What started as a biologist importing tea for friends became Austin's most unique gathering place. So-Han Fan, founder of West China Tea, shares how an ancient Chinese tea practice facilitates authentic connection in our disconnected world.

What We Discuss:

• What is tea? - why most things we call "tea" isn’t actually tea

• Gong Fu Cha magic - the folk art of brewing that demands presence and rewards patience

• Tea as plant medicine - the four compounds that create "tea drunk" euphoria without the crash

• Community without trying - how the right environment naturally melts strangers into friends

• From scientist to tea entrepreneur - meeting farmers in Chinese mountains and accidentally starting a business

• Inclusive community by design - how tea creates an engaging, friendly space that welcomes everyone and encourages authenticity

• Chi and water memory - Sohan's take on why tea works instantly on your body

Visit West China Tea

• New Location: 1715 E 7th Street, Austin

• Website: westchinatea.com

• YouTube: ⁠⁠TeahouseGhost⁠⁠ (tea education videos)

• Social: @westchinatea

For Anyone Who

• Craves authentic community connection

• Values community building

• Feels curious about mindful practices

• Loves learning about plant medicine and ancient rituals

Subscribe to The Artist Rendezvous on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for more conversations with inspiring creatives.

Follow The Artist Rendezvous:

• Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @theartistrendezvous

• Website: www.theartistrendezvous.com

• Reach out to Samantha at hello@theartistrendezvous.com

The Artist Rendezvous celebrates the creative spirit of Austin, Texas, sharing stories of inspiration, risk, and the courage to create. Each episode explores what it means to live a creative life and the mindset shifts that enable artistic success.

Nick Campbell has built a career spotting the gaps in the art world and filling them—first in London, now in Austin. As an art advisor and founder of the Campbell Art Collective, Nick helps individuals and communities connect more deeply with art. In this episode, he shares about his journey starting and growing several businesses, what makes a piece worth collecting, why collecting art is a meaningful endeavor, and why public art projects are essential to thriving communities.

What We Discuss:

• What an art advisor actually does – helping people and companies build meaningful collections

• The “bug” of collecting – from buying a Warhol at 19 to launching a business at 25, and now owning and operating several businesses

• Why living with art matters – how collections reflect your inner world and life journey

• Breaking down intimidation around galleries and the misconception that art is “not for you”

• Founding the Campbell Art Collective – building community and spotlighting Austin’s local art scene

• The power of public art – from neighborhood voices to international installations on the Austin Trail

• Creating BITE – immersive dinners designed entirely by artists, blending food, music, and creativity

• The courage to leap – what it takes to start something new, from your 20s to your 40s

• The importance of saying yes – how small conversations and coffees help creative communities thrive

This episode is for anyone who:

• Wants to feel less intimidated about galleries and collecting art

• Loves the idea of art as a reflection of self and life’s journey

• Believes in the power of community, creativity, and public art

• Enjoys hearing how entrepreneurs spot gaps and build something new

• Is curious about Austin’s growing art scene

Visit and Support Nick's Work:

• Follow Nick on Instagram: @campbellartadvisory

• Join an event in Austin or Houston through Campbell Art Collective: campbellartcollective.com

• Campbell Art Advisory: campbellartadvisory.com

Subscribe to The Artist Rendezvous on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for more conversations with inspiring creatives.

Follow The Artist Rendezvous:

• Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @theartistrendezvous

• Website: www.theartistrendezvous.com

• Reach out to Samantha at hello@theartistrendezvous.com

The Artist Rendezvous celebrates the creative spirit of Austin, Texas, sharing stories of inspiration, risk, and the courage to create. Each episode explores what it means to live a creative life and the mindset shifts that enable artistic success.

Kelly Frye has spent nearly two decades acting on television, with roles on Criminal Minds and Disney Channel’s Secrets of Sulphur Springs. In this episode, she pulls the curtain back on what acting really demands—the artistry, the collaboration, and the mindset that makes performances resonate. Kelly’s story is also one of courage and engagement: a woman who left the “safe” path to follow her passion, and who now brings that same creative energy into her community in Austin.

We discuss:

• Acting as collaboration on a massive scale—and why it can still feel lonely

• The moment she knew she had to pursue acting instead of law

• What it feels like to be on the wrong path, and the signs to look for

• The artistry behind acting—what makes performances truly resonate

• Why creativity is essential, and how Kelly describes it as oxygen

• Where confidence really comes from (and how self-doubt still shows up)

• Why she throws herself fully into her community and causes she believes in

• The value of volunteering and how giving back becomes a form of self-care

• Taking leaps of faith and trusting that life will work itself out

• The impact of great coaches in youth—and how they shape confidence for life

• The freedom of making mistakes and why play matters in artistry

Connect with Kelly Frye:

Instagram: @kellyfrye

Check out Kelly’s New Wearable Art & Purse Line: https://kellycampbellcollection.com/

Volunteer at the Trail Conservancy: thetrailconservancy.org

This episode is for anyone who:

• Wants to know what a long-term acting career is really like

• Is wondering if they’re on the wrong path and searching for signs of change

• Believes in the power of community, volunteering, and creative risk-taking

• Needs encouragement to trust the leap and see where it takes them

• Loves hearing how artists bring creativity into both work and life

Subscribe to The Artist Rendezvous on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for more conversations with inspiring creatives.

Follow The Artist Rendezvous:

• Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @theartistrendezvous

• Website: www.theartistrendezvous.com

• Reach out to Samantha at hello@theartistrendezvous.com

The Artist Rendezvous celebrates the creative spirit of Austin, Texas, sharing stories of inspiration, risk, and the courage to create. Each episode explores what it means to live a creative life and the mindset shifts that enable artistic success.