Rob Bell is the New York Times Best-Selling author of fourteen books and plays, which have been translated into 25 languages. His visual art can be seen on Instagram @realrobbell. His band is HUMANS ON THE FLOOR, and his podcast is The RobCast.

Today on Makers and Mystics, Rob and I are talking about his Interplanetary tale of love, loss, and bread, his sci-fi fantasy novel Where’d You Park Your Spaceship.

In our conversation, we discuss following creative tangents and the long curiosity that keeps inviting us to follow them.

This episode is sponsored by The Breath and The Clay Creative Arts Organization. Our next gathering is March 21-23 in Winston Salem NC. Tickets are on sale now.

S12 E10: The Adjacent Possible with Joshua Heath Scott

After accidentally fixing a broken guitar pedal in 2007, Joshua Heath Scott’s natural curiosity pulled him into the rabbit hole of electrical engineering and circuit design-- from this experience, his company, JHS Pedals was born.

Today, JHS pedals has become one of the most influential pedal companies in the world, preferred by recording artists such as Beck, John Mayer, Madison Cunningham and many others.

Josh’s YouTube series, The JHS Show, has garnered millions of views from audiences spanning the globe and often expands into documentaries on musical technology, invention and music history.

Aside from his guitar-related work, Josh is an accomplished published photographer who focuses on photographic essays of Midwestern America.

Much like his pedal company, Josh tells us he accidentally fell in love with photography, riding his bicycle throughout Kansas farmlands and documenting what he saw.

In today’s episode, recorded live at the Loom creative arts event, Josh talks about the curiosity that drives his creative work as well as ‘the adjacent possible,’ a term describing creative and innovative possibilities that grow as they are explored.

Following our theme of art and identity, Josh shares about finding reflections of ourselves in others and in the way we see the world around us.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment with Josh at patreon.com/makersandmystics

S10E02: A Curious Faith with Lore Ferguson Wilbert

Lore Ferguson Wilbert is a writer, thinker, learner, and author of the book, A Curious Faith. She writes for She Reads Truth, Christianity Today, and more, as well as her own site, Sayable.net. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @lorewilbert. She lives in New York and has a husband named Nate, a puppy named Harper Nelle, and too many books to read in one lifetime.

In this episode, I talk with Lore about the importance of asking the hard questions and the necessity of cultivating a curious heart in both the creative space and in the spiritual.

Support The Podcast (We can’t do this without you!) Join our creative collective and gain access to tons of extra content and other inspiring curiosities.

Listen to our Artist Profile on Rilke (We mention this episode in our discussion.)

Author, CuriosityStephen RoachSeptember 26, 2022LoreWilbert, A Curious Faith, author, deconstruction

S8 E03: Exploring The Strange World of Art History with Jennifer Dasal

Jennifer Dasal is the curator of modern and contemporary art at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina, and she is the host of the independent podcast ArtCurious, which she started in 2016 and was named one of the best podcasts by O, The Oprah Magazine and PC Magazine. Jennifer’s book ARTCURIOUS: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History takes a colorful look at the world of art history, and reveals some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. In this episode, Stephen talks with Jennifer about some of the stories found in her book and why she feels that art history is important for modern creators to explore.

authors, Curiosity, Found Art, InspirationStephen RoachOctober 9, 2020Artcurious, Jennifer Dasal, Art History, Art Curator

S6 E9: On Curiosity and Play with Ashley Mary

Ashley Mary is a Minnesota-based muralist and abstract artist whose paintings tap into concepts of youth and playfulness and curiosity through the use of thick textures, vibrant colors, and organic and familiar shapes.

Her process is influenced heavily by her collage work, patterns, vintage ephemera, and her background in graphic design. Ashley’s work pays attention to the unintentional and leaves space to be surprised.

Her murals and product designs can be seen nationwide in large scale collaborations with brands such as Google, Starbucks, and Anthropologie.

Outside of her work as an artist, Ashley is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Curiosity Studios. A creative learning space for those stuck and blocked.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment with Ashley on book recommendations for sparking curiosity.

S5 E3: Return To Wonder with Harris III

Harris “The Third” is an award-winning illusionist and communicator. In recent years his career has grown to become one of America’s most sought-out speakers, storytellers, creative consultants and event curators.

In 2015, Harris founded the Istoria Collective, a production company that creates meaningful and transformative experiences for people and brands through events, films, and digital media.

In this episode, Stephen talks with Harris about his work as an Illusionist and what it means to create moments of wonder that inspire and move people to a place of transformation.

S4 E10: Nico Cox on The Art of Keeping Time

Nico Cox is an Antiquarian Horologist, which is a technical term for a clock and watchmaker who specializes in the conservation and restoration of antique automata and mechanical musical objects. Her workshop, Memoria Technica is located in Seattle, Washington where she teaches, creates and brings mechanical music, singing birds and complex clocks back to life again.

In this episode, Stephen talks with Nico about the magic of horology and the critical thinking involved in her unique art of restoration.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview with Nico on “The Church’s bizarre use of automata during Middle Ages” at http://www.patreon.com/makersandmystics

Featured Music in this episode: Unwed Sailor