Makers & Mystics is the podcast for the art-driven, spiritually adventurous seekers of truth and lovers of life.
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Sep 29, 2026 · 33:49
What if memories were real entities that inhabit places, and what if music could give those places a voice? In this episode of Makers & Mystics , Stephen Roach sits down with…
Sep 22, 2026 · 35:51
What happens when the art form you once loved becomes a way of proving your worth? For oboist, educator, and author Merideth Estevez, classical music began as a source of joy and…
Sep 15, 2026 · 39:05
We live in a world of fast content, instant communication, next-day shipping, and things designed to be quickly replaced. But what happens when an artist chooses to work against…
Sep 8, 2026 · 56:22
How do the images we see shape the way we understand ourselves and one another? In this episode of Makers & Mystics , Stephen Roach sits down with art historian and author Elissa…
Aug 31, 2026 · 25:42
What does it mean to glorify God through art? For many artists, the desire to glorify God can become an expectation that their work should communicate an explicitly religious…
Aug 18, 2026 · 28:32
Every great artist from Caravaggio to Frida Kahlo has fought the same invisible war, and Stephen Roach makes the case that it is not a coincidence. In this solo reflection,…
Jul 21, 2026 · 18:06
Evelyn Underhill: The Mother of Modern Mystics Artist Profile Series 40 Who was Evelyn Underhill, and why does her work continue to shape the modern contemplative movement more…
Jul 14, 2026 · 49:46
What if art isn't simply something we admire, but something that asks something of us? In this episode, Stephen Roach sits down with acclaimed printmaker, educator, and…
Jul 6, 2026 · 29:55
Can beauty change a person? A community? A culture? Sacred artist Kate Capato believes it can. In this bonus episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach sits down with Kate to…
Jun 30, 2026 · 27:00
Animation has a unique ability to carry profound truths beneath colorful worlds, unforgettable characters, and compelling adventure. Beneath the spectacle, the best stories…
Jun 9, 2026 · 40:22
In this bonus episode of Makers & Mystics, Stephen Roach revisits The Pace of Beauty series with artist and designer Jennifer Sturrock. Drawing from her background in couture,…
Jun 2, 2026 · 1:15:00
Beauty is one of the most celebrated words in art and faith conversations, but it may also be one of the most misunderstood. Is beauty simply what pleases the eye, or is it…
May 26, 2026 · 27:19
What does it cost an artist to tell the truth? Singer-songwriter Zan Fiskum has built her entire creative life around finding out. In this episode, host Stephen Roach sits down…
May 19, 2026 · 39:44
Beauty As Survival: Breath, Embodiment, and The First Instrument A conversation with Whitney Lynn In this episode, I sit down with embodiment coach, creative director, and…
May 12, 2026 · 41:51
Make Your Home In This Luminous Dark A conversation with James K. A. Smith In this episode, I sit down with philosopher and author James K. A. Smith (Jamie) to explore the…
Mar 3, 2026 · 47:18
What can ancient stories teach us about creativity, courage, and our own place in the modern world? In this episode, Stephen Roach welcomes poet and priest Malcolm Guite back to…
Feb 24, 2026 · 48:13
In this episode of Makers & Mystics , Stephen Roach sits down with cultural critic, writer, and iconographer Jonathan Pageau to explore the state of contemporary storytelling and…
Feb 17, 2026 · 49:51
In this episode of Makers & Mystics , Stephen Roach continues the series The Pace of Beauty with Dr. Timothy Patitsas, author of The Ethics of Beauty . Focusing on Chapter Six,…
Feb 9, 2026 · 21:55
This replay episode features excerpts from a 2017 conversation with author Brian Zahnd, exploring his insights on Christian aesthetics and the role of beauty in faith. The…
Feb 3, 2026 · 35:26
What does it mean to repair what has been broken, and can there be beauty in that work? In this episode of Makers & Mystics , Stephen Roach is joined by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg…
Jan 27, 2026 · 39:58
The Beauty of Authenticity — John Van Deusen Songwriter John Van Deusen joins Makers & Mystics to explore the beauty of authenticity in art, faith, and vocation. In a creative…
Jan 13, 2026 · 37:05
What if beauty isn’t an escape from the outrage and exhaustion of the world—but a form of resistance against it? In a culture overrun with anxiety and uncertainty, turning toward…
Jan 13, 2026 · 26:51
What role does beauty play in a fractured and hurried world—and what might happen if we allowed it to slow us down? This episode marks the beginning of a new Makers and Mystics…
Jan 12, 2026 · 3:06
Moving at the Pace of Beauty Season Introduction — Makers & Mystics Podcast Elaine Scarry writes that “beauty quickens. It adrenalizes. It makes the heart beat faster.” Beauty is…
Jan 6, 2026 · 56:24
In this episode of Makers and Mystics , host Stephen Roach is joined by Jared Farley of Porter’s Call , a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the emotional and mental health of…
Dec 16, 2025 · 47:21
In this episode, Stephen Roach sits down with creative collaborators Justin McRoberts, Whitney Hancock, and Corey Frey for a conversation about the art of building authentic…
Nov 18, 2025 · 56:34
In this inter-seasonal episode, Stephen Roach is joined by returning guests Paul Anleitner and John Mark McMillan for a discussion of Guillermo del Toro’s new Frankenstein…
Sep 23, 2025 · 53:35
In this season finale, Stephen Roach closes out our exploration of creative flow with a rich conversation with several artists from the Makers & Mystics Patreon community.…
Aug 21, 2025 · 34:03
Behind the curtain of cinema lies a hidden language, spoken not in words, but in sound. In this episode of Makers and Mystics, Stephen Roach interviews Foley artist Ronnie Van…
Aug 12, 2025 · 10:16
What can the life of a bizarre fifth-century monk teach us about prayer, attention, and the way we live in the modern world? Simeon Stylites was a fifth-century Syrian Christian…
Aug 5, 2025 · 38:06
Amy Leigh Wicks is a poet, actress, and educator from New York City. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand and an MFA from The…
Jul 22, 2025 · 33:10
As artists, we live our lives between worlds, the one in which we imagine and the one in which we must survive. But what do we do when the life we imagine and the life we live…
Jul 15, 2025 · 27:22
“How do we hold both urgency and intimacy in our creative practices? How can an artist become a vessel of divine presence — not only in churches, but on club stages, in studios,…
Jul 8, 2025 · 45:30
How does imagination shape not only our art but our spiritual formation? And what does it mean to hold space for play, growth, and even disappointment within our creative…
Jul 1, 2025 · 32:41
In this concluding segment of our Artist Roundtable, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Donna Matthews continue their conversation on ecstatic experiences, flow states, and the…
Jun 23, 2025 · 28:58
In this Artist Roundtable, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Donna Matthews explore the concept of flow states, ecstatic experiences, and their intersections with art and faith.…
Jun 10, 2025 · 34:40
Overfamiliarization can blind us from recognizing the beauty and power of certain truths. When we think we have heard the story before or believe we already know what a…
Jun 3, 2025 · 31:02
Elizabeth Bowman is a self-taught impressionist painter based in Charlotte, NC. Her work is steeped in imaginative renderings of biblical stories and visual meditations on the…
May 28, 2025 · 33:34
Barbara Hannigan is a world-renowned conductor, soprano, and performer whose work pushes the boundaries of classical and contemporary music. Known for her fearless…
May 20, 2025 · 11:25
In this episode, Stephen Roach explores creative flow as a generative, life-giving way of being. He highlights the need for trust in the process and the vulnerability that comes…
May 6, 2025 · 28:26
I would imagine most of us think of inspiration as a sudden flash of insight that hits us out of nowhere and compels us create. It’s not something we control. The wind blows…
Apr 28, 2025 · 31:50
Leah Song is a storyteller, song-catcher, musician, poet, and community builder. She’s best known as the front-woman of the beloved band Rising Appalachia , which she leads…
Apr 22, 2025 · 11:59
Flow begins with attentiveness. In this episode, Stephen Roach shares how tuning the room became a creative and spiritual practice. Welcome to Season 15 of Makers & Mystics . In…
Apr 17, 2025 · 3:18
Have you experienced those moments when the grind gives way to an effortless grace? When a poem or painting tells you what it wants to become, or when a melody sings itself into…
Mar 17, 2025 · 45:16
In this final conversation of our BC25 introductions, Stephen Roach, Corey Frey, and Dr. Marie Teilhard discuss the complexities of art that challenge conventional boundaries.…
Mar 11, 2025 · 22:38
Amanda Cook is a writer/musician/lover of books whose music explores the intersections of faith/doubt, love/loss, hope/despair, and fun/notfun. In this episode, Amanda talks with…
Mar 3, 2025 · 31:19
What role does contemplative prayer have in healing the fractures of our modern culture and those of our own fragmented lives? And how can our spiritual and creative practices…
Feb 25, 2025 · 38:51
Kendra Adachi is the New York Times bestselling author of The Lazy Genius Way, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, and The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like A Lazy Genius. As an expert in…
Feb 18, 2025 · 32:49
"Technology does a really good job of floating us past all of these inconvenient blessings." - John Mark McMillan Today on the show, singer-songwriter John Mark Mcmillan joins me…
Feb 12, 2025 · 53:17
This episode offers a preview of the types of panels we'll be hosting at The Breath and The Clay 2025. It includes a live conversation with Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter…
Feb 4, 2025 · 29:28
In this series of conversations, Makers and Mystics will highlight several of the presenters and themes for the BC25 creative arts gathering, March 21-23, in Winston Salem, NC.…
Jan 28, 2025 · 14:31
In the season 14 finale of Makers and Mystics , Stephen Roach reflects on the theme of reclaiming wonder . Drawing from personal stories, spiritual insights, and the wisdom…
Jan 16, 2025 · 56:15
Myths and storytelling have been a part of human culture since ancient times. From the oral traditions of indigenous peoples to the epic tales of gods and heroes, stories have…
Jan 8, 2025 · 34:04
The new year is a time of reflecting, looking back over the lengths I’ve come, evaluating what has transpired in my life and in my inner life, and then looking ahead, seeking…
Dec 31, 2024 · 29:30
Wesley Vander Lugt is a pastor, theologian, writer, and arts advocate. He teaches theology and directs the Leighton Ford Center for Theology, the Arts and Gospel Witness at…
Dec 17, 2024 · 2:40
The Breath and The Clay is returning to Winston Salem, NC!! Join us March 21-23rd, 2025, for our annual creative arts gathering! This event will feature musical performances, an…
Dec 3, 2024 · 34:47
Rob Bell is the New York Times Best-Selling author of fourteen books and plays, which have been translated into 25 languages. His visual art can be seen on Instagram…
Nov 26, 2024 · 38:30
Katherine May is an internationally renowned writer, podcaster and speaker whose work touches on nature, spirituality, slow living and neurodivergence. Her hybrid memoir…
Nov 19, 2024 · 33:09
The question of when it is time to let go of a dream haunts most creatives at one time or another. Living out our sense of fidelity to a creative vision shifts and changes over…
Nov 12, 2024 · 31:35
Makers and Mystics has teamed up with New Zealand's Sunday Sanctuary Podcast for a special collaborative episode. For the November 10th episode of Sunday Sanctuary, Stephen Roach…
Nov 5, 2024 · 34:04
For many people, and perhaps even for some of our listeners, the Bible elicits a very different response from one person to another. For some, it is a source of comfort and…
Oct 30, 2024 · 41:36
Lacey Sturm is a Grammy-nominated queen of hard rock who secured a place in rock history as the first solo woman to top the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart with her debut album…
Oct 23, 2024 · 35:19
Russ Ramsey is an author and pastor with a passion for uniting art and faith. He has been in vocational ministry for more than twenty years and currently serves as the lead…
Oct 15, 2024 · 34:49
Nick Leng is a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and producer known for his abstract blend of electronica, classical piano and ambient soundscapes.…
Oct 9, 2024 · 33:26
Edward Knippers is a visual artist whose large-scale body of work spans 50 years of practice and explores various genres, including figurative, expressionism, abstraction, and…
Oct 3, 2024 · 23:45
Melbourne-based visual artist and electronic musician Mike Lane creates under the name Chalom, a name spoken to him in a dream. His practice consists of visually expressing…
Sep 25, 2024 · 17:02
In this episode, podcast host Stephen Roach takes listeners on a journey into the world of ecstatic poetry. Drawing from the wisdom of Trappist Monk, Thomas Merton and…
Sep 18, 2024 · 29:28
Our voice is one of the most uniquely defining qualities of our person. For artists and writers, finding our voice is a foundational and often painstaking process of search and…
Sep 11, 2024 · 29:06
Stephanie J. Spencer is a visual artist, author, nature-lover and an Enneagram coach who is not afraid of hard questions. She loves moving towards the struggles of the human…
Sep 4, 2024 · 30:36
When we think of wonder or beauty, we might be inclined to think in terms of an external appearance, a scene of nature or an attractive person. But what if wonder is something…
Aug 29, 2024 · 38:46
Philosopher, Simone Weil said that attentiveness is the heart of prayer. In this episode, we discuss postures of attentiveness as gateways to wonder. Guests: Dr. Mary McCampbell…
Aug 21, 2024 · 34:21
Cleo Rinkwest is a South-African actor who has worked with the likes of Samuel L Jackson, The Walking Dead's Callan McCauliff, and Game of Thrones, Charlotte Hope. Through her…
Aug 13, 2024 · 33:51
One of the more powerful aspects of visual art, is when a single image encapsulates an entire narrative, or when viewing a painting or illustration, the viewer’s imagination is…
Aug 7, 2024 · 44:11
Donna Matthews is a musician and creative artist. In the 1990’s she played lead guitar in Elastica and lo-fi, DIY band Klang, and in subsequent years devised and facilitated…
Aug 6, 2024 · 18:28
When we lack wonder, we settle for the evening news. When we lack spectacle, we settle for shock art. When we can’t see the burning bush, we set the dumpster on fire. By this…
Jul 31, 2024 · 13:15
Wonder is all around us. In every moment, in every mundane or grand occasion. The earth and all that is in within it, is an unfolding poem spoken from divine lips in search of an…
Jul 23, 2024 · 3:04
Around the turn of the century, German Sociologist, Max Weber coined the phrase ‘disenchantment’ as a way of describing society’s transition from a mythical or religious…
Jul 16, 2024 · 16:45
In this live talk, recorded at the Audiofeed Festival in Urbana, Illinois, Stephen Roach encourages listeners that the value of a dream is not contingent upon its coming to pass.…
Jul 2, 2024 · 38:45
In this Season Finale round table, founder of Ekstasis magazine, Conor Sweetman and essayist, Yi Ning Chiu discuss expressive individualism, various frameworks of community and…
Jun 27, 2024 · 5:28
If you’re a regular listener to the podcast then you know that we haven’t produced our regular episodes for the past few weeks. And if you follow us on Instagram or get our email…
May 23, 2024 · 30:00
Hospitality is more than the generous treatment of guests or strangers, but is a way of peeling back the layers of separation and getting closer to the heart of a group or…
May 15, 2024 · 33:24
Kimberly Phinney is a professor, counselor, poet and writer. She’s been published in Ekstasis Magazine, Fathom, Humana Obscura, and many other publications. She is the editor and…
Apr 30, 2024 · 34:43
Andi Marie Tillman is an Appalachian comedian, musician, and self-proclaimed “recovering Pentecostal.” Her roots in performance began at the early age of 8 when she sang in…
Apr 24, 2024 · 41:25
What does it mean to be a culture maker in a world of hurt and wondrous possibility? And what does it mean to mend the world, to bring healing and hospitality through our art and…
Apr 18, 2024 · 36:13
Film director Chris White and songwriter Daniel Smith of The Danielson Family have crafted an 8-minute short film/music video titled " Come and Save Me, " a poignant exploration…
Apr 9, 2024 · 33:26
Christen Lien is a multi-disciplinary artist who creates an innovative brand of musical storytelling. She disrupts the classical genre by integrating innovative technology and…
Mar 13, 2024 · 42:10
I recently traveled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania where I participated in the 2024 Square Halo Conference: Return To Narnia: Creativity, Collaboration and Community. As part of the…
Mar 5, 2024 · 34:25
This week's episode is a collaboration with Lisa Smith of the Be. Make. Do. Podcast! We are flipping the mic around for this one and inviting fellow podcaster, Lisa Smith to ask…
Feb 27, 2024 · 47:36
Amanda Held Opelt is an author, speaker, and songwriter. She writes about faith, grief, and creativity, and believes in the power of community, ritual, shared worship, and…
Feb 20, 2024 · 10:47
As we prepare for The Breath & The Clay creative arts gathering, I’m going to be highlighting several of the speakers and performers who’ll be joining us at the event. For…
Feb 13, 2024 · 38:56
Relationships form the heartbeat of community life. The way we interact, the way we understand one another and hold space for the differences between us determines the quality…
Feb 6, 2024 · 37:33
Kaleb Moten is a singer, songwriter, composer, music producer, and musician, dedicated to revealing beauty and meaning, and liberating other artists to do the same. Kaleb has…
Jan 30, 2024 · 18:51
This cultural moment may be one of history’s most interesting times to find home among a community of likeminded people with whom we identify. On the one hand we are more…
Jan 16, 2024 · 3:20
Community is a vital component to our mental, emotional and spiritual health as well as a formative influence on our creative work. Throughout history, artists have gathered…
Dec 19, 2023 · 24:03
In this season finale episode, podcast host, Stephen Roach shares how desire informs our sense of self and how the practice of detachment can help us navigate the journey from a…
Dec 12, 2023 · 46:39
One of the core markers of a person’s identity are the beliefs they hold to be true. A person’s faith becomes a fixed point from which they view and understand the world. But…
Dec 5, 2023 · 44:35
Ours is a fast-paced digital world where technology has become such a personalized part of our daily lives, it’s hard to imagine who we are without it. Social media, augmented…
Nov 21, 2023 · 50:53
How we show up in the world often takes on a wide variety of expressions. Our public and private lives reflect the many roles we play in society and the varying facets of…
Nov 14, 2023 · 43:47
This Artist’s roundtable discussion was recorded live at Loom creative arts event in Spruce Pines, NC. The conversation centers on the importance of building creative community,…
Nov 8, 2023 · 25:10
This year I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several creative arts gatherings including Loom, Hope Words writer’s conference and here recently, the Guild in Raleigh NC.…
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