Our guest today is the photographer, Alison Brown. I learned of Alison through the Women’s Environmental  Network of the San Francisco Bay area. I saw her work online, and I knew I had to have her on the show. Alison is an international photographer that discovered her passion for photography nearly ten years ago after embarking on her first backpacking trip through Southeast Asia in 2008. She's been blessed to visit the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar (Burma), Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Turkey, France, Israel, Spain, Portugal, United States, Canada, and Mexico. In addition to her photography, she is also a Communications Consultant and Sustainability Specialist. Her intention is to use her photographs to inspire people to care more deeply about the natural environment and conservation. Alison views photography as much more than a profession and shares her creative approach to photography in this episode.

More creativity in this episode:

• Learn how photography inspires Alison.
• Why did Alison choose to travel Southeast Asia after graduating college?
• Alison shares her passion for her sustainability work.
• Discover how Alison bridges her sustainability work with her photography.
• Alison describes her experiences while living in Australia.
• Alison shares tidbits from her younger years, and how her focused shifted to what it is today.
• Inspiration for creativity may come in different forms. Alison shares when she does her best work.
• Encouragement for using your personal creativity.
• Encouragement to be conservative with natural resources.

Resources:

Alison Brown Photography

E-mail: alison@alisonbrownphotography.com

Alison’s blog is Alison Brown Photography

You can discover more about Alison on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

It is always a joy to see creativity bloom where you least expect it. I am speaking with student physician Vidya Viswanathan today, the founder of Doctors Who Create. Vidya and her team are on a mission to change the culture of medicine by fostering creativity. It is such a delight to see colleagues in medicine with an interest in creativity.

Vidya had the chance not just to explore how creativity plays an important role in medicine but also how her experiences of travel and foreign language have shaped her career as well. There is so much beauty in hearing a story shared well, and that is what is in store for you with Vidya today! Her perspectives are very unlike any we have had on the show so far, but her stories still have a little something for everyone. I am excited for you to join us as we explore Vidya’s journey to creativity and culture.

More Creativity in this Episode:

• Vidya shares her roundabout path to medicine and her biggest cultural influences.
• Medicine needs the influence of creativity too!
• Vidya wants to highlight the profiles of medical professionals who use creativity.
• Vidya shares what gave her blog some focus.
• The broader appeal of Doctors Who Create.
• Vidya’s parents encouraged her to read and write and express herself through words.
• Taking Chinese played an important role in Vidya’s creativity.
• Dive into some of Vidya’s best experiences while traveling in China.
• Focus on the process, not the result.

Resources:

Doctors Who Create

Do you know that May 5th is International (aka National) Scrapbook Day? By now, my regular listeners all know that I’m a really enthusiastic scrapbooker, and at the moment, I am busy creating a kit to take with me to Dixon, California, to celebrate this special tribute to scrapbooking. Although I have done more digital pages lately, I still love to take out my supplies and get lost in the world of cutting and gluing. In fact, I love getting lost in the whole dimension of paper storytelling! May 5th is a day to celebrate other things, too. It’s Kentucky Derby Day, Cinco de Mayo, Burgundy Day (the color-not the wine), Comic Book Day, Hoagie Day, and even National Seeing Monarch Butterfly Day, to only mention a few! Most importantly, may 5th is Silence the Shame Day. Mental illness is far too common, and it’s very treatable! So let’s all speak out, advocate for more resources, and encourage those in need of help to seek it. What did you celebrate May 5th? I’d love to know! I’d also really love to know if you found a creative outlet for telling your story.

I’m really looking forward to today’s show with my noteworthy guest, Nancy Nally. Nancy is both a columnist and a journalist. Alliteration in her name could be one reason why Nancy Nally is known, but she is also known for her nose for news. On today’s show, we discover the latest trends in colors, papers, and motifs, from here and abroad. We also learn about the job of a craft journalist, and about how Nancy found her creative approach. I first met Nancy through the craft world, and more specifically, via events of the AFCI (Association for Creative Industries), formerly known as The Craft and Hobby Association. Nancy is no stranger to podcasting and helped host The Paper-Clipping Roundtable, while it was an active broadcast. Join me today, and listen as we take a peek at Nancy’s creative approach, and as we also celebrate creative crafts!

Show Highlights:

• Nancy discusses her career and blog.
• The three craft industry-related websites that Nancy’s company owns-Scrapbook Update, Craft Critique, and the recently launched Chasing Dust Bunnies.
• The kinds of crafts on which Nancy focuses.
• Some of the really hot crafts, along with craft comebacks.
• The way that trends filter down into the crafts industry.
• The ways trends here differ from European trends.
• The latest trends in colors.
• Chalk paints are currently a big craze in Europe.
• The DIY trend is going strong in Europe, and there is much to facilitate this!
• Metallic finishes are very popular.
• How to rubber and wood-mounted stamps fit in?
• Nancy’s purpose-driven crafting.
• How curiosity drives creativity.
• What creativity means to Nancy.

Links:

Nancy’s websites: Scrapbook Update 

Craft Critique

Chasing Dust Bunnies

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