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Hey there! Thanks for joining me for what is truly a mixed bag of magick that I’ve got lined up for you right now. Today I’m so grateful to be introducing our first poetry-inspired show. That’s right, the story I’m going to share with you today, which is family-friendly, I might add, was inspired by six ocean-themed haikus written by my artsy friend Ania Archer...     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink28 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist and Haiku Poet: Ania Archer Title of Art: There is no planet B Ania’s Instagram: @ania_archer Sunshine Inspired Fauna Challenge on Instagram: @sunshine_inspired_fauna   Find out more about whale and porpoise conservation at us.whales.org   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs       Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   Hey there! Thanks for joining me for what is truly a mixed bag of magick that I’ve got lined up for you right now. Today I’m so grateful to be introducing our first poetry-inspired show. That’s right, the story I’m going to share with you today, which is family-friendly, I might add, was inspired by six ocean-themed haikus written by my artsy friend Ania Archer.   She’s an animal lover, an advocate for conservation, and the creator of the Sunshine Inspired Fauna Challenge on Instagram, which brings awareness to endangered species of animals by collaborating with artists. If you’re interested in participating, you can find out more @sunshine_inspired_fauna.   Not only is Ania a poet and a change-maker, but she’s also the artist behind today’s cover art, which completes the magick trifecta I was eluding to just a minute ago.   So let’s dive in to look at that before we get this story started!     [Art Description:]   An illustration of Mother Earth, centered on the Atlantic Ocean, is adorned with some of the largest and smallest of her creations. We can see much of North and South America to the left and most of Africa to the right.   The northeastern region of the blue and green globe is covered by a bouquet of flowers; an orange tea rose, a pink peony, and a yellow poppy. A large green monstera leaf, intricately carved by natural design, rests behind them. Seemingly swimming across the bottom quarter of the planet is a larger than life humpback whale, curving around the Earth like a crescent moon.   Across the center of the digital design are the words, in white, “There is no planet B.”   Ania has always held a special place in her heart for the creatures inhabiting our oceans. That’s why it’s no surprise that when she shared her book of haikus with me they were filled with glimpses of the sea and its magnificent creatures.   As I read each poem a story started to grow, and that’s how Ahjah, the young blue whale swam into this stream of consciousness and now into your ears. I give you:   A Whale’s Tale - Inspired Ania Archer’s Haiku Poems   [Story:]     Part 1   #4 Ocean breeze around touches clouds in the blue sky mirrored in the waves   #21 Diving into deep blue whale dreams of clean waters filled with abundance     “Why did Gramma have to go?”   “Human season is a bit tough for her, Ahjee, your grandmother isn’t exactly fond of the creatures.” Balou paused to open his mouth as they swam through a particularly dense cloud of plankton.   “What’s she got against humans?” Ahjah was genuinely perplexed. Human season was her favorite time of year. She was especially fond of the chubby-cheeked small ones, and she usually only saw those when they migrated closer to the equator where the days were longer and warmer. Ahjah liked to swim with the humans. They were kind, docile animals, and the small o

While talking to a friend about the documentary I mentioned in a previous episode called The Secret she pointed something out to me. The Secret features rich and famous interviewees like Jim Carey showing off their big-time-dreams-come-true, and these are people that it may be hard to relate to because their stories don’t reflect… [POST IMAGE HERE]   [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink27 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Rebekah Nemethy Title of Art: String Light Bokeh at twilight Instagram: @rebekahnemethy   The article on the Least Stormy Cities in the US (https://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/calmest-cities.php)   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs       Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   While talking to a friend about the documentary I mentioned in a previous episode called The Secret she pointed something out to me. The Secret features rich and famous interviewees like Jim Carey showing off their big-time-dreams-come-true, and these are people that it may be hard to relate to because their stories don’t reflect the majority experience. They certainly didn’t reflect my experience of the world.   And I want to say from the get-go that I’m not trying to judge The Secret in any way, because I’m incredibly grateful for it. I think it’s amazing! But I feel strongly compelled to empower more people to embrace this mindset of conscious creation and what my friend helped me to realize is the power of the little bits of magick, that we might be able to actually relate to, to give us that initial proof we sometimes need to fully believe in our own power.   So today I’m going to share tiny, but undisputable, tales of real life magick. I’m excited to have a few of my own tales to tell, but I’m beyond thrilled to be able to share the experiences a couple of my closest friends have shared with me too.   But, before we get started, let’s talk about our cover art for this episode.     [Art Description:]   Today I grabbed a photo from my own art library, because one of my favorite subjects to photograph are out of focus lights also known as bokeh to us photo nerds. This photo in particular was made in mid-winter, right at twilight. Photographers often talk about the esteemed golden hour when the sunlight casts beautiful light across the Earth just as it’s going down, but on a thickly overcast day, golden hour is transformed into blue hour and that twilight hue in a winter sky is what fills the background of this image. Christmas lights are strung up across a railing in a wavelike pattern across the frame. Though, they are more like big yellow orbs, swollen from my intentional lack of focus.   There’s nothing that looks so magickal to me as soft orbs of light. Little lights, big magick… which is a perfect way to introduce you to today’s story:   Little Bits of Magick… enjoy.   [Story:]   It was Lauren’s birthday, and she was headed to work when she realized she had just enough time to hit her favorite drive through coffee shop on the way. The café’s app had alerted her that she had a birthday freebie coming her way, and she was happy to take them up on the offer. The universe seemed in perfect alignment, too, as there were only two cars in line, and Lauren pulled in and placed her order.   The first car quickly got their order and left, but the next one, the one that was just ahead of her… well… it was taking a bit longer for their order to come out. And as. the. minutes. ticked. by… Lauren started to get anxious. She was going to be late to work. Then, as the clock confirmed that she would indeed be late for sure now, she started to get frustrated.   “WTF did you order?” She m

Hey ya’ll. I just wanted to pop in to give you a bit of a belated introduction to the new series of episodes I’ve been creating… Transcript: Hey ya’ll. I just wanted to pop in to give you a bit of a belated introduction to the new series of episodes I’ve been creating. They’re a bit different from the art inspired shows that you may have come to expect from this podcast. The original Art Ink episodes have more of a get-lost-in-a-story type of vibe while some of the newer shows encourage deep thinking, reflection, and aim to inspire you to take action creating the masterpiece that is your life (and your life’s work). To give you a heads up about what to expect from each show, I’ve decided to give this new stream of podcast episodes its own name: Life Art. In many ways Life Art is the lovechild of my photo blog and this podcast, as it can be deeply personal and spiritual. It’s also full of ah-ha moments and the kind of experiences that can only be described as pure magick. But although the tone of this new content may feel vastly different from the short stories previously published here, Life Art has more in common with Art Ink than you may recognize at first.   Life is, after all, an exploration. Life is a canvas on which to create. Life is art and living life is an art.   Every thought a brushstroke. Every step a dance. And by sharing my personal experiences consciously (and sometimes unconsciously) creating my life, I hope that you’ll start to recognize the power, the magick, that you’ve already been wielding all along. So from here on out you’ll see Life Art in the title of new episodes that fall under this category. They may challenge your view of the world, or they may help you to create more art, joy, and abundance in your life… maybe it’ll all make perfect sense. Like you were meant to come here and hear this message at exactly this time. That’s happened to me more times than I can count. Guess you’ll never know ‘til you take a listen, though, huh? So just to recap, if you’re looking for entertainment stick with the original Art Ink episodes, if you’re looking for inspiration or motivation to be a more conscious creator in your life, well then you’re going to love Life Art. No matter which kind of Art Ink episode you prefer to listen to, however, you’ll still get the chance to discover new art, and new artists with your ears. So on that note, my friends, happy listening!!!

Ania is an awe-inspiring designer whose Instagram feed is filled with drawings and photographs of gorgeous flowers and animals. She’s the illustrator of the children’s book Calvin the Claustrophobic Caterpillar and she’s also the creator of @sunshine_inspired_fauna, which brings awareness to endangered animals and the non-profits that help them with beautiful works of art by a variety of uber talented artists. So naturally…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink26 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Ania Archer Ania’s Instagram: @ania_archer The children’s book Ania illustrated: Calvin the Claustrophobic Caterpillar Sunshine Inspired Fauna on Instagram: @sunshine_inspired_fauna   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs     Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]/[Art Description:]   The way today’s cover art found it’s way to me is similar to how its artist found me. Ania Archer is without a doubt my soul sister, we have so much in common it’s kinda scary. She’s an adventurous, animal-loving creative who’s always amazing me with the talent that shines through in whatever project she puts her heart into. But if I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone a few years ago, I never would have met Ania. And I might be wrong, but I’d venture to guess she had to step out of her own comfort zone back then too.   I was creating a podcast about animal rescue at that time and one of my guests offered to reciprocate the interview and put me on her show too. At first I was like, uhhh, no... that sounds way too scary. The host of the show was such a well-spoken, intelligent vegan activist, and I was like groupie watching from afar.   Needless to say I didn’t feel I was in her league, and I was sure she was just being kind. And honestly, even though I ended up taking advantage of that kindness and going on her show, I’m sure my insecurities are all very clear in that episode.   But guess what?   Ania ended up hearing that podcast! And she really connected with my story about wanting to escape the work force and pursue a life of passion. She started listening to my podcast and eventually she reached out to me to let me know all about it.   We connected on Instagram and before I even read her message her name so looked familiar to me. I soon discovered that not only did we both subscribe to the same podcast she found me on, but we also followed one of my other superheroes at the time, maybe even liking and commenting on the same posts. And these two women are completely unrelated. One is not even on social media at all.   This synchronicity clearly told me Ania was a person I could relate to, and so I was able to trust that meeting her in person was a step outside my comfort zone that might be worth taking.   And I was so right.   Fast forward a few years later and I’m trying very hard to make an effort to keep this podcast going. So I decide to dig into my old short story archive to give me some breathing room.   The first short story I ever wrote would be perfect for Halloween, but what art could I use?   Ania is an awe-inspiring designer whose Instagram feed is filled with drawings and photographs of gorgeous flowers and animals. She’s the illustrator of the children’s book Calvin the Claustrophobic Caterpillar and she’s also the creator of @sunshine_inspired_fauna, which brings awareness to endangered animals and the non-profits that help them with beautiful works of art by a variety of uber talented artists. So naturally she’s the first person I think of that might already have horse art in her archive. But I’d already scrolled through her feed and didn’t see anything.   I ask on Instagram if any artists have ho

Today we’re going to start with the art, because what’s interesting is that I made the photo that appears on this episode’s cover before I really knew how ubiquitous frequency is in our reality. Everything is made of energy and therefore, everything has a frequency… literally everything… but before I hop into that bunny pit…   [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink25 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Yours Truly Title of Art: Rolling Rs with Wine   The Sacred Geometry Movie by Spirit Science (The bit that inspired this essay can be found between 01:16:05 to 01:20:20 – 4 minutes well worth it!)   The double slit experiment – If you have Hulu, the best explanation I’ve seen is in season 3, episode 9 (titled Magic without Lies) of Cosmos: Possible Worlds with Neil DeGrasse Tyson.   In case that’s not available anymore, here’s another explanation with Joe Scott on YouTube: Down the Rabbit Hole of the Double Slit Experiment   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs       Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]/[Art Description:]     Today we’re going to start with the art, because what’s interesting is that I made the photo that appears on this episode’s cover before I really knew how ubiquitous frequency is in our reality. Everything is made of energy and therefore, everything has a frequency… literally everything… but before I hop into that bunny pit, I want to describe the cover photo, for those of you who are operating heavy machinery and can’t see it right now, and give you a behind the scenes look at how I made it.   On a black background, a jagged, diamond-shaped waveform made of thin, teal green lines stands out in sharp focus on the left side of the image. And in case you don’t know what a waveform is, because I didn’t before I started editing audio, it’s that squiggly line often used to represent music and voiceover brands – think of what a heart rate monitor looks like. On the right side is a similarly shaped waveform, except this one looks smudged and blurry – and around this teal blur is a circular swoosh of red, like someone painted around it with light.   I created this image in a couple of steps. First I downloaded an app that made real-time waveforms of my voice appear full screen on my phone as I was talking. Then I proceeded to make a bunch of silly sounds. Off the top of my head I ohhhmmmed, and rolled my Rs, and probably face farted into my phone too if I know myself like I totally do. I took screen shots of the most interesting looking sounds and transferred them to my laptop.   With the now larger, full screen images displayed on the computer, I turned off all the other lights in my studio except for one bare LED bulb; which is actually a Halloween prop designed to look like a flickering flame. (Nick won it during a pumpkin-carving party his friends throw every year.) On a tripod, I pointed my camera towards the laptop and filled the frame with the glowing wave on the screen, then made sure the red light wasn’t spilling onto it. Between the camera and the computer screen I used a wine glass to distort parts of the screen, while also catching the ghostly glow of red light.   As usual, this photo, and a few others from this series can be seen either on today’s cover, in the show notes, or on my website which will be linked in the show notes, but, for now, let’s back to the significance of frequency, shall we?   Riding the Wave – An Exploration of Why Suffering Exists     [Story:]   I wish I could tell you who said this, because it hit me like a train would were I daydreaming along a track. “When you stand in the light, you still cast a shadow.”   In other words, it is im

Today I have a special treat for you... I’m sure it’s no surprise if you read the title before you hit play, but this is a bonus episode I felt compelled to share with you. Today we’re coloring outside the usual Art Ink lines. Some of you might know that I’ve been working on a massive list of creative writing prompts specifically geared towards artists…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink24 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Get your free copy of 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Artists Who Blog by subscribing to my newsletter.   OR   Support me on Patreon to get instant access to the 100 prompts AND a whole library of digital goodies available exclusively to Patrons!   You’ll also get instant access to:   Patron only Art Library – 600+ photos strong of abstract photography, floral photography, and nature photography that you can use for whatever you want – plus new photos added semi-regularly   The Artsy Reflections audiobook – a recording of the 1st 100 tiny 100-word stories, plus my uncensored, and sometimes super-weird, retrospective commentary   Outtakes reel – a hilarious compilation of the flubs I made on my first few audiobooks   First dibbs on select free audiobooks I narrate as soon as they’re released   Random number generator   Random word generator   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs     Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   Welcome back to a brand new episode of Art Ink, my friends. Today I have a special treat for you... I’m sure it’s no surprise if you read the title before you hit play, but this is a bonus episode I felt compelled to share with you. Today we’re coloring outside the usual Art Ink lines.   Some of you might know that I’ve been working on a massive list of creative writing prompts specifically geared towards artists. Well, honestly the list writing has been over for a while now, but a couple of weekends ago, I got the overwhelming impulse to put together a pretty PDF for you to download.   I spent hours embellishing this ebook on Canva, but that was because I was having so much fun, I ended up spending the entire weekend on it.   I know that many of you listening to this show are artists yourselves… and lemme tell you, finding artists who want to write about their own work has been like trying to pull a 20-year-old tree out of the ground with my bare hands. Now that could be more of a me problem, I admit, but I think there’s also an overarching fear surrounding writing that invokes flashbacks of high school horrors best forgotten.   But I want to change that. And if you’re listening to this episode you can be that change! I want to empower you to share your story, to share your art’s story, because I know that telling your story will help you to make life long connections with the people who get to experience it.   If you’ve ever said “but I don’t know what to write about,” you are not alone. I used to say that all the time. And I just know that today’s episode is going give you plenty of ideas to get started on.   And with that, I think it’s time to dig into a big, juicy sampling to get your writing taste buds tingling.   Shall we?     20 Creative Writing Prompts for Artists   What emotion did you feel most strongly while you were creating the piece you’re writing about? Now tell us about your favorite memory of that emotion.   Write about your first experience of working in your medium from the perspective of your tools or material. You are blue paint, you are your favorite camera lens, you are two knitting needles working together for the first time. Go!   Write from the perspective of your art on display when she ove

I am the epitome of a believer – I was born believing in aliens. And the more I’ve learned about space, the more I’ve realized that the probability that we could ever possibly be alone in this universe is practically nonexistent it’s so slim. After having some strange experiences in 2019…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink23 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]   Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Joshua Fox Title of Art: TM (3 of 4) Instagram: @jfox720   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs     Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   I am the epitome of a believer – I was born believing in aliens. And the more I’ve learned about space, the more I’ve realized that the probability that we could ever possibly be alone in this universe is practically nonexistent it’s so slim.   After having some strange experiences in 2019, I took a deeper dive into all things extraterrestrial, I listened to abductees tell their stories, I watched chilling UFO documentaries, I sat enraptured as several whistleblowers spoke of their experiences in top secret government programs. All I can say is that either this shit is real, or I have some serious imagination envy because you gotta be real creative to tell those kinds of stories… and I also realize that, in many instances, truth is stranger than fiction. So for me, the weirder it sounds, the more likely I am to believe it.   So while the following story is a fictional account, it is the amalgamation of many seeds of truth, all planted together just to see what could grow. I guess that’s what all fiction really is at its core, though, huh?   But before we dig into today’s story, let’s set the scene with our featured cover art!   [Art Description:]   Joshua Fox is our artist of the hour. His black and white Sharpie art often features UFO and alien themes, along with the most soothingly geometric shapes and patterns. The piece I chose for today’s cover art is no different.   A saucer shaped craft hovers in the night sky among the stars, a few gaseous-looking planets, and wispy, swirling clouds. Also present in the pitch black sky are a couple of mandalas. The smaller mandala is half cut off at the top of the page, and it features a daisy-like flower at its center, with hourglass shapes stretching out past its dyad shaped petals, which is all resting atop a base of concentric circles rippling beneath them. The other larger and more prominent mandala takes up the top right quadrant of the page and much of the sky. Five concentric circles ripple out from the center, and these are surrounded by four overlapping triangles that create a 12-pointed star all together. Inside each of the twelve triangular-shaped points is a circle, and in between each of the points are two more overlapping circles, one much larger than the other.   Below the spacecraft is a beam of light made up of three separate lines of progressively larger white circles. The light is beaming down upon what looks like the surface of a mountain. But from our perspective it’s as if we’re seeing the cross-section of that mountain, and within it seems to be what I interpret as an underground base of sorts. There are five, mostly horizontal, levels all filled with patterns made up of unique combinations of black lines and circles. The patterns are reminiscent of mazes, computer chips and mother boards. In the center-most hallway of this underground base is an alien face, with no other feature other than its prominent black eyes, and stretching behind its floating head is a strand of DNA.   While much of the piece is a high contrast solid black and solid white, Joshua uses pointillism to shade some areas, like in the whimsical clouds and in the planets.   You have to

I was in a dimly lit cream and pink-tinged studio apartment with Nick and our two cats, George and Callie, when I first watched The Secret. I popped the DVD into Nick’s Xbox with certain expectations… and little did I know that what I was about to learn would completely alter the way I looked at the world forever; that it would fuel a creative fire in me that still burns brightly today…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink22 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Yours Truly Title of Art: Yahnkas Dawg aka Smokey   The Secret (At the time of recording it was streaming on Netflix or available to rent on Amazon)   Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now   Eckhart Tolle’s YouTube channel     Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs     Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   I was in a dimly lit cream and pink-tinged studio apartment with Nick and our two cats, George and Callie, when I first watched The Secret. I popped the DVD into Nick’s Xbox with certain expectations… and little did I know that what I was about to learn would completely alter the way I looked at the world forever; that it would fuel a creative fire in me that still burns brightly today.   If you’re unfamiliar, The Secret is a documentary; a compilation of interviews of some rich and famous types who share stories about how they, essentially, wished their lives into existence with visualization and vision boards.   At the time I was only just out of college, in a couple of tons of debt and I’d decided I wanted to pursue a career that had little to do with the degree I’d graduated with. I’d recently gotten a part-time job working as a photo assistant at a magazine that shot primarily product photography, but I knew that I wanted to transition into working for myself and in that moment I wanted to focus my work on animals.   And so I committed to a brief visualization exercise, which I stacked alongside my daily meditation practice. For a minute or two I imagined what it would be like to wake up as a ‘real’ full time pet photographer: I visualized packing my gear into the trunk of my silver Mazda3, which may or may not have already had a photo of my cousin’s pink-bowed yorkie, Abbey, smiling across the rear windshield, along with my website and phone number. I saw myself drive to a beautiful park with grassy hills and a cluster of trees. Then as I got out of my car I greeted a puppy, a rottie puppy, I’d decided as the image sharpened in my mind’s eye.   After my visualization exercise, I got up, essentially stepping back into reality, and made coffee. And then I went on with my day.   It was within a day or two, scrolling through facebook, that I came across the most adorable black & brown puppy – someone had just adopted him and I jumped at the chance to photograph him. I had zero doubt in my mind that the Universe had arranged this for me. He wasn’t 100 percent rottweiler, but his coloring and face sure made him look like the dog I’d envisioned in my little daydream. And this was a sure sign that, for the first time in my life, I’d consciously created something or at least I’d consciously drawn to me, that which already existed… but like the existential chicken-egg conundrum… who really cares what came first? The magick lies in the fact that it happened.   Now full disclosure, I never was able to support myself fully with animal portraiture alone, but I got plenty of opportunities to photograph dogs, cats, and birds and I did later on become a full time photographer shooting the most boring photos imaginable… so although it never happened exactly the way I’d visualized it happening, some semblance of professional photographer and animal p

Captured in the Albanian Mountains, awash in golden hour light, this magickal photograph was made where the heavens meet the earth. The foreground is filled with hourglass-shaped cobblestones, painted with long curling shadows that span the bottom third of the frame. An ornately designed wrought iron railing with an infinite pattern of circles containing eye-shaped ovals stretches alongside the cobblestones and a sheer drop off…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink21 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Mia Dovolani Title of Art: Stairway to Heaven Artist’s Website: miadovolani.com Instagram: @miadovolani   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs     Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   Hello you magnificent human you. Yes, I’m talkin’ tuh you! I’ve been sitting on this story and this art for quite awhile… as a bartender in my previous life I was trained to avoid certain topics… oh who am I kidding? I’m a trained people pleaser so I’m always afraid of what people will think of me.   I feel like I’ve been living my whole life in a shadow. For most of my life the shadows have been plentiful and long, like those cast by an early morning sun; easy to hide in. Now, though, my mid-life crisis is that it’s noon and there isn’t enough shadow left to stand in let alone live in… if my life goes according to metaphor the shadows will lengthen once again, eventually, but right now the urge I have to share new kinds of stories with you is strong and it seems impossible not to at least inch a toe into the sunshine… and so that’s what I’m doing here.   But first, let’s talk about the art that pushed me out of my writing comfort zone and into, yup—I’m saying it, writing heaven. My dear friend Mia Dovolani is our featured artist for today, and she’s my millennial role model. She’s not just an artist through her photography, her life is art, photography is just the medium she uses to capture it.   I had the pleasure of working with Mia for a couple of years in my photographer days, and there was an energy she brought to the studio that charged me. I don’t know if it was just the bubbliness of youth, but Mia seemed to savor life experiences in a way that allowed me to vicariously bubble over like a shook champagne bottle right along with her.   Whether she was talking about food or family or travel or dogs, this girl could even get me more amped up than I’ve ever been about weddings – only Albanian ones though (and anyone who knows me knows just how miraculous this actually is). Mia drinks in life like a fine cup of espresso, and a sip of life seems to charge her every photograph with authenticity.   Whether I’m looking at a cobblestone street in Macedonia, or one of Mia’s serenely seductive self-portraits, I love how she sees the world and I love how she sees herself.   As I write this, I honestly can’t say what’s on Mia’s Instagram feed these days, as I’ve been absent from social media for awhile… but even a couple of years ago when I asked her if I could feature this photo, she shrugged and might have even grimaced a bit, saying “you really like my old work huh.” And, I don’t doubt her work has further evolved… so make sure you check Mia’s Instagram @miadovolani to see what her camera’s been clicking around lately.   For now though, let’s dig into Mia’s photo, Stairway to Heaven:     [Art Description:]   Captured in the Albanian Mountains, awash in golden hour light, this magickal photograph was made where the heavens meet the earth.   The foreground is filled with hourglass-shaped cobblestones, painted with long curling shadows that span the bottom third of the frame. An orn

“It was under a slightly different, though no less mesmerizing, canopy of constellations that Hannah discovered the transformative power of a paintbrush. Hours of stargazing with her father at home in New Zealand inspired a deep respect for the conversation between control and chaos and, in turn, art became…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink20 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Hannah Pearman Title of Art: Castor, Pollux Instagram: @hannahandthecosmos   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs       Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   Welcome back, my friends, to a brand new episode of Art Ink! I feel like this is a repeating theme in this podcast lately, but the idea for this story was first scribbled into my notebook almost exactly a year ago.   I know I often describe my inspirations for stories as if they are that typical instantaneous cliché when I see art; like a lightning strike or the proverbial apple upon Isaac Newton’s head. But the truth is, many more stories are more like a long hike into the pathless woods.   I love abstract art so much, but sometimes it’s harder for me to find a true connection to the artist’s intention. Or at least that’s the story I tell myself when I’m feeling insecure.   But some artists make it a little bit easier for me when they do one simple thing: when they title their work! I won’t lie; using an artwork’s title is my go-to reference point to help me decide which direction to take my stories. So my advice today for you artists out there, even if you’re uncomfortable writing about your art at this time, at the very least, give your art titles – you’d be surprised how that small thing can help people form a connection with your work!   I want to thank today’s artist, for giving me those breadcrumbs to follow in today’s featured art.   Hannah Pearman, the artist behind @HannahandtheCosmos on Instagram, creates gorgeously galactic art that blows me out of this world every time I look at any of it. And because her own artist statement so succinctly expresses the why behind Hannah’s work, I wanted to share it with you:   “It was under a slightly different, though no less mesmerizing, canopy of constellations that Hannah discovered the transformative power of a paintbrush. Hours of stargazing with her father at home in New Zealand inspired a deep respect for the conversation between control and chaos and, in turn, art became the phrasebook for translating it.   Her work is one part longing for the glow-in-the-dark star-covered bedroom ceiling of her childhood, and three parts surrender to the miraculous confluence of choice and chance that makes the human experience so beautiful.   Through creative exploration of spectral peculiarities, Hannah is working her grasp around the enormity of the universe in which we’re suspended. Each piece is a whisper of gratitude, a way back home, and a wink to the cosmos.”   I don’t know about you, but I connect so much to these 3 simple paragraphs. I too had those glow in the dark stars in my childhood bedroom. And I’m in awe of the idea that such beautiful paintings are the result of control AND chaos… though as an artist myself I’ve experienced the magical balance of that formula in my own work too.   Anyway, my friends, please make sure you check out the cover art of today’s episode to get a glimpse of Hannah’s work. But as usual, before we take off into the story segment of this show, I will attempt to give those of you unable to look right now, a glimpse of Hannah’s art crudely re-painted with my words.     [Art Description:]   There are two paintings featured on today’s cover. Both are square and pa

What would happen if someone started a hugging booth in today’s world? I fell down that bunny pit one sleepless night recently, and my seemingly instantaneous stream of consciousness turned into today’s story. It’s fiction, as in these characters don’t exist and the events depicted did not happen, but it takes place in the very surreal world we all find ourselves in…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink19 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Etsy Shop Owner: Anna Wiseman Etsy Shop: UniQueen’s Shop Product: Funny Cactus Mask   Soma Breath – learn to heal yourself from the inside out with the powerful breathing exercises taught here.   Try the Breathwork Masterclass for free while it lasts!     Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs       Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   Welcome back to a brand new episode of Art Ink, my friends.   As the girl who once slept through the storm that brought a 2-foot wide tree crashing onto my neighbor’s house, it’s hard to believe I’m now finding myself struggling to fall asleep some nights.   It may be my new recording schedule, I work from 8pm to 2am four nights a week to record audiobooks, because that’s the only time traffic dies down enough so as not to break me out of my flow every few minutes. There are benefits to this new schedule, though, like having the hours before it gets dark to focus on some of my other creative habits, like writing for this podcast.   As I write this it’s day 4 of a 100-day project I’ve started to get myself writing here and turn it into an everyday habit. Have you noticed that I’m nearly back on track with bi-weekly scheduling?!? Yup, this is the 3rd episode I’ve gotten to you on an actual schedule, and that makes me feel sooo accomplished.   Anyway, I was talking about my newfound sleep issues… which may have something to do with my weird schedule, but probably has more to do with all the fear and turmoil pulsing through the world. Despite consciously staying away from mass media and social media, after one too many devastating rabbit holes, and only leaving the house twice per month to go grocery shopping, I still can’t escape it. I feel it in the air like a sad second skin… and when I’m unfortunate enough to discover some bit of news accidentally that feeling becomes 100 times worse. I feel desperate and hopeless and like I can’t do a f*****g thing in the world to help heal it.   On at least half a dozen occasions I’ve found myself unable to sleep for so many hours that I end up grabbing my phone to do something—anything other than lie there. One night I found myself on Etsy searching for a mask. Weeks before that I’d told myself I would not buy one, that this too would pass, but the construction mask I’d been using already had two knots holding the elastic together and the government mandates were not being lifted.   So I went to Etsy to find a mask that could express how I felt about wearing one, and I came across a mask that said “Free Hugs! Just kidding don’t touch me.”   In a flash that familiar sadness enveloped me and I imagined what I could do to spread more love and connection through the world. The idea to start a hugging booth came to mind, but the fearful track that path led down was struck down just as quickly when my imagination took me through what could happen to me if I’d actually done such a thing.   So my sleepless night, is your entertainment… at least it wasn’t all for nothing.     But before we dive into the story, let me give you a taste of the cover art. You might have already guessed that today’s artist is actually an Esty shop. Anna Wiseman didn’t design the mask that’s on tod

Kali’s been painting for nearly a decade now, and for many of those years she did it without missing a single day! #artistgoals Am I right?!? Her bright, colorful, playful style was what I was drawn to at first, but it was her writing that pulled me in completely. At the time she was the only other artist I could find that maintained a blog that complimented her work. The words she shared let me into her world, let me get to know her in a way that…     [If your podcast app isn’t showing the featured art for this episode above visit https://rebekahnemethy.com/artink18 to check it out.   Castbox and Podcast Addict are both apps I recommend that do show episode specific art.]     Links from the Show at a Glance:   Artist: Kali Parsons Title of Art: Hold Me & Play With Me Artist’s Website: kaliparsons.com Instagram: @kaliparsonsart Take a look at all of Kali’s available originals   If the originals have already sold before you can get to them, she’d be happy to sell you a print by request, just shoot her a message!   Artists Helping Artists – the podcast for artists that led me to Kali! (It’s on a break right now, but there are 8 years of archived episodes you can still dig into!)   Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs     Art Ink Podcast Transcript:   [Intro:]   Welcome back to another episode of Art Ink! I’m so thrilled you’re joining us today.   If you listened to the last show, The Synchronicity of Hope, you may already be familiar with Kali Parsons’ work, but the truth is there’s a lot about Kali that I neglected to tell you. I guess that’s what happens when you’re too close to something or someone, because although I’ve never met Kali in person, and until last week I didn’t even know how to properly pronounce her name, I do consider Kali to be a dear friend.   I met her on Twitter several years ago and we quickly became retweeting buddies, always sharing each other’s work in our streams. And though we became friends on social media, it was because of a podcast called Artists Helping Artists that led me to Kali’s work in the first place. One of the hosts described this fascinating site called Daily Paintworks, where artists are encouraged to complete small paintings every day. Kali’s been painting for nearly a decade now, and for many of those years she did it without missing a single day! #artistgoals Am I right?!?   Her bright, colorful, playful style was what I was drawn to at first, but it was her writing that pulled me in completely. At the time she was the only other artist I could find that maintained a blog that complimented her work. The words she shared let me into her world, let me get to know her in a way that her paintings alone couldn’t do. Don’t get me wrong, her work is stunning, and I have one of her whimsical originals in my bedroom to prove it. But what I’m trying to hint at here is the fact that you could be the most talented artist in the world, but in my humble opinion, you have to share more than that to make a real connection with people. And there’s no better way to do that than by sharing a bit of your story.   Kali is authentic and raw in her writing, so I’m beyond grateful that she’s allowing me to share some of it with you today.   In addition to being a prolific artist, Kali is also a special education teacher. Through everything she shares about teaching, creating with, and connecting to these kids, it’s obvious that Kali loves what she does very much.   For those of you unable to look at the cover art, we’re featuring two of Kali’s paintings today, let me attempt to paint these pictures with words until you have a chance to check them out for yourself:   [Art Description:]   Both paintings are a whimsical combination of shapes, colors, and paint splatters. They both have a blend of orange and green background colors splashed with a bit of black a