The Mental Plug

ColorBloc Magazine
  • 5.0 (1)
  • ARTS

Sit back and pour a glass of wine while we have chat about exploring the connections between art and healing. We'll hear from artists and creative professionals about their motivations for creating and how their work can have therapeutic benefits. Join us as we build bridges between artistic expression and personal wellbeing with The Mental Plug.

Episodes

  1. Legacy & Becoming: Writing Your Own Origin Story

    12/28/2025

    Legacy & Becoming: Writing Your Own Origin Story

    In this episode of The Mental Plug, Quinn sits down with Ben Reilly for a thoughtful conversation about legacy, identity, and the responsibility that comes with telling your story. From his Brooklyn roots to building a creative home in Atlanta, Ben reflects on the moments that shaped his voice and vision. The conversation centers around SAVE!, his latest album dedicated to his late grandfather and framed as an audible origin story. Ben opens up about manhood, accountability, grief, and the emotional armor he carries, while unpacking how comic books, family history, and lived experience influence his sound. A grounded discussion on growth, creativity, and learning how to save yourself while becoming who you were meant to be.

    42 min
  2. Sound & Survival: Reclaiming What We Created

    11/06/2025

    Sound & Survival: Reclaiming What We Created

    In this episode, Quinn sits down with Black rock artist JonoJono, whose sound exists at the intersection of R&B soul and punk rebellion. Growing up between Florida and Houston, he found his voice in the spaces between genres — learning early on that music could be both survival and self-definition. Through a raw and honest conversation, JonoJono opens up about mental health, creative identity, and building art that resists conformity. His story reminds us that Black artists didn’t just influence these spaces — we created them, and we’re reclaiming them now, taking ownership against the odds.

    52 min
  3. Conflict & Creation: The Battle to Be Yourself

    09/09/2025

    Conflict & Creation: The Battle to Be Yourself

    In this episode of The Mental Plug, host Quinn Barbour sits down with Brooklyn-born artist Denycia Thompson, whose practice in abstract painting and mixed media confronts the complexities of identity, war, and inner struggle. Her upcoming exhibition Conflict: Self and the World features 30 works that weave together personal experience and universal tension. Denycia’s journey spans far beyond the canvas. As a veteran, screenwriter, comic book author, and actress, she channels conflict into layered forms of storytelling. Together, she and Quinn explore how conflict can both fuel and challenge creation, when the weight becomes too heavy to carry, and why declaring “I. Am. An. Artist.” stands as an act of resistance and survival. As you listen, we invite you to reflect on the role of conflict in your own life. Write, sketch, or speak a truth you have held back and consider what creation might grow from it. Tag @colorblocmagazine and use #TheMentalPlug to share your reflections and inspire others to transform struggle into art.

    30 min
  4. The Canvas of Healing: Visual Arts and Mental Wellness

    09/08/2025

    The Canvas of Healing: Visual Arts and Mental Wellness

    In this episode of The Mental Plug, host Quinn Barbour connects with multidisciplinary artist Storm Cuff, whose creative journey began with early childhood drawings and has since expanded into a vibrant practice that blends painting, photography, and video. Storm reflects on growing up in a creatively rich environment, surrounded by family members who made music and nurtured artistic expression. What started as a personal outlet grew into a layered, intuitive approach to storytelling, where no piece feels complete without movement, color, or visual texture. Together, they unpack how visual art creates space for self-reflection, emotional release, and the freedom to show up fully, on your own terms. As you listen, we invite you to draw, sketch, or paint what you’re feeling in this moment. Tag @colorblocmagazine and use #TheMentalPlug to share your work and inspire others to create, feel, and heal in their own way.

    30 min
  • 4 Episodes

About

Sit back and pour a glass of wine while we have chat about exploring the connections between art and healing. We'll hear from artists and creative professionals about their motivations for creating and how their work can have therapeutic benefits. Join us as we build bridges between artistic expression and personal wellbeing with The Mental Plug.

Information

  • Creator
    ColorBloc Magazine
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    The Mental Plug