The Ugly Podcast

In this episode, I'm joined by Jade Monroe (she/her), a community builder and musical artist, for a special conversation about how creativity can be an avenue to a higher purpose. Today, we chat about how we can all find courage to act through fear by developing trusting connection with ourselves rather than chasing after the shiny things and flashy attention we're taught to want when thinking about putting our art out into the world. What can we find here on the grittier, messier interpersonal side of community when we focus wholeheartedly on reclaiming our power, standing together in solidarity, and creating art that speaks to our souls?Jade is a container of multitudes. By day, she develops food waste reduction policies for a sustainable future. By night, Jade hosts a songwriter club, powerlifts with determination, and shares her soul through music with her ultra-talented bandmates. She has been actively involved in helping organize the local chapter of 50501 Protests and encourages

In this episode, I chat with Meagan Mahaffy, founder of ArtGurl and fellow bad artist. We've both caught the ugly art bug, and yes, it is contagious because people like us have made it our mission to spread it as far and wide as possible. At different points in our lives, we both experienced the deep pit of despair of realizing that the life we chose wasn't the life we wanted, leaving us with a giant question of what on earth we were supposed to do now. Making ugly art allowed our intuition to grow louder each day, slowly unveiling our inner worlds and exposing the self beneath the masks. Together, we also discuss how art can be used as a wellness tool for self-expression, allowing us to take up space in the world and process the emotions and trauma that get buried beneath stagnation and comfort. While doing this work to get in touch with ourselves and heal can be painful (and just might ruin your marriage *ahem*), the end result is you getting to live more fully into who you real