N.B. Art Notes: Recent Episodes
Nicolene Burger
Nicolene Burger is a practicing artist and Creativity Douls living and working from Fish Hoek, Cape Town. She works primarily in oil paint, performance, and textile art. With this podcast and her work at large, Nicolene hopes to relay directly the sense of vulnerability with which she makes art. As well as the core belief of her practice: Art is an immensely important and powerful bridge of communication that can offer understanding, healing, and connection.
I'd love to contextualize this episode with an intro blurb, but at the moment I am on vocal rest because I hurt my voice :(
So, please read this to understand the larger context of this episode:
In October last year, Jana and I recorded what we call an "airing" (referencing the podcast we have together called Air It) about my performance piece, The Bizarre Bazaar. This was an open-ended and unstructured discussion to help me think through the conceptual and practical elements of the show, which I was creating for my master's in Theatre and Performance. We were cooking and talking, which is so indicative of our relationship, collaboration, and hang-outs - so be ready for some domestic ASMR and also some cured throughts as we hype each other up.
The end product was slightly different from what we aired in this conversation, because the process led me to shift and alter as I came closer to the deadline in November 2023. However, it captures some of the issues I am digesting in this study.
This week, I've been listening back to this conversation as I am now writing my second seminar paper and preparing to build The Bizarre Bazaar out to an even bigger and more complex performance.
I thought to release this episode now so you, my listeners, followers, and colleagues can have insight into my practice and some of the themes I am working on within this project.
I am running a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to execute my final performance of The Bizarre Bazaar for my course. These funds will cover venue fees, traveling costs, and resources for the rehearsals as I now plan to involve more independent creatives in the production of this show over the next 6 months.
Please consider contributing! You can choose from a collection of stunning pieces of my visual art as a reward for your contribution. Go to this link to read more and help me out:
https://thundafund.africa/campaign/58B9A54DF07849EE163D
Sarah has recreated her life many times. During the heavy lockdown a couple of years ago, she moved off-grid and left her old life and creations behind in Cape Town.
In this episode, I ask her about what was required for her to undergo such a complete transformation, and how she has dealt with the "death" of past selves and leaving successful projects behind.
We discuss the role of trust in the process of consciously creating your life, how to listen to and follow the "prompts" life brings, and the abundance in community.
Follow Sarah on Instagram at @sarahleebeckett
I live in a magical community of people who actively create their lives and around us SUCH creative people orbit in a very inspiring way.
I have decided to do interviews with these weird and wonderful folks to understand what creative practices, philosophies, disciplines, stories, routines, etc. underpin their process of consciously claiming their creative power.
This little blurb is an introduction to this series.
After a year of consulting on Jana's PhD project, Nicolene checks in with her on how her writing, relationship with her creative practice, and organizational abilities have grown.
Julia asks me to help her find her artistic voice. This question leads us to a discussion on the audacity to call yourself an artist, how to start, resistance, desire, fear, and a couple of practices.
I recommend you listen to this episode when you can follow along and have a journey ready.
Here is a link to the FREE Creative Fire Challenge I mention in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA494KKKlr2Zo4bmJt-qOhG_4AIL59s1y
In this episode, I do a live Persephone Unblocking Session with a student of scenography.
We had some technical difficulties, but I didn't feel like editing them out (if it irritates you maybe you can be my editor ;) hehe)
Starting a project is one of the biggest blocks for many creatives. In this episode, I share why starting is often so difficult, how we block ourselves from starting, and practices you can do to make starting easier.
Follow these links for:
My Creative Container options to work with me 1-1
Elizabeth Gilbert Ted Talk
Art in Context
There is a misunderstanding in our modern society that art is reserved for after-hours, hobbies, and the select few that choose to call themselves artists. However, art is so deeply embedded in what it means to be human that there is no way to imagine our species without the making of art. In this episode, I talk through an article I wrote for ArtFileMagazine on this topic.
Links:
Why Art Is Important Article
Air It Podcast
Stuck In A Rut? Webinar (7 September, 18:30, ZOOM)
Painted Mantras Painting Series
What started out as a normal Tuesday, turned into the day I casually made a dream happen that I had in 2018! And so, I announce the first mental art dump that will constitute N.B. Art Notes Podcast!
This is an introduction episode to who I am (Nicolene Burger), my chronological story with art, how I come to call myself a Creativity Doula and finally, why I'm starting this podcast.
Follow me:
Instagram: @artist_nb
Website: nbcollective.space
Youtube: Nicolene Burger