Marcos Lutyens draws upon his expertise and curiosity in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, artificial and animal intelligence, ecological systems, bacterial interaction, and many kinds of indigenous knowledges to create art. As he says, “art needs to be in the world and of the world”. His artistic practice also targets the psychic and emotional well-being of audiences by inviting participants into meditative and hypnotic experiences that affect the deepest levels of their psyche. His works take form in installations, sculptures, drawings, short films, writings and performances and have been shown at a dizzying list of locations, including the Miró Foundation, the Frye Museum, the Guggenheim, MoMA, LACMA, the Royal Academy of Arts, the National Art Museum of China, the Pompidou in Paris, as well as biennales in Liverpool, Istanbul, Havana, and Venice.

In this episode, recorded in May 2020, Marcos reads from ‘Mount Analogue’ by René Daumal.

Casey Schreiner is the founder of the most popular hiking blog in the western United States, Modern Hiker, visited by more than a million people every month. He’s written three books. His second, ‘Discovering Griffith Park’ condenses years of meticulous research into a pocket-sized guidebook for the largest urban parkland in the United States. In 2018 he received a Certificate of Appreciation from the US Congress for connecting communities to outdoor spaces around Los Angeles. Casey is a seasoned TV writer and producer, and when Good Morning America, NPR, REI or the Associated Press need an expert on hiking and the great outdoors, Casey is who they turn to.

In this episode, recorded in May 2020, Casey reads ‘Fuck The Bread. The Bread is Over’ by Sabrina Orah Mark.

The artist mallewi is an autodidact, multidisciplinary artist from Baltimore, now based in Los Angeles. From a young age, mallewi used creativity to transform limited resources into boundless expression. At just 12 years old, the City of Baltimore commissioned mallewi and a few local artists to create a ceramic mural of Billie Holiday for the grand opening of the Eubie Blake Cultural Center. This early achievement was a precursor to a lifelong journey of artistic exploration. In high school, mallewi earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma with a concentration in visual arts. Ever resourceful, teenage mallewi sold handmade art pieces in their neighborhood to purchase a tape recorder, which became a pivotal tool for self-taught musical training. This diligence laid the foundation for mallewi's music career, where art became both a form of personal healing and a medium to connect with others. Poetry was mallewi’s initial outlet during challenging times, which evolved into songwriting, singing, and eventually music production. In 2019, mallewi released their first EP, THE GARDEN, a folk-soul exploration of personal growth. The following year, mallewi released RETINA, an alternative project that peaked at #21 on iTunes’ Top 25 alternative album summer releases. Their upcoming project, APOLLO, set to debut in 2025, will blend neo-soul, pop, and R&B, diving into themes of love, loss, sexuality, existentialism, and renewal. Through their work, mallewi fosters connection and reassurance, crafting songs that offer solace and remind listeners that they are understood, safe, and resilient—even during life’s toughest moments.

In this episode, recorded in June 2020, mallewi reads ‘For My People’ by Margaret Walker, as part of a special Black Lives Matter lineup curated by Meredith Lancaster.

Dr Ehssan Sakhaee is an educator, engineer, cartoonist, author, philosopher and poet. Ehssan is passionate about cultivating the next generation of leaders to build a happier and more sustainable tomorrow. He teaches leadership and project management, uploads dance videos to YouTube, and interviews thought leaders across the world to educate his students and a broader public audience. He holds a swag of qualifications including positive psychology coaching, higher education, telecommunications engineering, and social entrepreneurship, and is described by students as a pure delight and infinitely approachable. In his hometown of Sydney, Ehssan founded the art project Street Poet with an ambitious ten-year vision to eradicate homelessness.

In this episode, recorded in August 2020, Ehssan reads ‘The Alchemy of Love’ and ‘Chickpea to Cook’ by Rumi

Meredith Lancaster, MA, MLIS, (she/her) is the Curator at the Compton Art & History Museum, where she combines her expertise and passion to celebrate Compton’s rich history and artistic heritage. With over a decade of experience as an art historian and art curator, Meredith has organized exhibitions for institutions such as the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Gallery Michael, Woman Made Gallery, and MW Galleries. By prioritizing inclusivity and community collaboration, she has helped establish the Compton Museum as an essential hub for cultural enrichment. Meredith is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and challenging traditional narratives through innovative programming. A natural storyteller, she brings a keen eye for emerging talent, a passion for mentorship, and a deep belief in the transformative power of art. Her work at the Compton Museum focuses on creating immersive experiences that foster curiosity, dialogue, reflection, and a deeper appreciation for Compton’s dynamic artistic and cultural landscape.

In this episode, recorded in November 2020, Meredith Lancaster reads from ‘The Cure at Troy’ by Seamus Heaney.

Josh Shayne loves dachshunds, bubble tea, and backyard swimming pools. His company, Good Worker, produces original story-driven content, including a superb web series, ‘Storylines’, in which comedians tell travel stories illustrated in animation and sound design. It’s brilliant, and when released during pandemic lockdown it proved to be a welcome substitute for all the travel that wasn’t possible. With his wife Robin, Josh founded Creative Neighbors - a monthly meetup in Los Angeles where creatives drink beer and enthuse about creativity, down by the LA River at Frogtown Brewery.

In this episode, recorded in September 2020, Josh reads ‘Frog and Toad Tentatively Go Outside After Months in Self-Quarantine’ by Jennie Egerdie.

Dr Sara Spike (she/her) is a cultural historian of rural communities and coastal environments in Atlantic Canada. She is an instructor in the History Department at Dalhousie University and a member of the Executive Committee of NiCHE (the Network in Canadian History & Environment). She lives in rural Nova Scotia, part of Mi'kma'ki , the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq. Her research uses a range of unconventional perspectives to explore the historical worlds of rural Canadians, illuminating and recuperating overlooked aspects of rural culture and knowledge. She is currently writing a book about the history of fog in Atlantic Canada, which explores how the perpetual presence of fog has shaped life and culture in this coastal region, offering a new entry point into histories of science, settler colonialism, seafaring, and daily life.

In this episode, recorded in June 2021 and guest curated by the Network in Canadian History & Environment | Nouvelle initiative Canadienne en histoire de l'environnement, Sara reads from ‘The Closing Down of Summer’ by Alistair MacLeod.

Jessica is a writer, editor and permaculturist from Sydney who sees book manuscripts as complex ecologies and brings a holistic, permaculturalist perspective to all she does, including editing, community gardening, sustainability, and human rights. She has edited books that won accolades such as the Prime Minister's Prize, Premier's Literary Awards, The Age Book of the Year and many others. She spent the pandemic in her element, baking, cooking, saving and raising seed, and (remotely) helping communities transition to more holistic ways.

In this episode, recorded in November 2020, Jessica reads ‘We Were Made for These Times’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.