Andy Squyres is a singer-songwriter born and raised in the mountains of Northern California but after moving east in the late 1990’s, he’s spent the last few decades carving songs out of the foothills of his North Carolina home. Andy is Heavily influenced by the poetics of Leonard Cohen and the lyrical tradition of artists like Bob Dylan and The National. His passion for words convey a raw and unmatched honesty that bring listeners face to face with overlooked parts of our own humanity and weave...
Sep 05, 2023•33 min•Season 12Ep. 6
When we think of identity, we often point to our distinguishing characteristics and individual preferences. But what about our sense of place? How does place impact the people we become and the art we make? In today’s episode, award-winning author and professor Esau McCaulley talks with me about the impact of place on his life and how growing up in a poverty-stricken Alabama town informs the writing of his upcoming memoir, How Far To The Promised Land. Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additio...
Aug 29, 2023•49 min•Season 12Ep. 5
Lowland Hum is the musical work of husband and wife duo Daniel and Lauren Goans of Charlottesville, Virginia. Their indie-folk sound is characterized by winsome haronies, poetic songwriting and raw, authentic craftsmanship. The band has spent the past eleven years touring the nation and sharing stages with artists just as Josh Ritter, Oh Hellos and Penny and Sparrow. Today on the podcast, Daniel and Lauren talk with Stephen Roach about their collaborative process, how changing seasons impact the...
Aug 23, 2023•39 min•Season 12Ep. 4
Artistic expression and the creative process profoundly shape our sense of self, culture, and belonging. In our first roundtable of season 12, author Rachel Kang, visual artist Corey Frey and podcast host Stephen Roach to explore the transformative relationship between between art and identity. Drawing from their own unique journeys with the written word and visual art, we discuss how these forms become powerful conduits for personal and collective narratives. Rachel Kang is an author, poet and ...
Aug 16, 2023•41 min•Season 12Ep. 3
What role does the imagination play in shaping the identity of a culture? Our collective imagination provides metaphors, stories and symbols that bind people groups together and create a common understanding of the world. But what happens when those metaphors no longer carry the same meanings? Or even worse, when those stories and metaphors no longer create unity but bring division and harm? Professor and writer Karen Swallow Prior addresses these concerns in her book The Evangelical Imagination...
Aug 08, 2023•36 min•Season 12Ep. 2
Victory Boyd is a Grammy award winning singer/songwriter from Detroit Michigan. She is one of nine siblings who got her start singing in the Boys & Girls Choir of Detroit, founded by her father, John Boyd. Victory made her first solo recording on Jay Z’s Roc Nation label and went on to collaborate with Kanye West for his 2019 album Jesus is King. Her most recent album, Glory Hour is an inspirational 18-track collection marking her first gospel album. In this episode, Victory shares about her...
Aug 01, 2023•44 min•Season 12Ep. 1
Like our art, our sense of identity is never static. It is ever changing, ever evolving, ever growing and ever becoming. Our identity is composed of the heritage we are given, the relationships we foster, the places we live, our beliefs, interests and experiences. Our sense of identity is reflected back to us through the mirroring lens of what we behold. On one level, you could say identity is a library of memories and desires that form the narrative arc of our lives. But what are roots of ident...
Jul 25, 2023•3 min
In this short summary, Makers & Mystics host, Stephen Roach shares his closing thoughts on our Season 11 theme of Art and The Urge for Transcendence. "Wonder is the poetry of God." he says. And as devoted artists of faith, it is our invitation to be the "custodians of wonder" re-introducing the world to awe and reverence. Music for this episode is provided by Glassea. Support the podcast Join the creative collective...
Jul 18, 2023•14 min
In this concluding segment of our artist's roundtable on the Ordinary and Existential, Strahan, Josh, Ashley and Stephen explore the similarities and contrast between the glory of transfiguration and the humility of washing the disciples feet. Though different in expression, both acts hold a beautiful depiction of art and the urge for transcendence. Support the Podcast with a one time donation Become a Monthly Patron...
Jun 13, 2023•28 min
What does transcendence look like for a “post-psychedelic” artist and seeker? How does the notion of transcendence differ for the Jesus follower? Is there a difference between “manufactured” transcendence and one brought about by genuine spiritual encounter? This Roundtable discussion brings together Canadian author, printmaker and clothing designer, Josh Nadeau , New Zealand folk musician, author and spiritual director Strahan Coleman , Mid-Western artist and writer Ashley Lande and Makers &...
Jun 06, 2023•32 min•Season 11Ep. 15
The pace of our modern culture doesn’t always accommodate the need for balance between work and rest. We praise the hustle and scorn the burnout the hustle produces and yet we rarely make room for reflection and rejuvenation. Author and creative coach Justin McRoberts tackles this issue head on in his new book sacred strides: the journey to belovedness in work and rest. In this episode, Justin discusses the importance, specifically for working artists to develop a rhythm between work and rest an...
May 30, 2023•36 min•Season 11Ep. 14
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum, has been heralded as “The Great American Fairy Tale.” Generations of both young and old alike have been fascinated by this whimsical tale since the early 1900’s. When the book was first published, it became an immediate bestseller and was translated into multiple languages as well as adapted to Broadway musicals and several silent films. Frank Baum had reimagined the traditional fairytale and created a story so universal, it caught on like wi...
May 25, 2023•21 min•Season 11Ep. 37
There is a relationship between grief and transcendence that may not be immediately recognizable. But it’s one often expressed within art and in particular, children’s literature. Whether it’s Lewis’s wardrobe to Narnia, Dorothy’s house transported by cyclone to Oz or a bridge to Terabithia built across a chasm of loss. Grief has a way of transporting us to a fantastical world of imagination where we can more easily grapple with the difficulties of loss and even find closure to the trauma that s...
May 16, 2023•37 min•Season 11Ep. 13
Aisha Badru is a singer/songwriter based in New York. The magic of her music lies in distilling an often-tangled human experience into simple truths, quieting the inner cacophony of emotions to pave a path toward healing. To date, her soulful music boasts over 135 million streams, critical praise from the likes of NPR Music, Okayplayer, and is featured in commercial work for brands such as Volkswagen. In this episode, Aisha discusses how the personal stories of heartbreak and healing often found...
May 09, 2023•32 min•Season 11Ep. 12
As we approach the final episodes of our discussion on Art & The Urge for Transcendence, I want to call our attention back to a segment from S7 E7 with the incredible musician, songwriter, producer and fellow podcaster, Kimbra. I have highlighted two questions from our original conversation today which speaks directly into this season’s theme and adds a unique perspective on transcendence; the experience of the performing artist. In this REPLAY episode, Kimbra brings her magic to the topic o...
May 02, 2023•14 min
Luke Burgis is an author , creative thinker and entrepreneur. He has founded and led multiple companies. He's currently Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Director of Programs at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America, where he also teaches business and develops new education initiatives. He's the founder and director of Fourth Wall Ventures, an incubator for people and companies that contribute to the formation of a healthy human ecology. He graduated...
Apr 25, 2023•46 min•Season 11Ep. 11
Julianna Barwick is a Los Angeles based composer, vocalist, and producer who makes deep, reflective compositions rooted in the human voice. Over the years she has made six critically acclaimed records as well as contributed her sound to the world of film scoring. Her self-released debut “Sanguine” came out in 2007, followed by "Florine" in 2009, and “The Magic Place” in 2011. In 2013, she released "Nepenthe," an album which marked Barwick’s first steps into collaborating, working with producer a...
Apr 18, 2023•36 min•Season 11Ep. 10
Jeremy Begbie is a Scottish theologian, author and musician. We interviewed Jeremy in Season 5 of the podcast on his book Redeeming Transcendence In The Arts. . In this bonus REPLAY episode, we are revisiting a segment from this conversation which ties in perfectly to the theme of Season 11. Join Our Creative Collective! Instagram Listen to the full episode from Season 5...
Apr 11, 2023•27 min
Peter Rollins is an author, philosopher, storyteller, producer and public speaker. Peter gained his higher education from Queens University, Belfast where he earned degrees (with distinction) in Scholastic Philosophy (BA Hons), Political Theory and Social Criticism (MA) and Post-Structural thought (PhD). He's the author of numerous books, including Insurrection, The Idolatry of God, and The Divine Magician . In today’s episode, Peter talks with Makers & Mystics host Stephen Roach about the u...
Apr 04, 2023•37 min•Season 11Ep. 9
Bruce Herman is a contemporary artist, writer, and speaker. His art has been shown in more than 150 exhibitions — nationally in many US cities, including New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston — and internationally in England, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, Canada, and Israel. Bruce taught at Gordon College for nearly four decades, and is the founding chair of the Art Department there. He held the Lothlórien Distinguished Chair in Fine Arts for more than fifteen years, and con...
Mar 28, 2023•33 min•Season 11Ep. 8
Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt is Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Her research and writing consider representations of race and gender in 19th and 20th century art and visual culture, but she is most passionate about equipping laypeople to engage generatively with the images they already see. In this episode, Dr. Weichbrodt and I discuss her book, Redeeming Vision: A Christian Guide to Looking at and Learning from Art, which at the time ...
Mar 21, 2023•35 min•Season 11Ep. 7
Father Christopher Foley is the priest at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Kernersville, NC where he has been serving for 17 years. Fr. Christopher is a convert to the Orthodox faith from an Evangelical background. While studying missiology and art history in college, he became interested in Eastern Orthodoxy and went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree at Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in NY. In addition to his duties as a parish priest, Fr. Christopher has been active in wri...
Mar 14, 2023•44 min•Season 11Ep. 6
Brie Stoner is a bilingual indie rock musician and songwriter, creative thinker and podcaster. She co-hosted Richard Rohr’s “Another Name for Every Thing” podcast before launching her own podcast titled “Unknowing”, which explores the unexpected path of creative possibility with guest artists, authors, and activists. Brie studied at the Chicago Theological Seminary and served as program designer at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In this episode, Brie brings a...
Mar 07, 2023•41 min•Season 11Ep. 5
Kevin "KB" Burgess is a Dove-Award winning rapper, speaker and podcaster with four full-length albums to his name. In this episode, KB talks to me about the importance of staying rooted in truth as an antidote to living the status quo. His book Dangerous Jesus much like his music, presents a disruptive, subversive, system threatening portrait of jesus that counters the Christianity of the land and our own tendency toward complacency. Be sure to listen to the end of this episode to hear KB share ...
Feb 28, 2023•38 min•Season 11Ep. 4
This is Part 2 of our Roundtable discussion on Art & The Urge For Transcendence, featuring cultural theologian, author, and fellow podcaster Paul Anleitner (Deep Talks Podcast,) Chicago pastor, Ted Kim and singer/songwriter John Mark McMillan. Join the Creative Collective Listen to Paul’s Deep Talks Podcast...
Feb 23, 2023•26 min
This Roundtable discussion on Art & The Urge For Transcendence, features cultural theologian, author, and fellow podcaster Paul Anleitner (Deep Talks Podcast,) Chicago pastor, Ted Kim and singer/songwriter John Mark McMillan. In this loose discussion, the conversation meanders its way to the subject of longing and survival and how these sometimes competing drives can lead us to the doorway of transcendence. Check Out Paul’s Deep Talks Podcast Join The Makers & Mystics Creative Collective...
Feb 21, 2023•48 min•Season 11Ep. 3
Wynn Everett is an American actor based in Atlanta Georgia. She has acted in films such as Justin Timberlake’s Palmer, HBO’s Doom Patrol, Marvel’s Agent Carter as well as familiar Television shows - Modern Family, The Walking Dead and will appear in the upcoming season of Sweet Magnolia’s. In this episode, Wynn and Stephen discuss the contrast between performing and transforming, discovering transcendence within the ordinary and what it is like for an actor to take on the emotions of another. Jo...
Feb 14, 2023•32 min•Season 11Ep. 2
Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor and author of the critically acclaimed Try Softer . She specializes in trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. In this episode Stephen talks with Aundi about her latest book Strong Like Water and how we can move through pain into the expansiveness of our deeper yearnings for transcendence, beauty, and wonder. Music for this episode is provided by Nashville singer/songwriter Lynn Marie ....
Feb 07, 2023•34 min•Season 11Ep. 1
In this Season Opening Primer, Makers & Mystics host Stephen Roach sets the stage for the season’s conversations on Art & The Urge For Transcendence. You can download a transcript of this episode here Music provided by Some Were At Sea....
Feb 01, 2023•17 min
The human heart is designed to be astonished. We carry within us, an innate yearning for wonder, for awe, for reverence. This deep-rooted urge to reach beyond ourselves, to be immersed in that which is greater than our own limitation, greater than our own materiality is where the spiritual and the creative impulses overlap. What does it mean to carry within us, such deep longings for something beyond ourselves and how can the arts act as both a catalyst and the overflow of these yearnings? I inv...
Jan 30, 2023•1 min
