What happens when a lifelong storyteller is forced to confront his own mortality?In this powerful episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, Rich Wright sits down with musician, author, and cancer advocate Ray Hartjen — a man whose life has been shaped by movement, reinvention, and one life-altering diagnosis: multiple myeloma.Born into a military family in 1964, Ray’s childhood was marked by constant relocation — Texas, Kansas, North Dakota, Indiana, Kentucky. Each move meant new schools, new identities, new stories. Books became anchors. Libraries became sanctuaries. Storytelling became survival.From investment banking to organizational development, from marketing to corporate communications, Ray eventually realized something profound: every role he stepped into was rooted in one essential skill — telling stories that connect, heal, and move people forward.Then came the diagnosis.Multiple myeloma — a rare, incurable but treatable blood cancer — forced Ray to ask the question many creatives avoid:"If not now, when?"That question reshaped everything.He began writing more boldly. Performing music more intentionally. Creating with urgency instead of hesitation. His memoir, Me, Myself & My Multiple Myeloma, shares his candid journey through illness. His novel Flank expands his storytelling lens. His acoustic duo, The Chronic Padres, channels resilience through song. And his passion project book chronicling the Indianapolis 500 became a testament to creative endurance.In this conversation, we explore:• Growing up in a military family and how mobility shapes identity• The power of books and libraries in forming a storyteller• The moment creativity became a conscious priority• How cancer reframes time, risk, and artistic courage• Music as healing and performance as reclamation• Why storytelling is the connective tissue of business, art, and survival• The mantra “If Not Now, When” and living with urgencyThis episode is about endurance. About reinvention. About refusing to wait.It’s about what happens when life strips away illusion and leaves you with one simple truth:Your story matters — especially now.If you’re an artist navigating uncertainty…If you’ve faced illness or personal upheaval…If you’re waiting for permission to create…This conversation will meet you where you are.Connect with Ray:Website: https://rayhartjen.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayhartjenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayhartjenYoutube: @RayHartjen Connect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#RayHartjen @RayHartjen #MultipleMyeloma #IncurableBloodCancer #artistrecoverypodcast #CancerAndCreativity #IfNotNowWhen #richwrightartist #richwrightunlimited #richwrightunltd #creativeresilience #podmatchguest #MusicAsHealing #ChronicIllnessWarrior #StorytellingMatters #Indy500Author #ResilienceMindset #CreativeUrgency #CancerMemoir #MusicianLife #CorporateToCreative #CancerAwareness #AuthorMusician #OvercomingAdversity @PodMatch_com #PersonalTransformation #CreativeResilience

What if the very thing you thought was holding you back… was actually shaping your voice?In this powerful episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, Rich Wright sits down with award-winning historical fiction author Teri M Brown for a deeply human conversation about shyness, identity, reinvention, motherhood, creativity, and the courage to step forward before you feel ready.

Teri’s journey didn’t begin with confidence. It began with thick glasses, middle-school insecurity, and a 13-year-old’s belief that everything would change overnight. It didn’t.But what did change over time was her ability to rewrite the narrative.

Born in Athens, Greece, raised in Ohio, and later transplanted to North Carolina, Teri discovered early that creativity was an escape — a place where she could become anyone she wanted. Books became portals. Characters became mirrors. And imagination became survival.

She would go on to:

• Publish five award-winning nonfiction books


• Ride a tandem bicycle 3,100 miles across America raising money for Toys for Tots


• Launch a second creative career in historical fiction


• Win more than 70 literary awards across multiple genres


• Publish a memoir-inspired journaling guide and a children’s book


• Mentor authors and co-host The Teri & Edith Show

But none of it happened in a straight line.In this episode, we explore:

✨ The identity shift that comes from moving states and reinventing yourself


✨ How childhood shyness still shows up in adulthood


✨ The creative power of reframing fear


✨ Why imagination can be both an escape and a superpower
✨ The difference between neurodivergence and “neurotypical” expectations


✨ The unexpected path from stay-at-home mom to award-winning novelist


✨ Why creative courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s action in spite of it.

Teri shares candidly about failing chemistry, leaving college, becoming a bank teller, marrying a photographer, raising four children, and eventually stepping into authorship later in life — not because it was planned, but because the story demanded it.Her writing style?

She’s a “pantser” — no outline, no master plan — just intuition and trust.

Connect with Teri:

Website: https://www.terimbrown.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terimbrown/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terimbrown_author

FB: https://www.facebook.com/TeriMBrownAuthor/

TY: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@TeriMBrown_Author⁩

Connect w / Rich:

Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠

LinkedIn: @richwrightunltd

Instagram: @richwrightunltd

FB: @theartrec

Instagram: @theartrec

Artist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#richwrightunlimited #artistrecoverypodcast #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #podmatchguest ⁨@PodMatch_com⁩ #TeriMBrown #AwardWinningAuthor #HistoricalFictionAuthor #ArtistRecoveryPodcast #OvercomingShyness #LateBloomerSuccess #CreativeReinvention #WomenAuthors #WriterJourney #CreativeCourage #PantserWriter #MotherhoodToAuthor #NeurodivergentCreativity #FearOfRejection #AuthorInterview #creativeresilience #creativeidentity #artist #independentartist #author

What happens when a fenced-in yard becomes a blueprint for building culture?In this powerful episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, Rich Wright sits down with Diarra “Uncle P” Collazo — veteran entertainment consultant, DJ, entrepreneur, and founder of platforms that helped shape Detroit’s hip hop ecosystem.

Born and raised in Pontiac, Michigan, Diarra’s journey began not in boardrooms or studios — but in a fenced yard where imagination became survival. An only child guided by his great-grandmother, he learned early how to entertain himself, build worlds with Legos, and create community when none was handed to him. That instinct never left.

From high school radio at Avondale — where he was one of the first underclassmen to earn his own show — to earning a degree in Music & Entertainment Management at the Art Institute of Atlanta, Diarra immersed himself in the mechanics behind the music.While others chased record deals, he studied structure.

While others wanted fame, he wanted infrastructure.

After learning firsthand how record labels operate — and how glass ceilings are built — a pivotal piece of advice changed everything:

“If you really want to make an impact in this industry, don’t fall into someone else’s circle. Create your own.”

So he did.

Diarra launched Local Love Radio to spotlight Michigan hip hop when major stations wouldn’t.
He acquired DetroitRap.com to build digital community before social media was what it is today.
He stepped into internet radio before it was mainstream.
He became a connector, a culture builder, and the kind of leader people now call “Uncle P.”

In this conversation, we explore:

• Growing up in Pontiac during its automotive boom


• Being raised by a great-grandmother and developing discipline early


• How karate shaped his mindset around focus and responsibility


• Why most people fail in creative industries (and what separates the 11 who graduate from the 117 who start)


• The glass ceiling realities of the music business


• The difference between being a taker and being useful


• Why Detroit struggled to embrace local hip hop — and what that revealed


• The power of creating your own platform instead of waiting for validation

This isn’t just a hip hop story.

It’s a masterclass in vision, resilience, and ownership.

For creatives feeling fenced in…


For entrepreneurs trying to build community…


For artists who want longevity, not just momentary shine…

Connect with Diarra:

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/unclep

Website: https://www.detroitrap.com

Connect w / Rich:

Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠

LinkedIn: @richwrightunltd

Instagram: @richwrightunltd

FB: @theartrec

Instagram: @theartrec

Artist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#DiarraCollazo #UncleP #DetroitHipHop #MusicIndustry #CreativeDiscipline #BuildYourOwnPlatform #DetroitRap #LocalLoveRadio #HipHopEntrepreneur #MusicBusiness #IndependentArtist #richwrightartist #richwrightunlimited #richwrightunlimited #artistrecoverypodcast #theartrec #MusicMentorship #CultureBuilder #CreativeLeadership #UndergroundHipHopAwards #EntertainmentConsultant #HipHopCommunity #InternetRadio #ArtistLongevity #MusicIndustryTruth

What happens when a creative soul refuses to choose just one identity? In this deeply human episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with Siquoyia Blue—musician, author, technologist, entrepreneur, and self-described modern-day renaissance woman—for an unfiltered conversation about resilience, intuition, and redefining success on your own terms.

Siquoyia is the creator of Abstract Soul, a signature musical sound that fuses the heart of R&B, the groove of funk, the depth of soul, and the edge of rock into something emotionally raw and spiritually resonant. But her story extends far beyond music.

Born in Connecticut and raised across Virginia, California, and Georgia, Siquoyia grew up feeling like an outsider—navigating loneliness, constant relocation, and an early sense that she didn’t quite fit into traditional systems of school, work, or expectation. Music became her refuge, her language, and eventually her lifeline.

In this episode, Siquoyia opens up about:

~ Growing up as a lone wolf and learning resilience early

~ Discovering music as a form of survival—not just expression

~ Attending performing arts high school and chasing creative validation

~ The disillusionment of exploitative creative industries

~ Battling depression while still choosing to create

~ Pivoting from music alone into entrepreneurship and technology

~ Entering the tech world without abandoning her artistic identity

~ Learning how intuition became her internal compass

~Redefining success beyond fame, money, or external approval.

This conversation speaks directly to creatives who feel fractured between worlds—those told they must “pick one thing,” suppress parts of themselves, or sacrifice integrity to succeed.

Siquoyia’s journey proves that creative wholeness is not only possible, it’s powerful. Rich and Siquoyia explore how listening to your inner voice can save you from burnout, exploitation, and soul-loss—and how building financial stability doesn’t mean selling out, but can actually create freedom for deeper creative work.

This is an episode about:

~ Trusting your intuition when systems fail you

~ Building resilience without hardening your heart

~ Creating art without needing permission

~ Surviving long enough to define success for yourself

~ Honoring creativity as a lifelong relationship, not a destination.

If you’ve ever felt too complex, too sensitive, too unconventional—or too creative for the boxes you were offered—this episode is for you.

Connect with Siquoyia:

Website: https://siquoyiablue.komi.io

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/blualchemistpodcast

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siquoyia

Connect w / Rich:

Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠

LinkedIn: @richwrightunltd

Instagram: @richwrightunltd

FB: @theartrec

Instagram: @theartrec

Artist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#SiquoyiaBlue #ArtistRecoveryPodcast #AbstractSoul #CreativeResilience #ArtistIntuition #CreativeBurnout #WomenInMusic #CreativeIdentity #MusicIndustryTruth #ArtistJourney #SoulfulPodcast #ArtistEntrepreneur #CreativesInTech #RedefiningSuccess #CreativeHealing #richwrightartist #richwrightunlimited #richwrightunltd #podmatchguest #IndependentArtist #ArtistRecovery #ResilientCreatives ⁨@PodMatch_com⁩

What happens when recovery doesn’t just save your life—but reshapes your hands, your work, and your legacy?In this powerful episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with Jimmy Garcia, founder of Mean Mug Pistons, a Texas-based creative venture where reclaimed engine pistons are transformed into hand-carved sculptures known as Mean Mugs. What starts as a conversation about art quickly becomes a deeper exploration of sobriety, blue-collar creativity, fatherhood, and the long road back to self-trust.Jimmy’s work is raw, industrial, and unapologetically honest—much like his story. After years of addiction, he found recovery and has now celebrated 15 years of sobriety since August 22, 2009. Instead of leaving his past behind, Jimmy integrated it into his creative process, using discarded materials and hard-earned wisdom to create pieces that speak to resilience, grit, and transformation.

In this episode, Rich and Jimmy explore what it means to rebuild from the inside out—how recovery changes not just your habits, but your relationship to work, identity, and purpose. Jimmy opens up about the realities of long-term sobriety, the responsibility of fatherhood, and the discipline required to keep choosing growth even when no one is watching.They also discuss Jimmy’s journey as an e-book author and mentor, including his book Tenacity: A Blue-Collar Man’s Road to Healing, where he shares lessons learned through addiction, recovery, and reclaiming self-worth. This conversation speaks directly to artists, makers, and creatives who come from nontraditional paths—those who didn’t come up through galleries or academia, but through lived experience.With a massive and dedicated following across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, Jimmy has built a global audience by staying grounded in authenticity. His sculptures ship worldwide, but his message stays personal: healing isn’t clean, creativity isn’t linear, and recovery is an ongoing act of courage.This episode is for:• Artists navigating recovery or sobriety• Creatives from blue-collar or nontraditional backgrounds• Anyone turning pain into purpose• Makers redefining what art “gets to be”• Those learning how to build a meaningful life one honest day at a timeArtist Recovery is about bringing light to the darker corners of the creative process—where struggle, loss, and reinvention live side by side. This conversation with Jimmy Garcia is a testament to what’s possible when you stay the course, honor the work, and keep showing up for yourself.Connect with Jimmy:Youtube: @meanmugpistons6014 Facebook: @meanmugpistonsInstagram: @meanmugpistonsTik Tok: @meanmugpistonsConnect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#JimmyGarciaInterview, #ArtistRecoveryPodcast, #RecoveryAndCreativity, #LongTermSobriety, #AddictionRecoveryJourney, #BlueCollarArtist, #ReclaimedMaterialsArt, #SculpturalStorytelling, #HealingThroughArt, #CreativeResilience, #FatherhoodAndRecovery, #TurningPainIntoPurpose, #SoberArtistJourney, #IndustrialArt, #MeanMugPistons, #richwrightartist #richwrightunlimited #richwrightunltd #richwrightart #metalworker #mechanic #mechaniclife

What happens when a creative spirit grows up surrounded by competition, comparison, and expectations—yet refuses to follow the status quo?In this deeply reflective episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with accomplished author, educator, and resilience advocate Sharon Neiss Arbess for an honest conversation about creativity, perseverance, and the long road to trusting your own voice.Sharon shares her journey growing up in Montreal within a high-pressure, achievement-driven environment—where excelling academically and athletically was the norm, and creativity often lived on the margins. From feeling like she never quite “measured up,” to discovering that not fitting in became her greatest strength, Sharon reveals how early experiences with competition, rejection, and self-doubt quietly shaped her resilience as a writer.

Together, Rich and Sharon explore:• Why rejection becomes easier when you grow up learning how to get back up• How creativity often develops outside traditional education systems• The courage it takes to release your first book after years of self-doubt• Why comparison is the thief of joy—especially for artists and writers• The hidden resilience behind “failed” projects and long creative timelinesSharon opens up about her books—including Me and My So-Called Friends, Get Up, and The Most Amazing Department Store—and how her storytelling centers emotional honesty, youth resilience, and navigating life’s uncomfortable moments with compassion. She also shares how her teacher’s manual Brave the Waves was developed to help middle-school students, parents, and educators build emotional awareness, resilience, and open dialogue around difficult topics.This episode is a powerful reminder that:

~Creativity doesn’t follow a straight line.

~Success doesn’t arrive on a perfect schedule.

~And resilience is built through showing up—again and again—even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.If you’re an artist, writer, educator, or creative who has ever questioned your path, struggled with comparison, or wondered if your voice truly matters—this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.Connect with Sharon:https://sharonneissarbess.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonneissarbessLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-neiss-arbess-99315921FB: https://www.facebook.com/SharonNeissArbessWriterConnect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#SharonNeissArbess #ArtistRecoveryPodcast #CreativeResilience #WritingThroughRejection #AuthorMentalHealth #CreativityAndComparison #WomenAuthorsPodcast #YouthResilience #EmotionalWellbeing #CreativeVoice #PersistenceInArt #CreativeCourage #ArtistMindset #ResilienceThroughFailure #richwrightartist #richwrightunlimited #richwrightunltd #artist #creativeidentity #richwrightart

What does it really mean to rebuild a life through creativity when everything has fallen apart?

In this deeply human episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, host Rich Wright sits down with Steve Boehm, aka Steve Sxaks—a multi-hyphenate creator whose journey spans punk rock stages, underground hip-hop culture, military service, homelessness, education, and authorship. This is not a highlight reel conversation. It’s a grounded, honest exploration of how identity is forged through adversity, failure, and relentless self-inquiry.

Steve’s story moves through Philadelphia, Houston, Tennessee, and everywhere in between—geographically and emotionally. From growing up drawn to attention and performance, to being shaped by punk ethics and DIY culture, Steve opens up about what it means to learn everything the hard way. No shortcuts. No safety net. Just lived experience as the teacher. As a former touring punk musician turned respected audio engineer, Steve is the co-founder of Marston House Recording, one of Philadelphia’s most influential studios. He is also the creator of Marston House Ciphers, a platform dedicated to preserving authentic underground hip-hop voices. But behind those accomplishments lies a quieter truth—periods of instability, couch surfing, shelters, and rebuilding from the ground up while becoming a husband, father, and mentor.

This episode dives into:


• Growing up between chaos and creativity


• Punk rock as philosophy, not fashion


• Learning through failure—and why Steve lets his students fail on purpose


• Integrity in music, education, and collaboration


• Teaching young artists how to earn trust, not just credits


• Navigating homelessness, grief, and responsibility


• Why creativity often chooses us before we’re ready

Steve also reflects on his role as an educator and nonprofit leader, sharing how his own unteachable tendencies shaped the way he mentors emerging creatives today. His approach is simple but radical: experience it, own it, fix it, and never repeat it.

Beyond music, Steve is also a published author. His debut novel, Invasion of the Punk rockers Who Drink Blood, blends rebellion, horror, and coming-of-age themes—mirroring the same raw energy that defines his life and work.This conversation isn’t about success in the traditional sense. It’s about integrity, resilience, and what it takes to stay creative when life keeps testing you. If you’ve ever felt like you had to figure everything out on your own—or questioned whether your past disqualifies you from a meaningful future—this episode will meet you where you are.

🎧 Listen if you’re an artist, musician, educator, creative, or anyone rebuilding their life from the inside out.

Connect with Steve Sxaks:

Website: https://letsgoguy.com

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/steve_sxaks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@stevesxaks⁩

Connect w / Rich:

Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠

LinkedIn: @richwrightunltd

Instagram: @richwrightunltd

FB: @theartrec

Instagram: @theartrec

Artist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom

#SteveSxaksInterview, #ArtistRecoveryPodcast, #PunkRockPhilosophy, #UndergroundHipHopCulture, #MarstonHouseRecording, #MusicIndustryIntegrity, #CreativeResilience, #RebuildingThroughArt, #HomelessnessAndCreativity, #PunkRockMindset, #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited #podmatchguest #AudioEngineerJourney, #TeachingThroughFailure, #veteran #militarylife #militarymentalhealth #MusicEducationMentorship, #DIYMusicCulture, #ArtistIdentityRecovery, #CreativeSurvivalStories, #VeteranArtist, #FatherhoodAndCreativity, #IndependentMusicPodcast, #AuthenticStorytelling ⁨@PodMatch_com⁩

What happens when your body doesn’t fit the mold—but your truth can’t be denied?In this deeply human and expansive conversation, Rich Wright sits down with Alexandra Beller—award-winning choreographer, educator, and former principal dancer with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company—to explore what it truly means to live, create, and lead from the body when the world keeps asking you to conform.Alexandra’s story is not one of neat triumph or easy confidence. It’s a story of contradiction—of being celebrated and unseen, powerful and insecure, grounded and exposed—all at the same time. From growing up as a highly sensitive, imaginative only child in New York, to navigating elite dance institutions that didn’t know how to see her, Alexandra shares what it took to stay connected to her embodied truth when external validation failed.This episode dives into:~What it means to belong to your body before the world approves of it~How artistic feedback can create lifelong wounds—and how to survive them~The pressure placed on artists to become symbols, role models, or “exceptions”~Why confidence is often a projection—and contradiction is the real source of power~Neurodivergence, intuition, and pattern recognition as creative intelligence~Letting go of external legitimacy (institutions, titles, citations) to reclaim authorship~The difference between success that looks impressive and work that feels true~How dance, grief, joy, shame, and magic can all coexist in one bodyAlexandra speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, body politics in dance, and the quiet violence of being forced into narratives that erase complexity. She challenges the idea that healing, success, or confidence must be linear—and offers a more embodied, compassionate way of understanding creative resilience.This is a conversation for:Artists who’ve been told they “don’t fit”Highly sensitive creatives navigating systems not built for themDancers, writers, educators, and performers questioning external validationAnyone learning to hold grief and gratitude, failure and pride, fear and wonder—at onceThis episode isn’t about overcoming yourself.It’s about coming home to yourself.Connect with Alexandra:https://www.alexandrabellerdances.orgInsta: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrabellerdancesLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-beller-0a56a57FB: https://www.facebook.com/alexandrabellerdancesConnect w / Rich:Website: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com⁠LinkedIn: @richwrightunltdInstagram: @richwrightunltdFB: @theartrecInstagram: @theartrecArtist Rich Wright’s WOW Essential Spirit Paintings: ⁠https://www.theartistrecovery.com/white-owl-wisdom#AlexandraBellerInterview, #ArtistRecoveryPodcast, #BodyImageInDance, #ImposterSyndromeArtists, #HighlySensitiveCreatives, #NeurodivergentArtists, #EmbodiedIntelligence, #SomaticCreativity, #CreativeResilience, #ArtisticIdentity, #BreakingTheMoldInArt, #DanceIndustryPressure, #BodyPoliticsInDance, #ArtistsAndShame, #ConfidenceMyth, #CreativeAuthenticity, #EmotionalTruthInArt, #FeedbackTraumaArtists, #WomenChoreographers, #HealingThroughMovement, #ContradictionInCreativity, #IntuitiveIntelligence, #ArtistsMentalHealth, #NonconformingBodies, #CreativeBelonging, #ResilienceInTheArts, #ArtisticVulnerability, #RejectionAndCreativity, #RedefiningSuccessInArt #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd #richwrightunlimited #podmatchguest @PodMatch_com ​