselves through the creation process, embodiment practices, shadow-work, and rituals allowing them to reframe their relationship to life.

Aida Azlin is a writer, creative, and a proud believer from Singapore. In this conversation, we cover quite a lot of ground. We talk about how Aida started writing, how it has changed over time, and her very specific routine that kickstarts her writing mode. We discuss how human connection is the most important thing in art and in life, made especially clear during the pandemic we are in currently, the idea of “humanity before religiosity,” and how practicing Islam relates to practicing art.  Because we held this conversation during Ramadan and it is coming out during the final days of this sacred month, we also talk about Ramadan itself and how it can reset our personal intentions and open up more space for creative work.

Kennedy Muntanga is a movement artist born in Ndola, Zambia where he resided until he was 7. Moving to Leeds (UK), Kennedy’s passion for movement came from his wholesome relationship between dance and culture.
In this conversation, we discuss the intersection between his cultural heritage and dance, how narratives bring empathy to art, why he feels like he is still at the very beginning of creating his voice in dance, what it means to be a dancer, especially during this time of global crisis when no one can perform or teach in person, and how his christian faith deeply influences and drives his work.

Elin Kelsey, PhD is an award-winning author and internationally-recognized thought-leader for hope and environmental solutions. We talk about what led Elin to write and create children’s books specifically, as well as how to us books and art as vehicles for larger narratives and heavier conversations. We dig into her research process of writing a book and discuss the intersection between poetry and science. I love the way Elin speaks about reframing the pervasive “doom and gloom” narrative about the environment to one that is more hopeful. She elaborates on this concept and talks about how the same reframing can be applied to our current quarantined reality, finding hope in the chaos.