As one of Australia’s great contemporary artists, Ben’s compassion and humanity is evident in all his work, and so is his willingness to self-examine. So perhaps unsurprisingly in his chat with Hamish, Ben opens up about what shaped him in his own childhood, his thoughts on masculinity, the shockwave of sadness that hit him recently when his adult son moved out of home, and the unwelcome thoughts of mortality that followed.

Ben also gives us some fantastic practical hacks on how to encourage creativity in our kids, why it’s so important to keep doing it beyond just the cute years, and some great drawing games to play when you’re out to dinner with the kids. He also revisits memories of the magic and mischief his father would create for him and his brothers as a kid with the secret lives of gnomes that lived in their house (and inspired some of his latest work). And perhaps in a world first (for reasons that become self-evident) Ben gives Hamish a drawing lesson on a podcast. We promise it works out (sort of).

Massive thanks to Ben for having us over to his studio in the Southern Highlands. His honesty and vulnerability make for a heartfelt and wisdom filled chat.

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And big thanks to HERTZ who are back as our exclusive sponsor in season 3. And just like us, Hertz are all about making memories and having adventures. So if you need a great car to complete your next family getaway, head to hertz.com.au/hodd for a great discount. Terms and conditions do apply. See the website for details on these, as some exclusions do apply.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPS-303: How Stories Help Us Process Trauma - with David Chrisinger