In this reflective episode, Peter explores how music accompanies a life, like a faithful guide that helps us locate our own 'whereness' in the world. Framed as three epochs of listening, he traces early careful listening in a Greek household, the soundtrack of his working years alongside youth culture, and the ease and grace that arrive with familiar pieces that feel like old friends.

Along the way he invokes Orpheus and Eurydice, shares a living-room canon that ranges from Herbie Hancock and Aretha Franklin to Björk, Eric B. and Rakim, and Mozart, and offers a simple idea that lingers: to live a life is to compose a song and play it.

The mystery is not solved so much as honored, a reminder that music can teach, console, and carry us forward. As Churchill once said, perhaps this is not the end, but the end of the beginning.

Thank you to David Zenoff.

Share your thoughts or questions with Peter at peterc.carpou@gmail.com

Welcome back to Intentional Expressions. In this tenth episode, “WHERE I OFTEN WENT…,” host Peter Carpou reflects on the idea of the circuit - not simply as a path, but as a lived and felt return to what holds meaning. Like past conversations on rhythm, memory, and movement, this episode dwells in the spaces we revisit - people, places, thoughts - and considers how those loops form the architecture of our lives.

Whether across a day or a lifetime, Peter invites us to notice the resonance of these returns, the kinship of experience, and the quiet gravity of completing the circuit.

On this episode of the Intentional Expressions Podcast, Peter reflects on a truth learned through decades of working alongside people from all walks of life: you can’t do it alone. Whether you’re building an arts program, navigating hardship, or discovering your voice- what makes the difference is the support that surrounds you, and the spirit in which it’s offered.

Helping someone express themselves through art isn’t just a technique – it’s a quiet kind of victory. One that can ripple through a life in unexpected and lasting ways.

In this episode of the Intentional Expressions podcast, Peter continues the story of the Larkin Street Youth Center’s mosaic mural legacy, tracing what happened after the Powell Street Station project. What followed was a bold and ambitious plan: to extend mosaic pavement murals along Mission Street at various public transportation stops.

Created in collaboration with Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center and World Walls for Peace, these works were conceived as vibrant reflections of cultural identity, community resilience, and youth empowerment.

In this episode, Peter reflects on the twelve-year journey of a mosaic mural project that began with the Larkin Street Youth Center and grew into one of San Francisco’s most enduring public artworks. Through the hands of young people navigating homelessness, instability, and deep transition, art became both refuge and expression.

With 96 mosaic panels installed in Powell Street Station and additional works throughout the city, this is a story of public art born from collaboration, resilience, and a profound sense of place. Peter shares the process behind the work—how the murals were built, who contributed, and what it meant to build something permanent in a world that often felt anything but.

Hello everyone and welcome to the Intentional Expressions Podcast with host Peter Carpou, helping you rethink, create, and empower through the social impact of artistic expression.

In this episode, Peter begins with a poem and explores the transformative role of art and craft in the lives of youth who have faced profound hardship. Many young people navigate histories of abuse, neglect, addiction, and homelessness—often making the impossible choice between staying in dangerous environments or stepping into the unknown without a support system.

The trauma of isolation, compounded by exploitation and the absence of family or community, leaves them drifting in a space of uncertainty. Through creative expression, however, there is a path toward healing and self-discovery. Peter reflects on the ways in which art can provide stability, a voice, and even a sense of belonging for those who have been left to navigate crisis alone.

In this heartfelt episode of Intentional Expressions, hosted by Peter Carpou, listeners are invited to explore the poignant journeys of young people as they leave home in search of a better life. These courageous youths navigate the unknown, often facing challenges and dangers on their path to self-discovery and independence.

The episode shares stories of remarkable courage, resilience, and the real-life interventions that pave the way for brighter futures. Through the lens of art, Peter outlines the transformative power it holds for these young travelers. From coming out of isolation to engaging in creative outlets, art is portrayed as a meaningful way for youths to find solace and expression amidst their turbulent lives.

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Intentional Expressions Podcast with Host Peter Carpou, helping you rethink, create, and empower through the social impact of artistic expression.

In this episode, Peter delves into William James’ essay The Moral Equivalent of War and its relevance to working with underserved populations as an artist. He reflects on how James’ call to channel the discipline and purpose of war into constructive social efforts parallels the transformative role art can play in building resilience, fostering connection, and creating meaning in marginalized communities. Peter also shares personal stories and insights about using art as a tool for empowerment and social change.