Have you ever wanted to create something but felt intimidated by trying a new craft? On this week’s episode I talk with Melissa Schwenk who has dabbled in a variety of creative endeavors. She describes herself as a non-professional crafter, and she’s explored everything from pottery to gardening. We discuss the interconnectedness of creative activities, advice for trying new things, and how we can all make the world a more beautiful place with the right mindset.

Topics Covered:

• Satisfaction in creating physical art
• Creating as an adult compared to as a kid
• Art as creative recreation
• Creative communities
• Interconnectedness of creative endeavors
• Making the world a more beautiful place
• Advice for trying new creative things

Links:

Melissa’s Instagram: @melissa.tries.things

We often wish we could make things with a simple snap of our fingers—but it takes a lot of work to create and improve our craft. Mixed Media Artist Amanda Spence joins the show to discuss her journey. She shares how consistent practice and reflection helped her grow as an artist.

Topics Covered:

• Inspired by Nature
• Balancing Simplicity with Complexity
• Similarities Between Crafts
• Becoming an Artist on Accident
• Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
• Art is Work Not Magic
• Finding Your Voice Over Time

Links:

• Amanda’s Website: www.betweenelmandoak.com
• Amanda’s Instagram: @betweenelmandoak
• Amanda’s Facebook: @btwnelmandoak

Brittney Jackson creates beautiful character illustrations—both original ones and others that you’ll recognize from your favorite franchises (from the office to Star Wars). We discuss fan art, traveling to conventions, why nature inspires, and how we can tackle new challenges, even when they’re intimidating.

Topics Covered:

• Self-Taught Artists
• Fan Art and Fan Fiction
• Traveling to Conventions
• Advice for Taking on New Challenges
• Outdoor Inspiration
• Getting Unstuck Creatively

Links:

• Brittney’s Website: www.brittneyannart.com
• Brittney’s Instagram: @brittneyannart
• Brittney’s Twitter: @BrittneyAnnArt
• Interview with Chrissie Murphy Designs

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Read Jon's short story "Doomed Dune" for FREE here.

This is a rebroadcast of Episode 23 with Miller Mark Fischer. New episodes will now release on a monthly basis, with Episode 45 premiering on July 4. Thanks so much for supporting the podcast!

Food production has changed drastically over the years, and not always for the better. But is there any hope for returning to the old ways of doing things?

This week’s guest, Miller Mark Fischer runs Castle Valley Mill — a stone ground mill where he uses machines that are hundreds of years old to produce quality flour, cornmeal, and more. By using age-old techniques on local grain, Castle Valley is able to produce a product that’s not only better for you, but tastes better too.

Mark shares how it all works in our conversation, and I’m excited to share this episode with you. I think it’s both incredibly interesting and incredibly important. These things not only impact our health, but also our local economies and the environment. So if you enjoy this episode, please consider sharing with a friend, because the more people who understand the value of how our food is made and where it comes from, the healthier we’ll all be in the future.

Topics Covered:

• The Story Behind Castle Valley Mill
• Why Modern Flour isn’t Great
• Germ, Bran, and Starch: The Proper Components of Flour
• The Process of Milling
• Using 150 Year Old Milling Equipment
• Discovering the Demand for Stone Ground Wheat
• 1800’s Stone Milling as an Achievement of American Ingenuity
• Scalability and Legacy
• The American Diet
• Covid Flour Shortage
• How to Buy Castle Valley Mill’s Product

Links:

Castle Valley Mill Website and Store: www.castlevalleymill.com

Instagram: @cvmllc

Facebook: @CastleValleyMill

No Kneed Overnight Bread Recipe: No Kneed Bread

My guest this week is Artist Amy MacHale. Over the years she’s been involved in a variety of artistic endeavors, from graphic design to even creating a dress out of paper—but recently her focus has been in painting, both with oil and alcohol ink. She shares the unique process of creating art with moonshine, the joy of creating with other people, and raising awareness about epilepsy through her art.

Topics Covered:

• Painting with Alcohol Ink
• Finding Your Own Techniques
• A Family of Creative Entrepreneurs
• Creating Art Together
• Art for Epilepsy Awareness
• Finding New Creative Outlets

Links:

• Amy’s Website: amymachaleart.myportfolio.com
• Amy’s Instagram: @pageandmason
• Gallery with Amy’s work: @thestudio276
• Amy’s family’s Distillery: @cedarmountainmoonshine

My guest this week is Ashley Wellman, an author and owner of the aMUSEd gallery in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. We talk about what goes into producing a quality book, finding a creative process that works for you, and, of course, the reason behind why she creates.

Topics Covered:

• Writing a Children’s Book
• Getting “Permission” to be Creative
• Running and Art Gallery
• What Makes a Quality Book
• Finding a Process that Works for You

Links:

• Ashley’s Website: www.ashleywellman.com
• My Friend Fresno: www.myfriendfresno.com
• Ghosts of the Abbey: Amazon
• Ashley’s Instagram: @MyFriendFresno
• aMUSEd Art Gallery: www.amusedfineart.com
• aMUSEd Instagram: @amusedfineart

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My guest this week is Dan Taylor, a Classical Singer who has performed in a wide variety of groups, from Opera Philadelphia to The Crossing, a Grammy award-winning choral group. Together we cover a fun range of topics, from the intricacies of opera singing to tabletop gaming. We also discuss how challenging creative work can be, especially when that voice inside your head keeps reciting that endless stream of self-doubt. Dan shares his methods on combating those thoughts, including impostor syndrome.

Topics Covered:

• From Cello to Voice
• Why Voice is a Difficult Instrument
• Projecting Your Voice and the Uniqueness of Opera
• Singing in Other Languages
• Tabletop Games and Finding Creative Outlets
• Contending with Your Inner Critic

Links:

• Dan’s Solo in “Voyages”: YouTube | Spotify
• The Crossing Choral Group: Spotify
• Dan’s Tabletop Livestreams: YouTube

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This week’s guest is Talon David. She’s been passionate about music for her entire life. She shares her story, from growing up in a musical home to winning the Grammy Foundation’s Teens Make Music Contest for her song Deep Snow, which became part of her debut album, Miscellaneous. Talon is also a VoiceOver artist and has recorded over thirty audiobooks, including my short story Doomed Dune, which you can listen to for free by subscribing to my newsletter at jontilton.com.

Topics Covered:

• Growing Up with Music
• What Goes into Writing a Song
• Learning the Ropes of Music Production
• Doing Voiceover Work
• Not Putting Yourself in a Box
• Bringing Expression and Hope to Others

Links:

• Listen to Miscellaneous: Spotify | iTunes | Apple Music
• Talon’s Music Instagram: @talon_liketheclaw
• Talon’s Voiceover Instagram: @talondavidvoices
• Talon’s Website: www.talondavid.com
• Listen to Doomed Dune for FREE: www.jontilton.com/signup

Here's a special bonus episode for you: a preview of my short story "Doomed Dune."

The full work is available for free to all newsletter subscribers, so if you’d like to hear more, head over to jontilton.com and sign up for my mailing list. I’ll send you an email with download links for both the ebook and audiobook.

I hope you enjoy Melina's story.

Subscribe to my newsletter: jontilton.com

Cover art by Megan McCullough: meganmccullough.com

Read by Talon David: talondavid.com

Some creatives concentrate on one goal and master a specific craft. But others like to explore the great variety life has to offer. This week’s guest is Brett Rounsaville—he’s done everything from writing screenplays and comic books to designing theme park attractions and creating startups. He shares with us how he chooses which project to pursue next, why chasing a goal is both satisfying and necessary, and what keeps him creating even on the days where it’s difficult.

Topics Covered:

• Amtrekker and Accomplishing a Bucket List
• Brett’s Dream Job as a Theme Park Designer
• Pursing New Goals and Choosing What’s Next
• Creating Companies and Filling Needs in the Market
• Listening to Yourself while Serving Others

Links:

• Brett’s Twitter: @amtrekker

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

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Homer, Plato, Cicero, Ancient Greece, Rome, and more—a list of the important people, places, and works from the past could go on forever. But why are these ancient things so important? And when it comes to study them, where do we even start? This week, my guest is Dr. David Noe. He teaches Latin and co-hosts a podcast that covers everything Classical. He shares what’s all included under this Classical umbrella as well as what questions to ask yourself when considering which works to study.

Topics Covered:

• Why Ancient Things are Important Today
• How Modern Thinking is Different Than in the Past
• The Era of Classics
• Why Classics Often Gets Pushed Aside
• The Large Umbrella of Classics
• Learn Latin and Hear More About Classics

Links:

• Latin Per Diem Website: www.latinperdiem.com
• Latin Per Diem YouTube: LatinPerDiem
• Latin Per Diem Instagram: @latinperdiem
• Ad Navseam: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
• Ad Navseam Instagram: @adnavseampodcast

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

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In life, we sometimes run into obstacles that require us to learn new skills—often ones that are out of our comfort zone. But not only is pursuing a new challenge a great way to improve your craft, it can be a lot of fun too. Today’s guest is Florist Melissa Heinrichs. She shares how she started her own business and why she’s always looking for new ways to challenge herself, from traveling the world to incorporating new flowers into her arrangements.

Topics Covered:

• Starting a Business Organically
• Filling Needs in a Missing Market
• Making Good Use of Your Materials
• “Planning or Pantsing” Arrangements
• The Temporary Nature of Flowers
• Pursuing New Challenges
• Tips for Getting Flowers to Last Longer

Links:

• Melissa’s Website: www.flowersbymelarcadia.com
• Melissa’s Instagram: @flowersbym.e.l

Ever feel like an outsider—someone who didn’t belong with everyone else? Illustrator Joe Hox joins the podcast to talk about struggling with work on his family’s farm motivated him to advance his skills as an artist. We also talk about pursuing a variety of styles, finding what you excel at, and why creating something is deeper than simply enjoying the process.

Topics Covered:

• Pursuing a Variety of Styles
• The “World’s Worst” Farm Boy
• Finding What You Excel At
• The Universal Story of Not Belonging
• Advice for Creatives of All Ages
• Illustrating a Devotional Book
• Creating is More Than Mere Enjoyment

Links:

• Joe’s Website: www.joehox.com
• Joe’s Instagram: @joehox
• Joe’s Etsy: JoeHoxArt
• Who is Jesus?: New Growth Press
• Who is Jesus?: Amazon
• Kate’s Website: www.katehox.com
• Kate’s Instagram: @katehox

Ever hear creative advice from someone and you think—but that doesn’t fit my personality at all, so how could I ever make that work? Bill Small hosts a podcast called The Subtle Art of Not Yelling, a show created to explore a different side of marketing. He’s also a musician and business coach. We discuss how his many endeavors all fit together, how to understand what you thrive in, and why having another set of eyes on your work can make a huge difference.

Topics Covered:

• Marketing Without Yelling
• Understanding What You Thrive In
• Creating a Structure to Create
• Consistency Versus Discipline
• Falling Out of Habit
• Having Another Set of Eyes on Your Work
• Keeping a Diverse Set of Activities

Links:

• Bill’s Website: www.artistmind.co
• Bill’s Instagram: @mindartcoach

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

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New challenges in your craft can show you both the highs and the lows of the creative process. This week I’m joined by Leila Srouji of Tierra Madera Ceramics. We talk about how to deal with burnout and how sometimes a bit of time away from our craft can create a real hunger to get back at it and try new things. We also discuss the process of creating ceramics, including how each piece turns out unique even while using the same techniques.

Topics Covered:

• Tierra Madera Ceramics
• The Process of Creating Ceramics
• Getting in the Creative Mood
• Dealing with Burnout
• Variety in Each Piece
• Creating a Hunger for Your Craft

Links:

• Leila’s Website: www.tierramaderaceramics.com
• Leila’s Instagram: @tierra.madera.ceramics

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

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Ever have a certain expectation about something, only to discover that you completely misunderstood an essential key element? Photographer Lauren Westra shares her unique journey of starting her career and why embracing the unexpected can be good for you.

Topics Discussed

• Photography and Owning a Wedding Venue
• Lauren’s Australian Trial by Fire
• Tackling Uninvited Challenges
• No Easy Checklist for Hard Work
• Loving the Challenge and Process
• Thinking in the Long-term
• Balancing the Planned and Unplanned

Links

• Lauren’s Photography Website: www.laurenwestra.com
• Instagram: @laurenwestra
• Westwood Barns Wedding Venue Website: www.westwoodbarns.com
• Westwood Barns Instagram: @westwoodbarns
• 
  

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Life is full of the unexpected. Sometimes life hands us lemons, and we’re not always confident we can make lemonade out of them. But in taking things one step at a time, you might be surprised at the progress you can make. Artist Carly Van Eck joins the show to talk about how some of her life events have influenced her artwork, and why she transitioned from full time social work to full time artist.

Topics Covered:

• Characteristics of Acrylic Paint
• Meaning Behind Abstract Art
• Unexpected Life Circumstances
• Turning Art into a Business
• Impostor Syndrome
• Advice for New Creatives
• Art Brings Hope Into the World

Links:

Carly’s Website: www.carlyvaneckart.com

Instagram: @carlyvaneckart

Facebook Page: Carly Van Eck Art

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

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If you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend—getting the word out to others is one of the best ways to help the show grow. Thank you so much to everyone who has done this, as well as left a review on apple podcasts and Spotify. I’m grateful for your support and I hope you continue to enjoy the show.

Lenord Robinson has had quite the career in the animation industry. He’s worked on projects like the Lord of the Rings animated film, The Fox and the Hound, The Tigger Movie, The Simpsons, and more. He’s even directed episodes of Animaniacs, Taz Mania, and The Proud Family.

And while he’s winding parts of his career down, he’s still very active in teaching and his own personal animation projects. That got us talking about if creatives really ever truly retire. We also discussed what he loves about storyboarding, the leadership needed to be a good director, and advice for creatives.

Topics Covered:

• Storyboarding
• Breaking into the Industry
• Learning on the Job
• Working on Legendary Projects
• The Role of a Director
• Leadership
• Why Animation and Teaching is Rewarding
• Why Creatives Don’t Truly Retire
• Advice for Creatives

Links:

Lenord’s Wix Website: www.lenordrobinson.wixsite.com/robinsonanimation

Additional Website: www.robinsonanimation.com

Lenord's IMDb Page: www.imdb.com/name/nm0732846/

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.

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While we’d all love to make a million dollars on every passion projects that pops into our heads, it’s just not the reality we can expect as creatives. So how do we find balance between doing what we love and crafting something that’s marketable? Artist Joe Willey joins the show to share his thoughts on this topic. We also discuss connecting with clients, setting goals, and a big misconception about choosing a practical and safe career path.

Topics Covered:

• Working with Various Mediums
• Drawing as a Kid
• Choosing a Subject
• Balancing Salable and Personal Art
• Setting Goals
• How to Connect to Clients
• Plan A and B are Both Hard
• Developing Your Voice
• Improving Your Work
• Writing and Illustrated Book
• How to Choose Your Next Project
• Creating Things is Hard Work

Links:

Joe’s Website: www.joewilley.net

Instagram: @joewilleycreative

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More information at www.causeofcraft.com

Have you ever wanted to try something but felt you didn’t have the expertise to do it? Building a new skill is challenging, but with things like perseverance, community, and time, it can be done. On this episode, video game designer Chera Meredith shares her journey from googling how to make a video game to actually creating one.

Her upcoming title is called Closer Than You Know — an adventure game for kids who play as Sam, a girl who goes on a quest to save her planet, where Hope has been outlawed.

Our discussion covers a variety of topics from how to build on your experiences to finding similarities between stories and puzzles.

Topics Covered:

• Staring With a Search
• Implementing Improvements as You Grow
• Fixing Things Versus Continuing Forward
• Getting Feedback from Your Target Demo
• How to Create a Good Puzzle
• From Dream to Professional Production
• Creative Connections Across Disciplines
• Showing Not Telling
• How Good Puzzles Mirror Good Stories
• Building Experience with Smaller Projects

Links:

So Peculiar Games Website: www.sopeculiar.com

Twitter: @SoPeculiarGames

Wander in the Dark: App Store

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.