Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

Author: Jules Schroeder

  • Ep280: Reclaiming Your Peace Through Letters Imbued with the Beauty of Life with Calligrapher Paul Antonio

    Ep280: Reclaiming Your Peace Through Letters Imbued with the Beauty of Life with Calligrapher Paul Antonio

    The hustle and bustle of everyday life can lead us to take many things for granted. But by simply finding the connection between writing and life, professional artist and calligrapher, Paul Antonio had found a beauteous view of the world.

    Raised in Trinidad, Paul found a love for nature and the abundance of life around him. The bond he made with the natural wonder of his surroundings—and his curiosity—Paul found himself walking a swervey path into the realm of Calligraphy.

    “I could hear the music in the writing,” he says, “I knew that there was rhythm there, I just didn’t know how to connect it to the writing.”

    Paul left for London, England in 1998 and went on to study Letter form History at the Department of Typography and Graphic Communication, University of Reading (1998). After being awarded one of the ten Art & Crafts Scholarships from The Commonwealth Foundation, he went to Reigate School of Art and Design to study Calligraphy, Gilding and Heraldic Painting specialising in Historical Materials and Techniques. He got the only Distinction in his year (2000).

    Having always been interested in the history and the development of writing as a whole, Paul went on to study Arabic Calligraphy, English Palaeography and Archaeological Illustration at Birkbeck University (2001).

    This fondness for writing pushed him to pursue arts. During the days of his apprenticeship, he learned how letters were imbued with the very beauty of life which he so desperately admired and has since been drawn towards calligraphy and Heraldic arts.

    In 2003 Paul went to Egypt as the Assistant Archaeological Illustrator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, to copy hieroglyphs. This role assisted him in illustrating some of the hieroglyph collections at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London. It also allowed him to run a year-long course on ‘An Egyptian Writing System’ for Birkbeck University and some intermittent courses for undergraduates at UCL, the British Museum and the general public.

     “I knew that I was not here to do the writing, I was only here as an instrument. I was here for the writing to happen through me.”

    Paul stresses that like any artist, or writer, the art of Calligraphy also requires emotion. He says that as he writes his pieces, he leaves himself open to his emotions and true to his inner feelings. Though there is a level of focus that must be kept to ensure a steady hand, Paul encourages one to also be free when writing.

    “The writing is more than just pretty shapes on a page. This isn’t about you, giving yourself permission to be at peace. This is about you reclaiming the peace that is already yours.”

    After a 2 year collaboration with the reputable paper brand Rhodia, Paul’s Social Media label PAScribe released the PAScribe Rhodia pads. Three pads on white paper with his unique grid, and black and grey paper with very fine lines to help calligraphers practise with light or metallic ink on dark, in the hopes of getting people to correspond more with each other.

    Even now as Paul pursues other crafts such as heraldry, meditation, and teaching, he still hasn’t lost the dedication and love that he has for calligraphy, passing on his passion to his students and living by the principles he has learned through his years of practising arts.

     

    More from Paul:

  • Ep279: The Strength of Being You with Travel Influencer Christina Galbato

    Ep279: The Strength of Being You with Travel Influencer Christina Galbato

    With social media being a massive platform for interaction, it wouldn’t be surprising for someone to want to be an influencer. But with so many established people in the industry, where do you even start? Online Educator and travel influencer Christina Galbato says that it’s about knowing your niche.

    Christina Galbato is a social media influencer, online educator, and digital marketing expert. After building a successful career as a travel influencer and working with brands like Ritz-Carlton, Mazda, and lululemon, Christina pivoted into online education. She built a 7-figure business helping thousands of women build careers influencers & bloggers. She has been featured in CNN and Forbes and was a speaker at AdWord 2020. She is also the host of the top-rated entrepreneurship podcast Her Life By Design.

    Many would argue that boxing yourself into a single area would limit the things you want to do, but as Christina proposed “it just makes your content easier to reach.” Finding a niche to base your content on helps you establish the influencer you want to be.

    “I always recommend that people get as specific as possible at the beginning of growing your page.”

    She pointed out that planning your niche “overlaps between what you’re passionate and excited about, and what you’re knowledgeable about.” Doing research on what other people post on your targeted niche, being tactical about your content, establishing a connection with your audience, and building your brand from your line of expertise is the first step towards success as an online influencer.

    “As an influencer, they (people) are looking for value; they’re looking for an industry expert to follow.”

    But what if after establishing a brand for yourself, you want to expand your content, and dive into topics outside your niche.

    Christina suggests that moving into new territory really depends on what you feel is best for yourself. She explains that, from experience, transitioning also means a change in your audience, but taking chances is part of the fun of influencing.

    “You know that cheesy quote that’s like ‘people are in your in your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.’” She continues, “It’s the same thing with Instagram followers. Your growth is going to come from putting yourself in those uncomfortable situations.”

     

    More from Christina:

  • Ep278: Making Reality a Fantasy with Photo Artist Erik Johansson

    Ep278: Making Reality a Fantasy with Photo Artist Erik Johansson

    The blandness of everyday living can wear a person down, and bleach out the wonder of the world. But for the esteemed photographer and visual artist, Erik Johansson, the spark of surrealism is more alive in the common setting than we think. All we need is a little scenery and a lot of creativity.

    Raised in the countryside of Sweden, Erik’s spark for whimsical sceneries was brought by the beauty and simplicity of his life as a child. “Modifying realities has always been natural to me,” he says. Erik points out how he used to spend his time drawing rather than talking, and his work was inspired by the rural landscape he was born in.

    “It kind of came natural to me—to try to treat photographs as white papers, that I could fill with my imagination.” He spoke of his creative process and stressed how creativity isn’t something you can force yourself to have. Rather drawing is an activity that gradually improves the more you do it.

    “It’s not a gold mine that you’re digging out of creativity and one day you run out of it,” he says, referring to art as a whole. “I think it’s more about exercising the brain and thinking creatively.”

    When asked about the struggles of photography and dealing with the circumstances that we have today, Erik viewed it as a stepping stone for creative growth. “I think those limitations can sometimes be good for creativity as well…” while further stressing that, “the imagination is just so big, and sometimes limitations can be good to direct it in a certain direction.”

    Even though he only publishes a few of his personal work in a year, Erik takes pride in his pieces and the arduous artistry that goes into his photographs. “I think it’s a lot about trying to not just create something that looks realistic or impossible, but also trying to tell a story.”

     

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  • Ep277: How to Stay Original with The Man Behind 100 Voices, Impressionist Charlie Hopkinson

    Ep277: How to Stay Original with The Man Behind 100 Voices, Impressionist Charlie Hopkinson

    The field of entertainment demands fresh ideas to keep the people watching, and with the massive presence of the internet, it’s impressive how far content creation can go. But how can someone make their content feel “original”? Professional Impressionist and voiceover artist, Charlie Hopkinson, says it’s about “authenticity” and staying true to your own ideas.

    Starting out as a math teacher and gradually shifting into his current career, he points out the misconception that people are born creative or talented. Rather he says that it’s more about the effort you put out and the passion that you have, which makes something feel “authentic”.

    It was the cumulative results of years of practice, planning, and experience that led to his success.

    And I’m talking about 100 impressions or so…

    Impressions of Morgan Freeman, David Attenborough, Rick and Morty (Rick and Morty show), Game of Thrones (Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Ser Davos Seaworth…), Breaking Bad (Walter White, Jesse Pinkman), Lord of the Rings (Gandalf, Boromir, Legolas…), Peaky Blinders (Tommy Shelby, Arthur Shelby, Alfie Solomons…) Cartoons and more!

    This dude can literally do a whole movie voicing by himself!

    “I think it’s quite strange though because the life I’m currently living is very much a mixed-mash of all these different fields that I’ve been involved with over the years.”

    Through his comedy career, as well as his growing YouTube community, he understood that people know when something feels authentic. He stresses that creators are chasing the idea of pleasing the audience and it ends up turning people off.

    “It’s really easy to get caught in the trap of trying to chase what the audience wants you to think the audience wants,” he stresses. “And it definitely takes you down the wrong road… as a comedy creator, I would say, If It’s not making you laugh. Don’t make it.”

    Being in the comedy industry for more than four years, Charlie clarifies that he has also been in creative slumps. His advice for anyone who feels as though they’ve become stale or just wants to improve is to put yourself in a “live environment”.

    “…The instant ‘oh, people are really enjoying that! I’m really enjoying that feeling, that connection with other people, that was like a big thing for me, finding my creative fulfilment and finding enjoyment.”

    He states, highlighting how it unlocks your creativity through performance pressure and connecting with your audience.

    Whose impressions you think are the best?

     

    More from Charlie:

  • Ep276: Making the Most Out of Your Mistakes, With Vocal Coach Arden Kaywin

    Ep276: Making the Most Out of Your Mistakes, With Vocal Coach Arden Kaywin

    The struggle for self-improvement is not an easy task. We try our hardest to be the best at what we do, gathering as much knowledge and tools as we can just to be a little better than we were yesterday. However, we sometimes feel as though we’re not getting the results we want and often end up stuck in a slump. Singer-songwriter Arden Kaywin believes that this sense of not-enoughness comes from our lack of mindfulness.

    The renowned songstress and vocal coach make it a point that the real problem isn’t in the small mistakes we make, but in the lack of foundation. As a performer, technique and artistry are essential, but to be connected and impactful requires mindfulness.

    Arden says that “The mind is the thing that can—and will—sabotage all the rest of it [technique and artistry], if not addressed.” A person could have the best training and it still wouldn’t matter if we lack the proper mindset.

    Having been with experienced and inexperienced singers alike, Arden knows that the mastery of techniques is not enough. To break through the blocks that prevent you from performing at a consistent and satisfying level, she emphasizes the need for meditation and mindful practice, even for non-artistic industries.

    She compares traditional training to a rocket ship where you add new technology to it, but it would never launch if it lacks fuel.

    “They’re not able to breakthrough in their career, they’re not able to quit that side job, they’re not able to do it sustainably, and yet they’ve been in voice lessons every week for years of their life. And the reason why is because this rocket, it’s got all this kick-ass technology in it, but no fuel.”

    This fuel is what she calls the Soul Piece or the purpose of a person called to do, partnered with the right mentality.

    She makes it clear that we have to acknowledge our emotions, thoughts, and fears because as she puts it “In trusting those blocks, not only do you get the sound that you want, but then you’re empowered to move forward, much more powerfully on this journey with not just your voice, but with anything else you’re doing”.

     

    More from Arden:

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