In this episode, Q talks to her friend Kim Mosley about his lifelong dedication to an artistic life, and the shared themes between artistic practice and zen practice.

*Note for audio podcast listeners: the artwork discussed in this episode can be viewed at:

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Kim Mosley was born June 6, 1946, in Chicago, and lives at 1312 W 40th St in Austin, Texas. He holds a B.F.A. in Sculpture from the University of Illinois (1963–69) and an M.F.A. in Fine Arts from Bradley University (1969–71), with earlier training at the Saturday Workshop at Chicago's Institute of Design under Joe Jachna, and photography study under Harry Callahan, Brett Weston, and Todd Walker. He taught from 1971 to 2007 at Bradley University, Southern Methodist University, and St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, where he rose from program coordinator to dean of Liberal Arts, earning Missouri's Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Emerson Electric Teaching Award, and multiple District Innovator honors. His artwork — painting, sculpture, and photography — has been exhibited across North America since 1963 and is held in collections including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, with shows as far afield as Bulgaria and Japan.After retiring from academia in 2007 and moving to Austin, he explored Buddhism, starting with the Austin Zen Center before deepening his practice at Appamada, where he now holds the title of Council 1 Entrusted Teacher and participates in several study groups.Find links to Kim’s artwork, his blog, and recordings of his zen talks at: kimmosley.com.

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In this episode of The Qreative Life podcast, Q talks with poet and creative facilitator, Hollie Hardy. They discuss Hardy’s creative trajectory, how she chose poetry as her main creative vehicle, and why she is so passionate about teaching.

More about Hollie:

HOLLIE HARDY is the author of two books of poetry, Lions Like Us (Red Light Lit Press, 2024) and How to Take a Bullet: And Other Survival Poems (Punk Hostage Press, 2014). She’s a freelance editor and private writing instructor, founder of Praxis Poetry: Weekly Prompts for Poets, and host of the long-running reading series Saturday Night Special: A Virtual Open Mic. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and appeared in numerous anthologies and literary journals, including Alchemy, Caesura, The Common, Fourteen Hills, Four Tulips, Parley Lit, Passionfruit Review, Poetry Super Highway, The Quarterly, Synkroniciti, and elsewhere. She lives in Austin, TX.

Buy Signed Books: https://holliehardy.com/books

In this episode, Q talks to fellow indie author C.C. Hawk about the long and winding road that brought her to publish her first book after retirement.

Find C.C. Hawk online

• Author website (cchawkwrites.com)
• Goodreads author page

More about C.C. Hawk:

C.C. Hawk began writing as a little girl but set her passion aside until retiring in 2021 and joining the San Gabriel Writers League in Georgetown, Texas. She published Slices of Life, a book of 17 short stories in essay, fiction and memoir genres, in 2024. C.C. was born and educated in Chicago before attending St. Paul’s School, a coeducational boarding school in New Hampshire and Harvard University. She then completed an MBA at the University of Chicago. Her 30-year career included small business consultant roles at two major accounting firms, management positions at United Airlines and director roles at the American Bar Association. Ms. Hawk has been happily married to her soulmate for 38 years and they have an adult son. Travel has taken them to 40 states, 39 countries and all seven continents. She is retired and living her best life in the Texas Hill Country.

Find Yasmin Ali online:

• Artist Website: https://www.yasminaliart.com
• Saatchi Art profile: https://www.saatchiart.com/yasminali
• Etsy shop: https://twistedbrushdesigns.etsy.com

More about Yasmin Ali:

Yasmin Ali is a Chicago-based, self-taught painter working primarily in oils. Her heavily textured, carved abstract paintings are inspired by natural systems—trees, water, wind, and roots—and the ways they hold growth, pressure, and resilience over time. Her process is intuitive and layered, with each mark responding to the one before it. Through building, cutting, and carving the paint surface, she creates compositions that reflect inner states as much as external ones, exploring identity, memory, and how what’s underneath the surface informs what’s above it. Yasmin’s practice also extends into digital and AI-informed work, creating an approach that sits where art tradition and experimentation meet. Through her brand TwistedBrush, she brings her work into everyday spaces through prints and designed objects. With a background in music, performance, and community organizing, she approaches painting as a form of composition—built through the rhythm, balance and movement that create s

In this episode of The Qreative Life podcast, Q talks to her friend and former co-worker, Sarah Orman. Orman has left behind her days as an attorney and is now pursuing a degree in poetry from Texas State University. Listen in as they discuss their shared interest in reading and writing, and what it's like to make profound life changes in middle age.

More about Sarah Orman:

Sarah Orman used to practice law. Now she writes personal essays and poetry. Her work has been published in The Barbed Wire, Narrative, Witness, the Barbed Wire, and elsewhere. Her essay, "How She Suffered," received honorable mention in the 2024 Plentitudes Prizes. By day, she is a writing coach, freelance editor, and Assistant Editor for Narrative. She is a poetry MFA student at Texas State University and lives with her family in Austin.

Find Sarah Orman online:

• Website
• Substack

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In this episode, Q sits down with film prof, journalist, and podcaster extraordinaire, Zaki Hasan. They discuss new and upcoming films, the threat that AI and modern media pose to storytelling, and the role of our humanity in making great films.

More about Zaki Hasan:

Born and raised in Chicago before settling in the Bay Area, Zaki Hasan is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years of experience in media scholarship and criticism. In addition to co-hosting the long-running MovieFilm Podcast, his reviews and analyses appear regularly in The San Francisco Chronicle, TheWrap, and IGN. He is co-author of Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture, and other books on the Star Wars, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and Blade Runner franchises, and a member of the Hollywood Creative Alliance and the San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle.

Find Zaki Online:

• The MovieFilm Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.youtube.com/@moviefilmpodcast -

• Personal Blog

http://www.zakiscorner.com/ -

• Zaki Hasan on Rotten Tomatoes

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/critics/zaki-hasan/movies

Find Zaki on Social Media:

• Zaki on Threads - https://www.threads.com/@zakiscorner
• Zaki on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/zakiscorner.bsky.social
• Zaki on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zakiscorner/?hl=en

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In this episode of The Qreative Life podcast, Q chats up indie author Georgina Kiersten, a queer, disabled writer of romantasy novels. They discuss Kiersten's creative path, from being diagnosed with dyslexia to embracing their passion for writing to taking the bold step to publish their own work. The conversation covers topics ranging from claiming your own creative power through fanfic to the futility of using AI to fulfill your creative urges. More about Georgina Kiersten:Georgina Kiersten is a romance author from San Antonio, Texas. They are best known for their wide range of LGBTQ+ romance novels featuring Black queer and trans individuals. Kiersten's experience being a Black queer trans disabled person who has dyslexia, ADHD, and who is also autistic gives them a unique perspective when it comes to writing romance. Their unique lived experiences only further drive their passion for creating diverse and inclusive romance stories.Find Georgina Kiersten online:- Author Website: https://georginakiersten.com- Author Blog: https://loudinthemargins.com/Find Georgina Kiersten on social media:- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Author-Georgina-Kiersten/100075258071473/- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingloriousgigi/--------------------

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In this episode, Q interviews Houston-based author E.A. Williams. They discuss Williams' transition from screenplay writer to novelist, and the value of writing what you love. Williams shares her childhood struggle with dyslexia, her family's enthusiasm for her artistic career choices, and the value of cultivating an authorial persona, à la Anne Rice.Find E.A. Williams online:- Website: https://eawilliamsbooks.com- Bookshop: https://eawilliamsbooks.com/shop/Find E.A. Williams on social media:- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eawilliamsbook- Instagram: instagram.com/e.a.williamsbooks/- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/E.A.WilliamsLitAbout E.A. Williams:A graduate of the University of North Texas where she studied film and playwriting, E.A. Williams often imbues her stories with the diverse and challenging landscape of her home state. From her thrilling debut series, The Line of Tepes to her short stories featured in publications like Mixed Bag of Tricks, Femme Fairytales, and Grimoire for Honeyed Spells, no matter how fantastical, Williams brings a unique Texan voice to her writing. Williams learned just how invaluable a writing community could be while helping run a writer’s collective during university. Whether she is working on her own writing or helping to coordinate events for Armadillo Authors Society, Williams is always looking for ways to connect with the arts community.