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Olivia Dolphin
152 Plays3 years ago
Olivia Dolphin is a driven content creator with a passion for storytelling and language.
She is up to some wonderful things. She is a musician and singer and her publication Wizards in Space is a love-creation with deep respect for creators and their imagination.
"Wizards in Space is a space for wizard writers. It’s a niche community within a community, for voices and art that you don’t quite know where it belongs. This is where you belong. For wizards. In space. In this space. We’re feel makers. Let’s make people feel stuff."
Olivia is a graduate from The University of Rhode Island and makes magick in the art city named Providence, Rhode Island.
https://pitchandprose.bandcamp.com/album/lion-hearted-blood
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Transcript
Introduction to Olivia Dolphin and her artistic journey
00:00:03
Speaker
You are listening to something rather than nothing. Creator and host, Ken Delante. Editor and producer, Peter Bauer.
00:00:18
Speaker
This is Ken Vellante with the Something Rather Than Nothing podcast and have a guest, Olivia Dolphin, artist. I discovered Olivia in the University of Rhode Island magazine, an alma mater of mine in where Olivia had gone to school. She does a journal. She's a fantastic artist. I just found out about her and we're chatting here. We're also gonna have a song by Olivia as well. Olivia.
00:00:47
Speaker
Welcome to the show. Well, thanks again. Thanks so much for having me. I'm really happy to be here and happy we were able to connect through something that we both have in common. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And we're each here from the great, great, great city of Providence, Rhode Island, a home of art and music and wonderful things in the small state of Rhode Island. But starting out first, were you born, when you were born, were you an artist?
00:01:18
Speaker
That's such an interesting question. I'm sure everybody actually listened to what other people were going to say about this on your podcast. They cheated. I do think that I had some artistic motivations when I was born. My
00:01:38
Speaker
My father is a musician, casually. He loves to play the guitar. And he is really amazing. He's kind of an improver. And that is absolutely something that I think I inherited from him, even though you work at it and things like that. But you kind of have these predispositions to certain things. So my dad can just pick up a guitar and kind of find some chords that he likes. And then he'll make a song out of them. And that is absolutely how I approach my own songwriting.
00:02:06
Speaker
I do think I was an artist when I was born. I always had a big imagination. I was always writing stories and just loved the arts more. But I don't know if it was because I was so bad at math that I had to be an artist. I definitely was born bad at math. I don't think that that was anything my brain could ever overcome. I don't know what
00:02:33
Speaker
Was first like was I just more artistic and then the math stuff didn't come or like was I so bad at math that I had to Overcompensate and have a better imagination. I could not understand math at all. So Yeah, so that's kind of that's where I stand I I do think that I was I was born into it a little bit Yeah, and I could have asked you were you're a mathematician when you were born you say how hells hells did enough I think I was born bad at math. That's for sure
The genesis and mission of 'Wizards in Space' magazine
00:03:03
Speaker
So I mentioned a couple pieces of your creativity. One of the pieces that was featured in the University of Rhode Island magazine that I mentioned had to do with some of the literary work you do in a literary journal.
00:03:24
Speaker
Um, I was wondering if you could kind of take a launch off from that and tell, tell listeners like what you do with the journal, what it's trying to capture and other people involved. Yeah, absolutely. I would love to. So I run a literary magazine called wizards in space.
00:03:41
Speaker
and we are a printed book. We're a collection of all different writers and artists. And so we do publish like fiction and we publish poetry, but we also publish like short form illustrations and comics, which is really awesome. So we run the gamut. So we probably publish about 25 creators per book and each book just to print a little picture in everybody's brains, each book is about 150 pages. So it's a thick, it's kind of thick.
00:04:11
Speaker
And it was really important to me when thinking about why I wanted to run a literary magazine, which is not always what people say they're going to do. Like, oh, I can't wait to start a literary magazine. But I don't know. Something really captured me about taking the spotlight and turning it around and saying, OK, so we love authors like J.K. Rowling.
00:04:40
Speaker
you know, I'm really into John Green. His books are really amazing. And I was kind of part of this tight knit community called the Harry Potter community. It's not called the Harry Potter community, it just is. And so growing up, I was like, so enamored with so many different big name artists. And as I got a little older, I started to say, okay, well,
00:05:02
Speaker
these artists had to get their start somewhere. So what if I can find people when they're just starting out and kind of harness that energy and harness that power and put it together in one literary magazine? So that was kind of where the idea was born from. And so the name Wizards in Space comes from a love of not only magic and wizards, but creating space for people to kind of be their creative selves.
00:05:26
Speaker
So we pay all the creators that are featured in the magazine. And that was also something that was really, really important to our philosophy going into building a magazine is that we wanted to be a paying market because I just don't think people are paid enough for their art. And we really just wanted to say that out loud and say, hey, if we're going to buy your work so we can also profit off of it, then we're going to make sure that you get what's due to you.
00:05:54
Speaker
So that's kind of like the basis of it. And then I do have a staff. I'm bad at numbers, so there's either five or six of us with myself included or not. But we have an editorial staff and then other people that also dip into other things like running our social media, connecting with the authors, doing all the editorial work. I'm on the partnership side of things, so I love finding other artists to work with and do events and things like that. And so we just like to span
00:06:24
Speaker
all sorts of things. So we do events, we do workshops, we do open mics, and then we have our main flagship thing, which is the printed book. Yeah, it's so exciting to hear about that. And like you said at the beginning, you know, literary, you think editing and things like that, it doesn't come off with that pizzazz. But I think when you talk about the content of what you put together from various folks in the different forms and medium, and honestly, given the respect of the volume of honoring that art,
00:06:55
Speaker
I really think that's pretty amazing. I know during the podcast, entering to and kind of coming in contact with the artistic community and plus I'm an organizer by profession for quite some time, quickly became apparent and fascinating the things that people had to say and how they put it together.
00:07:15
Speaker
having conversations with people who did something significant, but then don't talk about it anymore and wondering why. But yeah, it was just so exciting to read about your project. I look forward to getting further into it. And God, I love printed books too.
00:07:35
Speaker
That was so important to me for it to be printed. And over time, we've begun printing on recycled paper, which is really cool. And I just wanted somebody to either be able to be published in the book and then to be able to hand it to somebody and say, look what I'm in, look what I'm part of, look what I got acknowledged for. Or for friends to share with friends to say, hey, there's a story or a poem
00:08:05
Speaker
in this magazine, like I want you to, you know, I want to share it with you and then to be able to give it as a gift or to loan it out or whatever. And then I remember one time I went over to a friend's house and he had Wizards in Space there and he did a house show and there was another artist there, another writer, and he had one of his literary magazines. So he literally, out of his own bookshelf, gave me and his friends each other's work and said, you guys should get to know each other. And then that person kind of started coming to some of the open mics I was running and, you know, we've been able to
00:08:35
Speaker
to maintain community that way. And I don't know if online things always have that same tangible nature to build community. They certainly do, as somebody that grew up on the internet and grew up on Harry Potter forums, of course. Of course they do, but it's always nice when it transcends the internet and you can literally give it away.
The resurgence of physical media and Olivia's musical evolution
00:09:00
Speaker
Yeah. I see a general trend with art right now. I'm sure you've observed
00:09:05
Speaker
a deep desire and I was tied to the pandemic and digital for physical media. So I find it really interesting how people are like, I want it. Like I want the thing, whatever anybody's choice is, it's just, I've seen it develop as a market of the thing, like I want it.
00:09:24
Speaker
I also discovered that you are a musician. And one of the thrills I have on the show is talking to artists, just hearing about the different things that you create. We have a track I'm going to play in just a little bit, but I was
00:09:47
Speaker
wondering, and you're talking about your background and your family and your dad about music. So you've been around it. So when did that become part of your art life? Yeah. Very simply, I have two very early memories of being attracted to music, or some very early memories. I remember my dad would play with all these four seasons.
00:10:16
Speaker
in the house sometimes, and I was just drawn to it in that way that you can't explain.
00:10:24
Speaker
And so I think maybe hearing that at a young age probably imprinted on me. And then my mom really wanted a piano. I'm not sure. I'll have to ask her more about it. But I'm not sure where this desire came from. But she had a big birthday coming up. And my dad was like, what do you want? She's like, I want to learn how to play the piano. I want to be able to sit and do something. And it was that same thing that we were just talking about. I think she wanted to find a physical hobby. And we got a piano.
00:10:52
Speaker
having that instrument in the house and then having an instrument in the house that's like always there where you can just go to it sit down and pick it up and like and play sit and play I think that that just infused in me like from a young age as well that like music will always be there and it's it's something that you can just like sit and create um just by plunking on some keys um but then also just
00:11:15
Speaker
In elementary school, you know, when you're in like second grade, you start to play the recorder. And a lot of music education when you're young is all about exploration and just like hitting xylophones. And I just loved it. And so I just kind of naturally like always wanted to pick up instruments.
00:11:34
Speaker
And so like the recorder, my jam back then, and then that moved to the violin and the violin was not my jam, although I do have some regrets about not sticking with it. I played for like a year when I was in second grade. And then in third grade, this woman came in and she did a demonstration of all the instruments and was like, here's the instruments that you can choose to play. And she played the trumpet, she played trombone, she played the clarinet, and then she played the flute. And I just like,
00:12:04
Speaker
could not believe that this sound was so beautiful and that she could play it so well. And I just was like, that, I want to do that. That's my thing. And then, you know, and so I picked up the flute, I think in third grade or fourth grade and I've been playing ever since.
00:12:20
Speaker
That's incredible. I, uh, yeah, it just, it always seems, I talk to musicians, it always seems like a, be a little bit of accident about everything that happens. I mean, artists in general, but, um, you know, the instrument that's laying around or that moment that you listen to somebody like, okay, that sound, I'm going to make that sound like teach me how to make that sound. Um, yeah, it's really interesting how,
00:12:46
Speaker
I don't know. It's the same thing that I think about with why somebody likes broccoli and why somebody doesn't like broccoli.
00:12:52
Speaker
I like broccoli, and it's a tough vegetable to like. I do get that. But how come some people like that, or they love chickpeas, or they like Italian spices, and somebody's like, no, not for me. I really felt like that way with the flute, where it was just like, I just honed it in and bee-lined and was like, I want that. That sound is so beautiful. I want to be able to do that.
00:13:17
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, wonderful. I'm gonna play the track magic. I'm gonna play it right now. Yes, which has nothing, which has no flute on it. But we didn't set up that segue at all.
00:13:35
Speaker
Maybe we should just let them be blown away. I don't know. If you're dreaming of flutes now, it'll be a little bit of a difference. A little different. A little different. But we're going to play Libya Dolphins track magic right now. We'll be back in just a tiny bit.
00:13:59
Speaker
You taught me late nights and numbered doors You showed me crooked stares and messed up hair You made me feel a little more like gold Like every star that's ever burned And you gave me gold
00:14:17
Speaker
Something I can't explain Some things you can't explain I think that it's magic I think that it's magic I think that it's magic I think that we're magic Think that it's magic I think that it's magic Think that it's magic I know that we're magic
00:14:42
Speaker
You fixed me like a spell for broken things You showed me that I don't need a crystal ball to see It'll all be alright, I'll be alright, we'll be alright Just look around I think that it's magic, I think that it's magic Think that it's magic, I think that we're magic Think that it's magic, I think that it's magic I think that it's magic, I know that we're magic
00:15:30
Speaker
I think that it's magic I think that it's magic I think that it's magic I think that we're magic I think that it's magic I think that it's magic I think that it's magic I know that we're magic I know I know that we're magic I know I know that we're magic Thank you, Olivia.
00:15:59
Speaker
I am. Talking on this show all the time, magic's coming up all the time, like when you talk about art, and I love I love that, you know, because we're talking about like, you know, Western historical philosophical questions, maybe.
Defining art and its impact on human connection
00:16:17
Speaker
And I've had some guests that are just saying, you know, the ultimate explanation isn't quite there, you know, that there's something incredible magical
00:16:29
Speaker
About it. Thank you. Thank you for the song. I understand you recently played live you had a live performance recently. I Just did my first live full band show Here in Providence instead of any club dusk. It was awesome We played that song and a bunch of others and I've been working on an album but To play a show With people there
00:16:58
Speaker
to enjoy and to connect and to be able to tell my story to and to kind of get some energy back in response. Like, it was just awesome. And it was awesome to work with other musicians. It was, you know, there was a couple other bands that played that night. And we also am big on spoken word poetry, obviously, you know, running the literary magazine. And so the night was sponsored by Wizards in Space, but also by my record label, Pitch and Pros. And we always do these collaborative events. And so it's really important for me to have
00:17:27
Speaker
like poets there to like tell stories. And so the night just was like kind of this awesome like variety show kind of vibe. And it was just really cool. Yeah. And even off the, you know, the track itself, you can just feel that you feel that energy coming off of that. And I can actually envision, you know, with the live performance and, um, you know, I, I enjoy one of the, again, with the show coming to contact with poets, you know, I've always
00:17:50
Speaker
love poetry on and off getting more into it but you know poets and musicians and actually the the most recent episode of the podcast is a music variety episode but you know so I have had an eclectic taste in music and it's always kind of interesting to put something together that's like
00:18:08
Speaker
my playlist I don't know who appeals to but it was the shows it was kind of the shows playlist so we had um you know some uh doom metal we had a soprano uh performance um at the end of the episode we had a couple covers and um uh some music from an irish irish singer and poet so um uh keep a lookout we'd love to have um you know one of your tracks on there as well um
00:18:34
Speaker
So, music episode 110. And Olivia and I will chat afterwards. We'll try to make sure she's in music episode number two. I would love that. Question. We've been talking about art. We're loosely throwing around that term through the course of this conversation. What is art? This was one of the questions that you would like.
00:19:01
Speaker
sent to me beforehand and I haven't this is the one that I was like what is art and this might sound hokey or cheesy or campy but art to me is connection and art is storytelling um so if you can do any of those things whether it's connection to yourself or connection to somebody else or to other people or whatever like it doesn't have to be um
00:19:29
Speaker
an external thing. You're not always with art looking for external validation. So I think you can connect to nature, yourself, other people, whatever, but art to me is that bridge to connection. Yeah, and talk a lot about connection and
00:19:48
Speaker
I appreciate your definition, Art. I wanted to ask a follow-up question. So, you know, you're an artist and you produce some art and you put it out into the world. What is the role of art, you know, like for us as humans? I mean, you said communication. I don't want to anticipate that you're fully answered, but what is the, what is the appropriate or I don't know appropriate, but what is the role of art in human society? I think sometimes art can act as like a, like a mirror or a funhouse mirror.
00:20:17
Speaker
And it really can, you know, art, I think can challenge people in a really good way, where you might challenge your assumptions, you might challenge like some of your internal beliefs, because you might see art that can change your opinion, can inform you differently. But I also think art can calm and art can let you know that you're not alone and
00:20:46
Speaker
I think that in my personal life and with Wizards in Space, I try to find that balance with what we're publishing or what we're engaging with is we want to challenge people, but we also want them to know that it's a safe space for them to come and feel their feelings. So I think that that kind of is the role of art, or at least it's the role that I've assigned to the art that I create, where I just
00:21:12
Speaker
I'm having a feeling and I am probably not the only person having that feeling. And if I put it out in the world and somebody hears it or reads it and they felt something similar, they felt heard or they felt seen, then I think that that's amazing. And if not, then at least I got the feeling out, you know?
00:21:31
Speaker
Yeah, I wanted to to to to not to not forget our connections to the University of Rhode Island and to actually give you to tell you like in a certain sense like we're part of this podcast.
Reflections on University of Rhode Island's artistic influence
00:21:48
Speaker
So I want to talk a little bit about our connection to the University of Rhode Island where we both went to school and I want to mention
00:21:56
Speaker
a particular kind of strange kernel of this show. Back when I was a student in finishing my studies at the University of Rhode Island, I took a philosophy of art course with Cheryl Foster, who was an award-winning professor in the philosophy department. And a lot of those questions I thought throughout my life had just remained dormant. And then going to do a podcast that was based on those philosophical questions, I've always felt like all the way back going to the University of Rhode Island and me doing these questions now,
00:22:25
Speaker
I also had the distinct pleasure of teaching, being a professor at the URI for a philosophy course, which was another great opportunity to me in my life to do some aspect of myself. So love the University of Rhode Island, beautiful campus, a great school.
00:22:49
Speaker
What about you in developing your art at the university? What was that environment like? And just a little follow up to that, Providence in the arts there, but starting at the University of Rhode Island, how did you feel your art came together or developed during your time there?
00:23:10
Speaker
Yeah, it's so interesting. So when I went to URI, I enrolled as a music education major. And then that lasted for a semester before I realized that I just
00:23:24
Speaker
I personally don't have the teaching bug. I love to mentor, but I don't have that like stand up in front of a classroom and teach kind of vibe. And a lot of my friends are teachers and shout out to them. They've had a rough two years. But so, but I went into flute performance and I thought that maybe I would make a living with flute performance. And then also very quickly with flute performance, I just realized like, oh, I love playing the flute.
00:23:52
Speaker
But I don't love it in the way that I would need to love it to make it a sustainable living. And so now I'm at the University of Rhode Island, and I'm like, OK, so music teaching didn't work out. And being a flute teacher isn't going to work out. And playing the flute for a living isn't going to work out for me, personally. It's not that these things are unachievable. It just wasn't vibing with me. And so I said, OK, I got to pick up something else. So I picked up a writing and rhetoric major while I was there. And that major, I don't know if it was
00:24:20
Speaker
if it was available when you were there, but that major was very interesting where you could study all different types of writing. So you could study travel writing, you could study essay writing, and then more importantly, you could study rhetoric. And rhetoric was kind of the application of philosophy in a way where you're making points and you're supporting them and you're figuring out how to story tell in a persuasive way. And that education, more than anything,
00:24:49
Speaker
like really kind of just had me hone in to like the way of storytelling, I think. And then otherwise too, like obviously like working as a music major, it's intense to be a music major, it's so intense. So to stick with the music, you know, track and then to also kind of add a couple of things onto it, I just like, you have to,
00:25:15
Speaker
kind of know yourself and know your limits and know what you're capable of. But it just absolutely, the beauty of URI, so if there's any prospective students listening, the beauty of URI is that you can bounce around and do a couple things and graduate within four or five years. I did five years, there's no shame in it.
00:25:34
Speaker
Um, and I was able to really explore some passions. So I thought I was going to graduate with a classics minor as well. So I was really into Greek mythology. So even though I didn't graduate with that degree, I took a lot of classics courses and like, that's just another avenue into storytelling. Um, and the myths and the magic of Greek mythology, you know, and I could kind of like all of these things that you're doing for five years are in your brain.
00:26:03
Speaker
And I think it's what you said where I think that the fault of colleges is that they want you to process these things in like four or five years. But man, 10 years later, I'm just now getting some of the things that I was taught then. Like it had to marinate for like 10 years. And now I'm like, oh, like I get it now. Or like, I get what that professor was trying to say.
00:26:30
Speaker
So I really just like, oh, a lot, I think, to my professors and everything at URI for being patient with me and letting me explore. Yeah. And I was just jotting down from my recollection is we've had connecting to the University of Rhode Island. Professor of mine, Mary Capello, has been a guest. Gosh, huge influence on me.
00:26:58
Speaker
Buell Thomas, who took philosophy courses with me. He's also a musician in the Bronx. And two of his cover tracks are actually on the music episode. And Dave Varespe from the University of Rhode Island, around the time that I went, is a photographer. And now we have you, Olivia Dahlman.
00:27:24
Speaker
That's the way it that's the way it happens from little roadie. So yeah, I got a got an additional question. Another bigger question. And you might have got at this a little bit, but I always ask it. What or who made you who you are?
Parental influence on artistic curiosity and growth
00:27:48
Speaker
Yeah, well,
00:27:52
Speaker
Oh, that's a tough one. I, I want to, there's so many things running through my head right now. Rapid fire thoughts. Um, growing up on the internet. So the internet, um, Harry Potter was a big part of my childhood. Um, the magic tree house, like reading, like, so it looks, um, in general, not just Harry Potter, but.
00:28:22
Speaker
I think in this case, I do want to give a big shout out to my parents. I was very fortunate to come from a family that just allowed exploration. My parents did not force their own beliefs on me in any way. And if I said I was interested in something, they took that seriously as a child and said,
00:28:52
Speaker
okay, we're gonna foster that. So like, I remember, like I wanted to be a librarian. And so my mom, like, still talks about that to this day. She's like, I remember when you wanted to be a librarian, you just love to read. And you were reading all the time. And like, if I loved, like I loved magic, I loved fairies, I loved all that stuff. So my mom like fostered that, you know, I really do have to talk a little bit about my parents, because I was fortunate to come from people that
00:29:22
Speaker
um like valued my curiosity as a child and fostered it and so if I was into reading which I was and I was like wanted to be a librarian like
00:29:37
Speaker
like my mom just fostered that and so she would buy me books like my mom was the one that took like brought Harry Potter into the house and said I think you might like this and then when I did like it she was the one that was like let's go to the midnight releases like let's take you to the red carpet premieres like let's foster this love and the same thing with music like they put me in lessons and
00:29:58
Speaker
They pushed me to be good at things, but not in an aggressive way. So they wanted me to be good at it because they knew I wanted to be good at it. And they saw me putting in the work, so they did that. So I really would want to give a shout out.
00:30:14
Speaker
for a good old mom and dad here. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And, you know, I mentioned the theme in recent episodes. We keep bumping into a lot of conversations about, you know, kids and whether it's cultivated. We talked about the education system. You know, if you're an artist, when you're born, when is that knocked out of you or when is it accelerated? And obviously the issues of, you know, whether you're
00:30:44
Speaker
person of color, you're a woman, and other issues as far as whether somebody's going to say to you, yeah, play that song. Yeah, tap away at that piano and those drums. And it's an important thing to point out. So I got the
00:31:06
Speaker
The conceptual questions, again, I've hit you with a few when we talk about life and otherwise, but there's the big question that I do want to ask, which is, why is there something rather than nothing?
Exploration of existential themes
00:31:23
Speaker
Wow. Does everybody take like the big deep breaths after you ask this question? Let's talk about the question. Oh my gosh. Like, and most guests have read it and most guests have like, here's my theory. Most guests read the question and say, he ain't going to ask me that. Even though it's the name of the title of the show. I know it's the name of the show, but I don't think he's really going to go ahead
00:31:48
Speaker
and ask me that. And I believe when I asked it recently of a guest, Larissa Birdseye, it might have been this question. She called me a bastard. It was this question or another one. But yeah, there is a deep pause. There is a deep breath. And then you try to get at maybe one of the bigger questions ever. Why is there something rather than nothing?
00:32:15
Speaker
Right now I keep thinking of this documentary I watched recently called Fantastic Fungi and it's on Netflix and it's all about mushrooms and magic mushrooms and the, I'm going to say it wrong, the micellae that lives, that grows underneath the surface. And I don't know, it was a very humbling documentary to watch where I felt like I left it different. Like I watched it and I said, oh, I'm just part of this ecosystem.
00:32:45
Speaker
Like sometimes I think I can live my life like I'm the main character. And I think everybody's entitled to that. Like we're all writing our own stories. And I think we're entitled to that. But I do try to take a step back and understand that every single person I'm talking to is living their own story. And they're living their own experiences. And they can be drastically different than mine. And all of this is to say, I think there's something rather than nothing.
00:33:14
Speaker
because we're meant to learn from each other, I think, and we're meant to connect to each other, even if it's to nature and to the mushrooms and the fungus that lives under the earth, or the experiences that we're having, I think they're meant to be shared, which I think is probably why I'm so drawn to
00:33:39
Speaker
telling stories and collecting those stories into a book and, you know, publishing music and turning my poems into art and things like that. Because if there is, if this is the something, then I want to do something with it. And I think that that's why there's something so we can do something with it.
00:33:56
Speaker
Yeah, I found recently, just on the sense of what to do in the world situation and the pandemic, I felt just a greater immediacy around some of these questions and creating art. And I've also seen two reactions to the world. One is being like, stop.
00:34:16
Speaker
beating on me world like, let me get away. We all feel that. And the other part too is amongst like this change and chaos and complete possible complete structural changes in society that the artist is just trying to like breathe and like get that out there and have more immediacy. And it's a big thing for creatives to handle because we can say that the conditions don't seem super for
00:34:44
Speaker
being at peace or whatever your process is. And if somebody's theory is to create out of chaos, then now is the time, right? Yeah. Yeah. And I think that there's something I've been thinking a lot about, especially with the pandemic, some people have created a lot and some people have not created as much. And I think that creativity has its seasons. And one of those, like the cycle of it is,
00:35:13
Speaker
you intake a lot in your life. So you intake all of these experiences. And as artists, I think we do a lot of noticing. And so to output, you have to let all of the noticing process. And then you can kind of form it into something, whatever it is. For me, it's poetry. And then I take bits of those poetry and turn them into songs. And then, you know, and then you put it up there. But you have to have that
00:35:41
Speaker
you have to have that noticing first. And sometimes that can take months, that can take years. And then maybe you'll have a rush of output. And so I guess that's just a little thought bucket for somebody to take away, is that if you feel like you should be outputting some art, it's OK. Maybe you're in your intake season, and you should embrace that.
00:36:07
Speaker
and then let the output come from that. I know you have a few different types of art and there might be different places to find your
Where to find Olivia's creative work
00:36:23
Speaker
stuff. Can you let the listeners know whether it's music or getting copies or ordering the magazine? Can you let the listeners know where to find Olivia Dolphin and the things you work on?
00:36:36
Speaker
Yeah, OK, let me run it down. So the most important thing, I think, well, it's all important, but Wizards in Space literary magazine. You can find us at Wizards in Space mag.com.
00:36:48
Speaker
And right now, we are working on our seventh issue. So we have chosen all of our creators, but we need the funds to make this happen. So we're doing a pre-order campaign right now, and then there's also this ability to sponsor a creator. So if you want to know that you directly made an impact on getting somebody paid, then we have the ability for you to sponsor a creator. But more importantly than that, like the book,
00:37:14
Speaker
issue seven is our theme was bridges and barriers and we got some amazing art on it and we're publishing authors from like 15 different countries or something wild like that like it's we published internationally and a lot of our writers are international as well so it's really a beautiful collection and I think bridges and barriers right now like people really responded to that theme
00:37:41
Speaker
So, wizardsinspacemag.com. And then to find me personally, you can find me at libbydoll, L-I-V-I-D-O-L, on Instagram and Twitter. Please connect with me. I love chatting with people and meeting others.
00:37:55
Speaker
artists and people that are interested in art. And then that's probably the best place to find my music. But my label is Pigeon Pros. They're a Providence based label. So you can find some of my stuff on Pigeon Pros and we're currently recording my first EP, which is going to be a collection of songs that I wrote. And I'm really excited. So definitely keep an eye on the Pigeon Pros.
00:38:17
Speaker
pages as well to keep up with the music side of things. That's awesome. That sounds so great, and an EP just sounds really super as well. I'm going to be creating the podcast's first zine issue, so I've really connected to
00:38:41
Speaker
kind of the way you've organized things and are talking about collating those type of experience. And one of the things you mentioned, the international component, I found that to be personally so exciting as a creator, because when I started the podcast, I didn't know, you know, kind of like who you talk to or where my mind would go. And approximately 25%, maybe more of all the episodes are from other nations.
00:39:11
Speaker
the gas, including indigenous nations within North America, but Europe and other continents in Australia.
00:39:23
Speaker
So not expecting that, but the way the collate around art and collect folks around art is really exciting. And so I really appreciate your comments around some of the things that you've done because coming in September 2021 here, we're going to have that first issue. And I'll make sure you get a copy of the first zine and like
00:39:46
Speaker
So really great to hear about the opportunities for listeners and myself to support your art. But I wanted to thank you for the things that you do. And also thank, gosh, URI Magazine for me out in Oregon to read about you and the cool stuff that you're doing. Shout out to University of Rhode Island, Providence. And I always love to do a show.
00:40:14
Speaker
with the greatest little state as they call it. So thank you so much, Olivia. I really appreciate you coming on. Thank you, Ken. This was a really interesting conversation. I didn't know what to expect, which I left. I did that on purpose because I like to see what's going to happen and be open-minded. And so I kind of
00:40:37
Speaker
like didn't want to have any preconceived notions, even with my own thoughts on some of the really amazing questions you've asked. So I appreciate the opportunity to connect with you and connect with everybody that's listening.
00:40:49
Speaker
Please reach out, everybody, and let's keep the conversation going and talk about art. I love this so much. Yeah, awesome. And here's for more safe live shows, and here's for that EP and that wonderful new issue of Wizards in Space.
00:41:14
Speaker
And so in the title of that most recent one that was barriers in bridges Bridges and barriers. Yeah, it's our theme So, you know the the writing will kind of like encapsulate that and sometimes the feet, you know Sometimes when they'll get hit on the head and sometimes it's you know You can kind of like leave your own connection but it's just a way for us to to make a cohesive collection with with some of the
00:41:38
Speaker
amazing submissions that we get. Awesome. Yeah. Thanks so much, Olivia. Hold down the fort in the art world in Providence. And my gosh, we probably still have a bunch to talk about, so I'm sure we're going to chat again soon. I would love that. Yeah, I feel like it would be amazing to keep this conversation going. Thanks, Olivia. And talk to you soon. Awesome. Thank you.