What can ancient stories teach us about creativity, courage, and our own place in the modern world? In this episode, Stephen Roach welcomes poet and priest Malcolm Guite back to Makers & Mystics to explore his poetic retelling o...

In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with cultural critic, writer, and iconographer Jonathan Pageau to explore the state of contemporary st...

In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach continues the series The Pace of Beauty with Dr. Timothy Patitsas, author of The Ethics of Beauty.Focusing on Chapter Six, The Mystical Architect,...

This replay episode features excerpts from a 2017 conversation with author Brian Zahnd, exploring his insights on Christian aesthetics and the role of beauty in faith. The discussion centers on Zahnd's book, "Beauty Will Save the Wo...

What does it mean to repair what has been broken, and can there be beauty in that work?In this episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach is joined by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg for a t...

The Beauty of Authenticity — John Van DeusenSongwriter John Van Deusen joins Makers & Mystics to explore the beauty of authenticity in art, faith, and vocation. In a cre...

What if beauty isn’t an escape from the outrage and exhaustion of the world—but a form of resistance against it?In a culture overrun with anxiety and uncertainty, turning toward beauty can feel almost defiant. In this episode of Make...

What role does beauty play in a fractured and hurried world—and what might happen if we allowed it to slow us down?This episode marks the beginning of a new Makers and Mystics series, The Pace of Beauty, exploring how bea...

Moving at the Pace of BeautySeason Introduction — Makers & Mystics PodcastElaine Scarry writes that “beauty quickens. It adrenalizes. It makes the heart beat faster.” Beauty is immediate in this way. It strikes us unawa...

In this episode of Makers and Mystics, host Stephen Roach is joined by Jared Farley of Porter’s Call, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the emotional and mental health of touring artists and their families.Together, the...

In this episode, Stephen Roach sits down with creative collaborators Justin McRoberts, Whitney Hancock, and Corey Frey for a conversation about the art of building authentic creative community.From introducing their new online off...

In this inter-seasonal episode, Stephen Roach is joined by returning guests Paul Anleitner and John Mark McMillan for a discussion of Guillermo del Toro’s new Frankenstein adaptation. Together they explore del Toro’s visu...

In this season finale, Stephen Roach closes out our exploration of creative flow with a rich conversation with several artists from the Makers & Mystics Patreon community. Joining the discussion are artist and educator Angela Ho...

Behind the curtain of cinema lies a hidden language, spoken not in words, but in sound.In this episode of Makers and Mystics, Stephen Roach interviews Foley artist Ronnie Van Der Veer, e...

What does the life of a bizarre fifth-century monk have to offer our lives in the modern world today? This episode of the Makers and Mystics podcast explores the life and influence of Simeon Stylites, a Syrian Christian a...

Amy Leigh Wicks is a poet, actress, and educator from New York City. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand and an MFA from The New School in New York. ...

As artists, we live our lives between worlds, the one in which we imagine and the one in which we must survive. But what do we do when the life we imagine and the life we live are incongruent? Often our lives look much different on paper than t...

“How do we hold both urgency and intimacy in our creative practices? How can an artist become a vessel of divine presence — not only in churches, but on club stages, in studios, and in everyday life?”In today’s episode, I’m join...

How does imagination shape not only our art but our spiritual formation? And what does it mean to hold space for play, growth, and even disappointment within our creative process?In this episode, Stephen Roach is joined by

In this concluding segment of our Artist Roundtable, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Donna Matthews continue their conversation on ecstatic experiences, flow states, and the artist’s impulse through a Christian lens. This episode explores ecstat...

In this Artist Roundtable, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Donna Matthews explore the concept of flow states, ecstatic experiences, and their intersections with art and faith. They discuss how creative processes can lead to profound spiritual en...

Overfamiliarization can blind us from recognizing the beauty and power of certain truths. When we think we have heard the story before or believe we already know what a particular truth has to offer, we lose the curiosity that opens us to deepe...

Elizabeth Bowman is a self-taught impressionist painter based in Charlotte, NC. Her work is steeped in imaginative renderings of biblical stories and visual meditations on the life of faith.In th...

Barbara Hannigan is a world-renowned conductor, soprano, and performer whose work pushes the boundaries of classical and contemporary music. Known for her fearless interpretations and deeply ex...

In this episode, Stephen Roach explores creative flow as a generative, life-giving way of being. He highlights the need for trust in the process and the vulnerability that comes with sharing one's art. Stephen encourages listeners to embrace rh...