Creativity Unconfined
About the Podcast
Creativity Unconfined brings together leading voices from across the field, and those most impacted by correctional systems for exciting conversations and personal stories about their relationships with the arts and art therapy in prison settings.
The show is hosted by Dave Gussak, PhD, and is produced by FSU art therapy graduate students Malea Burroughs and Sydney Nichols.
Episodes
Episode 1: “Creating a crossroads for those directly and indirectly impacted…”
Dave, along with art therapy graduate assistants and podcast producers Malea Burroughs and Sydney Nichols, discuss the genesis, impetus, development and intended content of the podcast, Creativity Unconfined.
Episode 2: “We negotiated with violence, and bartered with art…”
How do you move forward as a man, as an artist, as a human while holding heavy guilt for a terrible tragedy? Accomplished multi-media artist and activist Christopher Fausto Cabrera spent 21 years inside the system, exploring in this episode the roles of accountability, social relationships and art-making while inside and out. More information, artwork, and ongoing projects can be found at cfausto.art
Episode 3: “I never thought it was a privilege to feel human…”
None of us suspect that to feel human is a privilege we take for granted. Professor Annie Buckley recounts her experiences in developing one of the most instrumental prison arts programs in the United States, and how she learned that the simple practice of offering the arts inside can be so rehumanizing. Check out her book, Change makers’ Guide to Prison Arts Programming.
Episode 4: “...he said, ‘Mom, I have this expressive part of me that wants to come out…’”
Mike and Julie McBride experienced the unthinkable–the imprisonment of their son for life after a murder he committed at a young age. They recount their challenges and struggles, ultimately exploring how they used their experiences to become leading advocates for transformation and reform rather than defeat, underscoring how art has served as a vehicle for change.
Episode 5. “Two million people behind bars — a lost creative city…”
Social entrepreneur and cultural changemaker John Whitman underscores the importance of bringing arts inside, not just to transform those who are imprisoned, but society as a whole.
Episode 6. “..and that’s how you reverse the school to prison pipeline…”
What does 30 years in prison do to a man? Scholar and advocate Eddie Fordham shares with Dave his eye-opening experiences in navigating the complicated intricacies of prison life, how art and education helped him to survive, and the ways he has used those experiences to champion social change for those who are justice-impacted.
Episode 7. “How community arts ‘saved my life’ — the power of mutual aid”
Dave gets to sit down with Mandy Gardner and Grady Hillman, the power couple of arts in corrections. This pair has made an incredible impact on the field, together sharing 50 plus years of experience. They share their individual histories, how they met, and their unified drive to bring the value of arts inside.
Episode 8. “Artists and Criminals…The Surprising Overlap”
The most notorious high security federal prison in the United States could have sent this artist facilitator running in the other direction, but Matte Refic dove right in. Dave speaks with Matte to passionately unearth his stories of working in supermax as a volunteer with talented incarcerated artists.
Episode 9. “A Ritual for Return: Shedding the Mask of Shame”
Antonio Espinosa, founder and executive director of Art from the Inside, highlights the opportunities for incarcerated artists to have a visual voice through engaging, community-centered exhibitions of their art. Antonio speaks to Dave about his 20 years as a senior corrections officer at Stillwater state prison in Minnesota and how the death of his colleague inspired this project to bring hope and healing inside the walls.
Episode 10. “We don’t have a patent on crayons…”
Esteemed art therapist and neuroscientist Dr. Juliet King clarifies for all of us the impact of incarceration on the brain, and how art can be harnessed to combat the psychological implications of confinement.
Episode 11. The Duality of Working with Victims and those Inside
The multifaceted Paula Gasparini-Santos speaks with Dr. Gussak about how art can be used as a tool for social justice, personal development, and community building. As an art therapist, Paula works with different populations such as previously incarcerated men and undocumented Latina women with the goal of utilizing art as a tool for liberation and reintegration into society. In her paintings she incorporates words blending into colorful backgrounds with universal messages about humanity and justice. Paula’s art invites us to look deeper, to ask questions, and to find comfort with the relatedness of the experience of life.