Julie Burstein introduces us to people who are creatively engaging with the challenges and pleasures of work and life.

Spark

The Lonely Palette is on maternity leave until early March, which means that for the next few weeks, we'll be turning to the archives to feature episodes specific to the many shades of motherhood.  This episode, from February 2021, speaks not just to the hazy, cozy, time-out-of-joint space that Tamar is currently in, but also to the state of the pandemic, which, unfortunately, doesn't feel much sunnier today than it did a year ago.  But what good is a mom if not to help us see our way out of the fog?

See the images:
bit.ly/3uaWHta

Music used:
The Blue Dot Sessions, “La Inglesa,” “Eggs and Powder,” “Paper Feather,” “Arizona Moon,” ”Lowball,” “Palladian,” “Simple Vale”
Joe Dassin's “Les Champs-Elysees" via music box, ft. Calvin giggles

Support the show:
www.patreon.com/lonelypalette

Re-ReleaseEp. 51 - Mary Kelly's "Post-Partum Document" (1973-79)

With the money she'd saved from babysitting jobs and a sewing machine her parents gave her for her birthday, Liz Forkin Bohannon began Sseko Sandals, a company in Uganda where women earn the money they need to go to university.  

Liz Forkin Bohannon was just named as a finalist in Cartier's Women's Initiative Awards.  Liz was my first interview for Pursuit of Spark, here's her delightful and inspiring story.

Right after college, Liz went to Uganda to work for the Cornerstone Leadership Academy. She fell in love with the students, who came from poor families, and asked the school's founder what she could do for them once she returned to the US. He asked her to figure out a way to help young women earn the money to go on to college.

Liz's first idea was a chicken farm -- and we're lucky she quickly abandoned that concept and moved on to create sandals that could be made in Uganda and worn by women all over the U.S.


Spark: Liz Forkin Bohannon and Sseko Sandals

Alex is a Med-tech who spent a 4 month stint working at a hospital in Newakot District. I got a chance to interview her during her time in Lumbini helping to set up the Lumbini Emergency Responce network (LERN) I spoke with Alex about how her experience in the 2015 Nepal earthquake helped inspire her to return to Nepal in a medical capacity, and how she navigates Nepali culture.

Alex Ulin On Experiencing The Nepali Earthquake And Coming Back

Sound of cranes calling out to each other at the Vietnamese temple in Lumbini, Nepal.

Crane calls at the Vietnamese Temple.

Everyone has a story to tell.

In this inaugural segment of Interview Everybody, I talked to Nishta. She's a brilliant young woman from Kathmandu who has been part of the U.S embassy book bus team for a year and a half. She's seen almost every corner of Nepal, from the mountains of Mustang to the plains of the Terai, and it was a pleasure to hear about her journey. We spoke about learning to love teaching, the routine of book bus work, how to run a workshop, and what her travels have meant for her.

Interview Everybody: Nishta from the Book Bus.

Pranab man Singh built the U.S embassy book bus from the ground up and still supervises its efforts to bring community engagement and education to the whole of Nepal. We spoke about the history of the project, how it has been organized, and what's next for the book bus. I hope you find this conversation as edifying as I did.

Interview Everybody: The Book Bus, Past, Present and Future with Pranab Man Singh

In almost every corner of Nepal you can find murals left by the U.S embassy book bus. Designed by artists and built by locals, hey form a testament to the project's continuing mission of connecting and education communities throughout Nepal. In my final interview with Pranab and the book bus staff, we spoke on how a mural comes to life.

Interview Everybody: Making Murals with Pranab Man Singh

Designing clothes has always been Prabhu Raj's passion. Though he originally designed only for himself, others soon caught wind of his unique style and asked him to make clothes for them too. In this installment of Interview Everybody, we cover the journey that Prabhu took to become the designer that he is Today.

Smart, Simple, Stylish: Prabhu Raj's journey through design.

Ed Zimmerman is a lawyer who specializes in tech deals. He's happiest in gatherings where he's the host, so for many years he's organized conferences and workshops for entrepreneurs and venture capitalists so they can get to know each other, and he can get to know them. Ed came up to me at TED right after I'd given my talk, and invited me to one of these meetings, where I got to see up close the informal and engaging way he gets people to talk about what they do. I was interested in how he chose this kind of work, and in talking with him found that the answer is complicated and fascinating, and that part of it comes directly from his father. Here's the entire interview, which is full of Ed's humor and generosity.


On being a pattern interrupt

Ceramic artist Wayne Higby discusses his work as a curator and artist with radio producer Julie Burstein. This podcast is one of three conversations in a series focused on the lives and work of accomplished ceramists who Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts has recognized as "Legends" in their field.

Conversations with Legends: Wayne Higby

Ceramic artist Jack Troy discusses his work, the land and the studio environment in which he creates, and wisdom from his life during a studio visit with radio producer Julie Burstein. This podcast is one of three conversations in a series focused on the lives and work of accomplished ceramists who Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts has recognized as "Legends" in their field.

Conversations with Legends: Jack Troy

Paula Winokur discusses her work and its relationship to the natural world during this conversation with radio producer Julie Burstein. Jennifer Zwilling, curator at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, and Nancy Selvin, artist and friend of Winokur, also discuss Winokur's work and contributions to the ceramics field. This podcast is one of three conversations in a series focused on the lives and work of accomplished ceramists who Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts has recognized as "Legends" in their field.

Conversations with Legends: Paula Winokur

Photographer Joel Meyerowitz and writer Maggie Barrett talk about their life together, and their collaboration on their new book Provence: A Lasting Impression.  Their honesty, about the pleasures and challenges of their creative partnership in life and in art, is an inspiration.

Spark: Joel Meyerowitz and Maggie Barrett

Last fall when I spoke at Middlebury College, my hosts told me about a fascinating program at the vocational/technical high school in town, where students learn how to weld, paint, sew, hang lights, and build just about anything, all in service of theatre.  Alumni from the program are mixing sound for Motown the Musical, rigging Cirque du Soleil, and acting on TV shows such as The Office.  I'm thrilled that NPR's Weekend Edition asked me to report a story about the Addison Repertory Theater high school program at the Hannaford Career Center.  Here it is.

Thanks to Sarah Popov for production assistance on this story, and Laura Bertran at NPR for her insightful editing.  And thanks to Steve Small and all the students and teachers at A.R.T. 

A.R.T. in Middlebury Vermont

Daily tea meditations, listening to the world. jb@julieburstein.com

Spark: Liz Forkin Bohannon and Sseko Sandals

Pursuit of Spark

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