Whether wearing the hat of scientist, educator, journalist, speaker ... or even entertainer, Dan Riskin has always been committed to bringing science and the natural world to life for others and doing so by bringing his wide-open curiosity to the game. Dan’s desire to help people tap into the fact that science is fun and surprising and hilarious and exciting, has helped him to build a multifaceted career whether as a leading expert on all things related to bats, a host of award-winning science-based television programs including the long running Daily Planet on Discovery and Monsters Inside Me on Animal Planet as well as being one of late-night talk show host Craig Fergusen’s favorite repeat guests.

And yet, when we were crossed paths recently, and discussed a possible conversation, it was Dan’s youth filled adventures in the creative and playful world of theatre that he hoped to revisit being curious about how they had contributed to his life in science.

While acknowledging that part of being in a stage of life where she is both conscious and intentional about sharing her wisdom, Canadian film icon, Anne Wheeler, joyfully continues to learn every day and in every way; the belief that we keep going when we keep growing. Anne’s storytelling palette rich in historical narratives has always been inspired by the lives of everyday people finding their way in life. Reflecting on a career that now reaches back 5 decades, Anne takes well-earned pride in having created strong films, with strong messages and strong points of view. In her early career, as a part of the Edmonton based film collective, FilmWest, she directed documentaries tackling issues of the environment, indigenous rights, women’s rights and Western politics. Later on with the more expansive frame a feature provided, she courageously brought the pain and intimacy of the trauma experienced through the horrors of war, sexual abuse or racism to light in her award-winning and deeply empathetic features, Loyalties and POW. Her reputation as a powerhouse Canadian film artist was further cemented with the release of Bye, Bye Blues, an appealing musical drama inspired by her mother’s experience as a musician in a small dance band during WWII. She has continued to write and direct both film and TV and in 2020 published Taken By The Muse, a delightful collection of stories of her path to becoming a filmmaker.

Along with the Order of Canada, Anne is the recipient of 7 honorary doctorates and every time she steps up to address a group of young students she does so in the hope that they will allow themselves to, in her words, “go out and get lost” in the next chapter of their learning and growing.

In her daily life and professional path, Hannah Beach has always been drawn towards the bubble of play. She is deeply committed to the idea that “play is where we discover ourselves”.

Travelling the country, as educator, author, emotional health consultant or keynote speaker, Hannah channels her heart’s wisdom to share the power of relationship and play in children of all ages. Her best-selling book Reclaiming Our Students: Why Children Are More Anxious, Aggressive, and Shut-Down than Ever—and What We Can Do About It, co-authored with Tamara Neufeld Strijack, has been adopted by school boards across Canada.

Hannah was recognized by the Canadian Human Rights Commission in 2017 as one of five featured changemakers in Canada. Her bestselling I Can Dance book series, supporting the emotional health of children through movement, play, and expression, won a 2017 Gold International Moonbeam Children’s Book Award.

Whether from the podium surrounded by the swell of musical notes brought to life by an ensemble of artists in front of her or in the rehearsal hall exploring and honing possibilities fully alongside an ensemble of musicians or kneeling in conversation with a young audience member who sees in her, the possibility of a future as a musician, even a conductor, Cosette Justo-Valdéz inspires. My recent conversation with her was nothing short of joy, because joy is the language Cosette speaks; and perhaps it is through joy that she inspires most powerfully.

Born and raised in Cuba, the daughter of amateur musicians, Maestra Valdéz has been surrounded by music all her life. After witnessing a symphony orchestra for the first time at the age of 18, she knew immediately that she was born to conduct. She picked up the baton as a student in 2003 and her journey began, eventually leading her away from her homeland to pursue a Master’s degree in Mannheim, Germany. From there, a career has opened doors for her to lead and inspire orchestras across the globe. She currently serves as the Resident Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Island Symphony in Nanaimo, where I was fortunate to have her join me in conversation.

Joyful, curious and optimistic by nature? Absolutely! New York based artist Rachelle Krieger firmly believes that there is something to learn in all situations and through her bold and vibrant, colour-filled and playful visual art she expresses her ever present wonder with the world unfurling all around us.

Her work recently exhibited in a collection described by curator Charles A. Ridley II as “devoted to the theme of making the invisible energy of nature visible”, was in Krieger’s words, a “form of meditation”. Whether capturing singular moments of life in her plein art studies, inviting her wildly imaginative night dreams to splash magically across a canvas, or reflecting biodiversity and vitality through capturing natural elements in various stages of life in her newest medium of ceramics, one thing is undeniable. Rachelle Krieger’s art is boundless!

Please visit rachellekrieger.com

Inspiration has a way of coming swiftly and if fortunate to be in the right place and time it may be received by an open and available imagination. Such is the experience of Anne Lindsay, who clearly relishes these moments when the voice that arrives invites her to lift up her violin and translate the language of the muse to the musical voice of her life. For Anne, the violin has found many voices over her musical career, rooted in her ongoing fascination with the many ways the strings can speak. While originally trained in the classical manner, she has always been intrigued by artists who have pushed against the formal traditions to discover and welcome new possibilities. In doing, she has succeeded as a solo artist, with 5 CDs featuring many of her own compositions, as well as performing alongside artists such as Roger Daltrey, Blue Rodeo, members of Led Zeppelin and the Chieftains. Her latest recording, Soloworks 2 was released last month, during a hiatus from touring across Canada with the Jim Cuddy Band.

Visit her website at anne-lindsay.com for more information on upcoming performances or how you might be able to order physical CD’s to enjoy.

In the summer of 1968, when Tamar Griggs was studying art and dance in New York City, she accepted an invitation for a short sailing holiday in the Mediterranean. Much to her surprise, that brief respite would lead to a year at sea, complete with a shipwreck on the coast of Spain before hitchhiking across the Atlantic Ocean.

Carried by three different boats across thousands of nautical miles, she found herself hurled into trouble, doubt, beauty, laughter and conversations with the dead. As she sailed along, Tamar simultaneously made her way through a parallel inner journey, confronting darkness and secrets that had haunted her life, and challenged her relationships for years, keeping joy at bay.

In her 80’s Tamar sat down to write the stories of her life as a gift to her daughter Maya and her family and it was this particular chapter of her navigation across the Atlantic and her own uncharted waters that rose powerfully to the surface, even against her emotional protests.

I had the pleasure of meeting Tamar, an accomplished nature photographer through the kind introduction of a previous guest on this podcast, her friend and fellow resident on Salt Spring Island, Lolla Devindish. We first met at her artist’s booth at the Saturday market, just before her memoir, Tamar at Sea, was published and then for the conversation you are about to hear, which we recorded a few months ago. Her book with the subtitle, Navigating Love, Loss, Secrets and Self Across the Open Sea, became the metaphoric anchor and sails for our conversation. At the time, Tamar told me that she imagined with all the energy leading up to the holidays that it might be best to share the episode in the new year and so we programmed for a January slot.

I received the sad and shocking news less than a week ago, that Tamar has passed away peacefully in her home on the island. After a conversation with her beloved daughter Maya, who was certain that her Mama would have loved it to be released as planned, I have chosen to do so. It is my hope that in doing so, her voice, stories and beautiful spirit as captured here may provide some light and comfort to those grieving and celebrating her life.

In the past month alone, and in multiple ways, I have been reminded of the fragility of life and how life as we know it can change in an instance. Tamar reminds us of the importance of allowing life to steep like a great cup of tea and then to share that tea party through story, image and laughter, for those who come next to better understand the path laid before them.

In Memory of Tamar Griggs (1941-2024)

While most of my podcast guests share their identification as artists and creators, I remain committed to including within that ensemble, conversations with people who feel the fire of creativity within themselves and encourage it’s light and warmth to be expressed on a daily basis, personally and professionally. In curating these recorded gatherings, I hope these conversations might resonate just as powerfully for all listeners.

Dr. Sian Williams began her professional career in the arts and somewhere along the way, made a choice to set that work down; work that had defined and fueled her, to step towards another love, of science and specifically chiropractic medicine. In 2019, Sian fulfilled a career-long dream and opened Alinio Chiropractic & Massage in the heart of Edmonton’s Ice District. The Welsh word ‘alinio’ meaning alignment, is inspired by Sian’s South Wales roots as well as her belief in the importance of bringing all facets of a life into – ‘alinio’.

For as long as I have known Sian, I have been inspired by her way of being in the world and when I finally found the courage to trust anyone with cracking open some space in my own bone structure, I couldn’t imagine trusting anyone else.