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.

What happens when you realize at 35 that you need to change your career?

In this episode, I sit down with Nina, the owner of Take Heart, one of Austin's most cherished shops.

Nina is the owner and curator of Take Heart, located in East Austin. After 15 years as a social worker, Nina made a courageous career transition at age 35, following her creative instincts to open a store that celebrates handmade beauty and thoughtful gifting. Her shop features carefully curated pottery, home goods, jewelry, natural beauty products, and textiles. Over the past 14 years, Take Heart has become a beloved Austin destination, supporting local makers and creating an ecosystem where art, community, and commerce beautifully intersect.

What We Discuss:

In this conversation, Nina and I explore the journey from burnout to creative fulfillment. Here's what we dive into:

• Nina's awakening at 35 - the moment she realized she didn't want to spend 30 more years in social work and how "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron sparked her transformation

• The spiritual foundation of creative courage - how Al-Anon and developing faith in something greater gave her the confidence to take risks and trust her inner guidance

• Leap of faith - how as soon as Nina started taking action on her ideas, tangible opportunities, including business classes, a loan, and mentors, appeared along her path

• The art of curation as creativity - why Nina sees herself as a creative collaborator, building an ecosystem that connects makers with art lovers

• Building sustainable creative business - how she kept her social work job for three years while growing Take Heart, and why the three-year mark was crucial for financial independence

• Creating community through commerce - the unexpected joy of watching customers discover new artists and how her shop serves as a platform for local makers to build their businesses

• The collaboration with the universe - Nina's approach to receiving creative ideas and acting on them with faith rather than fear

Connect with Nina:

• Visit: Take Heart, 1211 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas

• Instagram: @takeheartshop

• Website: https://www.takeheartshop.com/

• Parking: Available in the back of the building!

Noteworthy Mentions

• Incense Sam loves from Take Heart: Oedo-koh Incense Set (favorite scent is Chery Blossom)

• "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron - the workbook that changed Nina's life

• "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert - great book on recognizing and acting on creative ideas

• Al-Anon - the spiritual program that taught Nina faith over fear

• BIGG Austin - nonprofit offering affordable business classes

• A+ Federal Credit Union - provided the zero-interest loan that started it all

• Natalie Davis - Nina's Austin-based business coach

For Creatives & Entrepreneurs

This episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to:

• Make a mid-life career transition from stable job to creative entrepreneurship

• Overcome fear-based thinking through spiritual practice and community support

• Start a creative business with limited capital and no experience

• Build sustainable income while maintaining artistic integrity

• Create businesses that serve and support other creatives

• Develop gratitude practices that fuel long-term success

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.

What happens when you trade a six-figure corporate job for a camera and a dream?

In this episode, I sit down with Joshua Timmermans, the photographer behind some of music's most iconic moments.

Josh is a professional music and entertainment photographer, media content manager, and creative consultant through his business Noble Visions. Over the past decade, he has photographed some of music's biggest legends including the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Widespread Panic, Missy Elliott, Kenny Rogers, My Morning Jacket, Slightly Stoopid, and The Revivalists, among many others. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin Magazine, Billboard, and countless album covers and artist publications.

In this conversation, Josh and I explore the creative journey from corporate success to artistic fulfillment. Here's what we dive into:

• ​Josh's leap from six-figure corporate marketing to music photography - the pivotal moment he realized he was "excelling at someone else's dream" and how he built the courage to leave AT&T
• ​The role of emotional intelligence in creativity - how Josh learned to recognize and work with his emotions, including a powerful story about photographing Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' final performance together
• ​What creative flow actually feels like and how to access it - Josh's insights on getting out of your own way, the meditative nature of photography, and why thinking about flow makes it disappear
• ​Building a sustainable creative business without losing your artistic soul - how Josh balances "photos that sell tickets" with "photos that sell emotions" and why he focuses on partnerships over competition
• ​Staying creatively dynamic with long-term clients - strategies for keeping work fresh after photographing the same artists for over a decade, and why emotion trumps technical perfection
• ​Instagram: @joshtimmermans
• ​Website: noblevisions.com
• ​Business: Noble Visions

This episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to:

• ​Transition from corporate work to creative entrepreneurship
• ​Develop emotional intelligence as a creative tool
• ​Build sustainable creative businesses
• ​Access flow states more consistently
• ​Navigate client relationships while maintaining artistic integrity

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

Follow The Artist Rendezvous:

• ​Instagram/TikTok/Youtube: @theartistrendezvous
• ​Website: www.theartistrendezvous.com
• ​Reach out to Sam 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.