In the Season 2 finale, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with my dear friend Marianne Power, author of the international bestseller Help Me! and her latest book Love Me!. It was such a joy to dive deep into her incredible journey from journalist to bestselling author. Marianne shared the story behind both her books - from her year-long experiment living by self-help books that became Help Me!, to her courageous exploration of sexuality, relationships, and what it means to live happily as a single woman in Love Me!.

What struck me most about our conversation was Marianne's raw honesty about the cost of creating vulnerable art. She didn't shy away from discussing how terrifying it was to write about her most intimate experiences, from her sexual insecurities to her journey through tantra retreats. We talked about the difficulty of accepting praise, the inherited shame around sexuality, and how her Irish Catholic background shaped her relationship with both pleasure and success. Her courage in tackling the subjects that society tells us not to discuss - and doing so with such humour and humanity - is truly remarkable.

This conversation was a beautiful reminder of why I love doing this podcast - getting to witness the magic that happens when artists are brave enough to tell their truth, and how that courage ripples out to help others feel less alone in their own struggles.

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://zuzushausofcats.com/journal/ep19-marianne-power

💌 Never miss an episode - sign up here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://zuzushausofcats.com/keepintouch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎶 Music by the incredible Caspar Riis: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Used with permission.

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Gracie Klumpp, an autistic author and illustrator who tells stories with words and pictures. What struck me most about our conversation was how much we had in common - both being late-diagnosed AuDHD artists who've had to navigate the complex journey of unmasking whilst building creative careers. Gracie shared her fascinating path from film student to animator to illustrator, and how she's now circling back to narrative storytelling through graphic novels and comics. Her approach to letting each story dictate its own medium resonated deeply with how I work with concepts and ideas in my own practice.

The heart of our conversation centred around the unique challenges of being neurodivergent creatives in a world that wasn't designed for us. Gracie spoke beautifully about the process of archaeological self-discovery - peeling back layers of masking to find who you really are beneath all the "shoulds" and expectations. We discussed how art can be both a tool for processing our experiences and a way to help others feel less alone, particularly when we're brave enough to explore the darker, more difficult aspects of the human experience alongside hope and transformation.

I was so inspired by my conversation with Gracie and I know you will be too.

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://zuzushausofcats.com/journal/ep18-gracie-klumpp

💌 Never miss an episode - sign up here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://zuzushausofcats.com/keepintouch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎶 Music by the incredible Caspar Riis: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Used with permission.

In this episode, I sit down with Gabriella Buckingham, a British contemporary painter known for her experimental still life and intuitive landscape work. Gabriella's journey from graphic design student to successful fine artist is anything but conventional - after initially studying graphic design, she made an emotional plea to switch to illustration, launched a greeting card business that swiftly turned into what felt like a “sweatshop operation”, and eventually transitioned to fine art via a supermarket job during COVID!

What makes Gabriella truly fascinating is her multifaceted practice that seamlessly weaves together art-making, teaching, and spiritual exploration. She runs online painting courses where she literally “speaks her brain” while demonstrating techniques, and writes weekly esoteric mailings covering astrology, tarot, and energy work. Gabriella's approach to both art and life is refreshingly intuitive.

Perhaps most moving is Gabriella's openness about her spiritual connection to her work, including a profound experience with her guardian angel that shaped her business name: From a Place of Wonder.

I loved this conversation and I’m sure you will too!

✍ Read the full show notes here: https://zuzushausofcats.com/journal/ep17-gabriella-buckingham

💌 Never miss an episode - sign up here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://zuzushausofcats.com/keepintouch⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎶 Music by the incredible Caspar Riis: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/caspar-riis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Used with permission.