What happens when recovery doesn’t just save your life—but reshapes your hands, your work, and your legacy?In this powerful episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with Jimmy Garcia, founder of Mean Mug Pistons, a Texas-based creative venture where reclaimed engine pistons are transformed into hand-carved sculptures known as Mean Mugs. What starts as a conversation about art quickly becomes a deeper exploration of sobriety, blue-collar creativity, fatherhood, and the long road back to self-trust.Jimmy’s work is raw, industrial, and unapologetically honest—much like his story. After years of addiction, he found recovery and has now celebrated 15 years of sobriety since August 22, 2009. Instead of leaving his past behind, Jimmy integrated it into his creative process, using discarded materials and hard-earned wisdom to create pieces that speak to resilience, grit, and transformation.

In this episode, Rich and Jimmy explore what it means to rebuild from the inside out—how recovery changes not just your habits, but your relationship to work, identity, and purpose. Jimmy opens up about the realities of long-term sobriety, the responsibility of fatherhood, and the discipline required to keep choosing growth even when no one is watching.They also discuss Jimmy’s journey as an e-book author and mentor, including his book Tenacity: A Blue-Collar Man’s Road to Healing, where he shares lessons learned through addiction, recovery, and reclaiming self-worth. This conversation speaks directly to artists, makers, and creatives who come from nontraditional paths—those who didn’t come up through galleries or academia, but through lived experience.With a massive and dedicated following across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, Jimmy has built a global audience by staying grounded in authenticity. His sculptures ship worldwide, but his message stays personal: healing isn’t clean, creativity isn’t linear, and recovery is an ongoing act of courage.This episode is for:• Artists navigating recovery or sobriety• Creatives from blue-collar or nontraditional backgrounds• Anyone turning pain into purpose• Makers redefining what art “gets to be”• Those learning how to build a meaningful life one honest day at a timeArtist Recovery is about bringing light to the darker corners of the creative process—where struggle, loss, and reinvention live side by side. This conversation with Jimmy Garcia is a testament to what’s possible when you stay the course, honor the work, and keep showing up for yourself.Connect with Jimmy:Youtube: @meanmugpistons6014 Facebook: @meanmugpistonsInstagram: @meanmugpistonsTik Tok: @meanmugpistonsConnect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#JimmyGarciaInterview, #ArtistRecoveryPodcast, #RecoveryAndCreativity, #LongTermSobriety, #AddictionRecoveryJourney, #BlueCollarArtist, #ReclaimedMaterialsArt, #SculpturalStorytelling, #HealingThroughArt, #CreativeResilience, #FatherhoodAndRecovery, #TurningPainIntoPurpose, #SoberArtistJourney, #IndustrialArt, #MeanMugPistons, #richwrightartist #richwrightunlimited #richwrightunltd #richwrightart #metalworker #mechanic #mechaniclife

What happens when a creative spirit grows up surrounded by competition, comparison, and expectations—yet refuses to follow the status quo?In this deeply reflective episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with accomplished author, educator, and resilience advocate Sharon Neiss Arbess for an honest conversation about creativity, perseverance, and the long road to trusting your own voice.Sharon shares her journey growing up in Montreal within a high-pressure, achievement-driven environment—where excelling academically and athletically was the norm, and creativity often lived on the margins. From feeling like she never quite “measured up,” to discovering that not fitting in became her greatest strength, Sharon reveals how early experiences with competition, rejection, and self-doubt quietly shaped her resilience as a writer.

Together, Rich and Sharon explore:• Why rejection becomes easier when you grow up learning how to get back up• How creativity often develops outside traditional education systems• The courage it takes to release your first book after years of self-doubt• Why comparison is the thief of joy—especially for artists and writers• The hidden resilience behind “failed” projects and long creative timelinesSharon opens up about her books—including Me and My So-Called Friends, Get Up, and The Most Amazing Department Store—and how her storytelling centers emotional honesty, youth resilience, and navigating life’s uncomfortable moments with compassion. She also shares how her teacher’s manual Brave the Waves was developed to help middle-school students, parents, and educators build emotional awareness, resilience, and open dialogue around difficult topics.This episode is a powerful reminder that:

~Creativity doesn’t follow a straight line.

~Success doesn’t arrive on a perfect schedule.

~And resilience is built through showing up—again and again—even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.If you’re an artist, writer, educator, or creative who has ever questioned your path, struggled with comparison, or wondered if your voice truly matters—this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.Connect with Sharon:https://sharonneissarbess.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonneissarbessLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-neiss-arbess-99315921FB: https://www.facebook.com/SharonNeissArbessWriterConnect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#SharonNeissArbess #ArtistRecoveryPodcast #CreativeResilience #WritingThroughRejection #AuthorMentalHealth #CreativityAndComparison #WomenAuthorsPodcast #YouthResilience #EmotionalWellbeing #CreativeVoice #PersistenceInArt #CreativeCourage #ArtistMindset #ResilienceThroughFailure #richwrightartist #richwrightunlimited #richwrightunltd #artist #creativeidentity #richwrightart

What does it really mean to rebuild a life through creativity when everything has fallen apart?

In this deeply human episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with Steve Boehm, aka Steve Sxaks—a multi-hyphenate creator whose journey spans punk rock stages, underground hip-hop culture, military service, homelessness, education, and authorship. This is not a highlight reel conversation. It’s a grounded, honest exploration of how identity is forged through adversity, failure, and relentless self-inquiry.

Steve’s story moves through Philadelphia, Houston, Tennessee, and everywhere in between—geographically and emotionally. From growing up drawn to attention and performance, to being shaped by punk ethics and DIY culture, Steve opens up about what it means to learn everything the hard way. No shortcuts. No safety net. Just lived experience as the teacher. As a former touring punk musician turned respected audio engineer, Steve is the co-founder of Marston House Recording, one of Philadelphia’s most influential studios. He is also the creator of Marston House Ciphers, a platform dedicated to preserving authentic underground hip-hop voices. But behind those accomplishments lies a quieter truth—periods of instability, couch surfing, shelters, and rebuilding from the ground up while becoming a husband, father, and mentor.

This episode dives into:


• Growing up between chaos and creativity


• Punk rock as philosophy, not fashion


• Learning through failure—and why Steve lets his students fail on purpose


• Integrity in music, education, and collaboration


• Teaching young artists how to earn trust, not just credits


• Navigating homelessness, grief, and responsibility


• Why creativity often chooses us before we’re ready

Steve also reflects on his role as an educator and nonprofit leader, sharing how his own unteachable tendencies shaped the way he mentors emerging creatives today. His approach is simple but radical: experience it, own it, fix it, and never repeat it.

Beyond music, Steve is also a published author. His debut novel, Invasion of the Punk rockers Who Drink Blood, blends rebellion, horror, and coming-of-age themes—mirroring the same raw energy that defines his life and work.This conversation isn’t about success in the traditional sense. It’s about integrity, resilience, and what it takes to stay creative when life keeps testing you. If you’ve ever felt like you had to figure everything out on your own—or questioned whether your past disqualifies you from a meaningful future—this episode will meet you where you are.

🎧 Listen if you’re an artist, musician, educator, creative, or anyone rebuilding their life from the inside out.

Connect with Steve Sxaks:

Website: https://letsgoguy.com

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/steve_sxaks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@stevesxaks⁩

Connect w / Rich:

Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠

LinkedIn: @richwrightunltd

Instagram: @richwrightunltd

FB: @theartrec

Instagram: @theartrec

Artist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#SteveSxaksInterview, #ArtistRecoveryPodcast, #PunkRockPhilosophy, #UndergroundHipHopCulture, #MarstonHouseRecording, #MusicIndustryIntegrity, #CreativeResilience, #RebuildingThroughArt, #HomelessnessAndCreativity, #PunkRockMindset, #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited #podmatchguest #AudioEngineerJourney, #TeachingThroughFailure, #veteran #militarylife #militarymentalhealth #MusicEducationMentorship, #DIYMusicCulture, #ArtistIdentityRecovery, #CreativeSurvivalStories, #VeteranArtist, #FatherhoodAndCreativity, #IndependentMusicPodcast, #AuthenticStorytelling ⁨@PodMatch_com⁩

What happens when your body doesn’t fit the mold—but your truth can’t be denied?In this deeply human and expansive conversation, Rich Wright sits down with Alexandra Beller—award-winning choreographer, educator, and former principal dancer with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company—to explore what it truly means to live, create, and lead from the body when the world keeps asking you to conform.Alexandra’s story is not one of neat triumph or easy confidence. It’s a story of contradiction—of being celebrated and unseen, powerful and insecure, grounded and exposed—all at the same time. From growing up as a highly sensitive, imaginative only child in New York, to navigating elite dance institutions that didn’t know how to see her, Alexandra shares what it took to stay connected to her embodied truth when external validation failed.This episode dives into:~What it means to belong to your body before the world approves of it~How artistic feedback can create lifelong wounds—and how to survive them~The pressure placed on artists to become symbols, role models, or “exceptions”~Why confidence is often a projection—and contradiction is the real source of power~Neurodivergence, intuition, and pattern recognition as creative intelligence~Letting go of external legitimacy (institutions, titles, citations) to reclaim authorship~The difference between success that looks impressive and work that feels true~How dance, grief, joy, shame, and magic can all coexist in one bodyAlexandra speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, body politics in dance, and the quiet violence of being forced into narratives that erase complexity. She challenges the idea that healing, success, or confidence must be linear—and offers a more embodied, compassionate way of understanding creative resilience.This is a conversation for:Artists who’ve been told they “don’t fit”Highly sensitive creatives navigating systems not built for themDancers, writers, educators, and performers questioning external validationAnyone learning to hold grief and gratitude, failure and pride, fear and wonder—at onceThis episode isn’t about overcoming yourself.It’s about coming home to yourself.Connect with Alexandra:https://www.alexandrabellerdances.orgInsta: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrabellerdancesLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-beller-0a56a57FB: https://www.facebook.com/alexandrabellerdancesConnect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#AlexandraBellerInterview, #ArtistRecoveryPodcast, #BodyImageInDance, #ImposterSyndromeArtists, #HighlySensitiveCreatives, #NeurodivergentArtists, #EmbodiedIntelligence, #SomaticCreativity, #CreativeResilience, #ArtisticIdentity, #BreakingTheMoldInArt, #DanceIndustryPressure, #BodyPoliticsInDance, #ArtistsAndShame, #ConfidenceMyth, #CreativeAuthenticity, #EmotionalTruthInArt, #FeedbackTraumaArtists, #WomenChoreographers, #HealingThroughMovement, #ContradictionInCreativity, #IntuitiveIntelligence, #ArtistsMentalHealth, #NonconformingBodies, #CreativeBelonging, #ResilienceInTheArts, #ArtisticVulnerability, #RejectionAndCreativity, #RedefiningSuccessInArt #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited #podmatchguest @PodMatch_com ​

What happens when hard rock meets stillness?When power, rhythm, and spiritual inquiry collide?In this deeply intimate episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with Clementine Moss—founding drummer of the all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band Zeparella, author of From Bonham to Buddha and Back, and a multidisciplinary artist whose life bridges rock performance and spiritual practice.Clementine’s story is not about overnight success or tidy transformation. It’s about late beginnings, internal listening, and the courage to follow truth—even when it contradicts expectation.Born in Southern California and raised in a household filled with music but not musicianship, Clementine didn’t discover the drums until her late twenties. What followed wasn’t just a musical awakening, but a complete reorientation of identity. Drumming became her language—one rooted in time, structure, mathematics, and intuition—while writing and meditation remained her compass.In this conversation, Clementine reflects on:• Growing up as an achiever and seeker in parallel• How silence, reading, and writing shaped her inner world• The tension between spirituality and rock culture—and why they’re not opposites• Discovering meditation alongside music, including a life-altering 10-day silent retreat• Why the drummer’s role mirrors her deepest values: support, unity, and presence• Learning to stand at the front of the stage after years of anchoring from behind the kit• How cities like New York offered freedom through anonymity rather than judgment• Why creativity isn’t about being seen—but about being trueThis episode explores creative identity, late bloomers, artistic recovery, female musicianship, and what it means to live a soul-aligned creative life without fragmentation.Clementine’s voice is grounded, reflective, and honest—offering insight not just for musicians, but for anyone navigating reinvention, recovery, or the quiet knowing that there’s more waiting on the other side of fear.This is not a performance.It’s a remembering.Timeline:00:00 – Meeting Clementine Moss04:10 – Childhood, reading, and early sensitivity11:30 – Achievement, identity, and internal pressure19:40 – Spiritual curiosity before religion28:15 – Junior high, depression, and self-attack36:00 – Writing as survival and self-expression44:20 – New York City & creative freedom52:10 – Discovering drums later in life1:01:30 – Seeing rhythm as blocks of time1:12:00 – From silence to stage1:23:40 – Spiritual practice meets rock performance1:34:10 – Why drumming feels like home1:46:00 – Unity, presence, and what music is really forConnect with Clementine:https://www.clementinemoss.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clementinemossmusicFB: https://www.facebook.com/ClementineMossMusicYT: https://www.youtube.com/@ClementineMossMusic Connect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#Clementine Moss #Zeparelladrummer #femaledrummer #podcast #artistrecoverypodcast #artistrecovery #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited #podmatchguest #musicandspirituality #latebloomer #artist, #womeninrock #drummingandmeditation #creativeidentity , #spiritualawakening #artist, #recoveryandcreativity #rockmusic #healing @PodMatch_com mindfulness and music, artistic reinvention

In this deeply human and unfiltered conversation, Rich Wright sits down with bestselling author, muralist, and creative entrepreneur Alli Koch for one of the most honest Artist Recovery Podcast episodes to date.Known for her iconic black-and-white florals, large-scale murals, and over 18 bestselling art books, Alli’s external success tells only part of the story. What unfolds here is a raw exploration of perfectionism, people-pleasing, faith, identity, and the quiet pressure creatives carry long before the world sees the work.Alli opens up about growing up in the church, navigating judgment and conformity, and how those early environments shaped her deep desire to be “good,” “liked,” and “accepted.” She reflects on being a teacher’s pet, an adapter, and an old soul—roles that earned praise early on but later fueled burnout, self-doubt, and creative paralysis.Together, Rich and Alli unpack:• How people-pleasing becomes both a survival skill and a creative prison• The hidden cost of perfectionism in art and business• Dyslexia, self-trust, and learning to ask for help without shame• Why “art as a hobby” nearly stopped her from building a career• The leap from weddings and calligraphy to large-scale murals• Building a business that allowed her to retire her husband from corporate life• The tension between commercial success and the longing to create “just for yourself”• Redefining success, freedom, and autonomy on your own termsChapter Markers: 00:00 – The pressure of being “good” early06:40 – Teacher’s pet, perfectionism, and approval15:40 – Church, judgment, and learning to suppress self26:30 – Dyslexia, asking for help, and hidden shame45:30 – People-pleasing as survival51:30 – Commercial art vs. creative freedom1:05:00 – Art as a “real” career1:13:00 – The first mural that changed everything1:18:00 – Redefining success and autonomyThis episode isn’t about overnight wins or viral moments. It’s about the slow internal shifts that allow artists to reclaim their voice, their boundaries, and their creative agency—without burning everything down.If you’ve ever:– Felt trapped by expectations– Struggled to separate your worth from your output– Been praised for being “easy” or “reliable” at the cost of yourself– Wondered if it’s too late to pivot creativelyThis conversation will land exactly where it needs to.Connect with Alli:https://allikdesign.comInsta: https://www.instagram.com/allikdesignYoutube: @allikdesign5090Alli's Latest Book: https://a.co/d/1KPrrKQConnect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings:⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#peoplepleasingcreatives #perfectionisminart #artistrecoverypodcast #creativeburnout #faithandcreativity #dyslexiaandcreativity #creativeentrepreneur #muralartist #artcareer #creativeidentity #artistselfworth #sustainableart #creativeboundaries #allikdesign #allibooks #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited #allikoch #allikmurals #allikochtexas #allikhowtodraw

Some artists are born knowing exactly who they are — and then spend a lifetime being told not to trust it.In this deeply honest and soul-forward episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with bestselling mystery author and writing coach Liz Mugavero (also known as Cate Conte) for a conversation that moves far beyond publishing credits and into the raw terrain of identity, faith, trauma, and creative survival.Liz is the author of multiple successful mystery series published by Kensington Books and St. Martin’s Press, including the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, Cat Café Mysteries, and Full Moon Mysteries. But behind the accolades is a story shaped by silence, religious control, codependency, emotional abuse, and the quiet resilience it takes to keep creating anyway. Raised in a strict Catholic environment that never quite aligned with her intuitive truth, Liz knew early on that something didn’t add up. Books became refuge. Writing became instinct. And storytelling — inspired in part by her grandfather, a former detective — became both a calling and a way out.

In this episode, Liz opens up about:

~Growing up deeply creative in an environment that discouraged questioning

~The subtle, often invisible realities of emotional and psychological abuse

~How codependency can quietly derail creativity~Losing — and then reclaiming — her artistic voice

~Writing her first novel as a graduate thesis while navigating a collapsing marriage

~Discovering The Artist’s Way and recognizing creativity as a spiritual recovery

~Why real-life experiences (funeral homes, animal shelters, journalism) fuel authentic fiction

~The courage it takes to trust your voice when no one else does

Together, Rich and Liz explore the intersection of creativity and survival, unpacking how artists often learn to self-abandon before they learn to self-express — and how recovery doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it starts with a quiet realization: I can’t live like this anymore.

This conversation is for writers, artists, and creatives who:

~Grew up feeling misunderstood or spiritually disconnected

~Have been told to “be realistic” about their dreams

~Have lost momentum due to relationships, fear, or control

~Are rebuilding trust in their own intuition

~Believe creativity isn’t just a career — it’s a lifeline

Liz’s story is a reminder that recovery isn’t about becoming someone new.
It’s about remembering who you were before the world told you to be smaller.

Connect with Liz:

https://cateconte.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizmugavero

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.liz.mugavero

Substack: https://lizmugavero.substack.com

Connect w / Rich:

Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠

LinkedIn: @richwrightunltd

Instagram: @richwrightunltd

FB: @theartrec

Instagram: @theartrec

Artist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings:

⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#creativeRecovery, #writingThroughTrauma, #emotionalAbuseSurvivor, #codependencyHealing, #artistIdentity, #spiritualCreativity, #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited #recoveringCatholic, #womenWriters, #mysteryAuthor, #creativityAndHealing, #reclaimYourVoice, #artistResilience, #writingAsHealing, #creativeIntuition, #traumaInformed, #artistrecoverypodcast , #TheArtistsWay, #storytelling #podmatchguest ⁨@PodMatch_com⁩

Some stories don’t start with a spotlight. They start with being forgotten.

In this deeply honest episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with musician, author, National Guard service member, and mental health advocate Tony Kessel for a raw conversation about identity, abandonment, creativity, and healing. Tony’s story begins in rural North Dakota — adopted late, moved through foster care, raised in small towns where everyone knew your name but few truly knew you. As a child, Tony learned early what it feels like to be overlooked… and how performance, music, and creativity became a lifeline for being seen.

CHAPTERS / KEY MOMENTS

00:00 – Introduction & honoring service

03:00 – Adoption, foster care, and early identity wounds

10:30 – Being “the forgotten kid” & acting out for attention

18:00 – Water, movement, and emotional escape

27:00 – Discipline, structure, and survival

35:00 – Music as healing language

45:00 – Creativity as recovery, not performance

This episode explores:

Growing up adopted and navigating foster care at a young age

The emotional weight of feeling rejected — even when love is present

How music became both refuge and voice

The connection between creativity, trauma, and emotional survival

Discipline, structure, and service through the National Guard

Why healing isn’t linear — and why art often tells the truth before we can

Tony is the author of It’s All in the Lyrics: How Music Helped Me Heal and Find My Voice, a memoir that blends lived experience with the power of music as emotional language. He’s also a multidisciplinary creative working in music production, design, photography, and advocacy — using his story to help others feel less alone in theirs.This conversation isn’t about “overcoming” trauma in a clean, inspirational arc.It’s about living with it, listening to it, and letting creativity translate what words can’t.If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong — in your family, your town, your body, or your own mind — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen. Reflect. Heal. Create.

CONNECT WITH TONY:

Website: https://dualistmedia.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dualistmedia

FB: https://www.facebook.com/dualistmedia

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dualist.media

X: https://x.com/DualistMedia

Connect w / Rich:

Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠

LinkedIn: @richwrightunltd

Instagram: @richwrightunltd

FB: @theartrec

Instagram: @theartrec

Artist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings:⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#adoptiontrauma, #fostercareexperience, #childhoodabandonment, #healingthroughmusic, #musicastherapy, #creativityandtrauma, #artistrecovery, #emotionalhealingjourney, #findingyourvoice, #identitywounds, #feelingunwanted, #belongingandidentity, #innerchildhealing, #emotionalresilience, #traumarecoverystory, #mentalhealthawareness, #menandvulnerability, #emotionalhonesty, #breakingtraumacycles, #creativesurvival, #artashealing, #songwritingastherapy, #musicandmentalhealth, #recoverythroughcreativity, #personaltransformationstory, #disciplineandhealing, #nationalguardservice, #militarymentalhealth, #structuresaveslives, #healingisntlinear, #rawpodcastconversation, #reallifehealingstories, #creativeidentity, #purposethroughpain, #resiliencethroughart, #storytellingforhealing, #traumainformedconversation #podmatchguest #podmatch ⁨@PodMatch_com⁩ #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited