Who are your creative ancestors, and how can their stories influence your creative journey?

Your creative ancestors are those people who make you, you. They build you up and inform your creativity through the things they teach you, even from a distant past. Their legacies inspire you to share their stories with future generations through your art. They are part of what I call your Artist’s DNA.

Adri Norris' successful "Women Behaving Badly" series was born out of a desire to share the stories of important women whose stories have largely gone untold. These works are a window into their truth, created to inspire today’s generation with role models they might not otherwise be exposed to.

Adri says of the project, “It was basically combining my love of learning with my love of drawing and painting faces and learning how to tell a story with my work.”

Listen in to hear Adri talk about how she infuses her work with the power of storytelling, as well as:

• How she’s using her mural work to inspire both the community and the next generation of artists
• How she’s proving that you don’t have to pick one area of art to work in as long as you’re clear on your core
• Her Artist Residency and the long-overdue surprise project she’s working on now.

Plus, she’ll share what her biggest challenges have taught her and the big shift that changed the way she views her work.

If you’ve ever wanted to dive deep into storytelling through your art but don’t know where to start, this episode is for you.

Have you ever had a spiritual awakening that opened your eyes to a new or deeper creative practice?

My friend Kim Roberts did. Her long-time yoga practice opened her eyes to the deeper dimensions of life, eventually leading her to Paris, where she started painting.

Kim is multifaceted, sharing her gifts as a yoga practitioner and instructor, psychotherapist, coach, artist, and writer with the world.

She joins me on Stumbling Toward Genius today to share how her many daily practices feed into one another, as well as:

• Her art-making process and how she opens herself up to express what’s inside
• From Paris to the San Luis Valley, how place inspires her work
• The one thing that holds her back and how she is facing her fears

Plus, we talk about her book, Toward a Secret Sky: Creating Your Own Modern Pilgrimage, and she shares a glimpse into her new online program that offers women the practical tools to navigate any life transition with confidence, courage, and grace.

Did you enjoy hearing about Kim’s artist origin story in Paris? I really believe many people find their creativity in Paris.

My creative life continues to be sculpted by this amazing city and I would love to share that with you.

If you have wanted to connect with your creative self for a long time or believe you are being called to a deeper level of writing, join me for Write Your Heart Out in Paris.

How do you know when it is the right time to write and publish your book? And then, how do you find the courage to step back from a project that you’ve poured your heart into so you can create a larger body of work?

Today, you’ll hear a conversation with my friend, Heather Stimmler from the highly acclaimed Secrets of Paris website and newsletter. A labor of love, Secrets of Paris has been a trusted reference for original feature stories, useful sightseeing advice, and recommendations. She has been sharing insider information about Paris for visitors and residents for over twenty years.

Now Heather is sinking her teeth into her next challenge—writing the book about Paris tourism that has long been in her heart. She’ll share why writing her book is such a challenge and, and how she’s finding her way.

Listen in to hear:

• How Heather’s writing dreams have changed over the years and how she has taken the invitations from the universe and made them hers.
• Her step out of her writing comfort zone that went viral and how that’s helped push her forward
• How Secrets of Paris has evolved and why she still has so much to say about the City of Lights after ‌all these years
• How she’s learning to let ‌go and make room for the new

Plus the small steps action plan that’s helping her move forward.

Want more of Paris?

I’ve been leading workshops in Paris since 2005. My Paris historical novel and many of my writing projects have been inspired by my time there.

Come to Paris with me in September for Paris Sketchbook, a fun workshop for creative play. Or, join me for Write Your Heart Out, designed to embolden your most authentic and honest writing.