The Lisa Congdon Sessions

Episode finale! Yep, I'm quitting podcasting after two truly wonderful years. I’ve been on a systematic mission to examine and quit everything in my life/work that feels finished or too time consuming or draining or one-sided or obligatory or without purpose or joy. I have not felt as happy, “balanced” (if such a thing exists) and such a sense of spaciousness in nearly 20 years. I’ve begun to think of this as “loud quitting” — intentional, communicated, assertive (as opposed to passive), and unapologetic. So, to be clear, this not necessarily the opposite of “quiet quitting,” which is about not going above and beyond in the workplace (which I also support) — just simply my way of overtly claiming and taking control over my time in a way I haven’t in my entire life. In this episode I talk about all of this and more. If you are someone who feels overwhelmed, I hope you find it helpful. And thank you to everyone who has listened to my podcast over the past two years! I appreciate you! -Lisa

In this episode friendship teacher and thought leader, Kat Vellos, and I talk the side of friendship that we don’t talk about enough: setting and maintaining boundaries, having hard conversations and even ending friendships. Kat Vellos is the author of The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships and leads conversations about friendship for businesses and organizations.

Ruth Chan is an acclaimed children’s book illustrator and author and, more recently, she has become known for her comics for adults which she shares regularly on her Instagram feed. Ruth’s first graphic memoir will be released next year – and her personal work (which takes shape mostly in her comics and upcoming graphic memoir) perfectly mix deep vulnerability and humor. Our conversation revolves around our mutual love for story telling – and how story telling can heal, educate and connect us to others.

Charlotte Burgess-Auburn. Charlotte, artist, design-thinker and director at the d.school at Stanford, has just published a book called You Need a Manifesto. The guiding principles in the book are a powerful revelation in a society that does not generally teach us to use things like convictions, values or principles to guide our life choices. Charlotte tells us how to craft a personal manifesto that will help us face daily decisions, and create more purpose in our lives and work.

This episode features professional cyclist, Serena Bishop Gordon. Serena didn’t get on a bike till she was 30 years old, and, now at nearly 44 years old, she is an elite cyclist at an age when most women have long been retired. She’s is one of the wisest people I know. We talk about managing the ego – not comparing ourselves to others, keeping our eyes focused on our own journey, and connecting to the “why” inside our motivations for everything we do in life. Athlete or not, I hope you enjoy this episode!

I am so thrilled to share with you my conversation with Bridget Watson Payne. Bridget is Executive Editor for Art Books at Chronicle Books, and is herself also a writer and artist. Bridget is also my longtime editor at Chronicle. Bridget and I start our conversation by talking about her role as an editor – how she got there, what her job looks like and how she finds new talent. But we center our conversation on the topic of passion – she posits that passion is at the heart of most long term creative endeavors. Writing books requires it, having a creative career requires it, and engaging in months or years long creative projects requires it. We talk about what passion is, the benefits and pitfalls of passion, and what to do when your passion wanes.

Lisa and photographer, artist and animal advocate Sophie Gamand talk about Sophie's journey from instagram fame to quitting social media, hamster wheel to dream projects and overwhelm to living with intention.

Lisa and Jen Hewett talk about Jen's latest book, This Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft, Community and Connection, published by Roost Books late 2021. Through this book, Jen celebrates and honors the diverse contributions of people of color in the craft community and explores the personal, political and creative potential of textile arts and crafts. Jen is one of a few prominent women of color in the fiber arts community and this book is her direct response to the need to highlight diverse voices. The book features interviews, essays and profiles and features a diverse spectrum of race, age, region, cultural identity, education and economic class. In this episode, Lisa and Jen talk about Jen’s journey in the craft community as a woman of color, especially after the racial reckoning of 2020, why this book is important, and how it might be different than what people expect. They also talked about some of the things that Jen learned when she was writing the book, why joy is an important element in the connection between women of color and craft, and... so much more! Enjoy!

In this episode, Lisa Talks with the ever-inspiring and light-filled Rae Senarighi, trans fine artist, designer and muralist, activist, and cancer survivor whose work centers around accurate and celebratory representation of the trans community. They chat about Rae's work and life and what it means to be working toward trans liberation at a time when trans rights across the US and parts of the world are being threatened.

In this episode Lisa talks with her friend, design legend, Debbie Millman -- about her latest book, her award winning podcast Design Matters and radically transforming her life in her fifties.

In this episode Lisa interviews Lindsey Murphy, known to many as "Crazy Aunt Lindsey". She is the award-winning creator + host of The Fab Lab With Crazy Aunt Lindsey, YouTube’s most beloved kids science web series that takes everyday science concepts and turns them into fabulous DIY projects children can do at home with their families. Known for her inspiring, unconventional life path and her accrual of and ability to dispense wisdom, Lindsey is a regular guest on television shows, conference stages, and has been invited to speak at Harvard University and Google Inc. to talk about creative media in science communications, Diversity in STEM, fundraising, entrepreneurship, being brave, having courage, branding and marketing in the digital age. In this episode, we learn more about Lindsey’s incredible life so far with a focus on fear, risk, and experiencing life fully.

In Episode 19 Lisa chats with one of the most important voices on social media today: Courtney Ahn. Courtney – or “Courn” as she is known by her friends and fans – is a Korean American multi-disciplinary designer and illustrator and anti-racist, anti oppression activist and educator. Courn uses her platform and design chops to create beautiful, educational, hard hitting guides and other messaging to speak out about racism, oppression, among other important topics. She is dedicated to dismantling white supremacy and systemic oppression through her design practice. Courn exemplifies the spirit of Gen Z: a passion for change and speaking truth to power.

Lisa answers your questions! In this episode we cover everything from "not caring" what other people think, to the leap from analog to digital art, to social media (the ups and downs), to what to do when you have too many ideas (and get overwhelmed), to career dreams, insecurities, and how I got started in illustration AND MORE. Moderated by Lisa's wife Clay.