In this episode, I have an enlightening conversation with artist Carla, who shares her unique journey through art, spirituality, and personal growth. We explore the profound influence her father's role as a Methodist minister had on her early understanding of mysticism and creativity, and how these experiences shaped her artistic vision.

-----------------------------

Since 2002, Carla Falb has been creating paintings of roller coasters from images she captures on her GoPro while riding in the front car. Facing the initial fear and the adrenaline rush of the ride is infused into her work – like a 21st century J.M.W. Turner tied to the mast of a ship witnessing a storm at sea. To the casual viewer, her series depicts mere amusements, yet her underlying intention is that the roller coasters symbolize our experience in this life, with all its peaks and valleys. After the death of her mother on Christmas in 2016, her emphasis shifted to nighttime imagery with light bursting through the darkness. For Falb, the light in her paintings represents our divine sparks or higher selves, connected to one another in a universal field of consciousness.

Carla Falb was raised in Philadelphia and spent her summers at the Jersey Shore. She was very close to her father, a Methodist minister, who shared his interest in mysticism with her, as well as his quirky sense of humor, love of art, music, dancing, and amusement parks! Falb received a B.F.A. from the Philadelphia College of Art and a Certificate in Painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1983. During that time, after learning traditional drawing and painting techniques, she created paintings based on imagery from her dreams and visions. Twenty years later, Falb returned to Philadelphia and attended the University of the Arts for her M.F.A. where she began painting roller coaster structures.

In addition to her painting practice, Falb has taught art full time since 1987. She received a Dodge Foundation Fellowship for Artists/Educators that funded her travel to Southern California in 2009 to record source imagery for her Roller Coaster Series. During her visit, Falb fell in love with the area, and relocated to Orange County in 2017 where she is currently a tenured professor at Fullerton College.

Exhibition highlights include solo exhibits at the Billis Williams Gallery in Los Angeles, where she is represented, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ Alumni Gallery. Her work was also featured in exhibits at the Preston Contemporary Art Center in New Mexico, and at the Noyes Museum of Art in New Jersey. The Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts recently commissioned and acquired one of her HangTime paintings, which feature the light streams of a roller coaster captured on a nighttime helicopter ride.

Discover more about Carla and her work:

Carla's Website

Carla's Instagram

Follow Martin Benson for more insights:

*To stay updated on the podcast and related content, check out my Instagram

*To support the show and access exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (link above).

Credits: Special thanks to Matthew Blankenship of The Sometimes Island for our podcast theme music!

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/martin-l-benson/support

In this episode, I engage in a thought-provoking dialogue with Fallon Morningstar and Ian Morris from Listening to Smile, an innovative platform dedicated to the healing powers of art and music. We delve into the profound relationship between creativity and healing, exploring how vibrational music can serve as a transformative medium for mental and physical well-being.

-----------------------------

Listening To Smile is a pioneering company that focuses on transforming the lives of individuals through the healing power of sound frequencies. By offering a unique licensing system, the company empowers holistic practitioners around the globe to provide Frequency Minded services to their clients.The Frequency Minded Music, featured in the company's Frequency Minded Magazine, highlights the LTS method, which is Listening To Smile's innovative approach to frequency therapy. This method offers a scalable and adaptable solution, providing practitioners with the tools to tailor treatments according to their clients' needs.With a presence in 13 countries, Listening To Smile is revolutionizing the field of frequency therapy through the scalability and effectiveness of its LTS method. By fostering a community of practitioners and music enthusiasts, the company continues to expand its reach, enabling more people to experience the life-changing benefits of Frequency Minded Music and sound healing.

Discover more about Listening to Smile:

Listening to Smile

Falyn Morningstar and Ian Morris are trailblazing entrepreneurs whose dedication to innovation and global wellness has made them influential leaders in the industry. Falyn's Radiant Balance System, seamlessly integrating Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, clinical testing, somatic practices, sound healing, and meditation, is a testament to her revolutionary approach to women's health and well-being.

Ian Morris, an acclaimed artist known for his Frequency Minded Music™ and LTS Method from Listening to Smile, has pushed the boundaries of sound therapy and stress reduction, garnering global recognition.

Together, they have multiple companies and continue to redefine the wellness landscape through Listening to Smile's recently expanded networks: Frequency Minded Magazine, LTS Podcast, and LTS Records. Their commitment to fostering connections within the art, music, and well-being communities solidifies their status as pioneers in this new world of holistic wellness and innovation.

https://falynmorningstar.com/

instagrams:https://www.instagram.com/listeningtosmile/ andhttps://www.instagram.com/falynhuntermorningstar/

youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@listeningtosmilemusic

Follow Martin Benson for more insights:

*To stay updated on the podcast and related content, check out my Instagram

*To support the show and access exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (link above).

Credits: Special thanks to Matthew Blankenship of The Sometimes Island for our podcast theme music!

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/martin-l-benson/support

Podcast update!

Lots of exciting things on the horizon. Please continue to follow the show and do me a favor and share it out to people who might be interested. Leave a comment, rating, subscribe...all that stuff !

Love always,

Martin

In this episode, I have a profound conversation with visual artist Kelly Joy Ladd, diving deep into her transformative journey of healing and creativity. We explore her traumatic head injury and how it catalyzed a significant shift in her life and art practice, leading her to embrace her spirituality and authenticity fully.

-------------------

Ladd‘s work responds to themes of cosmic and creative mysteries, exploring inner and outer space, spiritually, the connection of all things and understanding the universe and our roles and purpose in it.

Ladd’s Liberal Studies degree from the University of Central Florida allowed her to opportunity to explore the subjects that peaked her curiosity like astronomy, physics and creative writing. During this time, she also discovered eastern philosophies and meditation, which has been a staple and major influence in her life and art practice.

Before becoming a full-time artist in 2019, she worked as a Disney World parade performer, music writer for HardRock.com, an editor and prop stylist for Parenting magazine and a freelance craft designer and blogger. All the while, she was developing her own style and unique techniques using paper as her main medium, due to her husband’s adverse health reactions to chemicals and paint.

In March 2020, Ladd experienced a significant head injury, which greatly affected her vision. Since then, she has been retraining her brain and eyes to refocus and track again. During her recovery when she wasn’t able to read, watch TV, or look at phones and computers, Ladd used this time, without outside distractions or influences, to devote her full attention to her art and meditation practices.

Her 3-D paper and mixed media work has been exhibited in the Mennello Museum of American Art and the Cummer Museum Art and Gardens.

Ladd’s intuitive artistic approach aligns her with her influences transcendental artists Hilma af Klint, Agnes Pelton and Emma Kunz.

Follow Kelly and her work:

Artists on Couches Instagram

Kelly's Instagram

--------------------------

See More from Martin Benson

*To stay up on releases and content surrounding the show, check out my Instagram

*To contribute to the creation of this show, along with access to other exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (Link above)

*Credits: Big Thanks to Matthew Blankenship of The Sometimes Island for the podcast theme music!

------

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/martin-l-benson/support

In this episode, I have an enriching conversation with visual artist Emily Weiner. We delve into her captivating work, exploring themes like the archetypes of the collective unconscious, Carl Jung, and Joseph Campbell. We discuss the relationship between universal archetypal spaces and painting, highlighting how art serves as a medium to express symbolic ideas that are often challenging to articulate.

Emily shares her creative process, from the initial stages of her paintings to the intricate creation of her ceramic frames. Our discussion spans various topics, including the intersection of spiritual identity and artistic identity, and the profound connections between personal experiences and universal truths. We also touch upon the influence of Jungian psychology and mythology on her work, and how these elements provide a structured framework for symbolism.

Weiner's journey is fascinating, from her academic background to her role as a curator at Vanderbilt University, where she curated a show that explored symbols and archetypes. This experience further validated her approach to art, blending scholarly insights with intuitive creativity. We also explore the impact of family and personal life on her artistic practice, and how her experiences as a parent have shaped her perspective and work.

Emily's work is a beautiful balance of objective and subjective components of the unconscious reality we all inhabit. Her use of symbols, color palettes, and compositions invites viewers to connect with deeper layers of meaning and universal truths. This conversation is a deep dive into the spiritual and creative processes that drive her art, offering listeners a glimpse into the mind of a truly insightful artist.

-----------------------------

www.emilyweiner.com

@emilyweiner

Emily Weiner (b. 1981 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American painter living and working in Nashville, TN. She received a BA from Barnard College, Columbia University, and her MFA from The School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Select solo and group exhibitions include KÖNIG GALERIE, Berlin, Germany (2024); Red Arrow Gallery, Nashville, USA (2024); Entrée, Bergen, Norway (2023); Kunsthall Grenland, Porsgrunn, Norway (2023); Huxley-Parlour, London, UK (2023); Andrea Festa Fine Art, Rome, Italy (2023); Whitespace Gallery, Atlanta, USA (2023); Pentimenti, Philadelphia, USA (2023); Wespace, Shanghai, China (2022), Gerdarsafn Museum, Kopavogur, Iceland (2017); and Soloway Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (2016). She has been a Visiting Artist/Scholar at the American Academy in Rome; Artist Resident at The Cooper Union, New York, NY; and Artist-in-Residence at The Banff Centre, Canada. She was a winner of the Hopper Prize (2022), an awardee of the Current Art Fund through The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts (2021), and a nominee for the Joan Mitchell Fellowship (2022 and 2023). Her paintings are included in the permanent collections of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, USA, and Kunsthall Grenland in Porsgrunn, Norway.

See More from Martin Benson

*To stay up on releases and content surrounding the show check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*To contribute to the creation of this show, along with access to other exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (Link above)

Credits: Big Thanks to Matthew Blankenship of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Sometimes Island ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the podcast theme music!

In this episode I have an amazing conversation with visual artist Jen Stark. We talk about her origins in art making and how the natural world always fascinated her from the time she was child. We discussed what sparked her distinctive style back in the early 2000s when she was studying abroad in France, and how that practiced evolved to all the powerful and innovative work she is making today. Together we dive into the power of the psychedelic experience and the potential that art has to promote healing and altered states of awareness. Jen shares about her interest in sound and installation art along with her interest in meditative practice. We discuss what’s inspiring her in the studio today and where she thinks her art is headed.

--------------------------

Visual artist Jen Stark transforms complex ideas about fractals, evolution, color theory, topography, sacred geometries, and patterns of the universe into approachable and engaging works of art. Drawing upon an ever expanding use of material and technology, Stark allows her aesthetic to transcend all forms of media, ranging from paintings and sculptures, animations and installations, to interactive projections and NFTs. Over the course of her career, Stark's work has been exhibited globally, with major shows and public art installations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Thailand, and Canada. Her work is currently held in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the West Collection, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, NSU Art Museum, and MOCA, among others. Stark lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.

https://www.jenstark.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jenstark

See More from Martin Benson

*To stay up on releases and content surrounding the show check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*To contribute to the creation of this show, along with access to other exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (Link above)

Credits: Big Thanks to Matthew Blankenship of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Sometimes Island ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the podcast theme music!

In this episode, Peter and I discuss his recent return from Bhutan along with his Fulbright that he did in Nepal. We also touched upon his deep interest in the cross section of contemporary art and spirituality.

We discuss the incredible synchronicities that led him to the east, and to becoming a practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism. Peter also shares about his interest in pursuing multiple bodies of work and the influences behind them. This episode goes deep, and Peter has so much incredible insights to share about the weaving together of creative and spiritual practices.

------------------

Artist Bio

Peter Makela born in 1985 and raised in Phoenixville, PA and currently lives and works in the Kingdom of Bhutan. He holds an MFA in painting from the LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art and a BFA in painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

In 2022 Makela was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Nepal. He has exhibited his art both nationally and internationally, most recently a large solo exhibition at the Patan Museum in Kathmandu Nepal. Makela’s work is held in public and private collections around the world including Johns Hopkins University.

https://www.petemakela.com/

https://www.instagram.com/peter_makela/?hl=en

See More from Martin Benson

*To stay up on releases and content surrounding the show check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*To contribute to the creation of this show, along with access to other exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (Link above)

Credits: Big Thanks to Matthew Blankenship of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Sometimes Island ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the podcast theme music!

In this episode I am joined by visual artist Emily Cheng, where we do a deep dive in what it means to make spiritual art. We talk about the shift in the art world to being more accepting of spiritual ideas at a time when it feels like our world needs it more than ever. We discuss her personal spiritual journey and how it impacted her relationship to her work. We also talk about the power of philosophy, specifically the Tao Te Ching. Emily has an amazing amount of insight and wisdom to share about the path of an artist and the greater perspectives we need to adopt in relation to our creative practices.

-------------

Emily Cheng received a BFA in painting from Rhode Island School of Design and attended the New York Studio School for three years. Her solo shows in New York include The Bronx Museum, Plum Blossom Gallery, Winston Wachter Fine Art, Bravin Post Lee Gallery, David Beiztel Gallery, and Lang and O'Hara Gallery. Emily has also had solo shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei (MOCA, Taipei); Zane Bennett Gallery in Santa Fe; Hanart Gallery in Hong Kong; Louis Vuitton, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Metropolitan Museum of Manila; and the Ayala Museum in Manila, Philippines; Byron Cohen Gallery in Kansas City; The Cincinatti Center of Contemporary Art; Schmidt Dean Gallery in Philadelphia; and Timezone 8 in Beijing and Shanghai.

Her work has been included in many group exhibitions such at MASS MoCA; Guangzhou Triennial, Guangdong Art Museum, China; Contemporary Art Museum at USF, Tampa, Florida; Yerba Buena Contemporary Art Center, SF; National Academy of Arts, NY; American Academy of Arts and Letters, NY; Katonah Museum of Art, NY; Hong Kong Art Centre; Sotheby’s, NY; Shanghai MOCA; Contrast Gallery, Shanghai; Juan Silos Gallery, Santander,

Emily Cheng has been the recipient of several awards including the New York Foundation of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Pollock Krasner Award and a Yaddo Fellowship. In 2007,Timezone 8 published; Emily Cheng, Chasing Clouds, A decade of studies, a compendium of studies made over the last ten years with essays by Johnson Chang and Kevin Powers.

https://www.emilycheng.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDh5SE7ds3o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVtZdXpb-50&t=21s

See More from Martin Benson

*To stay up on releases and content surrounding the show check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

*To contribute to the creation of this show, along with access to other exclusive content, consider subscribing for $0.99/month on Instagram (Link above)

Credits: Big Thanks to Matthew Blankenship of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Sometimes Island ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the podcast theme music!