Makers & Mystics

Josh Riebock is the best-selling author of the memoir, Heroes and Monsters and My Generation. He is host of the popular podcast, The Marrow, and a sought-after storyteller and poet at venues around the country for his captivating artistry and honesty. In this episode, Stephen talks with Josh about cultivating honesty within artistry and how beauty and terror sometimes appear inextricably linked. Tom Waits, Nirvana, Charles Bukowski, William Shakespeare, Stranger Things and the love and violence within scripture are among the topics of their discussion. Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Ken Helser is a visual artist, storyteller, musician and founder of the 52-acre retreat center, A Place For The Heart in Sophia, North Carolina. For the past 30 years, Ken has mentored students from across the world, teaching them to hear and journal the voice of God through writing. Currently, Ken partners with his son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan David and Melissa Helser at their 18 Inch Journey School.In this episode, Ken talks with Stephen about the core motives of the heart and how to navigate the deeper concerns facing many artists today. Ken shares from his own journey through rejection, imitation and the discovery of how "the key to discipline is desire."Featured Music by Cageless Birds  Tickets to The Breath & The Clay creative arts gatheringSend us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Christine Valters Paintner is a spiritual director and Benedictine Oblate living in Galway, Ireland. She authored the book, "The Artist's Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom." The book is a 12-week journey exploring the interplay between contemplation and creativity. In this episode, Stephen talks with Christine about her thoughts on humility, radical generosity and what it means to be an urban monk and a part-time hermit.Featured Music by Latifah Alattas of Moda Spira. Visit http://www.makersandmystics.com for additional content by Moda Spira. Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Tickets to The Breath & The Clay creative arts conference are now on sale at: http://www.thebreathandtheclay.comThanks to our Patrons for making this episode possible and to Communion Life Apparel. Apparel worn for change. http://www.communionlife.com/Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Paul Benney is a London based visual artist who has worked in both the U.K. and in the U.S. He is represented in public collections world wide including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The National Gallery of Australia, The National Portrait Gallery, and The Royal Collection. In this episode, Stephen talks with Paul about his painting Speaking in Tongues, which is now on exhibit in Venice, Italy. Paul describes his secularist approach to the Pentecost story and tells how his exploration of the human spirit led him to a modern interpretation of the biblical narrative. The Speaking In Tongues exhibition is accompanied by a "holophonic" sound installation of recorded narratives from each of the painting's subjects. You can hear each person depicted tell a personal, transformative story as you view the painting. See the video on http://www.makersandmystics.comThis episode concludes season two of the Makers & Mystics podcast! Please visit our Patreon page and consider partnering with us the production of these conversations. Thank you so much for listening!Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

The Clang Quartet is an improvisational percussion/performance-art show, based metaphorically on the life of Jesus Christ. In this episode, Stephen talks with Clang Quartet founder, Scotty Irving about performance art as a vehicle of the gospel. The two discuss the need for resilience and tenacity in presenting uncommon or abstract forms of art. Scotty tells about his electrified crutch and the meaning behind the sound collages of his "harsh noise" genre of art. Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

From the creation narratives in Genesis to our present day, creativity remains a vital part of the human experience. Understanding and embracing the role of the arts within the church, however, has followed a jagged course and often expelled creative expressions from community life. Drawing from the writings of Barbara Ehrenreich, Saint Augustine, Martin Luther, and author L. Frank Baum, Stephen Roach gives a brief, historical overview of the struggle for creative liberty within communities of faith.  In this keynote talk, Stephen Roach proposes that creativity is our birthright and partnering with God in the creative process is essential to fulfilling His original design for humanity. Stephen encourages that we are in the midst of a creative awakening and calls the church to break free from religious oppression into the creative liberty of sons and daughters. Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Matt Tommey is a woven sculpture artist living in Asheville, North Carolina. Matt has authored several books including "Unlocking The Heart of The Artist" and "Crafting Your Brand: Simple Strategies for Cultivating a Successful Creative Career".  In this episode, Matt and Stephen discuss Matt's process of utilizing natural materials for his sculptural works. The two talk through differentiations between process and product and how artists can move from concepts and ideas to a lifestyle of creative expression.  *This episode features music by Zach Winters from the album "To Have You Around".  Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

This episode is Part 2 of a conversation with Josh Garrels. In this episode, Stephen Roach discusses Josh's honest lyricism, how our families and cultural environments inform the art we make.Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Josh Garrels is a Portland, Oregon-based singer/songwriter who combines elements of hip-hop, world music and folk in his songwriting. His lyrics are characterized by a raw honesty in exploring themes of faith, hope and compassion. In this episode, Josh discusses his background in music and the pathway which led him to a vocation as a professional, independent musician. Josh talks with Stephen about balancing family life and touring as well as how the choices of our personal lives inform the art we create. This episode is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Send us a textSupport the show Get Tickets to The Breath and The Clay 2026 featuring Malcolm Guite, Jon Guerra, and Jonathan Pageau! March 20-22 in Winston-Salem, NC.