The Spark & The Art

155 - Steve Vrooman Interviews Tucker

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 03:47:58 +0000

I’m your host Tucker and this week is an interview with me for another podcast called Every Speaker Has A Story. It’s a podcast made, and hosted, by Dr. Steven Vrooman. Steve is a professor Texas Lutheran University where is chair of the Department of English and Communication Studies and director of General Education. He’s also done a TEDx talk and published the Zombie Guide to Public Speaking. Steve’s a smart guy.

154 - Guestcasts

Fri, 25 Aug 2017 03:05:17 +0000

Guest casts was a concept I was playing with where other people would do an insight and inspiration episode. I wasn’t sure if they were going to be a regular thing or perhaps a Patreon subscriber bonus. I asked a few people to do some as an experiment and you are going to hear two of them today.

Ready? Here we go …

Thanks, David, I appreciate the time you took to put together an episode. I was reminded of the interview with David B. Goldstein TheSparkAndTheArt.com/74. David Goldstein’s book is about using your personality type to be your best creative self you can be.

Next up is recent guest Melissa Dinwiddie. I’ll be back on the other side to give a wrap this all up. So, here’s Melissa …

My wife just finished a garden path in the front of our house. She’s been planning it for the 11 years since we moved in. Just about an hour ago she got it done. She worked on it all day just to get the project out of her way. She posted it to Facebook and said “it’s not perfectly how I envisioned it but I still like it and more importantly it’s DONE” without even listening to this episode she practiced Intentional Imperfectionism and it made her feel fantastic.

Visit MelissaDinwiddie.com for more insightful episodes and a podcast. If you are a musician and are hoping to make a living with your music you should head to David’s website MusicianEtrepreneurHQ.com for great articles and a podcast and of course, sign up to find out when his new book comes out.

Thanks again to David and Melissa for putting together these episodes for the show and thank you for listening. And remember: You won’t get the art without the work and you won’t do the work without the spark.

153 - Teaching and connecting through colouring with Crystal Salamon

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 04:12:07 +0000

Hello and welcome to the The Spark & The Art creativity podcast. Thank you for subscribing to our weekly podcast, where we alternate between interviews with creative folks from all different career levels and insight and inspiration episodes. All with the intention you’ll get what you need to get your creative projects started and, more importantly, finished.

I’m your host Tucker and this week is an interview with Crystal Salamon. Crystal is an artist who took a leap of faith a few years ago and did a print run of 2000 colouring books. The story she tells of what happened when she checked her sales the next day is filled with emotion.

Before Crystal started making colouring books she started off in University to be a doctor. During pre-med she took a single art class to, as she puts it “Get it out of my system”. I think you can guess how the story goes from there. Well, you can guess the ending at least. There is more school and ‘A boy’ and teaching and finding her self.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy today’s chat with Crystal Salamon

Get me on twitter @sparkartpodcast or by email Tucker@thesparkandtheart.com

Thanks for listening and remember: you won’t get the art without the work and you won’t do the work without the spark.

152 - The end is beginning

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 04:51:44 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/152 - The end is beginning

151 - Healing your relationship with creativity with Melissa Dinwiddie

Fri, 28 Jul 2017 04:49:00 +0000

In today’s chat Melissa talks about her 15 year break from making art and how she came back to art because she was procrastinating while working at becoming a writer.

150 - Chunking

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 04:24:32 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/150 - I've been listening to the book This is Your Brain on Music - Dr. Daniel J. Levitin. It's about the science behind what happens to your brain when you listen to music and what makes it such a powerful thing in the lives of humans.

149 - Passion and Perseverance with Troy Kokol

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 03:57:29 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/149 - Troy is a songwriter but as you’ll learn he does more than just write songs. Recording demos and working as a producer for other artists and more. Works well with our episode about Streams of Income.

**- Links for this episode -**

Troy Kokol - https://www.troykokol.com/

Jim Unger’s Herman - http://www.gocomics.com/herman

Sylvester Stallone’s Dog - http://www.snopes.com/stallone-sold-his-dog/

Colin James - http://www.colinjames.com/

MTV Cribs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Cribs

Socan - http://www.socan.ca/

Tom Cochrane - http://www.tomcochrane.com/

Tom Cochrane Life is a highway - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3sMjm9Eloo

Finger 11 - http://www.fingereleven.com/

Finger 11 Paralyzer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJk6gZuPKRE

Pickup Truck - Shane Yellowbird - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqcKbGC4T1s

148 - Streams of income

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 18:42:42 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/148 – The fact is I’d have to do all everything. My question was more or less "what should I do first?”

147 - Yoga and Art with Jerusha Francisco

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:19:42 +0000

http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/147 - I’m taking away the piece on how to reframe my concerns about what others think of either me or my actions. My biggest struggle isn’t always finding the time to do something it’s when my brain justifies the reasons I shouldn’t do something based on what I think others might think. Thanks Jerusha.

** Links for today's episode **

Jerusha and her Studio - http://www.yogadown.ca/teachers--staff.html

Big Rock Singers Okotoks - http://www.bigrocksingers.com/

146 - Selling what you want. Selling what customers want.

Fri, 26 May 2017 03:50:11 +0000

http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/146 - You can sell anything you want. The secret is to sell what other people want. I’m not going to get into the difference between selling what people want and what people need I’ll cover that in another episode one day.

145 - An improvised life with Rebecca Northan

Fri, 12 May 2017 03:33:50 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/145 – This week we talk with Improviser, Actress, Producer and professional breath recording artist Rebecca Northan. In today’s chat Rebecca reflects on a yearbook quote and how it relates to her life now and the interesting work that actors do that you didn't even know were jobs.

**- Links for this episode -**

Rebecca Northan - http://www.spontaneoustheatre.ca/

Rebecca Northan Twitter - https://twitter.com/RebeccaNorthan

Rebecca Northan IMDB - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1720123/

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457419/

Kathleen Foreman - http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/september5-2013/drama-community-mourns-passing-of-respected-professor

Spiegeltent - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiegeltent

Blind Date Play - http://www.spontaneoustheatre.ca/blind-date.html

Kevin McCollum - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_McCollum

HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonized_sales_tax

Vertigo Theatre - http://www.vertigotheatre.com/

144 - laid-off

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 04:12:52 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/144 - I got laid-off and I don't know how to feel about it.

143 - The power of creating your own work with Samantha Duff

Fri, 21 Apr 2017 04:00:38 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/143 - We talk about what led Samantha Duff to start her own theatre company and specifically a family theatre with a mandate to ensure theatre is financially accessible to all.

**- Links for this episode -**

Goodger-Pink Productions - http://www.goodgerpinkproductions.com/

Samantha Duff & Holleay Rohm - http://www.goodgerpinkproductions.com/our-team.html

Mount Royal University - http://www.mtroyal.ca

University of Alberta - https://www.ualberta.ca/drama

The year of The Flood - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Alberta_floods

Dan Gibbons Playwright - http://www.talesfrompartsunknown.com/?page_id=6

Ellen Chorley Playwright - http://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/theatre/nextfest-has-a-new-festival-director-multi-talented-ellen-chorley

Telus Spark Science Centre - http://www.sparkscience.ca/experience-telus-spark/

Jurassic Attack Monster Truck - http://www.jurassicattack.com/trucks.html

The episode where I talk about not understanding kids - http://thesparkandtheart.com/48

142 - Art as a secondary power

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 04:38:26 +0000

‪http://thesparkandtheart.com/1‪42 – I'm not really sure how to describe this. Super power seems like it would be the main power but what is it when your power isn't the main thing? What if you are a brain scientist who wants to talk about brain donation and your audience starts to get uncomfortable. What if you have a cool role-playing podcast and need incidental music to enhance the mood?

**- Links for this episode -**

Griffin McElroy - https://twitter.com/griffinmcelroy

The Adventure Zone - https://t.co/qcmTtbx1BF

Chase Reeves - Chase Reeves thesparkandtheart.com/66

My Stroke Of Insight TED Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight

141 - Because it's difficult with audiobook narrator Sean Pratt

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 04:34:58 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/141 – With over 900 audiobooks under his belt Sean Pratt is one of the most sought after book narrators today.

**- Links for this episode -**

Sean Pratt - https://twitter.com/SPPresents

British American Drama Academy - http://www.bada.org.uk/

Cabbages and Kings - O’Henry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbages_and_Kings_(literature)

Cabbages and Kings - Audiobook - http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Cabbages-and-Kings-Audiobook/B002V59Y3Q

Seasteading - Joe Quirk - https://www.seasteading.org/author/joequirk/

Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic - http://amzn.to/2niAk14

Creativity - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - http://amzn.to/2nNQ7ZI

140 -Encouragement vs Appreciation

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 04:46:55 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/140 - This week is another semantic exploration. This time about encouragement and appreciation.

139 - Creative cooking & Creative teams with chef Chris Barton

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 04:38:00 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/139 – Chris Barton is a Chef who’s restaurant creates a new menu each week. Chris recognizes the drain creating a new menu each week would be on him if he had to do it all alone. We talk about how important his team members are to both the creating of the dishes but also the success of the restaurant itself. We talk about the challenges of being in charge charge of this shared creativity and not wanting to say ‘no’ too often.

**- Links for this episode -**

Anew Table Restaurant in Calgary - https://www.anewtable.ca/

Mount Royal University - http://www.mtroyal.ca/

SAIT Culinary Campus - http://culinarycampus.ca/

138 - What you can control

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 04:09:58 +0000

Keep writing. Keep singing. Keep working with others. Keep building relationships. Keep doing it. Because that’s what you can control. You can’t control if you get a song on the radio. You can’t control if an artist decides to record your song. The only thing you can control is how good your skills are and how you nurture your relationships.

137 - Purposefully choosing a career with Andrew Ford

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 05:16:35 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/137 – We talked to animator Andrew Ford a couple years ago and the theme of that episode was Reach your goal and keep learning. Andrew’s goal was to work at Disney and now that he’s done it you can hear how his philosophy hasn’t changed. Even after getting to Disney he still want to just get better.

**- Links for this episode -**

Andrew Ford - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatchewan-animator-andrew-ford-disney-1.3936095

Glen Keane - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Keane

Milt Kahl - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milt_Kahl

Eric Goldberg - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Goldberg_(animator)

Mark Henn - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Henn

Randy Haycock - http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Randy_Haycock

John Musker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Musker

Mari-Mac by Great Big Sea - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AT07v9V4-w

Patio Lanterns by Kim Mitchell - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbSuEQXX2C0

136 - Clutter

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 05:42:40 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/136 - Clutter is fine when you are using it all. A messy desk means you are there often and using things. But what about those boxes of old magazines for that collage you are going to make one day or that carton of video tapes for the family film you are going to produce. Not only are they taking up your physical space they are also taking up your mental space.

135 - Getting there is only half the journey with Jackie Koehler

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 05:05:10 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/135 – Jackie was a guest on the show a couple years ago as she had just finished up as lead animator on the film Book of Life. Her goal through everything she’s done was to one day work at Disney. Well, she made it and now we talk about if she feels like she’s ‘Made it’.

**- Links for this episode -**

Jackie Koehler - http://www.jackiekoehler.com/about-me-and-this-site.html

Jackie’s First visit - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/30

Matt Roberts (Disney) - https://about.me/gouletniac

Disney Internships - https://www.disneyanimation.com/careers/interns-apprentices

Emily Carr - http://www.ecuad.ca/

Nerd Corps - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DHX_Studios_Vancouver

Animation Mentor - http://www.animationmentor.com/

134 - Space gets filled

Fri, 03 Feb 2017 05:30:00 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/134 – Space gets filled. So does time. What you fill it with is up to you.

133 - Owning your own job and Making your own art with David Andrew Wiebe again

Fri, 27 Jan 2017 05:25:28 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/133 – David is very busy as a musician, entrepreneur and writer but we talk about how he handles that workload and some things he does to help keep overwhelm at bay.

**- Links for this episode -**

David Andrew Wiebe - http://davidandrewwiebe.com/

Music Entrepreneur HQ - http://www.musicentrepreneurhq.com/

Jonathon Ferguson - http://www.longjonlev.com/

Django Reinhart - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt

Django Reinhart 3 hours of music -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szNJ6DqrqoA

Adrenalize - http://adrenalize.ca/the-band/

Deanne Matley - http://www.deannematley.com/

Vern’s Bar - http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/calgary+dive+music+lover+paradise/7828548/story.html

Maveen Kaura - https://twitter.com/1MKAURA

Using Your Power - http://usingyourpower.com/

132 - Breathing In. Breathing Out.

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 04:00:33 +0000

http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/132 - I heard a quote earlier this week and I can’t find it anywhere online so I don’t know who said it or in what context but I’m gonna talk about it anyway because it got me thinking.

The quote was something along the lines of you can’t both breath in or out. Basically meaning you can’t do only one. You can’t only breath in. Your lungs can only hold so much. The oxygen is all absorbed and gets stale. Your lungs ache and eventually you breath out

131 - Work for a living but create to be alive with Amy Pon

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 19:55:48 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/131 - In today’s chat we learn about Amy’s path through business school, culinary school, art school and how she came to work with me at the large unnamed communications company here in Canada.

**- Links for this episode -**

Amy Pon - http://amypon.com/

Inktober - http://mrjakeparker.com/inktober

Macewan University -http://www.macewan.ca/wcm/index.htm

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology - http://www.nait.ca

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology - http://www.sait.ca

Alberta College of Art and Design - https://acad.ca/

80% Perfect t-shirts - https://tucker.threadless.com/

130 - The expectation of our talents.

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 22:42:56 +0000

I don’t think we can know where our best talents lie. I’m only just starting to get my head around this so bear with me things may change over time.

This whole theory relates to how we perceive our talents and how others perceive them. What got me to thinking about it is my 8yo daughter was mentioning that she wasn’t good at math. She says it makes her head hurt sometimes to think about it. But when we talked to her teacher she said it was one of my daughter's strong subjects.

**- Links for this episode -**

Tanya Ryan's Instagram post - https://instagram.com/p/BORHQjugGiN/

129 - Illustrating, Hip-hop and professional wrestling with Nic Gregory

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 05:47:03 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/129 - Nic Gregory is currently working with Disney publishing as an illustrator on a version of Sleeping Beauty. But before that he had his original hip-hop songs in rotation on Australian radio and toured as a professional wrestler and won two championship belts for his efforts.

**- Links for this episode -**

Nic Gregory - http://nic-gregory.squarespace.com/

Nic Gregory twitter - https://twitter.com/nic_xl

CTN Convention - http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/

Plein Air art - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En_plein_air

Fantasia (Disney) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasia_(1940_film)

Oatley Academy - http://oatleyacademy.com/

Minx Wrestling Highlights - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA4J0JWC6I0

Nic XL Wrestling Highlights - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZLKe-JFLIA

Nic doing art - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASf7fgVor5w

Stefan Franck - http://dark-planet-comics.com/

128 - Practice makes progress

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 19:39:46 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/128 - I prefer to think that Practice Make Progress. Practice doesn’t make perfect unless you practice perfectly and that doesn’t sit well with me. Practice makes permanent but that sounds so final like you’ll get to a certain point and be that way forever. Like a tattoo. But that’s not the way it works. You just keep getting better if you just keep practicing and finding your things to improve on.

127 - Making films takes a while with Thi Vo

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 05:36:00 +0000

I’m your host Tucker and this week is a follow-up interview with filmmaker Thi Vo.

In our last episode with Thi TheSparkAndTheArt.com/18 he had just finished up his crowdfunding and had gone off to Vietnam to shoot his documentary film about him searching for his birth father.

Today we talk about what’s been happening with the film in intervening time and when he hopes to have a final film.

He also tells the emotional story that sparked him into action to find his dad.

We also talk about the creative and curious things we did as kids that helped get him to where he is now. It’s not the first conversation like this on the show and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

Now, on to today’s conversation with Thi Vo.

Was there anything in today’s show that made you think of someone you know? I’d love it if you shared it with them. Who knows they may just figure something out about themselves and become a perfect human being and they’d have you to thank. Who are you to deny a friend the potential of perfection? The easiest way to share is to send the short URL TheSparkAndTheArt.com/127 the hardest way is to encode the url as morse code and set the bathroom light to flash in the coded sequence and hope your friend recognizes the pattern before they go crazy and smash the light fixture with their toilet brush.

If you want to get me I’m always available on twitter @SparkArtPodcast and if you want to connect with other creative folks you can come join us on Facebook. There are some great conversations happening on there you should totally come join us. Head to TheSparkAndTheArt.com/facebook and it’ll take you right there. Just hit the join button and I’ll let you in. I wanted the group to be private so we could have conversations that were a little more personal than you might normally have in a social media forum. So if you have any questions or work you’d like some honest feedback on come join us. We’re all very friendly.

Thanks for listening and remember: you won’t get the art without the work and you won’t do the work without the spark.

- Links for this episode -

Thi Vo - http://www.doublewhammy.co/

Made In Vietnam - https://www.facebook.com/madeinvietnamfilm/

Diageo - http://www.diageo.com/en-row/Pages/default.aspx

Twilight Tone Mahattan Transfer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F10re2ggUHw

Hello World Short Film - https://vimeo.com/141692061

126 - Four cores of creativity

Fri, 25 Nov 2016 04:37:43 +0000

Curiosity. Problem Solving. Expression. Habit & Ritual.

**- Links for this episode -**

Jorge Gutiérrez Border Bang - http://www.gregorioescalante.com/border-bang/

Jorge Gutiérrez Interview - TheSparkAndTheArt.com/26

Habit & Ritual - TheSparkAndTheArt.com/85

Whitney Hess Interview - TheSparkAndTheArt.com/111

Dulcie Foo Fat Interview - TheSparkAndTheArt.com/123

125 - Art & Engineering with Jean-Michel Gires

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 05:29:00 +0000

http://thesparkandtheart.com/125 –
Jean-Michel has a line of silk scarves, leggings and now kimonos printed with abstract designs made from his photography. This is his most recent artistic project. He has had exhibitions of his photography as well as published art books. But he does all this on the side as an executive in the energy sector.

**- Links for this episode -**

http://byjeanmichel.com/

124 - Responding to culture. Responding to life.

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 19:35:45 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/124 –Any art has the illusion of driving culture but really it is just crystallizing what is happening. It translates culture from ephemeral to solid. From feelings to words. From the observable to the understandable. The elusive to the tangible.

123 - Artist by default with Dulcie Foo Fat

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 04:23:34 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/123 – Dulcie Foo Fat is a painter and in our conversation we talk about how she became an artist by default even though she was aiming to get into education. We talk about how crumbs of encouragement are all it takes to find a path. We talk about the importance having a supportive husband played in her success and at the end we talk about her daughters who I will most likely be also inviting on the podcast.

**-Links for this episode-**

Dulcie Foo Fat - http://dulciefoofat.com/

https://exshaw.ca/

http://www.calgary.ca/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational

http://www.juilliard.edu/

http://music.yale.edu/

http://www.umontreal.ca/english/

http://arcadefire.com/site/

https://www.banffcentre.ca/

http://www.raleigh-sound.com/new-album/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dudes

https://dojoworkhorse.bandcamp.com/

122 - The Neverending Story

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 04:20:20 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/122 – Out of all of the books I’ve read I always get a little something. Usually about creativity and life’s journey since that’s what I’ve been most interested in. But I don’t think any have really captured it as well as The Neverending Story.

121 - Year of pure potential with Ash Thorp

Fri, 21 Oct 2016 05:01:20 +0000

http://TheSparkAndTheArt.com/121 – Ash Thorp is a motion designer, illustrator, artist, and creative director and has worked on films like Ender’s Game and Total Recall and X-Men: First Class.

**- Links for this episode -**

Ash Thorp - http://ashthorp.com/

Prologue - http://oldsite.prologue.com/

Kyle Cooper - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Cooper

Danny Yount - http://www.dannyyount.com/

X-men First Class Opening Sequence - https://vimeo.com/48261400

Motionographer - http://motionographer.com/

Learn Squared - https://www.learnsquared.com/

Andrew Hawryluk - http://www.andrewh.tv/

None (short film) - http://www.ashthorp.com/none

Lost Boy (short film) - http://lostboyworld.com/

Ash Thorp - http://ashthorp.com/

Prologue - http://oldsite.prologue.com/

Kyle Cooper - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Cooper

Danny Yount - http://www.dannyyount.com/

X-men First Class Opening Sequence - https://vimeo.com/48261400

Motionographer - http://motionographer.com/

Learn Squared - https://www.learnsquared.com/

Andrew Hawryluk - http://www.andrewh.tv/

None (short film) - http://www.ashthorp.com/none

Lost Boy (short film) - http://lostboyworld.com/

120 - Thankful for your talent

Fri, 14 Oct 2016 02:36:54 +0000

TheSparkandTheArt.com/120 - Canadian Thanksgiving isn’t much different than what I can gather an American Thanksgiving is like. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie. Personally I don’t like pumpkin pie. I really like berry pies blueberry is by far my favourite.

There’s no real story to thanks giving. No pilgrims coming to Plymouth Rock or anything like that. As far as I could ever tell it was just a to be thankful.

What the hell kind of summary is this Tucker?!

119 - Rely on your foundation and serve your customer with illustrator Michael Grills

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 04:33:40 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/119 – Michael Grills has been a professional illustrator for nearly 20 years and has a very clear vision of what it means to be an illustrator: Rely on your foundation and serve your customer.

**- Links for this episode -**

Alberta College of Art and Design - https://acad.ca/

Spencer Goldade interviews - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/2 and http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/52

Spencer’s Site - http://www.monkeyslunch.com/

Bioware - http://www.bioware.com/en/

Modern Library - http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/

Anne Handley: Everybody Writes - http://annhandley.com/everybodywrites/

PMP (Project Management Professional) Certification - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Management_Professional

118 - Be bold. Get old. Be a badass.

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 04:10:52 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/118 – this week my review of Camp Festival of 2016. The Camp Festival is a two day conference with a bunch of speakers from all different disciplines who work at a very high level in the industry. These are designers who have worked on movies like the Iron Man trilogy or have worked at Google and Microsoft or have The New Yorker magazine, Nike and Sports Illustrated as clients.

**- Links for this episode -**

Camp Festival - http://www.campfestival.ca/

Globacore - http://www.globacore.com/

Joshua Smith Illustrator - http://hydro74.com/

Stacy Mulcahy - https://twitter.com/bitchwhocodes

Danny Yount - http://dannyyount.com/

117 - Focus on what you care about with Ross Barber-Smith

Fri, 23 Sep 2016 02:14:32 +0000

http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/117 - Web designer Ross Barber-Smith only works with musicians and others in the music industry. This is because that’s what he’s really interested in. Ross went to the University of the Highlands and Islands Perth College in Scotland taking the Popular Music Bachelor of Arts program.

116 - The artist and the engineer

Fri, 16 Sep 2016 04:05:32 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/116 – A man and a woman look at a rolling ball machine. The woman is an artist. The man is an engineer. They both are intrigued by the machine for different reasons.

115 - Many talents can be your talent with Lorraine Harley

Fri, 09 Sep 2016 02:26:04 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/115 – Lorraine Harley has been active in arts and other creative pursuits for her whole life but she says it’s only recently that she’s really recognizing her talents for what they are. We talk about how her ‘jack-of-all-trades’ approach to creative work is an asset because she has a lot of fun with many different types of projects and mediums.

**- Links for this episode -**

Concours D’art Oratoire - http://ab.cpf.ca/actvities/youth-activities/concours-dart-oratoire/

JJ Johnston - http://www.thesparkandtheart.com/6

114 - No one will care about you until they know about you.

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 04:45:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/114 –
I’m your host Tucker and this week is a dream I had about 8 years ago.

I'm fairly certain that it was in The War Of Art where author Steven Pressfield said that dreams, especially those that you wake from with vivid clarity, are there for you to learn from. They are your subconscious share sharing wisdom with you. They are they are meant to be held within you so you can internalize and act on the message. So, you aren't meant to share dreams with others until the meaning has been accepted by yourself - or something like that. I can't find the part of the book where he talks about it. So maybe it's a different book.

113 - Illustrating, inspiring and immigrating with Lana Lê

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 01:05:23 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/113 – A personal graphic novel about birthmarks and immigration and a blog to inspire kids to use their talents in drawing to keep them creative. Lana Lê.

**- Links for this episode -**

Lana Lê - http://lana-le.com/

Persepolis - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis_(comics)

Maus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus

Raina Telgemeier - http://goraina.com/books_smile.html

CeCe Bell - https://cecebell.wordpress.com/

112 - Idea & Execution

Fri, 19 Aug 2016 05:30:23 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/112 – idea & execution

111 - Creativity and curiosity with empathy coach Whitney Hess

Fri, 05 Aug 2016 01:59:45 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/111 – Whitney and I talk about her starting out in computer sciences - and hating it - loving her writing major and how she stumbled on a course for Human Computer Interaction which lead her to her first user experience position. While the whole conversation is fantastic, I think my favourite part is the last 5 minutes where Whitney builds on how curiosity and creativity work together.

**- Links for this episode -**

Whitney Hess - https://whitneyhess.com/

Whitney Hess Twitter - https://twitter.com/whitneyhess

110 - JUST DO! - Sol Lewitt’s Letter to Eva Hesse

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 19:20:35 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/110 – Eva Hesse was a sculptor and ran into a bout of creative block and wrote to Sol for some advice. I’ve never read Eva’s letter but I feel I can get a gist of what she was saying. She was planning what she was going to do to get out of her creative block. She was thinking about how should could get passed her creative block.

**- Links for this episode -**

Sol LeWitt’s Letter - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/eva-hesse-letters-sol-lewitt_us_562f79ede4b00aa54a4b18d8

Sol LeWitt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_LeWitt

Eva Hesse - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Hesse

Inspiration comes from the work - http://www.songstuckerwrote.com/podcast/57-inspiration-comes-from-the-work

109 - Dancing, Teaching & Doodling with Michelle Johnson

Fri, 15 Jul 2016 04:28:52 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/109 – Dancer, teacher and bloom doodler Michelle Johnson. We talk about how she used drawing to help her through a difficult time while recuperating from a difficult surgery and how through the sharing of her images with her friends it lead to her creating and self-publishing a colouring book.

- Links for this episode -
Michelle Johnson on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/doodledblooms/
DoodledBlooms - https://www.amazon.ca/Doodled-Blooms-Coloring-Fantastical-Everyone/dp/152384440X
Texas Lutheran University - http://www.tlu.edu/
You’re So Crafty - http://youresocrafty.com/

108 - Achievement. Acclaim. Almighty Dollar

Fri, 08 Jul 2016 03:50:15 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/108 – this episode we talk about the three reasons to do anything. Acheivement, Acclaim and the Almighty Dollar.

107 - Creating comics with Scott Kowalchuk

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 03:03:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/107 – In today's chat we talk to comic artist and illustrator Scott Kowalchuk. We talk about a lot of things including where he started and what he did to pitch his very first comic to the comic publisher image comics. It wasn't just a simple idea with a few sketches it was finished books. We also talk about the reason he is being much more calculated about the publishers he does approach and being very honest with himself about the projects he's choosing in the future.

**- Links for this episode -**

Scott Kowalchuk - http://scottkowalchuk.com/

Scott Kowalchuk - http://scottkowalchuk.blogspot.ca/

The Intrepids - http://scottkowalchuk.blogspot.ca/search/label/intrepids

Image Comics - https://imagecomics.com

Fort MacMurray - http://www.fortmcmurraytourism.com/

Fort McMurray Fire - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/the-fort-mcmurray-disaster-read-the-latest-weekend/article29930041/

ACAD - https://acad.ca/

Batman ’66 - http://scottkowalchuk.blogspot.ca/search/label/batman

Michel Fiffe, Copra Comic - http://michelfiffe.com/

Bruce Campbell - If Chins Could Kill - https://www.amazon.ca/If-Chins-Could-Kill-Confessions/dp/0312291450

Eckhart Tolle - https://www.eckharttolle.com/

The Power of Now - https://www.eckharttollenow.com/store/item/10/The-Power-of-Now--Paperback-

106 – Sticky ideas & commonplace books

Fri, 24 Jun 2016 04:19:50 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/106 – It reminded me of the conversation I had with author Sean Williams In episode 62 about how getting ideas out was like a tube of toothpaste where it's easier to get out when the dry crusty bits are gone from the end and you can get that flow back. It wasn't a really good analogy then and I think I've done it even less justice this time around.

105 - Author on purpose. Professor by accident. With David Burkus

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 04:08:54 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/105 – David is an author and Associate Professor of Management at Oral Roberts University, where he teaches courses on organizational behaviour, creativity and innovation, and strategic leadership. But he started out wanting to be Jack Kerouac so you probably don’t want to miss how that happened.

**- Links for this episode -**

Malcolm Gladwell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Gladwell

Tipping Point - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point

Todd Henry - http://www.toddhenry.com/

Lorem Ipsum - http://loremipsum.net/

Scott Berkun - Myths of Innovation - http://scottberkun.com/2013/ten-myths-of-innnovation/

Angela Duckworth - http://angeladuckworth.com/

Liz Wiseman - http://thewisemangroup.com/

Rookie Smarts - https://www.amazon.com/Rookie-Smarts-Learning-Beats-Knowing/dp/006232263X

104 - Connect with people to Collect an audience

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 02:58:13 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/104 - Connect with people to Collect an audience

103 - Making software and making music with Cory Smith

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:19:56 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/103 – Entrepreneur, software developer and Musician Cory Smith. We talk about his start in computer sciences and the role his instructors played in nurturing the invaluable skill of learning how to learn. We also talk about connecting with others by telling your own story. As evidenced by his 10s of thousands of listens on his Soundcloud for raps about the tech world.

**- Links for this episode -**

S.A.I.T - http://www.sait.ca/

Grande Prairie - http://www.cityofgp.com/

GQ and King Dylan - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/afterlife/id203204250

DC Show and King Dylan - http://kingdylan.com/

TechCrunch - http://techcrunch.com/

Coffee Crisp - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_Crisp

Coffee Crisp Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOY7fGdCrBs

Traction Conference - http://www.tractionconf.io/

Nokia Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq9CQgZ3_sA

Roland FA-06 - http://www.roland.com/products/fa-06/

Jame Altucher Podcast - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-james-altucher-show/id794030859

Mark Maron of WTF Podcast & Charlie Rose interview - https://charlierose.com/videos/28036

102 - Knowing what a project isn't

Fri, 27 May 2016 02:36:25 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/102 - Knowing what a project isn't can be as important as knowing what a project is. Adding that perspective can help get unstuck and get started or finished.

101 - Have faith in your talent with Julie Geller

Fri, 20 May 2016 05:06:22 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/101 – Julie Geller has been writing and performing songs pretty much since someone showed her a few chords on a piano as a kid and now with the support of her followers on Patreon puts out a song with a video every month.

**- Links for this episode -**

Julie’s site - http://www.juliegeller.com/

Julie’s Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/juliegeller

Hey Girl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0AFwYg604k

Raise Your Hand - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wEGCYNiT5Y

We’ve Got Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qdZZ6-pt3s

100 - Two Interviews With Tucker

Fri, 13 May 2016 02:29:44 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/100 – I’ve had the opportunity to be a guest on a couple podcasts since I started this podcast and the hosts of those shows were kind enough to let me re-publish them here as my celebratory 100th episode.

99 - Composing for film and tv from a home studio with Alec Harrison

Fri, 06 May 2016 05:07:29 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/99 – An interview with film and television composer Alec Harrison. I’d say Emmy Nominated composer but you’ll hear at the end of this episode why Alec doesn’t think that would be impressive or important.

**- Links for this episode -**

Alec Harrison - http://alecharrison.com/

SixDegrees post audio - http://sixdegrees.ca/

Calgary - http://www.calgary.ca/

Hooked On Classics - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17dP0QvjsOU

Junkie XL - Tom Holkenborg - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkie_XL

E.T. The Extraterrestrial - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/

Flock Of Seagulls - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIpfWORQWhU

The Rosies (AMPIA Awards) - http://ampia.org/

98 - Applying app store success to your own project

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 23:44:43 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/98 – we talk about an article I read on Reddit by Amir Rajan about his success in the iTunes App store. The article is basically a how-to for working with Apple to have a successful game for iPhones and iPads. Amir’s success was in the range of $700,000 USD over the course of about 3 years.

97 - Inspire yourself by inspiring others with Lorian Dean

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 04:23:22 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/97 – Lorian is an elementary school art teacher in Florida during the day and does illustration for children’s books outside of work. In today’s chat we talk about a teacher who inspired her, her own passion for teaching and her work as an illustrator. Her passion is obvious and infectious and I can’t imagine any kid not being inspired by her enthusiasm for art.

**- Links for this episode -**

Lorian Dean - http://www.paperpencilplaystudio.com/

Publio Delgato singing with himself as a baby -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTHQNhKNI5c

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators - http://www.scbwi.org/

The Dot - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5mGeR4AQdM

Peter H Reynolds author - http://www.peterhreynolds.com/

Peter Brown Children’s author - http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/

Linda Shute - http://www.lindashute.com/Home/Welcome.html

96 - How to ensure a project winds up perfectly

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 04:22:32 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/96 – This week I tell you how to make sure your creative project turns out perfect: Never finish it.

95 - Selling at the intersection of creativity and business with Alexis Bronstorph

Fri, 01 Apr 2016 04:14:39 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/95 – Alexis is a writer specializing in advertising and has been working towards that goal since she was a kid. She tells the story of how she was inspired by some TV shows like Who’s The Boss as a kid.

**- Links for this episode -**

Alexis - http://www.alexisbronstorph.com/

Kraft - http://www.alexisbronstorph.com/#/kraftpeanutbutter/

Mio - http://www.alexisbronstorph.com/#/mio/

94 - you can always find something wrong

Fri, 25 Mar 2016 05:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/94 – Sometimes we finish something and it’s the greatest thing in the world. We’re a genius and can’t believe people aren’t writing epic tales about our talents. Only to come back to it and wonder why we even bothered finishing in the first place. Sometimes we finish something and trash it right away because it just isn’t right. Sometimes we can tell something’s not right and simply move on. The point is that you can always find something wrong with a piece of work you’ve done.

93 - Finding what people care about in advertising with Kelsey Horne

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 04:19:12 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/93 – Kelsey has always been interested in advertising but went to school for architecture and interior design. He tells about first using photoshop to create ads for fun and how he got an agency job based on a spec portfolio even though he had no training or real experience. And is now Creative Director working with brands like Kraft and Tim Horton's.

**- Links for this episode -**

Sid Lee - http://sidlee.com/en/Cities/Toronto

Aaron Draplin interview - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/80

Taxi - http://www.taxi.ca/

NAIT - Northern Alberta Institute of Technology - http://www.nait.ca/

Telus - http://www.telus.com/en/ab/index.jsp

Anvil awards - http://www.adrodeo.com/

MacLaren McCann - http://www.maclaren.com/

WestJet - http://www.westjet.com/

Douwe Egberts - http://www.decoffeecompany.com/

Geico Unskippable Ads - http://www.martinagency.com/work/unskippable

Stefan Sagmeister interview - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/24

You Are Not A Storyteller - https://vimeo.com/98368484

Kraft Teddy Bear Commercial - http://www.alexisbronstorph.com/#/kraftpeanutbutter/

Sia - Chandelier - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vjPBrBU-TM

Banksy’s Dismaland - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dismaland

Banksy’s Dismaland - pictures - http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/08/dismaland/

Tim’s Next Door Ad - http://www.alexisbronstorph.com/#/timhortons/

92 - When It Was A Love Song

Fri, 11 Mar 2016 05:47:05 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/92 – This week is different because I’m going to share some of what I do with my creativity. It’s a story I wrote based on a song I wrote called 'When It Was A Love Song'.

91 - Create your own problems to solve

Fri, 26 Feb 2016 05:58:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/91 – Creating your own problems has sort of a negative connotation to it. “I can’t really feel sorry for that person because they’ve created those problems for themselves.” That’s the drama queen sort of mentality. Drama isn’t the kind of problem I’m talking about. I’m talking about challenges to figure out and questions to be answered. I’m talking about figuring out what you can’t do and wondering how you can.

90 - Working between art and technology with Chelsea Klukas

Fri, 19 Feb 2016 04:48:09 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/90 – Chelsea is a User Experience Designer at Amazon and leads a team of designers working on the comments and other user engagement tools of the site. But she’s also a co-founder of a fashion and technology group where fashion designers and technologists collaborate.

**- Links for this episode -**

Amazon - https://www.amazon.ca/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&linkCode=ur2&tag=spynoh-20

Poynt - http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/sprylogics-poynt-search-now-available-in-kik-app-515802171.html

BeauCoo - http://mashable.com/2013/09/03/beaucoo/#uD0rpA_UsPqr

Make Fasion - http://www.makefashion.ca/

EndevorArts Calgary/Archeloft http://www.endeavorarts.com/

MakerFaire - http://makerfaire.com/

89 - Never too late to give up … or start again.

Fri, 12 Feb 2016 06:18:39 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/89 – Dreams are hard. Work is hard. Finding a path is hard. But what I love about the first lines of the song Give Up On Your Dreams by Seth Timbs are that just because you ‘give up’ doesn’t mean you stop. Maybe it just changes a little. Maybe you just pack’em up and get a new set.

**- Links for this episode -**

Seth Timbs - http://sethtimbs.bandcamp.com/

Oh, The places you will go - http://www.amazon.ca/Oh-The-Places-Youll-Go/dp/0679805273

Instagram’s Pivot - http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/08/instagram-a-pivotal-pivot/

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

The Vomit Comet - http://www.livescience.com/29182-what-is-the-vomit-comet.html

88 - How to be an author with a family with Adam Dreece

Fri, 05 Feb 2016 05:00:39 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/88 – Adam Dreece is an indie author who is building a following for his The Yellow Hoods series of books which currently number 5 soon to be six. Previous to being an author Adam worked in high in the ranks of corporate IT as a software architect. The way Adam describes the transition from corporate IT to independent publishing is the universe just kept giving him larger and larger nudges until he couldn’t ignore them any more. So less than two years ago he started writing his book series. Yep two years 4 novels with another on the way.

**- Links for this episode -**

Adam Dreece - http://adamdreece.com/

Adam Dreece Twitter - https://twitter.com/adamdreece

C4 Winnipeg - http://www.c4winnipeg.com/

Imaginative Fiction Writers Association - http://ifwa.ca/

Calgary Expo - http://www.calgaryexpo.com/

Phil Donahue - http://www.biography.com/people/phil-donahue-9542194

Dad Was Right (Blog Post) - http://adamdreece.com/2014/10/29/dad-right/

When the walls fell - https://youtu.be/3-wzr74d7TI?t=42s

ADZO Publishing - http://adzopublishing.com/

87 - Where to start

Fri, 29 Jan 2016 05:36:33 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/87 - Where To Start - Choosing a direction and prioritizing what needs to be done. This week's topic once again comes from the anonymous 1-question survey that pops up on TheSparkAndTheArt.com. The comment comes from someone in Canada and says "When pursuing a career in music sometimes knowing where to begin is tricky.”

**- Links for this episode -**

How Do You Start Something - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/1

Jellyfish - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQTj_2mMfSA

Lady GaGa - http://www.ladygaga.com/

Coldplay - http://coldplay.com/

The Dave Matthews Band - http://davematthewsband.com/

Skrillex - http://skrillex.com/

Steve Aoki - http://www.steveaoki.com/

Roger Manning - http://www.rogerjosephmanningjr.com/

Chris Manning - http://salamandersound.com/

Andy Sturmer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Sturmer

Andy Sturmer - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1543833/

Maxime Goulet interview - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/56

Deanne Matley interview - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/86

David Andrew Weibe interview - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/16

David Andrew Weibe book - http://dawcast.com/the-new-music-industry-adapting-growing-and-thriving-in-the-information-age/

86 - Turning A Passion Into A Business with Deanne Matley

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 05:35:12 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/86 – Deanne Matley has been singing since high school when she joined the jazz choir but didn’t pursue a professional career in music until more than 10 years later.

**- Links for this episode -**

Deanne Matley - http://www.deannematley.com/

Deanne Twitter - https://twitter.com/deannematley

All My Life - Kci & JoJo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXvMT_mVbqw

Like I’m Going To Lose You - Meghan Trainor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-MBfn8XjIU&list=RD2-MBfn8XjIU

The Prayer Celine Dion and Andrea Boccelli https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK5VulNn3so

Liza Minnelli - Liza with a ‘Z’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW1WG3wrMZw

A Russian Lullaby - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMA_q1YRKVc

Fast Forward Magazine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Forward_Weekly

Alberta Theatre Projects - http://atplive.com

V. C. Andrews - http://www.completevca.com

Mount Royal University - http://mtroyal.ca

The Artist’s Way - http://juliacameronlive.com/the-artists-way/

The Freedom Journal - http://www.eofire.com/tfjoptin/

Tanya Ryan - http://www.tanyaryan.ca

Tanya Ryan Interview - http://thesparkandtheart.com/64

85 - Creative Habits. Creative Rituals.

Fri, 15 Jan 2016 06:52:02 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/85 – How habits and rituals can help with your creative work.

84 - Photographer Of Elusive Things with Chris Ratzlaff

Fri, 08 Jan 2016 06:19:47 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/84 – Chris is a great example of someone using all their interests and skills to be fully creative. Chris talks about his path from designer to product manager. He also talks about his longtime interest in weather phenomena and relatively recent interest in photography and how he combined the two into his stunning series of aurora and storm photos.

**Links for this episode**

Chaser Con Canada - http://www.chaserconcanada.ca

Reid Timmer - https://www.facebook.com/ReedTimmerTVN/

Reddit - https://www.reddit.com

Frozen Bubbles - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIxIys1ABIGO1h-LU9cLUEA

Nerdist - http://nerdist.com/freezing-soap-bubbles-are-magical-orbs-of-awesome/

IFLS (I Fucking Love Science) - https://www.facebook.com/IFeakingLoveScience

Adam Savage Twitter - https://twitter.com/ratzlaff/status/661295180083933184

CBC - http://www.cbc.ca/

83 - Making The Time

Thu, 31 Dec 2015 18:23:14 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/83 – You can’t actually make time. Time just happens and you sort of bob around in it. The only thing you can do is choose what to work on while you’re bobbing around. This choosing is the hardest part because it basically comes down to choosing between doing things for yourself and doing things for others.

82 - Trust The Process and The Process is Crazy with Betsy Bauer

Thu, 24 Dec 2015 16:05:09 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/82 – Everything you see in an animated movie needs to be created by someone. From the dirt on the floor to the frying pan in the kitchen to the kitchen itself someone has to design it and that’s what our guest Betsy Bauer does for a day job. Outside of work does children’s books and other projects and we talk about her recent project, a fun colouring book about cats dressed as super heroes. We also talk about her work at Google creating Google doodles and how her getting the job all started with a retweet.

**Links for this episode**

Betsy Bauer - http://betsybauerart.com

Adobe Flash - http://www.adobe.com/ca/products/flash.html (Soon to be Adobe Animate)

Ringling College of Art + Design - https://www.ringling.edu

Paramount Pictures - http://www.paramount.com

Google - http://www.google.com

Digital Domain - http://digitaldomain.com

Legend Of Tembo - http://www.cartoonbrew.com/how-to/the-legend-of-the-legend-of-tembo-77114.html

Creativity Inc. - http://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration/dp/0812993012

Super Dumb book of Super Cats - http://www.amazon.com/Super-Dumb-Cats-coloring-heroes/dp/151767283X

Ryan Lang - http://ryanlangdraws.tumblr.com

81 - Failure, Fear & Just Getting Started

Fri, 18 Dec 2015 04:25:56 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/81 – What is the failure you’re so afraid of? What is failure for that matter? You get to create your own definition of failure. Nobody else can tell you when something is a failure because it depends on their definition of what failure is.

**Links for this episode**

James Cameron TED talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/james_cameron_before_avatar_a_curious_boy

Andrea Beaty - https://www.andreabeaty.com

Rosie Revere - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie3Fb9dbCIk

80 - Design as a Trade with Aaron Draplin

Fri, 04 Dec 2015 05:22:52 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/80 – Aaron Draplin loves life and loves his work. From the daily activities of cleaning the house to the technical process of creating a logo or book design. He’s proud of his family and gives himself to everyone. That caring and pride shows in his work and you can hear it in our conversation.

**Links for this episode**

Aaron James Draplin - http://draplin.com

Mike Watt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Watt

Metallica - https://metallica.com

Square Mobile Payments - https://squareup.com/ca

Supersuckers - http://supersuckers.com

Reverend Horton Heat - http://www.reverendhortonheat.com

Until Red (now The Middle Coast) - http://www.themiddlecoast.ca

Old 97’s - http://old97s.com

Juno - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(band)

Bottlerocket - https://bottlerocket.bandcamp.com

Craig Finn - http://www.craigfinn.net

Son Volt - http://www.sonvolt.net

Tame Impala - http://www.tameimpala.com

Bob Mould - http://bobmould.com

Hüsker Dü - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hüsker_Dü

Bare Naked Ladies - http://www.barenakedladies.com

Arcade Fire - http://arcadefire.com/site/

79 - Names and other things we call ourselves

Fri, 27 Nov 2015 06:09:07 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/79 – What do people tell you you are? "You are such a good artist you should draw comics.” “You are a born dancer.” “You sing way better than anyone on the radio you mustn’t waste that talent.” That’s all well and good if you want to be a singer, dancer or comics artist.

78 - Songs that let you question the world with Jonathan Ferguson

Fri, 20 Nov 2015 06:45:15 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/78 - The process Jonathan Ferguson followed for writing songs for his new album Telltale Heart, anonymity, how taking your art seriously doesn’t mean you have to take yourself seriously and the power of art to make you question and reflect on things

**- Links for this episode -**

Long Jon Lev - http://www.longjonlev.com

Jon’s first interview - http://thesparkandtheart.com/4

10 Inches of Snow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StlMdNcvCJo

Barrage - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XeB_eKnmls

John Butler - http://johnbutlertrio.com

Kim Churchill - http://kimchurchill.com

Jon Brion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9ub9rpNK4

Howie Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9ub9rpNK4

Bryan Adams - https://www.bryanadams.com/splash-getup

Bruce Springsteen - http://www.npr.org/2012/03/16/148778665/bruce-springsteens-sxsw-2012-keynote-speech

Gwar - http://www.gwar.net

Coffin Break - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIBqH3o_0jc

Beth by Kiss - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHkojuUSDO8

Andrew W. K. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WccfbPQNMbg

Good Riddance by Green Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnQ8N1KacJc

Mötley Crüe - http://www.motley.com

Daft Punk - http://www.daftpunk.com

DeadMau5 - http://live.deadmau5.com

ACDC - http://www.acdc.com

Paul Simon - http://www.paulsimon.com/ca

Jellyfish - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish_(band)

Mr. Bungle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITEDFYdLHFA

Mumford and Sons - http://www.mumfordandsons.com

Nickleback - http://www.nickelback.com

Wayne Gretzky - https://gretzky.com

David Andrew Weibe - http://dawcast.com

Dave’s Book - http://dawcast.com/the-new-music-industry-adapting-growing-and-thriving-in-the-information-age/

Dave’s Interview - http://thesparkandtheart.com/16

77 - The message is more important than the work

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 05:56:56 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/77 -
If the work is more important than the art you know what is more important than the work?

The message. The why. The reason you do the work. The reason the spark goes from smile and excitment to actual act of bringing it to reality.

**Links for this episode**

Why the journey to your art is more important than the art itself - Thesparkandtheart.com/11

DavidGussak - https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/art-trial

David B. Goldstein - http://davidbgoldstein.com

This podcast in iTunes - TheSparkAndTheArt.com/itunes

76 - Art therapy in prisons with David Gussak

Fri, 06 Nov 2015 04:57:33 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/76 – David Gussak is an art therapist who has worked in prison populations for most of his career. We talk about what it takes to work with violent criminals and how, despite the many times he tried to leave the profession, it just keeps bringing him back.

**Links for today’s episode**

David Gussak - https://www.psychologytoday.com/experts/david-gussak-phd-atr-bc

Art Therapy In Prison - http://arttherapyinprison.com/?page_id=355

Art Therapy With Offenders - http://www.amazon.com/Art-Therapy-Offenders-Marian-Liebmann/dp/1853021717

Art On Trial - https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/art-trial

Making Something Out Of Nothing - https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/art-trial/201311/making-something-out-nothing

Homo Aestheticus - http://www.amazon.com/Homo-Aestheticus-Where-Comes-From/dp/0295974796

The Candy Man - https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/art-trial/201504/the-candy-man-prisoner-paints-delectable-materials

75 - How To Forever Transform Your Creative Work

Fri, 23 Oct 2015 04:57:31 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/75 – I read from my new ebook The Three Most Difficult Simple Things guaranteed to forever improve your creative work. It’s a long title but it’s a short book. But very helpful. You can download your own copy at TheSparkAndTheArt.com/ebook

74 - Creative You: Using your personality type to thrive with David B. Goldstein

Fri, 16 Oct 2015 04:23:01 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/74 – Today we talk about how understanding your personality type will help you in business & creative pursuits. We also talk about the importance of false confidence and the power of collaborative partners.

**Links for this episode**

David B. Goldstein - http://davidbgoldstein.com

Creative You - http://davidbgoldstein.com/book-creative-you/

Otto Kroeger - http://www.ottokroeger.com

Exit through the gift shop - http://exitthroughthegiftshop.com

Klaatu - http://klaatutheband.com/about/about.php

Carpenters - http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com

Klaatu - Calling Occupants - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9URM_5R-vWk

Carpenters - Calling Occupants - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teBV0EoJJY8

73 - What it takes to succeed

Fri, 09 Oct 2015 03:58:03 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/73 – So far there are two things I know about succeeding. Whether it’s succeeding at covering the cost of your project or succeeding to Madonna like levels. We talk about them both in this episode.

72 - Creating Rock 'n' Roll cartoons with Richard Sirgiovanni

Fri, 02 Oct 2015 15:56:42 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/72 – From art school and sharing gigs with Madonna to a marketing career and now creating a cartoon series - this is the awesome path and story of Richard Sirgiovanni.

**Links for this episode**

Richard Sirgiovanni - https://twitter.com/kartuneman

School of visual arts - http://www.sva.edu

CBGB - http://www.cbgb.com

Max’s Kansas City - http://maxskansascity.com

Madonna - http://www.madonna.com

Cyndi Lauper - http://cyndilauper.com

Bon Jovi - http://www.bonjovi.com

Ramones - https://www.ramones.com

Blondie - http://www.blondie.net

Talking Heads - http://www.talking-heads.nl

Bil Keane - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bil_Keane

Family Circus - http://familycircus.com/

Maurice White - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_White

Earth Wind and Fire - http://www.earthwindandfire.com/

Billy Idol - http://billyidol.net/

Jon Oates - http://johnoates.com/

Hall & Oates - http://www.hallandoates.com/

Roger Waters - http://rogerwaters.com/

Pink Floyd - http://www.pinkfloyd.com/

Johnny Rotten - http://www.johnlydon.com/jlhome.html

Sex Pistols - http://www.sexpistolsofficial.com/

The Grimps - http://thegrimps.com/

Townes Van Zandt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townes_Van_Zandt

Ron Dante - http://www.rondante.com/

Jack Douglas - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Douglas_(record_producer)

Aerosmith - http://www.aerosmith.com/

John Lennon - http://www.johnlennon.com/

Double Fantasy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Fantasy

John Boylan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Boylan_(record_producer)

Boston - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_(band)

Keith Emerson - http://www.keithemerson.com/

Tony Bon Jovi - http://www.tonybongiovi.com/

71 - Make Your Own Stuff - CAMP 2015 Summary

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 04:29:01 +0000

heSparkAndTheArt.com/71 – I went to CAMP Festival here in Calgary. It was a two day conference filled with inspiration and awesome speakers. Here is a summary.

**Links for this episode**

Camp Festival - http://campfestival.ca

Stacey Mulcahy - http://thebitchwhocodes.com

Alon Chitayat - http://www.animishmish.com

Improv Canvas - http://www.improvcanvas.com

Yuko Shimizo - http://yukoart.com

Aaron Draplin - http://draplin.com

Field Notes - http://fieldnotesbrand.com

Neil Huxley - https://vimeo.com/neilhuxley

70 - The Art of Shouting Quietly with Pete Mosley

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 04:49:14 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/70 - Crowdfunding for authors, making friends with fear and moving into your stretch-zone. A very full episode indeed.

Pete Mosley - The Art Of Shouting Quietly - http://shoutingquietly.com/

Craft and Design Magazine - http://www.craftanddesign.net/

Indiegogo - https://www.indiegogo.com/

Sisyphus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus

James Cameron - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cameron

Ted Talk - James Cameron - https://www.ted.com/talks/james_cameron_before_avatar_a_curious_boy

69 - @SparkArtPodcast

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 04:52:49 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/69 - I've recently started the official @sparkartpodcast twitter account I thought I'd give an update on the podcast and the new twitter account.

68 – The best tools are invisible with comic artist Dan Berry

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 04:50:39 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/68 – We talk about how, what I always assumed was, his relentless pursuit of perfection is in fact a relentless pursuit of ever increasing efficiencies in his creation process. We talk about what inks he likes and doesn’t like. The importance of making your tools invisible to you as the artist so they don’t get in the way of your ideas. We talk about how day job teaching comics as an art form has affected his work. And we also talk about how a day job, a comics career, a podcast and a family with two kids impacts his art (as a hint it has too do with the relentless pursuit of efficiencies I mentioned earlier)

Dan is very funny, very British and very insightful. I’m quite positive you will enjoy today’s chat with Dan Berry.

**Links for Today’s show**

Dan Berry - http://www.thingsbydan.co.uk

Dan Berry - https://www.behance.net/danomano65

Danbury - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danbury,_Connecticut

Quimby the mouse - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quimby_the_Mouse

Chris Ware - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Ware

Jack Kirby - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kirby

Make it then tell everybody (website) - http://makeitthentelleverybody.com/

Make it then tell everybody (twitter) - https://twitter.com/MakeThenTell

Angoulême - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angoulême_International_Comics_Festival

GiPi - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gipi

Tim Ferris - http://fourhourworkweek.com

Swan Mabie Todd - http://www.mabietoddpenlists.co.uk/page14.html

Platinum Carbon Ink - http://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/spare/ink/eink.html

Sailors Pigment Ink - http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/121399-sailor-kiwa-guro-or-aka-nano-pigment-ink/

Noodler’s Ink - http://noodlersink.com/

Drawn & Quarterly - https://www.drawnandquarterly.com/

Joe Matt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Matt

Plastic Forks - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11261511-plastic-forks

Tapping the Vein - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/108058.Tapping_the_Vein

67 - Find your voice to find your audience

Fri, 21 Aug 2015 05:26:56 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/67 – What do kidnapped spacemen and a black-metal chef that sings vegan recipes have in common? They have found their voice - that one special way they communicate - and in turn have found an audience.

**Links for today’s Show**

http://www.club-mst3k.com/

http://fizzle.co/

http://veganblackmetalchef.com/

66 - Unashamedly being yourself with Chase Reeves

Fri, 14 Aug 2015 04:57:20 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/66 – The power of choosing to be yourself and the journey it can take to get to the point where you can unashamedly just be who you are.

**Links for this Episode**

Chase Reeves - https://twitter.com/chase_reeves

Ice To The Brim - http://icetothebrim.com/

Fizzle.co - https://fizzle.co/

Corbett Barr - http://corbettbarr.com/blog/

Caleb Wojcik - http://www.calebwojcik.com/

Barret Brooks - http://barrettbrooks.com/

Steph Crowder - https://twitter.com/stephcrowder_

Father Apprentice - http://fatherapprentice.com/

Pat Flynn - http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/

Derek Halpern - http://socialtriggers.com/

Make it then tell everybody - http://makeitthentelleverybody.com/

Flipping the funnel episode - http://makeitthentelleverybody.com/2015/06/matt-diffee/

65 - Advice vs Guidance

Fri, 31 Jul 2015 05:32:46 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/65 - “You know what you should do?”, “Everybody is totally doing this right now. You should too.” who do you listen to and what is advice and what is guidance.

64 - Learning to take a compliment with Tanya Ryan

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:47:17 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/64 – Yoga, the challenges of balancing the thing you do and business of the thing you do, why learning to take a compliment is to important and the art of creating a live music set. That’s today’s conversation with Tanya Ryan

**Links for today's espisode**

Tanya Ryan - http://tanyaryan.ca/

Cry for the Devil - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj1v0yafBE0

Duane Steele - http://duanesteele.com

Jake Matthews - http://www.jakemathews.com

Deanne Matley - http://www.deannematley.com

Almost in Love - http://www.songstuckerwrote.com/almost-in-love

63 - Experimenting with creativity

Fri, 17 Jul 2015 05:06:21 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/63 - Just like a runner doesn’t just start running marathons. Film makers don’t start out making blockbusters. You can't expect to do your perfect work. You need time to play and experiment and try new things. Because in the trying you may find a new awesome combination that is a super fun passion.

62 - What it takes to write over 40 novels with Sean Williams

Fri, 03 Jul 2015 05:17:02 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/62 – Sean Williams is a novelist with over 40 books to his credit. He writes about 4 novels a year and has created his own series called Twin Maker as well as writing 6 novels in the Star Wars universe as well as one for Dr. Who.

**Links for this episode**

Sean Williams (Novelist, today’s guest) - http://seanwilliams.com

Sean Williams (Ethnomusicologist) - http://seanwilliams.org

National Novel Writing Month - http://nanowrimo.org

Dr. Who - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Who

Wookiepedia - http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Twinmakers - http://twinmakerbooks.com

Shaun Tan - http://www.shauntan.net/

The Arrival - http://www.shauntan.net/books/the-arrival.html

Steve Roach - http://www.steveroach.com/

PD James - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._D._James

Children Of Men - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Children_of_Men

Anne McCaffrey - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_McCaffrey

61 - How labelling ourselves can limit our creativity

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 04:56:50 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/61 –
This week is insight and inspiration and we’re going to talk about titles, labels and how we define ourselves.

60 - Why do we seem to always justify our creative work? With Ben Rankel

Fri, 12 Jun 2015 05:28:24 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/60 – Why do creatives feel the need to justify their creative work? We explore this and many other topics in today’s chat with graphic designer and comics artist Ben Rankel.

**Links for this episode**

Ben Rankel - http://benrankel.com/

Archie - http://archiecomics.com/tag/fiona-staples/

Saga - https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/saga

Angoulême International Comics Festival - http://www.bdangouleme.com/

Ira Glass Speech - https://vimeo.com/85040589

Sidney York - http://sidneyyork.com/

Kurtis Wiebe - http://kurtiswiebe.com/

Alberta College of Art and Design - http://www.acad.ca/

59 - Learning something is never a waste of time

Fri, 05 Jun 2015 05:08:41 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/59 – Wether you learn to waterski, juggle, paint or fry an egg no skill is ever wasted. They all just wind up in your backpack to help you with your next project.

58 - Are you a multipotentialite? With Emilie Wapnick

Fri, 29 May 2015 04:54:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/58 – What is a Multipotentialite? Basically it’s someone who says "I can’t follow my passion because I have too many”. In today’s episode we talk with Emilie Wapnick who believes not everyone is meant to have one true calling. If you beat yourself up for bouncing from interest to interest Emilie will soothe your anxiety and let you know that everthing is going to be alright. Embrace everthing about yourself and move forward as a Multipotentialite.

**Links for this episode**

Puttylike - http://puttylike.com/

Metallica - Fuel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvF9PAxe5Ng

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHRFZFmEq9o Misguided Angel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP_llect3fI

Joe Harley - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/8

Renaissance Business book - http://puttylike.com/renaissance-business/

TEDx talk “Why Some of us Don't Have One True Calling” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJORi5VO1F8

Amanda Palmer - http://amandapalmer.net/

The Art of Asking - http://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking

Tim Ferris - Amanda Palmer - http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/03/30/amanda-palmer/

Tip Of The Hat - http://tipofthehat.bandcamp.com

57 - Inspiration comes from the work

Fri, 22 May 2015 04:47:10 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/57 – Where does inspiration come from? Should you wait for inspiration to strike or just sit down and get to work regardless. You can probably tell from the title what the answer is going to be. Let’s see if you agree with me after you’ve listened.

**Links for this episode**

http://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/10/30/inspire-nine/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-h4A7bF8wQ

56 - Orchestral video game music with Maxime Goulet

Fri, 15 May 2015 16:24:08 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/56 – Maxime Goulet composes classical music for both the orchestral performances and the scores of video games. Not only has he created orchestral pieces around eating chocolate but he has scored game adaptations for titles like Shrek, The Amazing Spider-Man and Iron Man. We dig into where ideas come from and his desire to keep classical music engaging as more than just music by adding visual and edible elements.

**Links for this episode**

Maxime Goulet - http://maximegoulet.com/

Gameloft - http://en.gameloft.ca/

Video Games Live - http://www.videogameslive.com

A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech - http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0446404667/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=0446404667&linkCode=as2&tag=soiwr-20

55 - The hand of the artist

Fri, 08 May 2015 04:44:27 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/55 - too ragged and all people can see is what's lacking. Too polished and audiences can't see the humanity. Finding that balance is the challange. In this episode we talk about how to make sure your work shows The hand of the artist

54 - Guitar Hero, User Experience and Music - Combining passions with Davidicus

Fri, 01 May 2015 04:26:52 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/54 - Like most user experience designers Davidicus kind of wound up in the role and he tell about his interesting path to get there. We talk about his heavy involvement in the design and experience of the interface for the video game Guitar Hero. Davidicus is also a musician and we talk about how time has influenced his view towards making music.

53 – Morals & Money: A definition of Selling Out

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 04:02:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/53 – Pepsi, porn and Jim Henson are all examples in selling out and holding on to your beliefs when making money with your creative work.

52 – Don’t compromise your morals and don’t be a jerk with Spencer Goldade

Fri, 17 Apr 2015 04:29:25 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/52 – It’s been a year since this podcast has started and the first interview I did was with today’s guest, Spencer Goldade. A lot has changed in the year since we last heard from Spenny. One thing that hasn’t changed—and comes through clearly in this chat—is Spenny’s passion for creative work and his love of friends, family and colleagues.

- Links from today’s episode -

Spencer Goldade - http://www.Monkeyslunch.com

Post + Beam - http://www.postandbeam.is

Dan Hill - http://www.beardednerd.com

Andrew Tarrant (tresspasser ceramics) - http://www.trespasser.ca/

Scott Kawalchuk - http://scottkowalchuk.blogspot.ca/

Kyle T Webster brush download - http://www.kyletwebster.com/portfolio/brushes/

Derek Halpern Social Triggers - http://socialtriggers.com/

Fizzle.co - http://fizzle.co/

Joshua Earl - http://joshuaearl.com/

Lea Woodward - http://leawoodward.com/

Jonathan Woodward illustrator - http://jonathanwoodwardstudio.com/

51 – Appreciation vs Adulation

Thu, 02 Apr 2015 04:34:28 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/51 – Adulation is people saying you're great. Appreciation is a connection. Which do you want from your art?

50 – A fulfilling career through helping others build robots with DJ Sures of EZ-Robot

Thu, 26 Mar 2015 04:21:39 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/50 – Today’s guest is building a company that helps others build robots. But while robotics has been a passion of his all his life it’s not the only career path he’s followed and trust me some of them are as far from robotics as you can get.

**Links for today’s episode**

EZ Robot - http://ez-robot.com/

Makerbot 3D Printer - http://www.makerbot.com/

Short Circuit (Johnny Five) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091949/

Blue Thunder - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086671/

Knight Rider - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083437

Dot Com bubble - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot-com_bubble

Calgary parking Authority cars - https://www.calgaryparking.com/web/guest/photoenforcement

Ghana - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana

49 – Do what you can with what you have

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 04:15:10 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/49 – What do you need to be an animator? A Painter? A Writer? You probably have most of it already. You just need to do what you can with what you have.

48 – The Dancer & The Mind Reader with Stephanie and Mark Toland

Thu, 05 Mar 2015 05:38:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/48 – How important is a partnership when making a career in the arts? When you are today’s guests it’s what makes it all possible. Stephanie is a dancer and Mark is a mind reader. It’s an interesting chat where we talk about why Mark doesn’t do kids’ parties anymore and Stephanie talks about what it takes to be a dancer and they both talk about the amount of work it takes to build and sustain a creative career.

**Links for today’s episode**

Blog - http://starvingartistsblog.com

Podcast - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/starving-artists-blogs-podcast/id962231194

Twitter - https://twitter.com/SArtsBlog

47 - Tear it down or live in it?

Thu, 26 Feb 2015 05:30:40 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/47 - What do derelict barns, extreme weight loss and cats dressed as sailors have in common? They are all in today's episode.

46 – Voice Acting with Jay Britton

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 06:35:08 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/46 – Jay started in IT (information technology) and after getting pretty far in his career decided to make a hard change. He didn’t just start auditioning and hope for the best though, he got coaching from some top names in voice acting.

We talk about his time in the technology world, what it’s like to meet a hero, his love of the Simpson’s and most importantly the power of a coach. I wanted to actually talk to Jay and not have it turn into us showing each other the kinds of voices we could do. It was really hard for me.

**Links for today’s show**

Jay Britton - http://www.voiceofjaybritton.com/

That Ford Thing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1YmUtrudnM

Rob Paulsen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbbj01P96qM

Richard Horvitz - http://www.richardhorvitz.com/

Simpsons - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096697/

Animaniacs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YzTXxt9oOY

Ministry of Silly walks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV2ViNJFZC8

45 – Who’ll Build it? Who’ll Buy it? Who’ll Fund it?

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 05:15:22 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/45 – As a creative person you’re probably good at making stuff. But if you want to earn money from your work you need to know who’s gonna buy it. If you want to do something big you need to know who is going to fund it. In today’s episode we explore these three pieces and how they work together.

— Links for today’s show --

Liz Stevens - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/44

Matt Ruby - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/42

My Songs - http://www.songstuckerwrote.com/born-to-the-world-ep/

My Kid’s Songs - http://www.ZanyZoo.ca

44 – Make Art Make Money with Elizabeth Hyde Stevens

Thu, 05 Feb 2015 05:27:50 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/44 – Jim Henson created the Muppets. But he didn’t do it on his own dime and he didn’t get people to work for free. If you feel like you need a little insight into how to ride the line between making money without compromising your art you’re going to love today’s talk with Elizabeth Hyde Stevens author of the book Make Art Make Money as she follows the career of Jim Henson through his struggles with keeping his art while still making money.

**Links for Today's Episode**

Make Art Make Money - http://elizabethhydestevens.com/make-art-make-money/
Audible -http://www.audible.com/pd/Bios-Memoirs/Make-Art-Make-Money-Audiobook/B00IOTGGHK
The Art Of Money Getting - http://www.audible.com/pd/Business/The-Art-of-Money-Getting-Audiobook/B002V1JG06
Jim Henson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Henson
CTW - http://www.sesameworkshop.org/
Andy Goldworth - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Goldsworthy
Wilson’s Coffee Commercials - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxLyuw5bdyk
Capital I - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc1RfFYxZ2I
Cookie Monster Fruit - http://www.mjrcg.com/blog/2014/07/oppy-and-the-cookie-monster-want-kids-to-eat-brighter/
Lady Bug’s Picnic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX9J7WcYtxI
Pointer Sisters - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pointer_Sisters
12! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZshZp-cxKg
Bud Luckey - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Luckey
George Lucas - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lucas
Star Wars - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars
Jorge Gutierrez - TheSparkAndTheArt.com/26
Mary Robinetter Kowal - http://maryrobinettekowal.com/
The War Of Art - http://www.stevenpressfield.com/the-war-of-art/
Legend Of Bagger Vance - http://www.stevenpressfield.com/the-legend-of-bagger-vance/
Shigiru Miyamoto - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigeru_Miyamoto
The Power Of Habit by Charles Duhigg - http://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/
Ira Glass 'Nobody Tells This To Beginners' - http://zenpencils.com/comic/90-ira-glass-advice-for-beginners/
Muppet Show Pitch Reel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KorhvVQRUM
Raffi - http://www.raffinews.com/
Baby Beluga - http://www.raffinews.com/store/childrens-music/baby-beluga#.VNGtmFXF_Mc

43 - Your Job vs Your Work

Thu, 29 Jan 2015 05:18:49 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/43 – What is your job. Not your job in the traditional sense. If your life is your job, does the work you do match the job description?

42 – Rock ‘n’ Roll, Comedy and Native Advertising Models with Matt Ruby

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 05:47:11 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/42 – Matt Ruby is a stand-up comedian who started in a rock band and now has a successful online sketch comedy show that takes shots at the technology world. He talks about finding that one thing that you can do well that no one else can and put it into action.

Plastics Hi Fi - https://myspace.com/plasticshifi/music/songs
Vooza - http://vooza.com/
Club Scale - http://www.clubscale.com/
The Onion - http://www.theonion.com/
SandpaperSuit - http://www.sandpapersuit.com/

41 – Your Current Future

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 05:02:45 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/41 – The future is going to happen no matter what. What will happen in yours?

40 – When creative friends become creative family – Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz

Thu, 08 Jan 2015 05:09:30 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/40 – We’ve talked before about the power of collaboration on the podcast but today’s episode is a wonderful example about when collaboration becomes more like a family. Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz recently finished showing their short film The Moped Diaries across the festival circuit this summer garnering them 10 Official Selections across the country.

**Links for this episode**

Tyler Nilson - http://www.mynameistyler.com/

Mike Schwartz - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1916835/

Scrubs - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285403/

The ‘Born To The World' Cameras - http://www.SongsTuckerWrote.com/Cameras

Tucker A Man And His Dream - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096316/

The Moped Diaries - http://vimeo.com/112398958

Slide The City - http://www.slidethecity.com/

Julie Taymor - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Taymor

Spider-man - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_Turn_Off_the_Dark

39 – Any Spare Hour

Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/39 – Do you work a day job and have trouble finding big chunks of time to complete your projects? In today’s episode we talk about spare hours and how they can really help keep projects moving one little bit at a time.

38 – From personal passion to theatrical release - Jodorowsky’s Dune with Stephen Scarlata

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 05:03:08 +0000

37 – The more you do something the better you get

Wed, 10 Dec 2014 20:22:56 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/37 – Today’s topic may seem pretty obvious but for some reason we can still get discouraged when we’re not as good as we’d like to be.

36 – Designing Tabletop games. From idea to publisher pitch with Jeff Hunt

Thu, 04 Dec 2014 05:12:33 +0000

Jeff Hunt makes tabletop games. Not just any table top games. Epic 250 piece games for 6 people to play for a couple hours kind of games. The craziest part is that he does it after his full-time job and it was the first game he decided to design.

In today’s chat with Jeff we talk about the design process starting at the mechanics and philosophies he wanted to put into the game, the importance of play testing and understanding player types. Also he tells what it’s like to pitch to game publishers for the first time.

**Links From today's talk**

Jeff Hunt - http://inspirationtopublication.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/guest-post-blind-playtesting-by-jeff-hunt/
Euro Games - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-style_board_game
Days of Wonder - http://www.daysofwonder.com/en/
Ticket To Ride - http://www.daysofwonder.com/tickettoride/en/usa/
Master of Orion - http://www.myabandonware.com/game/master-of-orion-1v5
4x Games - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4X
James Cormier & Sen-Foong Lim - https://inspirationtopublication.wordpress.com/about/
The Steps (game design blog) - https://inspirationtopublication.wordpress.com/the-steps-for-board-games/
Harrison Bergeron - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron
Rio Grande Games - http://riograndegames.com/
Essen Speil - http://www.merz-verlag-en.com/
Hans im Glük - http://www.hans-im-glueck.de/english/

35 – Reaching an End vs Being Finished

Thu, 27 Nov 2014 12:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/35 – When a project is over you have to decide if it’s reached an end or if it’s finished. Is it something you can come back to later if you want or are you just going to wipe your hands and move on.

34 – Games and stories and so much more with Steve Ogden

Wed, 19 Nov 2014 22:34:39 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/34 – Steve Ogden is a serial creative with a long string of projects behind him: A book of short stories, an animated short, online graphic novel and web comics. All of these while working full time in the games industry at Cyan Interactive on the Myst family of games and currently at Firaxis games, home of the Sid Meirs Civilization series.

In today’s chat we talk about the role childhood plays in grown-up creativity and how it influenced Steve's book of short stories. We also talk about the myth of ‘The Talented A-Hole’ and the importance of balancing artistic skill with technical skill.

All in all it’s a jam-packed hour and a bit so settle in and enjoy today’s interview with Steve Ogden.

**Links from today’s show**

Steve’s Website: http://steveogden.com/blog/
Steve’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/steveogdenart
Pinkerton Park - http://www.gocomics.com/pinkerton
Bill Watterson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson
Gary Trudeau - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Trudeau
Croaker’s Gorge - http://steveogden.com/croakers/
Moon Town - http://steveogden.com/moontown/
Calvin & Hobbes - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_and_Hobbes
Walt Simonson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Simonson
Mike Mignola - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mignola
Firaxis Games - http://www.firaxis.com/
Myst, Riven, RealMyst - http://cyan.com/
URU - http://mystonline.com/en/
Animwatch - http://podlounge.com/podcast/the-official-animwatch-podcast
Rustboy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRms4B_iaSo
NPR - http://www.npr.org/
Flakes [animated short] - http://steveogden.com/flakes/graphics.html
Bully Entertainment - http://www.bullyentertainment.com/
Steven King - http://stephenking.com
On Writing - http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1439156816/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=1439156816&linkCode=as2&tag=soiwr-20
Neal Gaiman - http://www.neilgaiman.com
Headstones and Monuments - http://www.amazon.com/dp/0988570513/
Through the looking glass - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_the_Looking-Glass
The Fifth Element - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119116/
Monument Valley - http://www.monumentvalleygame.com/
Blade Runner - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner
Dilbert - http://www.dilbert.com/
Scott Adams - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Adams

33 – How to keep a project going.

Thu, 13 Nov 2014 04:58:06 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/33 – It’s been a few days or a couple weeks and you are moving along on your project like you haven’t done in a while. It feels great. You’re happy and you reach your flow state and time flies by in a blur you pack up for the night and sleep like a baby. Then the next evening with your talent in hand and your face lit up with smiles you head down to do it again.

Now for some reason … you got nothing. What do you do?

32 – Break it down to get it done. Making video games with Karyl Gilbertson.

Thu, 06 Nov 2014 01:35:46 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/32 – Karyl Gilbertson is a web designer and dad who is creating a video game in his spare time. In today’s interview we talk about his little trick for getting to work on his project even when he doesn’t feel like it and how breaking his project into smaller chunks allowed him to get started without feeling overwhelmed.

— Links for today’s episode —

@Karyl - https://twitter.com/karyl

Arkaia: The Mysterious Island - http://arkaiagame.com/

New Harvest Media - http://newharvest.ca/

Bioware - http://www.bioware.com/en/

ACAD - Alberta College of Art and Design - http://www.acad.ca/

Spencer Goldade - thesparkandtheart.com/2

WordPress - https://wordpress.com/

PHP - http://php.net/

Drupal - https://www.drupal.org/

C++ - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B

Unity - http://unity3d.com/

C# - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_Sharp_(programming_language)

Objective C - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objective-C

JQuery - http://jquery.com/

JavaScript - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript

Flash - https://www.adobe.com/ca/products/flash.html

Actionscript - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActionScript

Unreal Engine - https://www.unrealengine.com/what-is-unreal-engine-4

Trello - https://trello.com/

Myst - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-8CFun3nEw

Steam Game Market - http://store.steampowered.com/

Desura - http://www.desura.com/

Itch.io - http://itch.io/

Humble Bundle - https://www.humblebundle.com/

Mac Heist - http://www.macheist.com/

Kickstarter -https://www.kickstarter.com/

Steam Greenlight - http://steamcommunity.com/greenlight

Steam Early Access - http://store.steampowered.com/genre/Early%20Access/

Indie Game The Movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhaT78i1x2M

31 - The Blessed Unrest

Thu, 30 Oct 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/31 – That curiosity that drove you in the beginning can sometimes stop you in your tracks or keep you in a comfortable place once you get to a certain level of skill. What do you do when your blessed unrest is feeling more like a curse?

30 – Learn from reference. Learn from others. Learn from teaching. – Jackie Koehler - Animator

Thu, 23 Oct 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/30 – This week’s interview is with Jackie Koehler. Jackie is an animator and she loves what she does. She loves doing it and she loves learning about it. Most recently she just finished as lead animator for the character of La Muerta in film The Book Of Life. While she’s worked on some pretty high profile movies, even being nominated for a very prestigious Annie award as part of the team for The Amazing Spider-Man she doesn’t consider herself having ‘made it’ simply because there is still more to learn and more to do.

**Links For This Episode**

Jackie Koehler - http://www.jackiekoehler.com

Annie Awards - http://www.annieawards.org

Smurfs - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472181

OZ The Great & Powerful - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1623205

Amazing Spider-Man - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948470

Free Birds - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1621039

The Book Of Life - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2262227

Reel FX - http://www.reelfx.com

Jimmy Hayward - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Hayward

Jorge Gutierrez - http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/26

QuickDraw Animation Society - http://www.quickdrawanimation.ca

Lion King - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110357/

29 – The Fear Of Done

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 03:20:52 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/29 – You’re at the end of a project. You only have a few little things left to do. But for some reason you can’t get to it. Everything is suddenly more important. You are experiencing the … Fear Of Done.

Today’s episode we talk about what could cause the Fear Of Done and a simple tactic that may help you get over your fear.

28 – Reach your goal and continue learning – Andrew Ford - Animator

Wed, 08 Oct 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/28 – Andrew Ford just finished his latest professional project as a lead animator on the movie The Book Of Life. His path to being an animator on feature films was somewhat winding but always with that final goal in mind. Once he reached that goal he didn’t rest on his accomplishments. Not only does he consider each scene he animates a learning experience he continues to hone his craft by taking animation courses on his own time.

Make sure that where you are going isn’t the end but simply a new starting point.

Links from today’s episode

Sheridan College - https://www.sheridancollege.ca

ReelFX - http://www.reelfx.com

Free Birds Movie - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9RvyOjnyxk

Calvin & Hobbes Cartoon Strip - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_and_Hobbes

Herman Cartoon Strip- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_(comic_strip)

Emily Carr University - http://www.ecuad.ca/programs/undergrad/bma/animation

Get Good At Everything or Work With Others With Solveig Whittle - TheSparkAndTheArt.com/14

EA Games - http://www.ea.com

Two Bears Title Card - http://vimeo.com/47833370

ZanyZoo - http://www.songstuckerwrote.com/zany-zoo

Ola Birch - https://twitter.com/Fay_Moose_Art

27 – Get done. Move on.

Thu, 02 Oct 2014 03:34:04 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/27 – Are you still working on that thing? You know that thing you’ve had in your head all this time. That thing that is just about right but just needs a little more work. You know, *that* thing.

26 – Jorge Gutierrez – The Book Of Life Movie

Thu, 25 Sep 2014 02:35:41 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/26 – Jorge Gutierrez is the writer and director of the animated movie The Book Of Life. This movie is just the latest in a long line of animated creations and projects he’s worked on and while he jokes that it may be his last movie I’m certain that this is not the last you will hear of today’s guest Jorge Gutierrez.

Jorge Gutierrez - http://www.super-macho.com/

Book Of Life Movie: http://www.bookoflifemovie.com/

Stuart Little - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164912/

El Tigre - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805837/

Brad Booker - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0095374/

Guillermo Del Toro - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0868219/

Ray Harryhausen - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0366063/

Cal Arts - http://calarts.edu/admissions/portfolio-audition/film-video/character-animation

Jules Engel - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0257103/

Picasso Quote - http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/30296-inspiration-exists-but-it-has-to-find-you-working

Maurice Nobel - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Noble

Chuck Jones - http://www.chuckjones.com/

25 - Telling Stories vs Being a Storyteller

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 03:33:21 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/25 - I’m not saying telling stories isn’t important I’m just saying not everyone is a storyteller.

24 - Stefan Sagmeister

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/24 – Stefan Sagmeister is basically a design legend. He has a career close to 25 years long and has won Grammy’s for packaging design for the Talking Heads and almost all the prestigious design awards there are.

We talk about the importance of money. We talk about the importance of doing personal projects. We talk about ‘celebrity’. We talk about his upcoming film The Happy Film.

**Links from today's episode**

FITC.ca

CampFestival.ca

The Happy Film - TheHappyFilm.org

Jesssica Walsh - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Walsh

The Things I learned - http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0810995298/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=0810995298&linkCode=as2&tag=soiwr-20

ICA Philidelphia - http://icaphila.org/exhibitions/1694/stefan-sagmeister-the-happy-show

The Jewish Museum - http://www.sagmeisterwalsh.com/news/story/6-things/

Steven Tyler - http://www.steventyler.com

Lou Reed - http://www.loureed.com/inmemoriam

http://www.sagmeisterwalsh.com

23 – Making mistakes makes us beter

Thu, 04 Sep 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/23 – If you never make a mistake you never make yourself better. In today’s episode I talk how making mistakes on purpose can help you out. I also ask if I can borrow your time machine.

22 – The art and business of filmmaking with Luke Black

Thu, 28 Aug 2014 03:30:32 +0000

Today's interview is Luke Black. Luke is a writer/producer working in Toronto, Canada. He has spent a large amount of time pursuing his passion of making films (he estimates about 15 shorts so far). One of his most recent ventures as producer has landed a spot at the Toronto International Film Festival.

We talk about how after spending so much time having fun making films with his friends, his desire to more fully understand the film industry has lead to an almost two year focus solely on the business side. And how he’s itching again for the creative side of the work.

We also talk about the value of your own time. We often feel we need to thank or compensate those that help us with our projects but we can forget that our time is valuable as well. Luke said: “You are worth something. Don’t sell yourself short. Your time and effort is worth something.”

Thanks for listening and remember you won’t get the art without the work and you won’t do the work without the spark.

**Links From Today's Show**

Chris Turtle - https://twitter.com/chris_turtle

Candian Film Centre - http://www.cfccreates.com/

Norman Jewison - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Jewison

TIFF - tiff.net

What Doesn’t Kill you - http://www.tiff.net/festivals/thefestival/programmes/short-cuts-canada/short-cuts-canada-programme-4/what-doesnt-kill-you

Life on Juniper - http://vimeo.com/99495614

CQ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2QSuxXrKzU

Luke twitter - https://twitter.com/alukeblack

Luke’s website - http://prettyokaypictures.com

21 – No Decision is still a decision

Thu, 21 Aug 2014 03:08:51 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/21 - How does not making a decision actually equate to making a decision? How can you move forward even if you can’t make up your mind? Today’s podcast contains a quick solution to helping you get past the decision paralysis.

20 – Bill And Sons Towing with Mark De Angelis

Thu, 14 Aug 2014 04:01:15 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/20 - Today’s guest is Canadian Writer, Director and producer Mark De Angelis. After Mark spends his day writing for other people’s shows he comes home and works on his own projects. And not just small projects either. Mark has finished two seasons of his web series Bill and Sons Towing.

In our chat we talk about the challenges of doing such large projects basically on the side. As well as how he works with others to make his vision come to life.

**Links to things mentioned in the show**

Ron James Show - http://www.ronjames.ca/

Bill and Sons Towing - http://www.billandsonstowing.com/

Courtney Gilmour - http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/4bd815c28b/bikini-calendar-bill-sons-towing-ep-4

Charles Ketchabaw - https://twitter.com/cketch

Nicholas Campbell - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0132757/

Sonja Smits - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810500/

Jane Eastwood - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0247720/

Colin Mochrie - http://www.colinmochrie.com/

Jonathan Torrens - https://twitter.com/TorrensJonathan

Bill and Sons App - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/bill-and-sons-towing/id553723024

19 - Create for yourself first. Then share it with someone else.

Thu, 07 Aug 2014 03:58:51 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt/19 - Is it sometimes hard to know why you are creating things?

In today’s episode I tell you why making things you enjoy first can be a very helpful mindset for keeping yourself going.

18 – Made In Vietnam - A documentary film with Thi Vo

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 05:37:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/18 - This week’s episode is an interview with Thi Vo. Thi is a film maker, actor, graphic designer and Wipeout contestant (he made it across the red balls) We didn’t talk about his Wipeout appearance on the podcast but you can find a link to the episode in the show notes at TheSparkAndTheArt.com/18. He has finished a short film about family violence and is in the process of editing his feature documentary Made In Vietnam. It’s a film that documents Thi's journey to find the birth father he never met because he and his mother escaped communist Vietnam when he wasn’t even two years old.

We talk how he came to decide to make a feature length documentary while still working full time as a visual designer. We talk about raising budget through crowd funding and government grants. The importance of collaboration in filmmaking and end with a quick chat about the design of his favourite car.

I think my favourite quote from this talk is “I believe life is about experiences. If you can’t experience new things what’s the point?” Some may hear this quote and think bungie jumping or skydiving. While those are some pretty fun experiences I think what he was saying was try anything. Try making your movie. Try writing your book. Try that thing you want to do because at the very least you’ll know if you want to do it again.

Wipeout Canada - Episode 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-8KU3STgVE

Made in Vietnam Film

https://www.facebook.com/madeinvietnamfilm

I love you, Isabel

http://vimeo.com/66681402

Song from short film

http://www.joannaborromeo.com

American Virgins (Gettin’ In)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBeNxl25XC0

Vo Vietnam - Martial Arts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_martial_arts

The Lady In Room 6

http://nickreedent.com

Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers

http://csif.org/csif/

NSI - National Screen Institute

http://www.nsi-canada.ca/2013/06/new-in-this-weeks-nsi-online-short-film-festival-i-love-you-isabel-and-my-black-capped-angels/

Nissan GTR

http://www.gtrnissan.com

GTR Design Documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52Yyo5s9HgQ

Gundam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUArcaaTuS0

17 – The Magic of Collaboration

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 04:11:21 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/17 - Collaboration is a tricky thing but the more you collaborate the bigger the rewards.

In today’s podcast I tell the story of Jason Webley who with the help of a group of his musician friends sold out an 800 seat theatre and raised $11,111 in two hours on Kickstarter. Collaboration is a tricky thing but when it works it’s magic.

16 – Leaving music and coming back again with David Andrew Wiebe

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 05:16:28 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/16 - This week’s interview is with David Andrew Wiebe from DAWCast.com a musician, songwriter, podcaster and music entrepreneurship educator. David grew up in Japan but moved back to Canada for high school where he started playing guitar. Since then he has gone from playing 3 hours a day to just sometimes. Spent 12 years pursuing music as a career only to give it up to pursue more traditional entrepreneurial endeavours. But has recently found that the two paths are combining to create his current path.

15 – Everyone is creative

Thu, 10 Jul 2014 04:38:09 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/15 - Everyone is creative. That is isn’t a belief I have. That isn’t something I have faith in. That is something I hold as fact with in me. Everyone is creative.

14 - Get good at everything or work with others. A Solveig Whittle interview.

Thu, 03 Jul 2014 05:55:52 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/14 - Solveig started as a programmer at AT&T moving on to eventually become a Windows product manager at Microsoft and now is a teacher and musician. Known now online for her work in the music marketing circles as well as her music she is currently working on her third album.

We talk about rock operas, music as performance art, how music and other creative work is like being in a startup, how writing music and writing software is similar and whether creativity can be taught or not.

13 – Money is a tool. Not a goal.

Thu, 26 Jun 2014 04:34:18 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/13 - What is money for? Should you write ‘make money’ on your list of goals for your creative project? What is my favourite quote on the topic of money and creativity? I’d tell you here but there isn’t enough room. You may as well listen to this week’s episode to learn why Money is a tool. Not a goal.

12 – Stop Doing What Isn’t Working with Chris Seth Jackson

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 03:47:04 +0000

http://www.TheSparkAndTheArt.com/12 - This week’s interview is with Chris Seth Jackson of [HowToRunABand.com][1] but what we’ll learn is how after about 4 years of providing great content and value to musicians he’s decided to move on to a new venture.

We talk about why he’s made that decision as well as many other topics like:

- The importance of money.
- The importance of multiple streams of income.
- Finding the balance between original songs and cover music.
- MVPs (minimum Viable Products) and building a business based on
solving a problem rather than building a full solution and hoping
people buy it after and how that relates to funding albums.

Chris also mentions a book called Die Empty - [Check Out The Book][2]

We also talk briefly about his podcast Work Hard, Rock Harder where he interviews musicians who make their living solely as a musician. - [Listen Here][3]

Chris also shared a link to his new automated gig booking service. So, if you are a musician and would like someone to help manage the booking of your shows for you be sure to [follow this link][4] for more information (The price is very, very, reasonable):

[1]: http://howtorunaband.com
[2]: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/die-empty/id580652953?mt=11&uo=4&at=10l4Hi
[3]: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/work-hard.-rock-harder./id466224298?mt=2&uo=4&at=10l4Hi
[4]: https://chrissethjackson.leadpages.net/band-booking-optin/

11 – Why The Journey To Your Art Is More Important Than The Art Itself

Thu, 12 Jun 2014 04:35:51 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/11 - Having a completed project is all well and good but if you weren’t inspired by the process there is a good chance you won’t continue. In today’s episode we talk through the 3 main points of my family’s creative philosophy based on the two interviews I did with my mom and dad.

10 – Songs That Matter – Carolyn Harley

Thu, 05 Jun 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/10 - Songs That Matter is the theme of today’s podcast. Carolyn Harley (my mom) has been writing songs for almost 40 years. In this conversation we talk about what’s kept her writing, why despite having written almost 600 songs she considers herself a ‘Late Bloomer’ and the healing power of music and Songs That Matter.

9 – How using checklists can get you to your art quicker.

Thu, 29 May 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/9 - I use checklists to speed up the things that are repetitive and have a lot of steps but when it comes time do actually start creating things do you think I still use them?

Find out in this 2 min episode of the podcast.

8 – Nature Photographer and Bass Player – Joe Harley

Thu, 22 May 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/8 - Do you know what you are going to do when you retire? Do you know someone too focused on work and earning to fully enjoy life? Today’s podcast is Joe Harley who at the age of 50 decided to learn how to play bass guitar and nature photography now lives a happy, busy and fulfilling retirement.

7 – Feeling Like A Show-Off

Thu, 15 May 2014 03:28:59 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/7 - This is the last episode in the first series where I talked with people I work with. It’s been a lot of fun and in this episode I share some nice comments I’ve received. I haven’t received any bad comments otherwise I probably would have shared those too.

I also talk about how I fight with feeling like a show-off. I like doing things like singing and I’m fairly good at it. But when I do it in front of people I can feel like they are thinking “Look at that guy … showing off.” I then share some thoughts about why I think those feelings are fading.

6 – John Johnston – Improv Actor

Wed, 07 May 2014 15:02:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/6 - John Johnston is an accomplished improvisational actor and business analyst. In this week’s episode we talk about the importance of constraints on the creative process. He tells a lovely story of going to theatre school with Kevin McKidd of Grey’s Anatomy. We also talk about the similarity of building software and putting on a performance. Plus some bonus talk about Harry Potter and I use the word ‘conflated’ when I didn’t mean too.

5 – Just Keep Doing It

Thu, 01 May 2014 04:57:03 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/5 - I tell a story of what I think George Harrison would have done had he decided not to pursue a career in music after the Beatles broke up.

4 – Jonathan Ferguson – Singer-Songwriter

Thu, 24 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/4 - Jonathan Ferguson is a Singer-Songwriter from Calgary who works with me at my day job. We talk about songwriting, Jonathan’s passion for the Beatles and Nirvana.

Here are three Jonathan Ferguson quotes I like from the Interview:

- “The Beatles may have made some people more globally conscious but it
wasn’t a song that they made or an album they made … It was the
Beatles themselves.”

- “I don’t think about whether something is Folk or Rock or
Pseudo-Iranian-Dance-Pop. Whatever comes out … comes out.”

- “I have to like [the song] … But I’d rather someone else like it.”

3 - Why I’m building a body of work rather than building a business

Thu, 17 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/3 - This episode is about how I was becoming paralyzed by the notion that I had to turn all of my projects into businesses and how I found a way to simplify so I could get unstuck and start making things again.

2 - Spencer Goldade - Web Designer and Illustrator

Thu, 10 Apr 2014 09:15:00 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/2 - In this episode Tucker talks to Spencer about the difference between art and design, how his views on taking every project that comes along has changed and the role money plays in doing creative work.

1 - How do you start something?

Thu, 03 Apr 2014 04:18:17 +0000

TheSparkAndTheArt.com/1 - How do you start something? You just start. That doesn't mean you finish right away though. I've been starting this podcast for about 8 months now. Now, it's finally here.

You can learn more about The Spark & The Art podcast as well as it's host Sean Harley [Tucker] at TheSparkAndTheArt.com

0 - Obligatory Test Episode - The Spark And The Art

Wed, 19 Mar 2014 03:26:44 +0000

This is a test episode of The Spark & The Art podcast. It is basically my Born To The World EP with a silly intro and outro. It is the first time you'll hear the new Spynoh Creativity audio mnemonic. Fun.

This is the long description so I thought I would add some longer text. Wait let me go get some lorem ... okay I'm back. This should make it long enough.

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