Welcome back to Season 2 of the UNRAVEL your journey podcast (formerly UNRAVEL your days).
If you’re new here, this is a podcast where we explore what it means to build life outside the confines of conventional work and motherhood.
(You can learn more over on our About page!)
Let’s talk creativity, motherhood + chronic illness.
In our first episode of Season 2, we're speaking with Jocelyn Mathewes, a mixed-media, interdisciplinary artist and mother of three living with chronic illness in rural Appalachia.
Her artist statement reads:
“My work documents the psychology and embodied experience of the unrepeatable moment.”
This was our first time meeting Jocelyn (after being introduced through our mutual favorite, Sarah Shotts) - and it was a really fun, deep, thoughtful conversation at the crux of art-making, motherhood, and life with chronic illness.
In this hour-long episode we explore -
the important challenges of balancing art and creativity with motherhood and chronic illness
the value in finding joy within sorrow (even when it feels impossible)
how Jocelyn built an artist community + curated exhibit from her home in rural Tennessee
And quite a bit more.
Key Moments:
9:50 - Creativity in a market-driven culture
18:27 - Navigating art-making with chronic illness
31:56 - Memento Mori + the joyful sorrow
48:00 - Adapting the creative practice with the needs of a body
54:07 - Creating without the pressure to make money
We invite you to listen here on Substack (or wherever you normally listen!)
You can also download this episode + listen directly on your device.
SUBSCRIBE and share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
New here? Welcome.
We invite you to SUBSCRIBE for free - or for $5 per month ($55 per year) if you’re willing and able. This helps subsidize production costs so we can focus on creating!
We publish an hour-long(ish) episode biweekly on Tuesdays to support your conscious creation of a life built on what you value.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE.
In this episode, we discuss Jocelyn's contribution to the book Entwined: An Anthology of Creativity and Motherhood.
Entwined is an anthology that weaves together stories of creativity and motherhood by painters, writers, potters, visual artists, musicians, poets, and multi-passionates from around the globe.
(Its sister-project Ember is an art journal companion.)
The project’s curator, Sarah Shotts, says:
“This anthology’s purpose is to inspire mothers to create, to reframe what ‘counts’ as art, and to hold space for rest and ideation within the creative process. This isn’t just a book about making art. It’s about the whole of motherhood and how that impacts our creative process.”
This is a crowd-funded project, so your support can help make it happen!
We invite you to preorder your copy of Entwined + Ember before September 30 (that’s the FINAL day to contribute).
Big THANK YOU to Jocelyn for joining us on the podcast - and to Sarah for igniting the fire behind this creative venture.
You’ll hear from us again soon (we have a few BONUS episodes heading your way this week!)
P.S. The UNRAVEL your journey podcast is back with Season 2! Listen here on Substack (or wherever you listen to podcasts).
P.P.S. Preorder your copy of Entwined + Ember! This crowd-funded project has just one week left to meet its funding goal. Support the project by preordering your copy - or donating a book!
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QUICK LINKS.
Connect with Jocelyn via her website and Substack newsletter.
Preorder your copy of Entwined + Ember. This crowd-funded project weaves together stories of creativity and motherhood by women around the globe - and your financial support will help make it happen!
Read the 5-year origin story of this project (and take a peek inside the books!)
Connect with Sarah via her website and Substack newsletter.
Read What Can A Body Do? by Sara Hendren.
Read The Creative Act by Rick Rubin.
ON Creativity, Motherhood + Chronic Illness with Jocelyn Mathewes