When I discovered this episode’s erudite guest Sophie Cournoyer’s writing about creativity and the occult — I was immediately drawn in. Sophie is the artist behind Aethereal Moods, where she explores the occult dimensions of creativity. In her studio practice she paints surreal yet deeply symbolic portraits. In our conversation we get into the yoga of articulation — the work of finding language for what visual art already knows but can’t always say for itself. We talk about the language of land, and the women artists who have been particular conduits for it — especially the British mystic and surrealist Ithell Colquhoun, who retreated to Cornwall and let the landscape become her collaborator. And we talk about honoring our artistic ancestors — not by blood but by resonance — because sometimes those who came before us are our most faithful guides.

You can see more of Sophie’s paintings here.

Check out her essays on Ithell Colquhoun and A Magical Theory of Art.

For more of my artwork, please visit www.allisonadams.net

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